Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-04
(Jrom a Photographic

few cases Of smallpox but no yellow
fever. The Red Cross is well established
here, and the women attract no little at
tention, as they go about dressed in theil
dainty uniforms
The Porto Ricans are an altogether
different class Of people from the Cubans
| They resemble more the Mexicans
THEIR EATINGS ARE GOOD.
An officer told me this morning that
nearly all the boys in buff" were copy
| ing off receipts of wonderful dishes
| cooked here, the cuisine both in private
| houses and inns, is very enjoyable. In
| the market are wonderful prawns, turtles,
| and more new fishes than | can
| describe. The meat and poultry aSe
| good and cheap. The cereals come from
home and the fruits and vegetables are
| remarkably varied. The native sweet
potato is richer than ours and the jam
| is excellent. The pepper family Is very
popular-chilies, bell peppers, sweet pep
pers, long peppers, ball pepers, and
several kinds whose names / do not know,
are seen everywhere. There are akras
SOurds, and marvellous onions. One
Omelette / had in camp, made under the
supervision of a Porto Rican, contained
finey-chopped ham, tomato chile, onion,
passed the Spanish omelette made at the
Waldorf. 1t was a fine course dinner
in itself 1 am certain Porto Rico is
going to be a great resort for club men
and iners-out
GOLDEN OPINIONS EVERYWHERE.
Our troops are winning golden opinions
everywhere, and one and all pronounce
this a lovely climate The people are
affectiOnate hOspitable, and generous
But, OH what a sweet tooth they all
have; even the men chew candy. Their
CONNECTIONS are out of the ordinary in
many respects, the best of them being
made from fine almonds, filberts, and
fruits. In sweetmeats they are insati-
able. The soldiers are following their
examples in many minor things. and jel-
lies and jams are more common at mess
than butter.
The housewives here make most of
everything to eat They boil and sugar
a fruit and make a jelly; they boil it
further and make a jam; still further
and get a marmaiade further again
until it is nearly solid, and, 10, you have
pasta. L have sampled these made
from guara, loquot, ounce, peach, april
cot crabapple, orange, pineapple, and
mango. l had a typical Porto Rican
breakfast this morning. 1t consisted of
a mango, eggs, fish, and meat cooked
with fresh fruit.
A HAPPY COMBINATION IN COOK
ING.
A lieutenant from one of the northern
regiments, who has given the matter
much thought, says the cooking here is
happy combination of Spanish, French.
Carb. and darkey. one receives dozens
Of culinary surprises in as many hours
One, which the soldiers like very much
is a rich soup. The liquid part is made
Of black beans drijolas) and stock and in
each plate were three small force
meat-balls and hard-boied pigeon egg.
Another curious dish they call rajo-
vicjo. or "old clothes" 1t is half n pot
roast and half stew. The meat is
spiced and then boiled almost to rags
and tatters The juice and water are |
boiled down into. a thick, brown sauce.
In this are also boiled chilies. okras. I
tomatoes, and, I think. black beans.
Another wonderful dish is a ragout |
made of chicken, prawns, chilies, okras, |
and tomatoes. 1t has a warm, red, !
color, delightful perfume and an ire |
sistible flavor. They color rice red by |
boiling it with tomatoes, and green. with |
spinach. They wash the flavor out with |