The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-08-30
,WILES OF THE CHEFS
BANQUET TiDBlTS ARE NOT ALWAYS
WHAT THEY SEEM.


WHAT THEY SEEM.
"a Cod and . French Cook Can Work
Miracles" The Breast Of One
"Chicken" Has Been known to Sat-
isfy Twelve Hungry Diners.
1t has almost passed into a proverb
that many Of the dishes served up In
cheap restaurants, where nothing Is
wasted, are, to put it mildly, mysteries.
But, on the other hand, most people
who patronize fashionable and more
ambitious restaurants are generally
content to accept the menu for what it
Is said to be. This blind trust is some
what abused, and the amount Of 'fak-
ing Which goes on today in some Of
the well to do establishments would
probably surprise those who are I'M
initiated in the higher branches of the
culinary art.
For instance, by the addition Of veg
etable Juice Just. before being dished
up cod outlets are, at seasons when
salmon is very dear, set before Gus
toners as salmon outlets and are,
needless to say, charged accordingly.
This deception, according to an ex-
chef, is wisely practiced not only in
better class restaurants, but also on
some Of the great liners.
Another popular trick as practiced
by the restaurateur is to serve veal
beef done up overnight in sailed band
ages, while skillful chef has very
little difficulty in palming off fatfish
for sole on epicures who pride them
selves on the soundness of their judg-
ment Of cooking.
On one occasion some time ago a
dinner for seventy-five people was or
dered ut well known fashionable res
taurant in the upper part of New York.
A large consignment Of salmon had
been previously ordered, but, to the
CONSERVATION of the cSef, the dinner
hour slowly approached and still no
salmon arrived.
In despair the chef, Frenchman,
decided to take the bull by the horns"
and procure another fish to do duty for
the coveted salmon. Accordingly he
sat to work to turn cod outlets into salm-
on outlets, and this rapid transforma-
ton was soon erected by an addition
of vegetable juice. The walters, who
naturally were aware of this whole
sale deception, were given express or
ders to report any complaints to the
chef at once. However, to the intense
delight Of the chef, all passed off well,
and on hearing that his subterfuge had
not been detected he gleefully ex-
claimed, "Ah, a cod and French cook
can work miracles" .e-.s
Green peas at certain seasons of the
year are naturally q luxury quite be-
yond the reach Of the man of average
means, while even caterers for fashion
able hotels themselves frequently have
the greatest difficulty in getting a suf-
ficiently large quantity to meet the de-
| mand. However, to fake peas does not
offer any great difficulty in times of
stress, and by adding vegetable color
ing matter yellow peas are quite COM
monty served up as green peas along
with the duck and f1avorless new po-
tatoes, which more often than not
| come from abroad.
Roast veal served with a thick white
| sauce makes, says q well known chef,
most satisfactory substitute for the
breast of chicken, and therefore it does
not come altogether as a surprise to
learn that the breast of one chicken
has been known to satisfy twelve
hungry diners.
'"The staff take good care Of the
| breast of chicken" was the comment
Of waiter who was being for the first
! time initiated into the mystery of how
to feed dozen people of one chicken.
Perhaps the cleverest deception prac-
ticed by eminent chefs is the art of
manufacturing the lobster patty, so
dear to the heart Of the epicure. This
appetizing dainty would at first sight
seem to defy even the most ingenious
cookery fakir. However, here again
the arfful chef has overcome apparently
insuperabie difficulties, and many tooth
some looking lobster patties are thus
not always quite what they are said
| to be.
The deception is worked In this way:
A common crustacean is boiled and the
meat carefully chopped of and put into
a mortar, while afterward part of the
| shell is added. The mixture is then
| vigorously pounded as fine as possible,
| and on the addition Of flavoring it
would tax the powers of the most
critical connoisseur to detect any diff
| ference between the gastronomic mix
ture and the genuine lobster patty.
''The various receptions I have told
you Of" remarked a famous chef to
the writer, "are naturally not prac-
tieed every day. but are only utilized
In times Of emergency, and these emer-
gency moments arrive more frequently
than the trustful customer would like
did, he but know."-New York Tele-
graph.