Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-17
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! ETN'TS
Written eor The star.

'4ittFH -ut Inc star
A friend who has been for the last two
years studying the home life Of the French
people. sends this description of the French
cuisine from a vegetarian standpoint, with
geciIcs and some Of the dishes that may
aell ind place in our Lenten dietaries
certainly she says. there Is a growing
bclnatlon to follow a Vegetarian diet. AMI
, e reason is not only one of health. In
Europe generally meats are high in price
and outside of Great Britain inferior III
quality. Added 10 this the fact that the
soil Is cultivated TO the last point of Pro-
ducuvensss that 10 space is wasted. and
that small growers are not absorbed by the
wholesale cuitivators, it Is plain that the
produce is sufficiently varied in kind to
meet many tastes and cheap enough in
price to invite the lopsening Of French
purse strings. tight drawn though they are
Without doubt, the saving Of expense In
using vegetables I'm place of meats has
much to do with the fad for a vegetarian
diet In any French family The rrocf of
this can be found in the choice made Of
dishes at a public table where the price
or the meal is the same whether meat or
vegetable be selected. The meat dishes al
always the first chosen, vegetables thuugh
eaten as separate courses being esteemed
as trimmings
Apart, however. from reasons of economy
quite a large class Of persons refuse meat
dishes, and this has led to the invention of
numerous plates made entirely of vegetables
but so ingenously got up that nothing is
lacking in tastiness nor. let us hope, in
nOur1Shlng qualities. While sta ,ily at n
country house long way from Paris and
many miles from town where meats could
De bought, l partoOk of such diet for
week or two before | found that there was
not a particle of meat in any of the de
hclous croquettes, coquilles, 2ates or even
raSouts that were served on the beautifully
set table. Housekeepers in Europe no less
than In America are pleased to he askel
for the recipe OF dish on their table In
deed, If Il guest says nothing aGouI what
he-or chiefly she-is eating, the question
VIII be asked quite frankly, DO you 'ud
the menu good?
This being the case began to ask for
the, written recipes of certain dishes had
Hked and even to go into the kitchen to
see them prepared. The table at this house
was supplied from one of the most album
dant gardens j have ever seen anywhere
Everything was deliciousiy fresh and nm
stinted in quantity. Neither Of these con
dluons might prevail In Paris a place
where IL would be necessary 10 buy pro luce
so that whether or not these dishes would
be as delicious elsewhere. l cannot say In
following the recipes the result, as I en-
Joyed 1t, cannot be guaranteed unless In
gradients are good as those that were
used by this little French cook
The menu naturally begins with soup, the
manner Of serving oysters in France not
being what an American would wish TO
follow. for besides the fact that oysters are
not so good as are those of America, they
are served uninvitngly When on the half
shell, the oyster although a small one Is
split as the shell is opened and lies a
CHASTITY grayish greenish object in its
rough shell not even improved IN taste by
being cold. for Ice Is luxury in
France. We do this thing better in
America. To the soups then, which are
not to be exceled:
Soup la Reue-Into q saucepan throw
a couple of cupfuls of dry bread crumbs.
that is the crumb of the bread. not the
crust Cover with water enough to sub
merge the bread. add salt and pepper and
let 1t simmer an hour. Strain through a
line sieve. Add a good lump of butter
Have ready in the soup tureen the yolks of
three eggs well beaten with cream. Before
removing the soup from the fire and after
II has been strained add a couple Of tea
spoonfuls Of 'fecule de pomme de terre,'
n potato starch that Is mixed to a paste as
Is cornstarch and serves to flavor and
thicken also. The soup must be very hot
but not boiling when II Is added to the eggs
In the tureeu and mixed quickly and served
II people are seated at table before the in
gradients are all mixed. the soup will lose
none of its best consistency.
PURGE de Pois.-If the peas used are
green French cooks are particular to cook
them in hot water; II dry, In cold water
The amount OF peas to make SOUP for six
persons is about three pints of green peas
Put the peas in two quarts and a half of
water. add three or four young onions and
carrots and bouquet Of herbs. When per
fectIy soft mash the vegetables and pass
through colander. Return to the water
the PURGE has been cooked in Add a lump
OF butter. If the PURGE is too thick it may
he thinned with boiling water or with milk
II too thin thicken with potato starch eggs
flour, add toasted dice OF bread Serve
'POtage au FrOmage.-Make a good souD
by boiling q cabbage with Il few carrots
turnips an onion cut UP. celery and herbs
well seasoned TO PURGE. This should take
about three hours, boiling slowly Strain
OH the vegetables. Have half a pound. or
a little more. OF parmesau cheese grated.
In the soup tUreen. scatter a layer of the
cheese on the bottom. above a LAYER of
very fine dry bread crumbs then another
layer OF cheese and Of CRUMBS. aud on to2
of the last layer of minced cabbage from
that which has been cooked In the soup
Before adding the boiling soup, mix well
oil the ingredients In the tureen To the
whole when mixed. two cups of boiling
cream may be added If the soup IS too