Evening star., 1901-11-15

From the London Telegraph.


Cooks throughout the world will assign a
place in the history OF their art to the ban
quet given by NJ. Loubet to the car ana
czarina. not only for its lavish costlIness.
but for the complete novelty OF several of
the dishes Invented by Messrs. Po;el and
Chabot for II. Whether the recipes by which
tt-~se culinary masterpieces were prepared
will ever be made known generally to the
exponents Of la haute cuisine w09ld seem
doubtful. as from them IL might be possible
for astute rivals to snatch some OF the Sc
crets which these famous purveyors so
jealousy guard. Chefs such as these de-
vote a literally endless patience TO their
profession. and no chemist engaged upon
scientific research can conduct his expert
mental labors with more delicacy and ac-
curacy than they give 70 q new sauce or an
entree to combine unexpected features
But II is not often that such an opportu-
nifty as the Compeigne dinner presents
Itself. where cost was absolutely beyond
consideration. and where every adjunct
that their skill could desire was available.
Undoubtedly they rose to the occasion and
produced banquet whose menu il today
the envy and admiration OF every cook
with any pride in his important calling
The czar himself expressed CONGRATULATIONS
upon Its success. and there is no prouder
nrm In France now than these celebrated
caterers.
English Menus.
Conditions here and across the channel
are 30 different that 1t Is somewhat difficul,
to realize an entertainment at all anal
ogous being given to a royal and imperial
visitor in our midst. Such distinguished
guests. when they grace these shores with
their presence, are entertained by the SOW
ereign, who may invite from ten TO fifty
from the outer royal circle, cabinet minis
ters. naval, military and ecclesiastical
leaders OF highest rank, and favored MEM
bers OF the household and In one OF the
state apartments OF one OF the palaces a
brilliant and magnificent dinner will be
given. But the late queen never favored
anything In the nature of extravaganza In
the menus OF court dinner parties and Il
is well known that King Edward has a
great aversion to long and over-bouuteous
repasts The only circumstances under
which We can at all approximately enter
tain a foreign potentate to those at Com
piegne are II he visits the city to receive
the freedom OF the corporation, or goes to
some great manufacturing center TO Inspect
its chief industries and is welcomed by the
mayor. Then IL Is that the great gulf
fixed between the French and the British
menus shows itself, and the emperor or
king who has been to the Guildhall and
duly replied to loyal addresses at Liverpool,
Manchester. Sheffield Edinburgh and Glas-
gov. may well go back wondering whether
English cookery at its most lavish outlay
SoA 81 pSyohu soup, bolleu salmon
and lobster sauce. some three or four each
OF hot and cold entrees sirioin Of beef.
saddle Of mutton. chicken and ham and
about half dozen sweets. Such. one feels
sure, after considerable experience OF
grand banquets' alike in London and the
provinces must be the abiding impressions
OF English cookery that our royal visitors
Of the past three or four decades must
have taken away. II was not always so,
for the menu Of the dinner given by the
corporation OF London to the Emperor Ma
poleon III, on his visit In 1855 was almost
as wonderful as that offered to the czar
last week. for II included Panneaux a Ia
Imperatrice, Cochon de lait la Napoli-
taine, and even potage de nids d oiseauX
chinois.
Old Dishes Preferred.
Some talk on the subject with one OF the
most experienced OF caterers for great
civic, municipal and public banquets in our
midst elected some OF the reasons which
keep our entertainments OF the kind at
their present level. There is, In the first
place a great mistrust implanted in the
average citizens breast OF any dish with
which he is not completely familiar. He
thinks lamb outlets and green peas much
safer than fiiets de becasse la TaIiey-
rand. Of which he has never heard and he
clings to sweetbreads 10 a rock rather
than venture into unknown dainties in
which vegetables loom large. There is.
therefore, not the slightest encouragement
to the compiler of the menu to move out
side the beaten track, and as long as there
are two items in each course he is salts
fed Then. again, the tendency lie to ex-
pect more than the actual dinner for the
amount per head paid. Thus a caterer 10
asked to submit menus for. say, 300 guests
at lbs. apiece. In old times the floral deco-
rations would have been OF the simplest
character, and a few gaudy heads stifIsy
disposed with some foliage in plated
epergnes at intervals would have been re-
garded as superb; but nowadays II will DO
necessary to spend from f5 to f10 according
to season. before the tables will be even
passable.
The steadily Increasing cost OF provisions
Of the best class also makes itself felt
either In the quantity or quality OF what
can be provided. and Ii is no eXaggeration
to say that purveyors who have und=rts ken
orders for large dinners at fixed price
look with CONSERVATION on the presenl
dearness Of fish. Another difficulty that
confronts them Is a growing tendency 10
diminish the Joints, and IN their place TO
have something lighter In game. poul-
try or made dishes. The dessert has oe-
come a matter Of more Importance, and
really choice fruit adds an expensive item
to the outlay. Good cooks know their own
value and want high wages. and as things
are at present. II would seem that the
sums which corporate or public bodies are
able to vote for their entertainments are
insufficient to provide such luncheous or
dinners as French Gordon Ecu would
wish to devise. In the case Of the city
and company dinners the circle OF those
1t Is desired to invite has steadily wfdened.
while the money that could be allocated to
hospitality has not increased in proportion.
Hence four may now have to be feasted for
less even than a few years ago could be
spent upon three. Still, II must be ad-
mitted that in private life and In our FASH
fonable restaurants We are learning by de-
grees to appreciate a more delicate and re-
flneG type OF cookery than that which sur
wives I'm these Official festivals. and in time,
perhaps. even lord mayors banquet at
the Guildhall may be able to dispense with
some OF the solidity and massiveness that
has come to be associated with IT.