New-York tribune., 1911-10-26
AMERICAN FOODS DECR|ED
Magazine Writer Calls This
Country 'UngastroromiC."

"An American lady Of wealth, said to
me- q few years ago that one OF the rea-
sons why she went n Europe e.ery sum
mer was that she liked good things 10
eat and could get them so much more
easily abroad-particularly butter, and her
favorite dish. chicken
This American lady Of wealth" was evil
IDENTIFY "A kindred spirit, and Henry 7.
Finck quotes her jubilantly 20 substanti
ate his claims, in the November Century.
which came out yesterday, that "Ungas-
tronomic America" is tho worst place in
the world in which TO live /: one wishes
to eat well.
The chicken for which the epicure jour
neyed across the Atlantic every summer
vas the wonderful poulet dc Bresse, fed
on all kinds OF rich and delicious things
10 give il an aluring lavor. In sad con-
trast TO it the author pictures American
poultry. 70 10 90 per cent of Il hung up for
months. often for years, in cold storage
vaults. and. what is worse still, only
very small percentage ~ the fowls so
placed arc drawn, the result being that
by physiological process known as or
iuosis The meat becomes tainted in most
offensive manner"
Fortunately" ha admits "the govern
rnent. instigated by Or. wiley, has taken
I'D the matter Ho comedies that for
fruit and various other perslabls prod
ucts cold storage Is ono of the greatest
blessings conferred upon mankind during
the last quarter of century, Aut insists
that it's advantages are not - apparent
in the case Of poultry. For special pur-
poses IL may he permissible to store Il
for six or even nine months, but that Is
the limit. and the duration OF the storage
should not be concealed from ;he coH-
sumer The great reformer places special
emphasis on the fact that palatahility Is
one of the clements of wholesOmeness, and
We md in cold storage a tremendous de
crease IN palatability.' Perhaps II is this
iinpalatabilitv of our pocI'r- more than
anything else, that makes us stand before
the world as a deplorably ungastroncmc
nation. From this kind of tainted chicken
10 the poulet de Bresse, what a long road
we have 10 travel, Under present condi-
tlons. as a matter Of course, II makes no
difference what We feed our fowls; dll are
foul alike. and will remain so until we
organize revolt against the packers and
dea lers."
The only hope for the future is that since
chicken is bound 10 become more common
as beef becomes more rare and expensive
the public may insist on a better quality
~ fowl until a chicken dinner ceases
IN he what Il is nova "gastronomic
calamity"
The American oyster has been spoiled.
too. for Mr. Finclls palate. which. he says,
is particularly sad. because that at least
is naturally good. "A better oyster cannot
be bought" he adds and nowhere else is
this dclicacy so abundant and cheap Yet
IL is cooked when II should be eaten raw
or soaked 10 make It larger when It is
better smal land dark. straight from the
omen sea or these Americans "turther
demonstrate their gastronomic obtuseness
bv smothcriug their oysters under several
st-ong condiments which would in them
selves destroy their delicate natural flavor.
Crime mrltDlies on crime. American
butter is made from sour cream and is
ealted. American pork and bacon are soaked
i'm cheap chemical presorvatves Instead OF
being smoked for weeks I'm the redolent
woodghol iu the fumes OF good beechwood;
American smoked fish is no more. and In
IFS place is 2 denatured STUFF, unappetizinS
and iud'gesube. American peaches are
brought to the market hard, unripe, flavor
less. American urcad-but why prolong
tHe agony. Every one knows IT, though
they may not enjoy being told OF u too
often.
The great remedy this Gastronomlc muck
raker has to offer l. that tho great Amer1-
can public listen 20 scientists and learn tho
Importance Of its own nose. It must learn
that with the exception Of sweet, sour
and bitter. all our countless gastonomic
delights come 10 MS through our sense OF
SMELL" and IL must practise in secret until
it knows how to smell Of the food before 1t
without committing too violent breach