Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1898-07-20
DINNER IN HAREM,
Two items on the hena Were Calf and a
Kid Roasted Whole.

Mrs. Ramsay; who accompanied her
husband on his archaeological tour In
Asia Minor, once spent a whole day in
harem. She describes the incidents of
her visit in her book, Everyday Life
In Turkey" from which we condense
the description OF the Turkish dinner.
The ladies of the house, the mother of
the master and his two wives, warmly
welcomed the stranger and introduced
her to several guests. Coffee and ci-
garettes and slices of melon were
handed round shortly after. Then, 1t
being noon, two OF the older ladies
yelled themselves, and on prayer car.
pets spread toward Mecca, spent a
quarter of an hour in devotion, while
the other ladies smoked, laughed and
chalted. Some of the women went into
the garden, where they romped like
schoolgirls at hide and seek.
At four o'clock preparations began
for dinner by putting table cloth OF
patchwork Under the table and placing
on 1t a four legged stool turned upside
down. Upon 1t was laid d large; round
metal tray thies feet in diarneter;round
the edge Of which was piled bread: \
basin, ever and napkins were carried
to the guests that they might wash
their hands and several of the more
devout, calling for prayer carpets and
wells, said their prayers before dining:
Pillows were placed round the table
AMI the guests took their places, sit
ting Turkish fashion. A narrow nap
kin, many yards in length and with
embroidered borders, encircled the ta-
bic, lying in loose folds on the knees
Of the diners.
The first course, served in the earth
enware pot in which it had been cook
ed, was called pishmish, and was CON-
posed Of rice, onions, sour milk, cheese
and fat. The pot was placed in the
middle of the table, and all the guests
supped as much as they wanted with
neat black wooden spoons with color
ed beads set in their handles.
The second course was calf-entire
from head to hoof-boiled until the
homes fell out, and smothered in a mass
of finely shredded garlic. 1t was eaten
with. the fingers Of the right hand-tte
tips of two fingers and the Thumb:
What remained of the second course
little garlic and the bones-was re-
moved, and a huge cream tart was
placed on the table. The 1aky pastry
and the fragrant, rich cream having
been eaten, the dish that had contained
the cream was replaced by another
piled with dolmaches-a mixture of
minaemeat and rice wrapped in vine
leaves.
That was succeeded by great bowl
of cherries cooked In honey and eaten
with an ivory spoon. Mrs. Ramsay,
although she had eaten to repletion,
made show of enjoying the sweet,
lest her refusal should cause the re-
moval Of the dish untasted by hosts
too polite to eat What their gltest had
declined:
A kid, roasted whole and stuffed
with pistachio nuts, followed the cher
ries, and that was succeeded by an
other dish of sweets: Then came fowls;
vegetables, meats and fruits and last
of all pilau.
Now" said Mrs. Ramsay's left-hand
neighbor, with sigh and smile, "if
you are done, we may retire from the
table" She had been done for three
long hours, and with grunts and sighs
all arose. The basin and ever were
again handed round, and then cigar
cites and coffee.