Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-15
Gastronomy and Geography

Nations may be distinguished according to
the foods popular in each. 1t was not by
accident that England became known as a
nation of bcef-eaters or France as nation
of frog-ea tcrs. In England, where food
economy just now is something of n problem
1t has been rnshly suggested that lesson
he learned from Norway. Even the fairly
well to do in that Scandinavian country look
on the habit of eating meat every day as
"swank," and among the country-folk 1t is
almost entirely replaced by cheese. But what
cheese! Cream cheese. yellow cheese, green
cheese, little round cheeses like penny buns
dotted with caraway seeds. and last. but far
from least, the "gammeost,' or old cheese. At
which birthday it enters into the full dig
nifty of its title cannot be said, but 1t Is no
babe when it appears on the dinner table.
and you need to be a strong man to meet 1t
without fiinching. For Englishmen, perhaps
a little would so a long way; but what
higher testimonial could one give in war
time? It's fragrance is not lightly forgotten,
and given a fair wind. it can be shifted
across the North Sea. A sniff, presumably
will suffice,
America has no national dish or delicacy,
but we distinguish among our cities and
states, according to gastronomic standards,
of superiority over all the rest Philadel-
phia has its scrapple, Boston it's baked
beans and brown bread. Boston makes other
claims It is said that swordfsh is so peer
less in Boston that its sale to the rest of
the country is forbidden. Boston also con-
tributes to the contest the Parker House
roll. Sandusky, o., claims to have fur
nished at least the name of porterhouse
steak Charles Dickens, according to the
story, was the principal figure in the chris
tening. When Dickens visited the United
States in the ffties he spent several days
at the hotel, which at that time was con-
Quoted by a man named Porter and was
known as the Porter House. The author, for
his first meal, ordered a steak, and 1t was
put up for him in such style by Mrs. Porter,
the landlords wife, that it struck his fancy
Porter House steak was Dickens favorite
dish while he remained in Sandusky. On
the way back to New York Dickens spoke
frequently of his Porter House steaks.
Friends and acquaintances happening this
way stopped at the Porter House and ate
steaks. In due time chefs from several OF
the leading Eastern hotels journeyed to the
Porter House and from Mrs. Porter secured.
for the mere asking desired information con-
cerning the manner in which she prepared
steak came into existence-so the story goes.
ElucidatiOn of COmestibles
Oregon and Washington have joint title
to fame in the fine, firm meat of the Column
bia River salmon. But cookery enters into
the competition. Chicken halibut should be
eaten at Gloucester or Norman's Woe. say
some who have sampled the handiwork of
the chefs of those localities, and look at this
ecstatic bunch of exclamations: "Chesa-
peake, home of the soft-shelled crab and of
his hard -shelled brother! Diamond back,
composed as only Philadelphia cooks he
of Baltimore can blend thee! Maryland
fried chicken! What an Elysium to spend
ones days fishing on the Western Shore
and ones nights feasting at the Baltimore
Club! That, that were quite enough TO in
duce blessed forgetfulness Of swordfish and
halibut to the North. of tarpon to the South.
of funny and salmon to the West. is 1t
any wonder demands the Baltimore Amer
lean, that Maryland girls are fair? No. no
"a thousand noes-and here we are, con-
demned 10 slave in desert of table d'hotes
in that city OF strangers, alien Manhsttan!"
Missouri has an annual Fried Chicken
Day" But Indiana claims to be the fried