The Washington herald., 1908-07-04
EATING IN ENGLAND.
Are Englishmen becoming n Race
OF GluttOnsf

from It-blts.
English people. said a leading French
Journal the other day. are to-day drinking
less, but England is becoming a nation OF
gluttons
In order 10 find out whether there was
any Justification for this charge. the writer
paid visit 10 Mr.. Joseph Lyons, the
managing director Of the famous catering
firm, and asked his opinion. 4 may say
at onee," said Mr.. Lyons, that the asser-
ton that England is fast becoming a ma
ton of gluttons is absolutely groundless,
though I think there can be no doubt that
the average diner to-day is far more par
ticular about the manner In which his
food is cooked than he was. say, ten or
fifteen years ago.
Public taste in food too, has altered In
this way. Not many years ago the table
dhote dinner was not nearly as fashion
able as is now the case, and probably the
fact that seven or eight course dinner
is largely responsible for the idea which
can be acquired FOR a very moderate sum
many foreigners seem 20 hold that we in
England eat more than is good FOR Us.
However. from the point Of view Of guam
tity, The table d'hOte dinner Is most mis-
leading, for although at first sight II
would seem that there must be more
actual food consumed in a dinner of sew
eral courses than IN chop or steak meal
with vegetables. yet as a matter Of fact
such IS not the case. and those who dine
of a chop. steak or cut from the joint
actually partake OF more food than the
| ep!cure who prefers a number Of varied
courses. Moreover. IL must not be for
/ gotten that the chop or steak meal is
| generally followed by bread. butter. and
! cheese, so that the balance Of avoirdupois
| Is altogether on the side Of the nonJable
dhote diner.
/ LAS far as the upper and middle classes
| are concerned. the charge OF overeating Is
| quite groundless. But the British work
man as well has come IN for his share Of
/ opprobrium, for IL has been frequently
/ stated that he has tendency TO hide
more food than is good for him. This
/ agaiI is another injustice 10 England.
| for though. thanks 10 the Improvement
I In the methods Of catering, workingman
| can now enjoy a clean, comfortable meal
| IN neatly appointed eat.ng-house for a
4 few pence, instead OF having 10 carry his
dinner with MIN when he sets out for
work in the morning. there is absolutely
no justification for the statement that he
IS prone 20 Overeat"
The manager OF the Ritz Hotel is Of the
/ opinion that while fashions in the gas
! tronomic world change almost as regU-
| larly as they do Ia the world OF the
modste, yet there Is no foundation for the
calumny OF overeating Ieyeled against the
English nation. Time was he told the
/ writer. when a feeling OF Tepletion would
seem TO have been considered essential 10
good dinner: but all that is changed
and to-day no chef could look for a higher
I compliment than 10 serve a dinner COM
prisiug say, six or seven courses. after
partaking Of which the diners would leave
1 feeling an inclination 10 SIT down 20 an
other meal at once.
such an inclination would not be IN
result Of lack either Of quantity or quail
ity. but would arise from having been FED
with tact and discretion-and a chet
should be as tactfui as a nurse or a doc
tor. No, though taste in foods has re-
Gently changed. and Will surely continue
90 change from time TO time. yet. hap
PLY. l do not think for an instant thai
the English, as a nation. are in the slight
est degree inclined 70 gluttony. Indeed
rather the opposite is the case; for, cspe
Cially in hot weather these days, light
meals are particularly fashionable"
There is no buster thorOughfare in thl
East End OF London than the City road
which at midday is daily thrOnged viii
crowds OF hungry workers, who flock Z,
the many restaurants and eating-houSe!
situated there during their luncheon in
tervaL' Inquiry at the most popular o
these restaurants ELECTED the fact tha
while the skilled mechanic. earning from
50 20 81 week. down TO the humble
errand boy and workgirl, a tendency 4
be more particular In the way food i
served has been noticed. yet within th
, past few years no greater quantity o
food has been consumed than was th
case a decade ago.
"Our customers are harder 70 pleas
; now said the proprietor of a large res
] taurant at the corner Of OLD street. whicl
AT the luncheon interval is invariabl,
r filled TO overlooking, but 7 certainly d
} not think that they eat more than the,
! did when l first commenced bushes
: here; but can say that the style of serv
ing up dishes ten years ago 'wouldn'
wash to-day. You see. competition in IN
catering business is yearly growing keen
er. and through this competition custom
ers have benefited; now they want IN
b best. and nothing but the best. for thei
money, and they see that they get il
=, too"
D 1t is ridiculous for foreigners 20 sa
- that English people eat too much" tn
manager OF popular restaurant I'm Lei
e cester square, largely frequently by mem
bers Of the theatrical profession, told tn
{ writer. FOR 1 consider that. as IN drink
1 ing. so in eating. within recent year
there has been pronounced tendency t
n greater moderation; and while, a FEY
years ago, il was not an unusual thin
T. for customers 10 sit for from an hour t
T. and hour and half over lunch. now
s especially among business people IN
2 midday meal rarely lasts longer than fror
half an hour TO three-quarters