Evening journal., 1900-02-05
oLD.rIME eEoRcIA pINNERs.
No Reason Why the Well-to-Do Should
Have Grown Thin.

faN'~ ~ 0N thiiis
An old-fashioned gentleman, grow.
mig eloquent on the subject of south
ern hospitality, and the viands that
were set before friends and neighbors
whe invited to a feast, a reporter
said.
win you state your recollections
OF what was served on such occasions
II | write It DOWN.
"Of course I will was the reply.
IL can sec such a table in my minds
eye right now. First there was soup,
Of course II 1t was cold weather we
had oyster soup. or perhaps fish. II
it was in the midst of the vegetable
season, we had rich, high colored beef
soup, with plenty Of tomatoes. okra,
grated corn and such like, well-pro-
portioned and well seasoned with pep
per and little onion.
when the soup plates were taken
of, and after the tureen was set aside.
then line, home-raised ham took its
place in front of the hostess. l can
discern the delicious flavor right now
IN my recollection. Sometimes the
skin was peeled off and the outside
plentifully sprinkled or busted with
black pepper, and that delicious meat
on the bone. For my part, / liked it
best with the skin left on, because the
meat was cured so perfectly that even
the skin was toothsome and pre-
served the juices until the meat was
consumed
"At the other end of the table in
mont of the host you would see a fine
roast turkey-if the season was win
ter or early spring-garnished with
parsley or slices of cold boiled eggs.
The dressing was rich, made of bread
crumbs; otherwise a pan was filled
with thick rich batter, plenty of eggs.
plenty Of butter, daintily seasoned
and cooked until the stuffing was of
the right consistency, and then the
10Y was packed full, and the little
CAKES or the dressing, baked along in
the pan to garnish the sides of the
great turkey dish. If the time was
midsummer, the turkey was replaced
by huge dishes of fried chicken and
baked chicken, sometimes with the
fowl 'smothered.' The chicken menu
was varied II the time was ripe for
kid meat or fat mutton, as it happen
cd. Late in the fall a shoulder of fat
pig or whole young pig was seen
roasted TO a turn.
"All along down the table you would
find bowls Of apple sauce, green or
dried stewed peaches, sweet and
choice; rice. every grain standing
alone; pickles Of all kinds, potatoes,
butter. honey, light bread, nice beaten
biscuits, and such desserts. Mince
pies. apple and peach pies, the crust
crisp and naky; apple dumplings, rich
with sugar. spice and butter; cakes
that we're cakes sure enough; sponge
jelly and pound cake that took an
hour to make and three to cook; fruit
cake that was better six months after
it vas made than at first; jellies. pre-
serves, boiled custard and syllabub
that II makes my mouth water to re-
call them in such bountiful profusion.
Gracious plenty was in the kitchen as
well as in the house, and no chef in
the millionaire's kitchen is as much
gratifed as the old-time cook, whose
headh 5rchief or turban was as white
as her fresh apron was spotless when
ever her mistress called her name
and introduced her to the ladies who
fingered at the table after the men
folks had gone to the piazza or par
lor fire for an after-dinner smoke. -
Atlanta Journal.