Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-17
THE OLD-TIME DESSERT
SHIP MADE OF CONFECTIONERY
WINES ALMOST UNKNOWN.


From the London Globe
Our earliest and most lasting impressions
Of dessert were received in childhood-and
no matter what the inherent merits of the
desserts of today, they are bound to be ter
ribly prosaic affairs in comparison with
those we'll remembered feasts Of joy. But
apart from the personal equation. changes
In fashion have, 1t must be owned. robbed
dessert of some of it's splendors. There was
something imposing and stately in the ap-
pearance of the table when the dinner
cloth was cleared away-desservie-rich In
its sheen of polish, the crystal and silver
and fruit glowing in harmonious contrast
with the amber and gold and ruby of the
wines.
Cargo Of Candy Ships.
One old book describes ship made Of
confectionery, fully rugged, with guns that
would go off, and containing in one part of
its hold live birds, in another live frogs.
Besides these the vessel contained eggshells
full of perfume with which the ladies were
recommended to pelt each other, and what
with the birds beating out the candles with
their wings, the frogs jumping on to dainty
necks and shoulders, and everybody drench-
ed with "sweet waters" there was, as the
old recipe declares, much surprise and de-
light" Imitation gardens of colored sand
and ponds of glass were at one time the
rage; elaborate sugar architecture. confec-
tionery, dramatic tableaux, and fireworks
couceivably the ancestors of our crackers
are described In books Of la haute cuisine Of
our forefathers.
Old-Fashioned Madeira.
Even in the mid or late Victorian era the
wines formed a salient feature in the dig
nifty of dessert, which Is now almost want
ing Everything is for the best, of course
but one need not be reprehensively Bac-
chanalian to recall with something of regret
the genial and picturesque graciousness of
the old custom. A good many of the wines
then in frequent evidence are now scarcely
known otherwise than by name, if we ex-
cept their half conventional appearance at
state functions. Port. sherry, claret and
Burgundy still hold their sway. but 1t is
comparatively seldom nowadays that we are
pressed to take glass of East India Ma
deira," still schooner that famous Malm-
sey Madeira of luscious memory. Brown
sherry, costly, rich and nutty, is by way of
being a rarity; Bucellas, to many, is I'M
known; Rousllon. which plain folk were
not ashamed to offer under it's own designa-
| ton. now, if experts may be believed, mas
querades port We may look in vain for
Alicante, Vidonia. Constantia or Frontig-
nae almost vainly for Red Zant. Palm
Canary. White Viana. Lisbon. Muscadine
and Muscat, which gave joy and dignity to
the dessert in the days of good Queen Anne
Not foreign to dessert wines is the bowl
of Bishop" that sublime connection which
long before these degenerate days merited
the familiar epithets of grateful, comfort
ing" When made with Burgundy or claret
| 1t is Bishop" when old Rhine wine is used
1t becomes CARDINAL" when Imperial
Tokay' is the rincipal ingredient, 1t scars
to the summit or the hierarchy. and is
known as Pope" Apropos of this last IT,
tie. it is asserted by some that the Dump
err" which is still occasionally called for, Is
q corruption of 'le bon PEREZ the toast Of
honor in former times.