The St. Mary banner., 1901-07-06
REAKY FRENCH FARE.
ROAST LEG OF LION SERVED At
A RECENT DINNER. =;

The Feast Opened With Alligator Soup
Which Was Pronounced Delicious
chants Foot a Heavy Course Smokee
Bear Hams in Great Demand.
For originality and variety 1t would
be difficult to rival the menu of a din.
nsr given a few weeks ago in the Rue
Richelieu, Paris, by well-known
French naturalist.
The dinner, which was enjoyed by
q dozen eminent men Of science and
lettsrs, opened with alligator soup,
which was pronounced delicious" To
this appetizing course succeeded the
inside Of sharks fms in gravy and
seA-slugs from Loochoo Islands; roast
leg Of lion and elephants foot, follow
ed by Z variety Of sweets, including
monkey nuts in hot syrup and the In
dian concoction of boiled rice, sultan
as, almonds and pistachio nuts.
One of the guests when interviewed
by representative of the Petit Jour
nal, declared that 1t was the most en-
joyable dinner Of which he had ever
partaken. ''The alligator soup was as
delicate and seductive in flavor as
tortue claire, and, in fact, was scarcely
to be distinguished from It; the
sharks fins and sea-slugs were more
delicate and enjoyable than the finest
turbot; the lion was little tough. due
probably to his age, but of peculiarly
pleasing favor; and the elephants
foot was truly dish for Lucullus."
However uninviting and even repel-
I ling such fare may be to palates loyal
Z to beef and mutton, soles and salmon,
one cannot resist the verdict Of ex.
perts who have eaten it and found it
more than appetizing.
The late Frank Buckland, whose
gastronomic range was greater than
that of any other Englishman Of his
day, used to assert that the tenderest
veal and the most succulent pork
could not compare with the flesh of
an alligator, which combined in
higher degree the delicacy and flavor
of both; while he vowed that the boa
constructor which once furnished
hearty meal for him, was indistin-
guishable from veal. The lion is by
no means an uncommon food among
French epicures, who are always seek
Ing some new gastronomic experience;
and only few months ago twenty
Of the most prominent men in Paris
sat down to a dinner of which the
piece de resistance was forequarter
OF lion specially imported from
Algiers.
.-- In certain parts of Germany the
bear Is considered great delicacy.
Smoked bear hams are in great de-
mand; and sausages made from bears
liver are among the choicest treasures
Of the table.
At dinner given in London recent
ly by a wealthy Chinaman the menu
included, among many other tempting
items, pigs kidneys, bamboo shoots,
and onions in gravy; fat pork and
herbs in balls; canned frogs; birds
nests, pigs stomach, bamboo shoots
and gravy preserved flesh of marine
animals and eggs, lobster soup and
boiled pork-puff, calf tendons, and
lungs Of pigs, with tea between each
Of the twenty-four courses. This meal
would surely have strained the diges-
ton Of the Chicago man who disposed
Of liberal quantities Of the following
courses: Broiled lobster and milk,
oyster stew and vinegar, rare beef
steak and cream, roast beef with
powdered sugar. pickles and ice
crem, Welsh rarebit and peppermint
lozenges, oatmeal and catsup, coffee |
and olive oil.
But these meals are inviting COM
pared with menus in which cats, mon
keys and hyenas figure. And yet there |
are many who have found cat q more |
than tolerable substitute for more "a
miliar fare. Mr.. Albert Vandam, who
went through all the horrors of the
seige Of Paris, says: Il declare that
stewed puss is far nicer than stewed
rabbit; but the dog Is detestable. Fry
nm, stew, boil, or bake him, his flesh
remains oily and flabby, with strong
navor Of castor OIL"
OF monkeys, Captain Clapperton,
tne African explorer, said: "They are
Dy no means unpleasant to the taste.
In fact, nine men out of ten would
eat them with the certain conviction
mat they we're eating rabbit, and not
bad rabbit. either"
Even the hyena, according to Cap.
uin Lyon, under the magic Of skilful
cook can pose as jugged hare with
out much fear of detection. That
kansaroo meat is most palatable will
readily be believed. DR.. Bass, the
Australian explorer. who was one of
me nrst civilized men to introduce the
nngaroo into his dietary, reports that
parts of the animal are not surpassed
~ the finest beef, and no soup In the
world can rival kangaroo SOUP"
AAngaroos' tails formed an attrac.
I'VE feature Of a dinner given by Mr..
aeAEy Stevens at the Camera Club a
sear or two ago, and were held by the
eaests to eclipse the saddle of rein
ueef that followed them; although
they IN turn had to Weld pride of place