The morning call., 1894-10-21

can plates, and the Chinese in exquisite
little bowls of the finest porcelain, each
holding about pint of stew or soup. At
each plate there were six of the finest cut
glasses for wine, and two silver goblets for
Chinese liquors. One of these was as big
as an eggcup, and the other did not hold
much more than thimble. The first con-
tanned samshu or rice wine. This tasted
ike sherry, and it was served hot The
other contained liquor made of sorghum.
This was as hot IS boiling oil. IL was the
color of amber and was more stimulating
than chartreuse. The wines were tie
regular ones which you find at any foreign
dinner, ranging from sherry to champagne.
| ate most Of the Chinese dishes and found
them not at all bad. The pigeon eggs
soup had little yolks of pigeon eggs floating
| about in it, and the birds nest soup was
served in bowls about the size of large
coffee cup, and needed salt to make it
palatable.
This is one of the greatest of Chinese
| delicacies, and the material from which il
is made is perhaps the cOstliest eatable
found in the markets of the world. 1t sells
as high as $50 pound, and China spends
hundreds OF thousands of dollars year for
it. 1t is made.f from the BIRDS nests of a
swallow which is found 10 caves and damn
places OF certain Islands of the Indian
Ocean. The nests are of the same shape
as those of chimney swallow, and thew
are made of seaweed. The bird chaws the
| seaweed and mixes 1t with its saliva, and
the soup is. in fact, made Of this saliva.
The nests are carefully cleaned, all the
feathers and dirt being picked from them.
They have to be soaked thoroughly and
then boiled until they are tender. They
come out the color of transparent white
jade stone. They make sort of a white
jelly when they are mixed together. On
the top of these sbreds of boiled ham are
placed and pigeon eggs below. The soup
is again boiled, and when served looks
more like angels food than swallows spit-
tie. 1t Is said 70 be very invigoratinp.
and will give man of 60 the vigor of d.
The shark fins are said to have the same
strengthening properties. They are
made of the splnters of the fin of sha rl
and are cooked into a souD ana are served
with bit of ham. Bamboo shoots are
the roots of the bamboo. They taste like
cooked nuts, and make you think of white
carrots. These Chinese are very fond of
all kinds of fungus, and that which was
served at this meal was a sort Of iellv-
like mushroom.
All of the Chinese dishes were seyed in
such shape that they could be easily taken
up with cho psticks In place of salt each
man had little bowl of Japanese soy into
which he dipped his food before eating il.
The Chinese consider it barbarous to
bring food on the table as we do. They
think that everything should be cooked iu
small pieces, and they stew and boil almost
everything. Such meats and vegeta bles
as are fried are first cut up into the shape
of hash, and the only pigs which are
cooked whole are those which are intended
for sacrifices. Even the priests cnt these
into hash and recook them before eating
An idea seems to prevail among foreigner.
that the Chinese live or rats and mice
There is no greater mistake in the whole
dictionary of errors which are current con.
cernipg the Chinese. In the northern par
OF China the common people are too pool
To afford rice and they live upon millet
wheat and corn. A great deal of bread il
consumed, but it is boiled instead o.
baked, and as TO the better classes, theJ
have as many dainties and as good food al