The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-12-29
CREOLE COOKERY.

to the foundation laid by the caterers In
olden times, when French tastes and Gus.
toms were dominant. The elite of French
culinary artists concocted dishes that
were the delight of the "gourmets"-
connoisseurs in choice wines and viands.
and abundantly possessed of the indis-
pensable, plethoric coin.
This is the opening paragraph of an
article on New Orleans Restaurants in
s'The Logical Point" an illustrated
magazine for the advancement Of the
Worlds Panama exposition-at New Or
leans. Reading on l looked for, but of
course did not find, the names of the
famous restaurants of half a century
and more ago. The article goes on to
say that, with the lapse of years the
situation is slightly changed, but there
still remains distinctly French charac-
teristic in the manner of preparing a
menu" That aptly describes the creole
cookery of fifty years ago. 1t was not
wholly French; but, like the architecture
of the old city, partook somewhat of the
Spanish, and also included dishes of local
origin evolved out of the rich materials
at hand by the genius of negro cooks.
AS a market in those days-and perhaps
now-New Orleans could not be excelled.
The waters of the Gulf and of Lake Pom
chitrain teemed with fish in great va
riety. The oysters were very large, and
of other shell fish there were crabs,
shrimp and crayfish. In game there
were such ducks as the mallard, canvas
back, teal, black, and pin-tail; wild tur-
keys, snipe, woodcock, plover, cartridges,
grouse, squirrels and rabbits. Caponiz-
ing was generally practiced, and 81 the
domestic fowls We're plump and tender.
Of vegetables and fruits there was of
course an endless variety.
In the families the first course was a
cup of hot and fragrant coffee brought
Soy a servant to your bedside in the morn
ing when it was time to rise and dress
fer the day This is not merely luxury
but has a sanitary Importance. 1t is we'll
H. own that with an empty stomach one
is more susceptible to infection or con-
tegion, and this early cup of coffee is
protection against the malaria that may
pervade the morning air until it is dissi-
pated by the sun. Your next course is
fruit If it is the season heaping plate
of green figs" as they were called-we
should call them ripe figs-is placed be-
fore you, iced to make them more agree
able to the palate. The best are small
purple fig that when dead ripe bursts
open and eXudes its rich, sweet juice
Their skin is covered with delicate little
prickIes. Taking fig by the stem end
YOU peel down the skin all around and
make one mouthful of the luscious fruit.
1t is said to be an acquired taste, but the
writer acquired it with the first fig he
ate. If there are orange trees in the
grounds you get your fruit in their sea-
son from the tree, taking only the juice.
No finer oranges are grown anywhere,
and they are sweet and juicy long before
they change from light green to gol-
den hue Now comes breakfast and you
will have eggs in some form-boiled,
scrambled or an omelet-bread from a
crusty French loaf; coffee, of course;
fried or broiled fish and fried bananas.
These are sliced lengthwise, Drowned in
hot fat and sprinkled with sugar when
taken up. At dinner there is always
soup and always claret; light table
wine, which is poured into a goblet half
filled with cracked ice, so that it is con-
siderably diluted before it is drank.
New Orleans was then the greatest
wine port Of this country. The wine was
brought from Europe in shiploads and
the old warehouses were full of the
choicest vintages-- port, madeira, sher-
ny. burgundy, sauterne, champagne, etc
The common drink was, however,
cheap claret or red wine, and it was
served in even the humblest restaurants.
There is one ingredient in creole cook
cry which many find Objectionable, and
that IS garlic. In preparing fish for
baking gashes would be cut in it in which
bits of garlic are inserted, and once |
saw roasting piece of beef prepared in
that way and then cooked until it was
black all through and as hard and dry as
a piece of black walnut. This was in
private family, but in the restaurants
you could have beefsteak cut an inch
and half thick and broiled so that the
Juice would follow the knife when you
cut it. Rice and hominy-of the latter
both the yellow and white-are staple
articles of food and are eaten as vege-
tables. Of the distinctive dishes gumbo
has the first place. l cannot tell how to
prepare it. 1t is sometimes called soup,
or gumbo soup, but is prepared in diff
ferent way. 1t is essentially thick
brown gravy made with lard, flour, on
ions, parsley and okra, and if it is to be
a chicken gumbo the chicken is cooked
in the gravy, to which the okra gives
quality. In serving, large
spoonful of boiled rice is placed in the
plate and then the gumbo is added.
Gumbo is also made of oysters, of ham,
Of sausage, etc. On returning from the