The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-03-03
MAJOR MAXIM THE KITCHEN.
He Prepares Dish of Snails and Dis
courses on Novel Political Idea.

He Prepares IA Dish of Snails and Dis
courses on Novel Political Idea.
MY caring for snails is, or
rather it should be, as it affects
my neighbors, the same as my
being a Paternalist: it is none of
their business. Now as l have
begun to explain, l have taken
one dozen Burgundian snails,
and"
But, Major p interrupted Mrs.
Max anXiously, what in ever
was that you said you were ? A
pater-paternal-what!"
"A Paternalist, my dear" an
5wered the Major patiently. That
is what l am politically, Pater-
nalist."
"Oh, politically. l thought it
meant something about something
why, something different besides
politics, don't you know"
" No. They are quite the same
thing; snails, politics, paternalism,
when you don't unders tand them.
l was about to add to your in
formation in the matter of snails. ="
Mrs. Max handled the new silver
snail tongs and picks with much
interest; observed that if the snails
were as nice as the tongs, which
were the spring kind you press
together when you want them to
go apart; and added that she was
sure, with a singular lack of con-
viction, considering her form of
expression.
The event was one of the Majors
culinary surprises. He is very fond
of snails boHrgnigNORReS. He sent
some home a couple of weeks ago,
but the cook, having only vaguely
regarded his instructions as to their
preparation, put them in cold water
and did not put the water OH the
stove, whereupon they crawled out
Of their shells, and were thereafter
observed by the Mortified cook dis
porting themselve on the ceiling
and walls. A stableman had to be
pressed into service to remove them,
the cook having tainted. That was
why the Major determined, when
he next observed a fresh arrival
from France, to take them home
and give the cook an object lesson
by preparing them himself. The
complacency of Mrs. Max had been
insured by present of the tongs
and picks, and they were now an
ticipating the arrival of the snails
at the dinner table, the Major
improving the opportunity for a
description of his preparation of
the eSeargOtS.
"As was saying" continued
the Major, l took my pretty little
dozen of snails in their shells and
threw them into a pot of boiling
water, into which l had previously
thrown pinch ofsoda-some high
ly respected authorities prefer wood
ashes"
Are they seasoned with ashes,
Major ?" asked Mrs. Max in some
alarm
They were yet a long way off
from their seasoning. After they
had boiled for fifteen minutes
took them out of their shells and
still further cleansed them in several
waters, and then boiled them, still
out of their shells you will observe,
my dear, for another fifteen min
utes. Then | again threw them in
to cold water. Then, to make the
shells Perfectly clean and presenta-
BILE, gave them a separate clean
ing. Next | made a most delectablc
paste of some fine chopped par
sley, garlic-don't look shocked,
my dear, the beauty Of the Italian
women's eyes comes, not from their
souls, but from eating garlic-and
green onions, which with salt and
pepper l worked into mellow fresh
butter. Then l went to the club for
a couple of hours and gave Jack
Daring few points in pool.
mo wonder, Major, our cook
couldn't prepare the snails. She
had no club to go to"
True, said the Major gravely, |
" However, there is policeman on
our block. Then l returned, wiped |
my shells dry, and thoroughly |
drained the snails. put a little
Of the butter paste in each shell,
and crowded in on top of it a
snail, then over each snail superim-
posed more ofthe paste, set all those
snails from the vineclad hills Of
Burgundy, with their fine open