The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1908-09-09


In this sixtieth jubilee year of EN-
peror Francis Joseph's reign, when
Vienna is the festival center of Eu-
rope, and visits of foreign sovereigns
and princes are the order of the day.
the army of court functionaries from
the "obersthofmeister." or court cham
berlain. down to the youngest scullery
maid in the imperial kitchens are
having a busy time.
The kitchen plays a most prominent
part-especially here, in Austria.
where eating and drinking have long
been fine art. For, indeed. in all
culinary matters Vienna has been
world renowned since the days of
Maria Theresa. When that great en-
press took over the imperial palace of
Schoenbrunn from Prince Eugene of
Savoy there were no less than 20
tons of copper cooking utensils in the
kitchens. Everything was done on a
big scale, and the waste of good food
was something appalling.
Most Of the reforms introduced into
the service have only been rendered
possible by the building of an entirely
new range of kitchens in the Hofburg.
In Maria Theresa's good old times.
cooking was carried on in a much less
scientific and systematic manner than
now. and with an enormous expen-
diture of human labor. Even until
quite recently. when there were gala
dinners or court balls, a whole de-
the palace to carry the dishes from
the kitchens to the state apartments
Specially constructed wooden tray re-
ceptacles were used for this purpose.
But now all that has been stopped.
The new kitchens are Immediately un-
der the state apartments, and a SER
vice of electric elevators conveys the
dishes right from the kitchen to the
ante-rOoms of the banqueting hall.
These new kitchens are unequaled
in Europe for convenience and equip
ment, and no expense was spared in
their fitting.
Especially interesting is the emper-
or's private kitchen. or. as it is called
in German. "mundkuche." which means
literally. mouth kitchen" where all
the food for his majesty's own table
is prepared. Here all the cooks know
exactly what are the special tastes of
the monarch. and as these are ex-
tremely simple, they do not require
any elaborate cooking. In fact, the
emperCr's tastes are almost what the
Viennese call ''burgerliche," that is to
say, belonging to the middle classes.
\ good Strengthening soup, nice,
tender. juicy slice of brOiled fresh
beef, with vegetables and one glass of
beer. he will eat with relish; a second
dish and even sweets he disdains, and
whenever they are sent to table they
always come back untasted.
Next to the ''mundkuche" are the
pastry and confectionery kitchens.
which play an important part in Wen
neSe cookery. When the Crown Prin-
cess Stephanie and her daughter, the
Elizabeth, were living in
the Hofburg, the cooks had always to
prepare some special delicacies in
cakes and sweets for the afternoon
coffee; but these are no longer re-
euired. Next is the great court" or
FESTIVAL kitchen, with its immense
roasting splits and six great stoves
of the latest design. Here fine menus
for gala dinners of 200 guests are pre-
pared, and for another 200 eQuerries
and gentlemen-in-waiting who dine
at the so-called "marshals table,"
Here also the cooking is done for the
court balls, when the guests number