CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1900-12-27

that the man who eats a dinner Is
often poorer than the man who cooks
It, and that, while a man Of high in
teIlect may have a hard struggle to
earn few hundred pounds year. 4
skilled cook may revei In the income
Of cabinet minister. 1t must be as
sumed. however. that these incomes
are within the reach of any but men
of culinary genius" the Napolsons
Of their profession, who are as great
artists in their way as Niliais or a
Leighton. Those are the men who
put brains in their sauces." and
ing care and skill as Mr.. Swinburne
puts into one OF his sonnets. One of
the greatest of these kings of the
kitchen" has just died, hat not until he
had coined his art into f100. 900. and
had enjoyed for at least thirty years
the income of a minister Of the crown
Charles Ranhofer was born a cook,
Just as Byron was born poet: and he
held hia art In just as high reverence.
Even as q boy. when he was learning
the mystery OF washing dishes. he
would say. What is more important
than our food? Nothing. Then can
there be any higher art than Its prop
er preparauonf Persons who eat
three times day often consider the
art of cooking As a matter OF little i'm
portance; but isn't a mistake In cook
ing that affects the health more vital
than one In architecture that may Of
fend the eyer" After period as chief
baker to Mercier. of the Boulevard du
Temple. young Ranhofer. whose fame
was now known throughout Paris. was
taken into the kitchen Of the Prince of
Alssce. of which he was quickly made
chief. As In 1856. when Ranhofer,
even not OF age. went to the
United , that his fame became
worl'' and he began to feel the
pow. lutocrAt 1T Is . won
der" this sardless boy said. "that
you have not entirely ruined the ma
tional digestion with your careless
cooking and hasty eating. I must
teach you something" And he pro-
eeeded to rewoiutionixe American cook
ing In New York. Washington and
New Orleans. In 1850 he returned to
Paris. where he reigned for two years
as emperor of French cooks before
again returning to America and enter
ing the service of the famous Del
monico at an initial salary Of $4,000
q year. Even Delmonico had to take
the role Of subject to this kitchen au-
tocrat You are the proprietor" Ran
hofer said to him. Furnish the room
and provfAons. tell me the number Of
guests and what they want l do the
rest
Ranhofer was now recognized as
king OF the worlds ehefs. and he vas
consulted by All the worlds epicures-
He founded . school for chefs. and
counted among his pupils such giants
OF the kitchen as LAlonette, Hederer,
LaperruQue. and Vending His din
ners were \ new heaven to epicures.
and furnished the talk Of the worlds
clubs. Some Of his dinners have pass
ed into history. II was Ranhofer who
prepared the famous Swan Dinner.
at which the seventy-four guests were
enchanted by the spectacle of q num-
Der of Eaily decorated swans swim
ming gracefully In q miniature lake
In the center of the table. This dinner
cost a kings ransom" and was en-
Enthusiastically described by one Of the
guests as AN exquisite poem from the
nrst course to the last" Ranhofer. too.
prepared the dinner which Sir Morton
Peto gave, in 1855. to hundred
prominent men of New York. Ths
dinner cost $4,000. The saloon was
smothered In the rarest and costliest
exotics. the menu was printed on en-
broidered satin in letters of gold. and
much of the wine cost f5 bottle. But
Ranhofer. although he was petted and
almost worshiped by many of the
greatest of the earth. always recalled
with especial pride the dinner given
to Charles Dickens in 1860 by 200
After the dinner" the
great chef used proudly to relate. he
asked to see me. and his one word
Perfect with which be opened the
conversation. told the whole story.
Think OF man who knew better how
TO dine than any man Of his time tell
Ing me that my dinner was perfect.
Why, I have been seeking perfection
all my life, and am told that have
reached 1t by a man who could write
cut mutton chop in way that
makes the readers mouth water