Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-17
: ZuE Ao1ZLN A0u1NAZzZIozzE

ter of the duck. 1t takes three ducks
for an order; TWO birds are used for the
sauce that is prepared on a chatting dish.
If guests compliment this chef on his
cuisine, he answers modestly that he has
learned well: he worked as Paillards
many years when he decided to start for
himself.
1t takes weeks to discover the many
excellent restaurants in which Paris
abounds;' they are endless and they all
have their specialties, In the autumn
the. epicure goes to Paris for oysters; he
will eat them nowhere else. Prunier's
grotto-like portals are not attractive with
the great baskets of bivalves banked
about the doors and those men perfumed
by the odor Of fish carrying In great
loads of snails. Prunier Is a Burgundian
and he can talk for hours on the art of
preparing oysters and snalls and the
value of Burgundy wine. He gets great
loads of oysters fresh from Ostend every
day. Most Americans do not like his
oysters-they have a particular taste
but that does not worry Prunier; he sub
stitutes snails and white Burgundy which
is not to be excelled anywhere. The fas-
tidlous American shakes his head and
says "Bahl' when snails are suggested.
But this restaurateur answers: ''rry
them; they are perfect snails, fed on the
best of grape-eaves." He tells his GUS
toners that the petit girls are the best
snails. but there is less market for them
than the Burgundian, because they are
less attractive appearing. 1t Is only to
the favored few that he gives this i'm
portant fact The time to buy snails is
after the first frost; they are no longer
active and may then be cleaned proper
ly. The most important point Is the
preparation. They are boned, drained,
poured into a saucepan of water, with
wine, salt. pepper, bay leaves, onions
and carrots. They are then kept In this
juice for "a hours. The shells are cleaned
with soda and the snails are put back
into their old resting place. But the
taste is Incomplete without q glass Of
good wine.
Just as the epicure goes to Prunier
for snails he patronizes Henri's for les
viandes. With him the broiling of beef
steaks and roasting OF roast beef are a
fine art They are cooked without los
ing any Of the Juice. Henri informs his
patrons that meats are to be washed
down with strong glass Of Bordeaux
and no other.
These restaurants have classic reputa-
tions, but there are many more with
excellent cuisines, though their names
are more bourgeoise. There is Voisin,
favorite rendezvous of savants and dip
lomats. His wine cellar is among the
best IN Europe, and he shows with pride
cob-webbed bottles from Provence such
as not the richest noblemen of France
can boast.
voisin has his ideas about serving
dinner or dejeuner and will not give
them up to please the most fastidious
customers. The following story is told,
which. If true, certainly shows the sturdy
determination OF the man:
An Englishman was ordering a dinner
one evening and when Ii came to dessert
instead Of asking for peche-conde or don
Melba suggested plum pudding. The
proprietor's countenance soured and no
said: ''You will ind those things at
Duval's; we don't serve them here"
Joseph Is another man who has learned
his business well. having worked for
years at Paillards, and he would rather
lose $50 bill than yield an opinion to
which he holds arm. Joseph Is often
teased about being sardou's double. He
answers this with a laugh. 1t Is no less
difficult task to plan dinner well than
II IS 10 write good play, He has many
dishes that are his own invention. The
strangest Of these Is cray fish baked
In a potato.
II one wishes to dine we'll at small ex-
pense there is the Cabaret Lyonnais. an
unpretentious place, though proud OF its
cuisine and its clientele. 1t is popular
with literary folks because II has an un-
pretentious air and serves an excellent
pink wine at 80 centimes glass which
tastes like champagne and files to the
head more readily. But Lyonnals boasts
Of its tsh, sole a Ia home femme and
teneh Ia Lyonnais. The tench are kept
In tanks; the thick skin 10 splendid.
aud the flavor Is enhanced by the but
ter In which they are fried
IL one Is willing 10 hobnob with a
plebeian, one can have a good meal for
little money. At Duvals here one has
an opportunity TO study many types Of
people, from dressmakers models to
bank clerks. They come here because
they can set good slice OF meat. veg