Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1906-10-11
WILES OF THE CHEFS
BANQUET TiDBlTS ARE NOT ALWAYS
WHAT THEY SEEM.

"a Cod and a French Cook Can Work
Miracles" - The Brenst of One
"Chicken" Has Been known TO Sat-
fsfy Twelve Hungry Djaers.
1t has almost passed into IL proverb
that many OF the dishes served up in
cheap restaurants, where nothing Is
wasted, are, to put 1t 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 1t
is said to be. This blind trust is some
what abused, and the amount OF fax
ing which goes on today in some of
the we'll 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. ut seasons when
salmon is very dear, set before Gus
toners as salmon outlets aud 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 q veal
beef done up overnight in sailed band
ages, while il 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 u
dinner for seventy-fve people was or
dered at q 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 chef, 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 effected 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 ey-
claimed, "Ah, a cod and french cool,
can work MIRACLES
Green peas at certain seasons of the
year are naturally 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 i'll times of
stress, and by adding vegetable color
ing matter yellow peas are quite com
monty served w rs green peas along
with the duck and flavorless new po-
| tatoes, which more often than not
| come from abroad.
Roast veal served with Il thick white
sauce makes. says II we'll known chef
n most satisfactory substitute for the
breast Of chicken. and therefore it does
not come altogether as Il 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 a chicken" was the comment
| of n waiter who was being for the first
| time initiated into the mystery of how
| to feed il dozen people off 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 epicurc. This
| appctzlng dainty would at first sight
| seem to defy even the most ingenious
cookery fakir. However. here again
the nrtful chef has overcome apparently
insupcrable difficulties, and many tooth
some looking lobster pattics are thus
not always quite what they are said
| to be.
| The deception is worked III this way:
| A common Crustaccan Is boiled and the
meat carefully chopped Off and put into
Il mortar, while aftcrward part of the
| shell is added. The mixture is then
| vigorously pounded as fine ms possible,
/ ana on the addition OF lavoring it
| would tax the powers of The most
critical connoisScur to detect any DIFF
ference between the gastronomic mix
| turc and the genuine lobster patty.
The various receptions | have told
YOU Of" remarked famous chef TO
| the writer. are naturally not prac-
ticcd every day. but are only utilized
in times of emergency, and these emcr-
| geucy moments arrive more frequently
| than the trustful customer would like
| did he but known New York Tele-
| graph.