The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-07-27

Had to Prepare = Dish.
The dean of California gourmets, Ed
win @. Palmer, Whose clear. piercing eye,
ruddy ~oountenance and grizzled mustache
arc sgrceably familiar to all those good
fellows of ample rotundity who affect the
delicate arts Of the cuisins, was not al.
ways Q dsvotee % the shrfhe Of Epicurus.'
There II q feast Of the disciples OF
Epicurus upon which Mr.. Palmer dwslls
with especial pleasure. 1t occurred several
years ago, and many OF the valiant trench
ermen who gathered around the mahogany
in which pate dc foie graz, trufnes and
terrapin are not smbiAEoned Cd the menu.
Although this ~gastronomio effort was
ons Of the most rcmArkable that ever oc-
surred here or elsewhere, 10 has never be-
fore passed into the history Of the state. TO
malning but - . pleasing memory to co.
casionAlly ~tantaliss tho palstes n stimu-
late the stomaohs Of those nov living with
recollections Of the many remarkable
dishes that grsced the board.
TO this rich and rare repast Just 10
guests were invited. 1t took place at the
city residence Of g. NJ. Josselyn, the wei
known ship chandler, the members Of his
family being absent at his country house.
Among the rood feeders invited TO tho
feast wa that eminent lawyer, Alexander
Campbell. Judge Dwinelle was another
Of the guests whose abundant tissue gave
ample evidsnoe Of his thorough enjoyment
OF tho pleasures of the table, He, too, has
CROSSED the Styx, hut will long live In
memory a. an able turist n q prince q
gnstronomy.
jos Tilden, tho s~tockbrokcr and popu-
lar club man, who met his death In the
big hotel fire at Honolulu, played his
usual jovial part and added much to the
tollity Of the occasion.
OF course Ned Palmer, the dean Of
the gourmsts, was there, - were also
Major Bender and enough moro of the Boz
hemisn club men to make up the requisite
dosen. No shadow Of misfortune was cAxt
by an offending thirteenth guest. There
were just 10 good capon lined felloEs, 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 fiavoring. 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 Epicurus was 10
days.
The nrst course served was soup by
Joe Tilden. The time devoted to the
compromising Of the decoction ran over
three days. Next came . trout, stuffed
~vI nanEoA 1Ha n htrH with an arnnn afi0
sauce which WA contributed by another
guest. Two kinds Of salad lent cooling
solace In turn to the gastronomists.
The terrspin stew wa OF course prepared
by Dean Palmer. This took just 10
days. Each guest cook, In full kitchen re-
gala, served the reasure Of his epiourean
art. One stuffed the roast, another truffled
the chickens, while still another prepared
the frogs legs q Ia c~hampignon.
There was but one course that was not
tho product Of the s1Sil In the cuisine Of
. guest. To Major Bender had been as
signed tho plum pudding. When served
with q rich white sauce In . boat by its
side, it was found TO b . rare wedding
cake saturated with about a quart Of fine
French brandy. III was also discovered
that the pudding was a French confection,
imported by . leading grocer and pur-
chased by the major for the occasion. But
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 a'eaerry and mellow mood, and
It was found that Major Bender had made
the sauce, which covered his offense.
It IL said that the discussion Of this re-
markabls effort Of the cuisine occupied 10
hours, although toward the last the time
keeper nodded In his chair and may have
overlooked . few seconds, so that this
time may not be regarded a. oficisl.-San
Francisco Chronicle.