New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-08
ZEN PAPILl0TTE."
M. Nicolas Soyer and His Boon
for Mankind.
SOYER'S PAPER BAG COOKERY BY
Nicolas Sover Frontspiece. 12mo,
pp. liz. The Sturgis Walton Com


Nicolas Soyer. Frontspece. 1Zmo'
pp. IL. The Sturgis & Walton COM
pany
Since Colonel Newnham-Davis pub
lished his "Gourmet's Guide 20 Europe.
some seven or eight years ago, We have
not known a pleasure so keen as that
which we owe to the author of this book,
Who that has fingered at Foyots-the
old Foyot's, before its discovery by the
tourist horde-over a pOulet en- pdpiii0tfc,
made doubly delicious by a good bottle
of Chablis, could fall to kindle to NJ.
Soyer's theme? Enthusiastically he is an
artist, born to paper baggery and all the
other high-erected things Of a perfect
cUiSiHC. In an autObiographical preface
he announces himself as the grandson of
"the great Soyer" and former APP
prentice to the famous confectoner,
CapOn, Of Clermont Ferrand. Il was
only fifteen when ] Joined him" ne says,
having, at the last moment, thrown
over my intention of being a clergy
man." In an earlier age, when monks
were paunchy and sported empurpled
jowls, Nicolas Soyer would not have
been allowed thus 70 carry his gifts out
into the world at large. He would have
cooked for his spiritual masters or the
Inqusition would have done him to a
turn, in one of his own paper bags.
NJ Soyer wisely does not pretend to
the laurels of discoverer. The paper
bag has been breathed upon by genius
ere this. But that immortal master who
fell upon his sword because the fish was
late was not more passionatsly the slave
Of an ideal. With the particularly of a
man who appreciates the seriousness Of
his subject and would not scamp his
duty TO the muse OF history, he gives Us
poignant details Of the early experiments
through which he slowly passed TO con
summate achievement. He was chef to
the Dowager Duchess of Newcastle when
he made some of these. Here we must
quote his own words:
with foolscap instructed the kitchen
maid 10 add the sauce. She put In too
much. BY and by the paper vessel began
TO bubble up. and before | could interfere
TO examine the fish ! found that 1t was
beautifully tender This gave me an Idea.
Il wonder whether ! could cook by
steam" ! said 10 myself Without mo-
ment's hesitation | put some meat. veg
etables and a little water into an envelope
and laid Il on the iron shelf in the oven
The inevitable happened. The paper got
burnt and soon afterward il exploded
/ was not easily daunted ! gave "A good
deal of thought TO the problem. Eventual
~ | came to the conclusion that the ex-
plOsiOn was due 10 my placing the paper
vessel on the solid iron shelf. which made
1t impossible for the air to circulate freely
around il, Accordingly. ] decided to use
the grid I'm my next experiment SO fan
as the cooking was concerned, the result
was splendid. The food was deliciously
tender, but unfortunately 1t tasted most
Enthusiastically OF the paper. and 10 serve II
was entirely out Of the question.
That taste Of the paper was terribly
discouraging, but adventures. as the
maxim has 1t. are to the adventurous
and NJ. Soyer faced insurmountable diff
culties only TO prove that he, at any rate
could negotiate them. Nothing could
abate his zeal. Il could not rest I'm my
DCd, ne CSClalmS, ana OFTEN would
get up at = o'clock i'm the morning I'm or
der that ] might put my paper bag to
some fresh test" But we anticipate
Following NJ Soyer's own carefully his
torical method. We should have explained
that at d critical moment i'm his cam
paign he had called in the Spicers, who
had manufactured for him kind OF
paper communicating no taste. Hence
the "Soyer bag" a thing Incompatible in
an bagdom. And all this time the heroic
Soyer was burning the midnight oil and
the MONDAY coke to demonstrate that
his bag might be used In any oven. Ec
tells us how Herr Lempcrts Frankfort
chef came To London with a special oven
Of his own invention. which he claimed
was essential TO paper bag cookery. In.
stantly this parsonage was challenged
by the champion OF the open door, If We
may so describe II, i'm ovens, and at the
National School of Cookery, I'm Bucking-
ham Palace Road. they fought duel
before three experts, who tasted Of NJ
Soycr's eleven dishes and found i'm his
favor, declaring that he had proved that