New-York tribune., 1904-10-30
By Mary III. KrOut


tine Western palate-Ike the riCe-four fa.,e
so universally eaten, they flat and ir-i,lf
But the Chinese method of preparing walnutS
to be despised The kernels taken from the ie,s
in halves, blanched, and dropped into boiling ia
until they brown and crisp, and then into rl,
that is the point of crystalizaton- They Il
cold, prettily frosted with the sugar,
Another really toothsOme sweet is a thick -,ltv
made from the tart and spicy "red fruit t- Wien
sufficiently cooked. the liquid poured
dish to the depth of INCH When hardened is
neatly into small squares and artistically arranged
porcelain dish strewn with the blanched kernels
a favorite Chinese garniture.
cake which often is served to visitors at the house
of money lord or wealthy Chinese farmer cannot
be highly recommended. The ingredients horr
strong lard and black, unclared sugar, and requires
valiant effort and all the polteness can muster
to choke 1T down. AT such hospitable house thc
visitors had thought to stay their hunger with biled
eggs which, being inclosed in dirtProof shells must
perfOrce be clean But. alas! IN the excess of kind
the shells had been carefully removed and UYen
each the marks of the servants sOiled fingers
To have refused either the cake or the eggs would
have been a serious affront to- the kind host
The. better grades of tea-the first fine leaves which
from their resemblance to crinked eyeld are called
"Pokoe are consumed by only the rich; the locr
using substitute the eoarser grades. while the
extremely poor must content themselves with the
dried leaves of the willow. gathered by the roadside
in the burial places.
An exquisite flavor is given to the tea used
monious occasions by mixing 1T with the dried petals
of the ethereal odor of new-mown hay.
Buried eggs another costly luxury like the tlr' ;
nests used for soup. not apt to commend th,rn-
selves to the outside barbarian There Is nothing
In the least repulsive in their appearance oior
although they often buried for several wears hen
they "ripened" sufficiently. Having been ir,>cd
In mixture of lime and clay, they retain their
and cut into segments and heaped upon Il tl'~i
the whites coored dark brown and the yOlks ~ T.
green, IN the long process of decomposition. Frr
only perceptible flavor after SIX wears l1:,
is faint saltiness The bird's-nests those vr q
species of swallow which builds in the cliffs alor-
The nests boiled and the liquor cartf~,
strained to secure the glutinous substance kir
gelatine. which is at all unpalatabe.
In the treaty ports. and in Picking. where each --
eign legation employs a hghly-skied chef-ratrv,
European-the Chinese show the greatest eager,
TO learn the art of foreign cooking. has been
While attending to his duties. the chef. If he a
Chinaman. will be found apparently entertainiI-
number of casual visitors in his kitchen, I'm rca
they observing with their keen, aIlseeing eye
every movement. and after little while gn
way, with further teaching. and reproduce
dish that they have prepared.
OF course. this always does happen. Rem
able as the Chinese for their faculty of imiat
there are among them neOphytes whose blundrrS
queer and startling enough. But these may
foreign for the tyro in time frequently develops
prlsing ability. His chief weakness in such an
ton is that no human power prevent him II
pfer1ng his employers wheat bread and coffee.
things of which he becomes extravagant1v fond
1t even may be said that the Japanese cannot
prOach the chinese IN the art of cookery and
most native Chinese dishes appetizing. few
elsners can eat the fungi and pickles which are lie