Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-03-01
CREOLE COOKING
BY frederic j. Haskin

coffee and a slice OF cold bread. At il
O'Clock a veritable banquet was served.
But these pleasant customs have disap-
peared under the pressure of modern bust
ness methods. Even In the Creole section
Of New Orleans the first meal is a solid
American breakfast, and lunch at mid
day is a mere trifle, to tide over the in
terval till dinner at D. m But the
Creole still begins his dinner in the old
fashion-with an appetizer. At least one
kind of wine is served daily I'm every
family. The salad is always eaten imme-
diately after the soup. and not, as else
where in the United States, with the
roast Mayonnaise dressing is not as pop
ular as the French dressing, the latter
made with rather more oil than vinegar.
The typical Creole is not much given 10
sweets. His dinner consists for the most
part of meats delicately cooked and sea
soned, with much gravy. The vegetables
VIII not be numerous, but the quantit,,
or bread that will be consumed in tine
course OF the meal would stagger the
imagination of the New England house
wife. And it may be noted. in passing.
that the New Orleans bakeries turn out
the best bread in the world.
The one relic of the old regime that
OBTAINS In New Orleans is the breakfast
served at Begue's and Tujague's These
are names TO conjure with in New Or
leans. Begue's is a restaurant over q
saloon near the French market. Orig
-inally the proprietor served an early
morning meal for the butchers of the
market, Gascons all and cennoiseurs of
meat; then artists and newspaper men
began to frequent the place; and so by
degrees came others, until now the IL
a. m table d'hote OF NJ. Begue is crowded
daily, and one must bespeak a seat at
the board long in advance. Tuiague's
is similar establishment, where the old
continental dejuener may still be pro-
cured.
or typical Creole dishes the first is.
OF course, the gumbo. The name Is
known outside of New Orleans. but not
the thing itself. Its origin is not known.
In one sense IL is a soup. but IL is not
prepared as soups are. 1t is essentially
a thick brown gravy, made with onions,
parsley. Okra and flour, the flour brown
ed on the stove till almost burnt This
gravy should have the consistency of a
stiff paste. There are scores of differ
ent kinds of gumbo, but the foregoing
is the one feature common to them all.
BY adding file" or the powdered leaves
OF sasSafraS, the celebrated "gumbo
file lis produced. There is also the
gumbo-aUx-herbes." which is produced
by emitting the file and substituting
bay leaves. thyme. sweet marjoram, sor-
rel, mustard leaves. cabbage and spin
ach. These herbs are boiled in the afore-
mentioned thick brown gravy. Gumbo-
auX-herbes is not considered a fat
dish. and consequently is a feature of the
Lenten menu in Catholic New Orleans.
GumbO can also be made OF oysters.
crabs, shrimp. ham. sausage, or of any
kind of meat. II is not considered quite
ethical 10 combine all of these ingred-
tents in one gumbo. though this is oc-
casionally done. Chicken gumbo is, per-
haps, the choicest variety. In Acadian
LOuisiana-in that Teche country which
Longfellow describes in his poem of
"Evangeline"-chicken gumbo is consid-
cred the chief delicacy possible to pro-
cure. To be known as skilled com
FOUNDER thereof is TO enjoy an enviable
fame. IL is the favorite refreshment at
the Saturday night balls so popular
among that simple people. The invitation