The sun., 1907-12-16
MILAN, FAMOUS FOR EATING
IT'S PEOPLE HUNGRY NOW. As
THEY WE'RE CENTURIES AGO.
The Huge BsSaWets NJ tire Past succeetled
nv DeIpcRcy Og Taste-Nat'RnS Noted
Market Tested-LIklDG Cor Feastlng
In tho Open Alr--A Wedding Dinner.

MILAN, peC. L.. Milan has hal since
early times reputation for the gorgeous
Bcss and hesviness Of its banquets. Goldoni
attributed 10 tho MilaDese an inordinate
love Of the good thingB Of the table In the
following words:
They lthe MilaneseI can neither take "A
walk or = drive nor amuse themselves in
any way without conversing ON the all
engrossing theme Of eating. A. the play,
in the heart of their families. even at a
spiritual conference, they cannot resist
indulging In their favOrite topic"
Milan retains to-day her reputation. At
Christmas time one can SEQ that she eats
we'll. 4 walk through her streets will
reveal shops filed with all the good things
necessary for the festive season.
The beef is prime, mono better in all
Italy, the turkeys and chickens fattened
to . nicely, and the vegetables like one vast
garden. Perhaps there il a touch Of the
barbsric in this display. IL is true that in
this thriving city Of northern Italy they
work well and long. giving the lie to those
who pirate Of Latin laziness; IL is tTuer still
that they eat much and often.
A glance back at earlier days reveals the
fact that Barretti in the sixteenth century
drew a comparison between the Engksh and
the Lombards, hkening them to wolves, not
on account of their roughness Of manner,
for they were ever cordial and hospitable,
but their rapaCity in eating and the number
and length OF their repasts. Bernoldo in
his "CaIendar' makes note OF the tithes
which were paid To the Church: the amount
u money was small but that Of food was
large.
Until the intermingling with tho French
the Milanese cooking was OF primeval
nature. The banquets were enormous
in length and quantity. but lacking In deli
cacy. The elder Pliny speaks Of q certain
NovelliO Tricintius. a Milanese. who could
swallow three large measures Of wine In
one gulp.
With the passing Of time tho fame ~ these
good people increased. The markets Of
Milan became world famous. The Yer
ziere. the praises Of which were sung in
verse by Cardinal POzzObonelh, was a
market for produce Of all kinds. There
was to be found meat and vegetables In
and out OF season.
Its fame spread throughout the plains
OF LOmbardy and all neighboring cities
subsequently, excelled the celebrated mar
ket of Verona.
There was at this time in Milan a certain
Veronese nObleman named Cane della
Scala a man presumably OF a joking turn
Of mind, who was the guest of Giovanni
GaleazzO ViscOnti. Early one morning
he ordered his servants to buy up the
choicest Of everything in the market, hop
ing thereby To make his host cut a sorry
figure.
Galeazzo Visconti. secretly hearing Of
his guest = intention, sent word TO the head
OF the VeTZiere recommending him to
look well to its reputation. So well did
this man fulfil his mission that three times
did the servants Ofthe Veronese noblernsn
strip the marketplace Of its choicest stock
only TO see il replenished. And what was
more wonderful still. that same day han
que; more lavish than usual was given by
ViHconti to his guest, much to the amaze
Tnent Of the latter, who was forced TO admit
the superiority Of the Milan market over
that OF his native Verona.
There il "a manuscript extant In which
are recorded the festivities attendant ON
the marriage Of ViOlante NiscOnti with the
Duke Lionel Plantagenet, son of Edward
Ill of England. A glance at the menu
will produce a feeling of surprise and won
der at the marvellous appettes Of those
good people.
The wedding dinner consisted OF eight Sen
courses. as follows:
First course Sucking pigs wrapped in Il
thin coating of gold and fish with their mouths
giving forth fire.
Second course. Hares roasted and lGc-
wise gilded.
'ghird course Veal roasted and trout
encTusted in gold.
Fourth course Quai!s, cartridges. and
n gain trout. roasted and similarly gildcd.
Fifth course. Ducks. game and more t>h.
Sixth course Beef and capons unadorned.
Seventh course. Capous. meat and fsh
done IN lemon.
Eighth course. Beef and fish of different
kipis.
Tinth course. Eels and more meat
Tenth course. Gal"ntine Of meat and fish.
Eleventh course. lamb. roasted
.g.u
onions.
Thirteenth course Meat of venison
Fourteenth course. Capdns aud chickens
with a red sauce OF apples and leRlonE
Fifteenth course. Peacccks with bcaas
~ tied tongue and roasted carp.
Sixteenth course. reacocks again, this
time boiled in spices.
Hcventeenth course Cheese.
Eighteenth course. .'' rrics.
One II amazed at the rcpetitiOns in the
menu and not At the choice Of the viands
for from an epicurean point of view the
thinner lacked much in the way Of prepara
ton and manner of serving To the mod
srn mind the Thought of fish and meat so
lavishly garnished with gold would tend
10 revolt rather than tempt the palate.
In the succeeding years the manper Of
Dreuaring food changed little by little.
md a liking for dishes trfle bizarre and
grotesque began To be felt. The wags Of
the CAV maze many leSt AND the street
meets earned many an honest penny from
their parodies on the foolish tastes Of the
day.
The coming oE French influence caused
q revolution gastronomtcally. and the
heavy rerasts disappeared entirely. A
delicacy Of taste made itself felt. French
cooks were imported from Paris to teach
the Milanese. and II is due to them that
nt the present time in Italy a Milanese
cook is priced and ranks next to a French
one.
The deIicacy Of taste was felt throughout
all classes In his memoirs the Ambassador
De Rrossea records with much surprise
the Lombard's love Of sweets. and relates
having seen carter leave his horse to
take care Of itself while ne entered n neigh
boring tavern 10 partake of an ice cream.
The same Goldoni who criticised 80
severely the Milanese could not begin OF
finish writing play unless he was MUNICH
ing sweets or those delicious dates from
Africa. With this love Of sweets came a
certain elfeminacy 81 manners, and we
find the gay banqIetcrs sitting at table !
with their frills and GuTbelOws completely
covered with paper. in order that IN eating |
the much Telishcd sweets they should not |
spoil their finery.
Public banquets grew in popularity.
Patrican family festivals. marriage feasts, |
&c. were celebrated in public and al fresco.
Each trade had it's favorite eating place.
4, h. a.s.arn of 0ha MarrhauSa al |