Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-16
A JAPANESE BANQUET,
Some Extraordinary Dishes Which
Are Served.

From the Girls Realm
Soon after our arrival. and as a prelim-
irary of the feast to follow. pale, amber
colored tea without sugar or cream; sweet
meats made OF rice. -four and sugar, repre-
sentng. with botanical accuracy flowers
ard leaves. We're passed around Then be
gan that indescrI1able meal called Japan
cse dinner. The waiting girls brought in
| and placed before each guest three lacquer
ed trays. not five inches in height, on
which were the daintiest bowls and dishes
| Imaginable. indeed. the whole dinner was
an object lesson il It's exquisite arrange
ment OF food.
The courses were many and various: on
TIE ufSt tray was SU!mouO, a bean soup,
with great pieces Of carp floating in it.
hUHhitori, or relish of sWeetened cold
omeIette, boiled sugared chestnuts and lily
bulhs. and sweetened fish paste made Of
pounded shark, which looked like cream
cheese, were served in due course.
S2shtmi, or sliced raw turbOt. with sauce
PIC ante. or grated horseradish and soy;
ma cisi- kama, whole fish. sprnl0led with
soy and brCiied over red-hot charcoal:
uma-Fri. bits Of young bamboo shoots, and
root, bits Of young bamboo shoots, and
raro, in soy and liqueur called mirin
chawanmushI, a soup of the consistency Of
baked custard, filled with green vegetables
aud lotus seeds.
Second trar-Two more soups. one with
seaweed floating III it. and the other a fish
soup; namasu, picked raw fish, served
with vinegar, and cold Stewed vegetables
aemono. a salad of raw cucumbers, with
dressing maze of pounded Sesa mum seed
ho-no-mono, or picked elephants, radishes
lotus root, etc.
Third tray-Chawan. or thin fresh soup,
with mushrooms and VermiCelli: and on a
delightful little plate adorned with flights
OF swallows and boned quail; yeb or
broilcd prawn; skemono-that is, pickles Of
all s0rts-were some of the many things
W found set before
the whole dinner was brought in on these
three trays, except one great dish. which
formed the p-eCe dc resistance. This was d
gorgeous carp. still breathing as il lay on
Il bed of crosses and seaweeds The 1--we
fish had b. IN carved and sliced by the head
cook i'm the kitchen to be handed round.
When bits of fish We're lifted from one
side and eaten raw by the guests. the other
sid attached 10 the head and backbone
continue 20 culver and move about! Figur-
ing on the menu as "a I'VE preparation OF
kOi." this part of the feast seemed such
relic of barbarism that | am afraid the
European guests We're rather sichened by
the sight. but the japanese enjoyed it
hugely. / think: ii is considered by them
great delicacy. Plain boiled rice was served
ana eaten from tiny bowls throughout tie
dinner, while the beverages provided were
sake and tea. By each guest sat a pretty.
alert little waitress. watching every mouth
full that We ate and laughing al our efforts
10 manage all the daintes with chopsticks.
While the meal was still in progress the
gilded panels at one end of the room were
Slipped aside. There, standing in da ZZling
array of bright coors, was q troop OF
maikos and geishas. the professional dane
ing and singing girls. They are indis-
pensabie feature Of japanese banquet. At
the hoarSe twanging of the samisens, four
exquisite doll-hke creatures glided forward
and went through a series of danceS-so-
caIled-that were little more than a sue
ceSsion of graceful poses. Bending. sway
inss and turning their bodies with exquisite
grace in their garments of pale crepe,
some of rose, crimson and carnine. others
OF China blue crepe embroidered in storks-
white storkS-their magnificent chignous
laden with siivered and fiowery aigrettes.
these girls reminded me more OF great trop-
ical butterflies than of human beings. Sud
denly, out on the nights stiffness doomed
the deep vibrating notes of the ne;ghboring
temple bell, bringing us back to earth with
a sense of the Ia teneSS of the hour
! As the guests departed. the mattresses
accompanied them to the threshold, where,
as final salute. they fell their knees
with foreheads touching the floor. and there
remained until every one was out of sight.