The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-16
MINOR FARE A CENTURY AGO
THE Revival Of Cookery After the French
Re, olutlon-Famous Cooks.

p.pIs. oct 8-In looking over recently a
large private collection OF bills Of fare. the
africa programmes. dc. came across an
au,ographc carte du jour of Ang. 3. 1908.
of the famous restaurant OF very OF Paris
This offers opportunity to contrast the prices
~ dishes at that time with those OF to-de y
ptry's was one OF the most noted esta blish-
nents Of its kind in Paris. II not the most
notable. a hundred years ago. It's reputation
endured until past the middle OF the last
century.
oysters on the shell cost uniformly 10 sous
the sou being the equivalent Of our cent?
dozen The price OF all soups was the "a me for
single portion with the exception Of potooe
A ia ont and riz a Ia TurQue. which were 10
,ous each. or fish, salmon. sauce aur cdpres
or ihmls. and fried sole were two francs
each portion. Skateon dsurre noire. 50 sous.
sweetbreads a l'oseille and calf's head en-
toy,vs, two francs. Chicken salad and pigeon
On erap1udine. two francs ten sous. Fiist de
ho,uf snuie dams so 0idot. beefsteak aux
pomr,rs de fcrrs. roast beef dur eornichous or
In m attire d motel were IS sous portion. Two
outlets br eaded were 10 SOUS.
Wines were proportionately cheaper. Cha
bis was two francs the quart bottle. Hermit
age, FIVE francs: Nuts. four francs: Bordeaux
LATTE seven francs: cha mpa gne. five francs
ten SOUS Pacaret' 10 francs oohstahce' ~
francs.
This carte du jour for 1903 Ia selected because
II represents the apogee of the renaissance
Of good cookery In France. after period OF
complete collapse during the Revolution.
when the inhabitants Of Paris were confined
almost exclusively to a diet Of wretched black
bread This cataclysm had ruined all OF
the we'll TO do. whether noble or bour geois.
putting out of employment a multitude of
competent or famous cooks. who on the return
OF order and abundance opened restaurants.
sore trial to their pride, but which brought
to many OF them large fortunes. They
treated in Paris popular love OF good living.
taste which previously. had been confined
70 the limited circle Of the nobility and rich
bourgeosie. This attracted to their es-
Adjustments a horde Of politicians or legis-
lators without fixed abode, members OF the
Assembly and adventures lured to Paris
by opportunities for plumber offered by the
political complications Of the day. These
were REINFORCED by foreign visitors and by
large group of newly enriched contractors
and their considerable following.
Among the more famous cooks who con-
Quoted these restau rants was Beauvillers.
whose fame became European, not only for
the excellence Of his cookery but for the mag
nifcence of his apparel and the extreme care
he gave to the preparation of the dishes
he served. 1t was his habit at the dinner
hour to walk about among his patrons and
when he detected a dish which he considered
not up TO the standard OF tne nlRne6t re-
ouirements he would order it's removal.
Notwithstanding the protest Of the diner.
and have duplicate prepared which satisfed
his discriminating taste. In the revival Of
an art which has suffered temporary eclipse.
the practical applica ton of 1t Is usually fol-
lowed by sympathetic literary exposition
Of its importance. This renaissance oeApi-
curianism in Paris brought to the surface
Grimed de la Regniere. whose famous classic
3 10 l,,1 1oo md nad IL
caly, supplied an intellectual stimulant
which encouraged refined gastronomic in
diligence.
Inconsiderate or popular judgment has
accorded to Br illat-Savarin greater attain
ments as writer on gastronomy than Is
given TO La Regnere The first named who
cookery was at the commencement Of its
decadences appealed to the eneryated , aps
or less superficial but brilliant presentation
Of the topic La ReSpnere; on the other hand
generation to which gastronomic indulgence
was offered in fresh and alluring guise. His
had supplanted the sSne epicures Of his time
BMat-sayarin Was nothing more than
Of s subee vSereas La ReFnee
his love and knowl ledge of good living through
for his sr sRd aShsf
table, sun coated by pate de toie grds. while
the second suffered n more lingering death
When VI Grimod his son, was born and instead
Of hands was, provided with mere membranes,
tacsimes Of the feet Of T., goose. The de de.
as direct visitation inflicted in punishment
for the gluttony Of his progs.nit9rs That
There is another one to the effect, that his
deformed hands were the result Of the attack
Of an angry hog when he was ,h an infant When
Ne eTn life Ho
in his eishteenth year "a Ressniere de-
9psdd nt hs Sas apdtsd With t ds
they s' y had relieved him Of the ineommodious
had been 1u' disqdsed lie availed Of its
presence in order to desert the pnternsi
roof claiming that the family table was was
that Of his internal lodGer The real purpose.
in which he wa, successful, was to set up an
carry out his theories. OF cookery and indulge
IN what he called -dtjeMncrs p9Ssaosoph,'qncs;
La RsGRsre gave s6s% 1 s snse
,ity Of food and liquid. When a guest arrived
we're taken taken in Charge by an attendant When
all had assembled the door was locked and
barred so that none could depart until the
the room was mahogany table, at its head
q chair slightly raised above the level for the
occupancy OF the president. who was newly
chosen on each occasion. At II O'Clock
servants entered bearing a great platter Of
buttered bread and two immense pots, one
OF coffee the other OF boiled milk. 1t was
the rule that each guest should drink twenty
two cups OF cafe nn ldn as q maximum and
eighteen as minimum The one who first
had absorbed the larger number OF cups OF
coffee was named president for the day
he occupied the raised chair. When the but
tered bread and coffee had been consumed
gigantic sirloin of beef was brought in.
This was the sole solid dish served at the meal.
When that had been enten literature and the
drama were discussed until the hour fixed
for separation had arrived.
The eccentricIties OF La Regniere were not
approved of by his father. One example OF
II carried to extreme lengths exhausted the |
paternal patience. This was supper IN |
commemoration OF the death Of noted actress. |
The walls of the room were hung IN black |
velvet sprinked with silver tears. Each |
guest brought with hun coffin suited to his |
particular dimensions. This was placed |
behind his char. Wax tapers instead Of can |
dies cast n yellow light on the tablecloth, |
while sepulchral chants greeted the coming |
Of each course. This entertainment was |
the source of much scandalous comment |
and led to the Incarceration Of La Regniere |
for two years IN a monastery.
After his relense he went to reside Mt Be- |
PIERS. where he made amends for an ascctic |
life Of twenty-four months by prodiRious |
indulgence in red partridges, royal veal, |
oysters as large ns aspersorIums, quail OF |
Gtzn ~ akt nlrA nd nnf~ oh