The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-15
coLoRED COOK AS CRITIC.
NELLIE MURRAY TELLS WHAT SHE
THINKS OF EUROPEAN COOKING.

trasts.
From the New Orleans Picayune.
Who does not know Nellie Murray, the
famous colored cuisiniere who for so many
years has been the chief caterer of the
New Orleans four hundred? Indeed, so
well known is Nellie in ultra-fashionable
circles, that not to know her is to argue
oneself unknown. She is the queen of her
art, for art it is, her thorough knowledge
of what constitutes an elegant menu, a
beautifully decorated table and her ability
to prepare and arrange either.
Yesterday Nellie returned from her first
European trip For some years back she
has been the chef in the cuisine of Miss
Annie Howard now Mrs. Parrot, of Eng
land But Nellie is not only a good cook,
she is an accomplished lady's maid, and
knows what's what, as the girls say. When
Miss Howard decided last spring upon an
extended tour through England and the
continent, she determined to have none
other than Nellie Murray accompany her
as lady's maid. And right gladly did Nell
| lie respond to the call of her good mistress.
But, to better understand the cause that
prompted representative of the Plea
yune to seek an interview with the ia
| nous caterer yesterday, a little bit of
her personal history will not be amiss Mel
| lie Murray belongs to a line of the famous
| Creole cuisinieres of Louisiana that made
our dining-rooms and kitchens the rivals
| of Paris in the old days-a line that is fast
| disappearing, and when she is gone, it will
have lost it's present most brilliant expo
ic a ri oil baf Ear.
| skin is dark. She unites the best blood of
! the good old-time service of Louisiana and
! Virginia in her veins. She was born in the
| old Hebert family of Baton Rouge and
| her mother was the cook for the famous
| old Creole governor Nellie clings with
beautiful devotion to "her people," as she
| calls the Heberts In her comfortable lit
| tie home in Delachaise street, in this city
"a home purchased through her indus
| trious savings-the walls are adorned with
prettily framed pictures of the members of
| the family that raised her, and who in
| turn are devoted to her. Nothing pleases
| Nellie more than to entertain her people
on their brief visits to the city. Alongside
| with these pictures hangs that of her
mother, for Nellie is a devoted daughter,
and naturally her mothers portrait holds
| the most prominent place in her gallery of
| souvenirs Nellie is every inch lady, as
| she could not but be when it is remember
always associated with the elite of the city
and state. Aside from having reduced COOK
ing to a science, she is really a woman of
great ability, and has won the respect and
confidence by her quiet, unobtrusive man
ners and self-respect.
Early in life she was taught the trade
of hairdressing, but Nellie was never
| made to stand behind my lady's chair
with comb and brush and crimping irons
| in her hands. She was natural born
| cook; her mother and her grandmother
| before her had been famous cuisinieres,
| and cooking took to her just as she took
| to it. All fashionable New Orleans knows
how Nellie is always in demand for every
| elegant dejeuner a la fourchette, luncheon
| and swell dinner, and they know that
| when a function of this kind is placed
in her hands their guests will be served
with such savory dishes as would make
an epicure of ancient Rome crown her
| with laurels.
| Perhaps the greatest compliment be-
slowed upon Nellie was during the worlds
| fair, when she was invited to Chicago at
| a salary of $3.50 month, to take the posi-
| ton of chef in the cuisine of the Louisiana
| Mansion Club. Nellie was all the rage
| then, and her saVory boullons, delightful
| entrees, delicious desserts were the won
| der of the many northern and western
| guests who enjoyed the hospitality of the
| historic Louisiana hosiery, while the
cooking, the tables, the manner of serv-
| ing made Louisianians feel that 1t was
| New Orleans home life dropped into the
| heart of Chicago. But the strain of con-
Quoting this cuisine was very great, and
| Nellie was compelled to resign before the
| end of the fair, and again entered the
| service of Miss Howard, branching off
| from it to her customary labor of cater
| ing to swell functions till last spring she
accompanied Miss Howard to Europe.
| e., f,fA co.
| isiana cuisniere from this first European
| tour is most interesting, for others may
| tell of books and museums and scenery,
| Nellie can tell of gastronomic art, as
| faithfully observed by her in many places
| from England to the borders of Turkey.
| OF course travelling with a lady of great
| wealth and refined taste, Nellie had every
| advantage Of experience and observation
| in the best circles and her criticisms are
| decidedly unbiased.
Nellie was found In the midst of her
| trunks and other travelling paraphernalia.
She had not yet unpacked, and laughed
! heartily as the writer, entering boldly
upon her mission, put the question, well,
| Nellie, what do you think of European
| cooking and how does 1t compare to that
| Of New Orleans?"
"Comparel" exclaimed Nellie why
there is just no comparison at all with
| the exception of Paris All, that is grand.
the world for a person except bringing the
| dead to life. But, to begin with, England.
| Well, the cooking there is simply horrid,
| horrid, horrid! You never saw anything
in the world like H. and she raised her
| eyes to heaven and gave her shoulders
such an emphatic Creole shrug, that even
If you had been an Englishman you would
have at that shrug felt the supremest con-
| tempt for the cuisine of her majesty of
| England II hate to say it," continued
Nellie, seeing that my young lady has
married an Englishman and a right fine
gentleman, too, but / never ate such hor-
| rid cooking as that which came from the
English kitchens. / just couldn't stand
it. The English bakers bread is not fit
to eat such bread! Why, we wouldn't
! think of eating such stuff in New Orleans.
We would run such bakers out of town.
The English don't know what good bread
Is. And as for warm bread, you never see 1t
| in England from one end to the other In
! deed the English are said TO be a cold peo-
pie (but all of them ain'O, but they are
certainly fond of cold dishes. They seem
to serve everything cod-meat, vegeta-
II