The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-08-02
CALIFORNIA GoURMETs.
A Famous banquet For Which Each Guest
Had TO Prepare Dish.

Had TO Prepare Dish.
The dean of California gourmets, Ed
win c. Palmer, whose clear, piercing eye,
ruddy countenance and grizzled mustache
are ngrecably familiar to all those good
fellows of ample rotundity who affect the
delicate arts Of the cuisine, was not al
ways "a doyotoe at the shrine Of Epicurus.
There is one feast of the disciples Of
Epicurus upon which Mr.. Palmer dwells
with especial pleasure Itoccurrod several
years ago, and many Of the valiant trench
ermen who gathered around the mahogany
on that occasion have passed TO a reward
in which pate de foie gras, truffles and
terrapin are not emblazoned on the menu.
Although this gastronomio effort was
one of the most remarkable that ever oo-
Cured here or elsewhere, it has never be-
fore passed into the history of the state, re-
naming but as a pleasing memory TO oo-
casionally tantalize the palates and stimu-
late the stomaChs Of those now living with
recollections Of the many remarkable
dishes that graced the board.
To this rich and rare repast just 12
guests were invited. 1t took place at the
city residence of G. M. Josselyn, the well
known ship chandler, the members of his
family being absent at his country house.
Among the good feeders invited to the
feast was that eminent lawyer, Alexander
Campbell, Judge Dwinelle was another
of the guests whose abundant tissue gave
ample evidence of his thorough enjoyment
of the pleasures of the table. He, too has
crossed the Styx, but will long live in
memory as an able jurist and prince OF
gastronomy.
Joe Tilden, the stockbrokeT and popu-
lar club man, who met his death in the
big hotel fire at Honolulu, played his
usual iovial part and added much to the
jollity of the occasion.
OF course Ned Palmer the dean Of
the gourmets, was there, as were also
Major Bender and enough more Of the Bo-
hemian club men to make up the requisite
| dozen. No shadow Of misfortune was cast
by an offending thirteenth guest, There
were just IL good oapon lined fellows, and
mirth and laughter went the round of the
! table.
The main condition Of this banquet of
| fattening reason was that each guest
| should prepare and serve a dish. The feast
to Apollo, although the mythical god was
waited upon by winged cherubs, was not
| to be compared with this feat of stewing
broiling, baking and havoring. All the
| guests here were cooks, and all the cooks
were arrayed in white cap, jacket and
apron Of that artist and philosopher of the
kitchen. The time occupied in the prepa-
ration of this tribute to Epiourus was 10
days.
The first course served was soup by
Joe Tilden. The time devoted to the
compounding of the decoCtion ran over
| three days Next came trout, stuffed
and cooked like q bird, with an aromatic
sauce which was contributed by another
guest Two kinds of salad lent cooling
solace in turn 20 the gastronomists
The terrapin stew was of course prepared
by Dean Palmer. This took just 10
days. Each guest cook, in full kitchen re-
gala, served the treasure of his epicurean
art One stuffed the roast, another trutlled
the chickens while still another prepared
the frogs legs a la champignon.
There was but one course that was not
the product of the skill in the cuisine OF
guest To Major Bender had been as
signed the plum pudding. When served
with a rich white sauce in q boat by its
side, 1t was found to be a rare wedding
cake saturated with about quart Of fine
French brandy 1t was also discovered
that the pudding was a French confection
imported by leading grocer and pur
cnhseu Dy Jue HldJor lor Ule OCoaSloh' bu
this bit Of gastronomio treason was over
looked, as the many good things previous
ly offered up to Epicurus had left the feast
makers in merry and mellow mood, ant
1t was found that Major Bender had madu
the sauce, which covered his offense,
1t is said that the discussion Of this re
p markable effort of the cuisine occupied II
, hours, although toward the last the time
keeper nodded in his chair and may hav,
overlooked a few seconds, so that thi
time may not be regarded as of1ioial.-SaI
Francisco Chronicle.