Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-02-20

a see right into the beautiful Kitchen
with its modern, polished range, its
regiments of shining copper pans, its
rows of warm-tinted casseroles and
terrines. Better still, l can watch the
white-gowned priestess who presides
owe the culinary temple what time
she prepares d~elicacies for the lucky
beings who are privileged to employ
her.
| do not know them; l have never
seen them. | am merely a desolate
stranger come to look for summM in
a country village, and, by hazard, an
chored in cottage rooms overlooking
a little Tudor manor house.
AS for the summer, it has not come.
In its place is a ca~ricature, done IN
dull, damp, depressing greys. For my
self, | ache for nutriment. For they
give me nothing to eat in the cottage
at least, they give me nothing eata-
BILE. | have suffered a barbaric dietary
of tepid chops, leathery steaks and
sodden vegetables for nearly a fort
night, and so, when the kitchen wiq-
dows opposite are thrown open, as
they are to-day, my eyes search the
view within with a longing both Of
emptiness and the remembrance OF
past good cheer.
The ghosts Of real, dainty, satisfying
repasts haunt me as | watch the
proceedings of the cook. Something
is toward: there is activity in the
kitchen, and lucky chance has given
me a front seat for the show.
Food! 1t surrounds the interesting
creature in the kitchen. Even at this
distance l can distinguish its main
features. Coral.tinted red mullet,
those "woodcock of the sea-" lie re-
~posefully, like We're de Veres, in a row.
Near them is a heap of sw~eetbreads,
white and round. Beyond, is an open
dish full of the tender portions of
most spring-like chickens, and in the
foreground, a dainty saddle of noun
tain lamb. 1t is powdered DER like a
lady's face, through which a sweet
rose-blush peeps. No living picture
can compare with 1t!
And all around, on the table by the
window and adjoining shelves, are the
accessories of civilized cookery. Con-
diments and sweet herbs; the glazes,
the pralins and the fondants in jars;
the essences and the favorings in bot
ties. Molds, strainers, a bain-marie, a
cisel, a daubiere-everything, from
fonds de cuisine to the last word In
culinary material abounds in this Lu.
cullian fairy-land.
There are noises in the cottage be-
hind me-commonplace, sordid noises
that irritate. But l put my fingers
over my ears and lean further out OF
my loaded easement in order to con.
centrate the whole of my attention on
the scene that is unfolding before my
eyes.
Instinctively | know that I am about
to witness the operations Of an adept
"a Gordon bleu. There is a deftness
a light touch, about her that convinces
me of it. She has done with prelim
inaries now, and applies herself to
special process-a soup, evidently.
A pan is removed from the stove
and brought to the table by the win
dow. In it l spy a white rouX of cream!
consistency-undoubtedly a roux o
-four and clarified butter-probabl!
seasoned with mushrooms. The seen
of 1t seems to come to me, across thu
road,-the scent of hazel-nuts! Ther'
are mushrooms on the table-the dea
white delicacies!-and when she be
gins rubbing these through a sieve ant
adds them to some veal stock, ant
then scatters cubes of chicken a
saited tongue into the basin, l know
this queen of purees to be no less thai
Veloute Agnes Sorel!
The pan goes back to the fire, an,
she turns her attention to the re-
mullet. How shall I describe wha
follows? Bald words can do n
Justice to her treatment OF these COZ
aline dreams, tell nothing of the def
way in which she makes the else
along their sleek sides. Ny moutl
waters as | watch her sprinkle lemol
juice upon them. What emotions sti
me as she dips them in the marinad
of white wine favored with thyme
hay leaves, parsley and shallot? In
agine the fragrance! | see her seattle
chopped fennel over all, before the
disappear in envelopes Of oiled pape
to be gently grilled and served "a
they stand!"
At this juncture, something take
her out Of sight and i suffer agonie
lest this be the end of the entrancin
diatetic treat. But no, | have neet
lessly alarmed myself. She is bac
again, drawn by those alluring swee
breads, as l might have guessed
creature of her artistic Temperament
would be!
A new happiness surges through m
while she lards them with bacon an
truf1es. How tenderly she place
them in the shallow cocotte and su,
rounds them with a garnish Of alread!
prepared vegetables cut en- ~julienne
! How sweetly perfect to observe he
addition Of the brazing liquor, and tn
! powder Of minced truffles that crow
her work and give the hallmark t
, a Ris de Veau Demidoff!
: Now it is the turn OF the selle d'a,
: neau. Happy, happy little saddle
You are to be treated a Panglaise b,
fore the open fire until you becom
~fascinatingly g%olden-brown, and s
reach the esculantly p~erfect> state &c
which nature designed you! y
} Nor shall you 60 to table in solitar
splendor, for see, your mistress ha
! potatoes in trim, square slices a