Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-28
CREOLE COOKING IN THE SOUTH.
How Food is Cooked I'm the French
Quarter Of New Orleans.
From the Philadelpha lrcss.


New Orleans cookery has always had
| magical sound. II has appealed to native
and outsider ever since French colonization
in this country. The first question / was
asked by the household on returning from
the Mardi Gras was: What did you have
to eat?" The question was hard to answer.
Rather, what didn't | have to eat? When
one breakfasts and dimes at restaurants
where a wager is constantly laid on the
table as to what are the ingredients of the
dish just eaten, IL certainly is a difficult
problem to solve, this one of What did you
have to eat? i actually saw that wager
given again and again. Ii would be Prob
ably near the truth To say that one eats
little Of everything in New Orleans.
One eats very little i'm New Orleans, but
one eats often. The French serve often
and sparingly, with exceeding daintiness.
They believe about the art of eating the
Japanese believe in the art of decoration
one rose in an exquisite vase is worth one
hundred flowers. So the dish excellently
served. deliberately and daintily cooked
with its one liquid, is better far than a
grooming board.
The day is begun with a cup of coffee
and a roli-an egg. il one wishes it, Then
breakfast at 10 or IL O'Clock. 1t is a city
of restaurants and he who has only lodg-
ings lives at the chefs taste, at the cpl
cures board. The flavor and taste of their
coffee is different from that gotten n9r1h
or west of Lake Ponchartrain. unless inFthe
hostelries with French chefs. / watched
the most famed cook in the city make 1t
one morning, and this was how 1t was done:
1t had been partially roasted at the
market. but she put about two cupfuls in
a pan with a lid and roasted il bit more.
Heat brings out the flavor. Into the coffee
mill it went, and the fresh grounds were
put into a tin dripper. This dripper she
laid over a brown stone jar. which was en-
tirely warm, and then poured the boiling
water into the dripper- She placed tho
stone jar in front of not on. the stove
n,a1r- tar rffraa usa rod
over it, and two three times the whole
contents of the jar were poured through
the dripper for extra strength. The re-
suit was coffee that was rich. brown and
fragrant The cup was poured only half
full, the rest made up with hot milk. 1t
was nectar
Snails were served often and delightfully."-.
A salad of them is served for breakfast.
The shrimps are pink, tiny and fresh.
They are laid over crisp curled lettuce
leaves. Over them are shaken oil, vinegar,
pepper and salt. The clever chef never
beats up his dressing. He just throws each
ingredient over without any measuring but
the eye. Invzgiably he Dours 1t out from
the bottle to the salad, then mikes it all
up with the wooden spoon and fork.
Liver is frequent dish. cut very thick
and served very hot Very little. il any,
hot bread is seen. The bread is delicious.
1t is broken never cut The crust is thick.
the bread is porous, and one can eat tho
most inexcusable amount of il. New Or
leans butter is simply delightful, but never
superior to the Pennsylvania brand.
The connection of dishes is entirely dr.
ferent. Garlic has touched everything that
can be improved by the flavor, and mush-
rooms or truffles are constantly used.
Omelets are rarely served plain Omeiet
souffiee is the favored way of cooking. and
sweetbreads, truffies. oysters and brains
are often used. Their omelets are made
exceedingly thick and quite brown.
Roast beef and mutton are not so favored
with Them as chicken turkey, venison and
squirrel. These meats are made into a
composition dish oftener than served as a
plain roast.
And with everything one drinks claret.
Not I'm a wine glass, Dear me! No! But
In q large water tumbler, half filed with
ice and diluted with water. Your good
Frenchman never gets drunk, but he drinks
always,