Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-03

~ RUNlER mas Deen purleu from
the church in the Paris resi-
dence quarter where so many
Americans live, and where he
had just opened his new res
faurant for them. He was the second
pf the name and the original 'Pru-
nier'S" still fiourishes where 1t has
been for 90 years. near the church of
the Madeleine by the Grand Boule-
ward.
1t is a name worth remembering for
the sake of Americans in Paris and
the cooking of good American and
FRENCH food for them. The English
took up the place from the beginning,
Just after the Franco-Prussian War of
1870. perhaps because they could un-
sierStaEd what they We're eating. Then
the first Prunier began bidding for the
hunger of Americans of the United
States and he satisfied them, Scrip
xure measure. Spanish-Anericans are
those of Brazil have followed after, as
they do nowadays and with more
,nOney to spend.
All of these together have not made
Che place one where the door squeaks
sor | 3 francs and where they size up
your pocketbook before they present
your bill. The entrance surprises tour
lists on each side of the door, from
the street to the stairs leading to the
batting rooms. there is an open seafood
shop with fish and shell fish and all
the rest.
The elder Prunier had ideas and so
did his wife, who had been cook in
Russian great family of that imperial
Kline. After three years in small
Paris restaurant they opened their
boulevard place and concentrated on
sea food They had a steak or chop
s5or their noble Russian patrons at
lunch. and the English. who cannot
do without red meats, found the rest of
5he cooking to their liking. All took
Wonderfully to all the different kinds
OF fish, which it is easy to have in
Paris and to the different ways of
cooking them. and. finally. to the oyS-
hers and such, cooked and uncooked,
on which Prunier and his wife more
and more concentrated.
capt. Middleton, who was a CORE
Spondent for London newspa pers dur
Ang the Paris siege, and nearly had his
6oot blown off by a shell in the Com
mune as he peered round the boule-
ward corner of that historic eating
house, the Maison Doree, told me that
J ne unched at Prunier'S from the start.
Thrty years ago an American lady OF
Philadelphia had me there for a mid
night after-theater supper of oysters
cooked American fashion and washed
down with champagne. The lunches
there have long been few Americans
fn Paris who have not patronized
them
II was the younger Prunier who did
fhe most to develop the growing of
American oysters in French waters
instead of importing them, and the
eating of them cooked in Paris. Cook
ing an oyster is still unheard of in
the provinces, and yet oysters are
eaten in profusion all over France.
There is an immense coast line, with
pySter beds, under the direct supervi-
sion of the French government. They
are of many kinds, some dear and
some cheap, and nearly all smaller
than the American oyster. Perhaps
that is why the French, who are so
thrifty in using everything eatable,
have never applied their cooking
talent to oysters.
MusSelS are eaten everywhere,
stewed in their shells with their broth.
But oysters are swallowed by French
men raw, with a sauce of chopped
onions, oil and vinegar or with lemon
juice or with their own juice from the
half-shell.
Except for sentiment or curiosity.
Americans in Paris do not interest
themselves very much in American
food. They want to sample French
cooking, and Prunier gave them that
also-and oysters, too. None of the
succeeded in this. although American
EFaix. last week. l had oysters baked