The Washington times., 1901-11-17
SOME EXPENSIVE DISHES.
Fayorite MorseIs of Epicures and
Tbeif Cost. Gf

| The up-to-date epicure, who is by far
| the champion "waster" of the world.
would turn up his nose If you suggested
| there were more than three mouthfuls
| fit to eat on the body of a full-grown
OK More than that-the rest of the OK
would have to be practically spoiled to
obtain those three mouthfuls.
For the dish called "huitres de boeuf, -
which means beef oysters'' there are
only three morsels available from each
bulIocl-the central nut" as it is called
of the sirloin, some tiny strips carefully
dIleted from the ribs and the central
nut of the back. These, taken from
the finest grass-fed Jersey steer, are
'Iarded" with marrow, stewed in milk,
and treated with all manner of expensive
sauces. finally being covered with sauce
OF the finest old Bordeaux. This practi-
caIly spoils all the primest parts of the
OK, and costs about 81 or e7 los. and is
only just enough for one person. For
"gourmet's'' dinner of twenty wealthy
epicures twenty oxen are sacrificed
1t takes from seven to ten OF the chOic-
est assorted poultry and small birds to
make "ortolan prisonnier.' or 'imprison-
ed ortolan," and the result is about two
small mouthfuls. You can get this. II
you pay for it, at any first-c!ass London
restaurant-the Savoy is famous for it
and it is Indispensable as home dish if
you want a reputation among good iiv-
-ers."
First. you have the biggest fatted tur-
key obtainable. and inside it YOU cram a
small goose Inside the goose IS a Sur
rey capon. preferably fattencd on chest
nuts, and inside the Capon Il zeal. The
teal must contain a well-fed quail. and in
side the quail is an ortolan- The whole
is seasoned with sauce of old wines, and
well baked; and the only bird that is
eaten is the ortolal. which then has
most exquisite flavor. A person with
coarse tastes, II nobody was looking,
might eat the quail as well. An ortclan
is about the size of a large sparrow, and
YOU can get this dish for a modest siJ or
els. Ii is quite a cheap course.
''Agneau diable,'' lamb il the style
OF BeeIzebub." as the translation runs,
is a rather economical dish, as lamb
and half makes a course for two pee-
pie; but 1t Is Il great favorite. 1t is the
regular type of messy dish so favored
by the epicure, and consists of delieately
disseeted strips from the softest muscles
of all the choice parts of a lamb; and
when mdue, the lllnD Is 50 CUT dDoul ana
spoiled that it is useless. except for hash.
Yet the entire yield is only ore small
dishful. not enough for two. n dozen or
fifteen lambs are essential to a small din
ner- -party-your true epicure never col
lects a big mob to dine with him. This
dish. when served up. runs to nearly e%5
per head, and is the invention of a French
chef"
The common or garlen epicure consid-
ors woodcock entirely fine bird,
but the Aigh-cIass gourmand will only
cat the birds thigh. and it must be sep
arated from the bone and minced with
a sauce of old hook. at tlxat. 1t takes six
woodcock thighs treated IN this way to
make a course for one. and the cost is
about "a when finished: but IL made up
as it should be. with n morsel from the
breast of the Russian red-breasted suipe
lying on top, the course will come nearer
Els head. This Is mere between
courses savory, however. and not serious
ly onsidered.-Answers.