Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1936-11-19

is intriguing and foreign sounding
las foreign it is. l have listened
for hours on end to his Southern
European music and his interpre-
tation of rhumbas and tangos.
One day I found him sitting in
a quiet corner and thinking bard.
Xavier Cougas does not think with
his mind alone. He THINKS all
over. And undoubtedly he was
mentally composing some roman
tic bit of music.
started to tip tee away when
he shouted to me. "Say, you are
supposed TO know something about
cooking. Help me out have
failed to remember the ingredients
of chicken stewed in sherry as I
have eaten it in Mexico! l have
sat here, in grave thought nd
concern for an endless time"
Xavier Cougat-artist and mu-
sician-thinking about food. But
why not? The greater the artist
the more readily he car recognize
art in all it's phases. And what
finer art than that which can
bring inspiration to the proper
assembling of foods and fiavors
into symphony of taste?
The chicken stewed in sherry
wine which was creating longings
in the heart of Xavier Cougat is
a simple dish, but one never for
gotten, once it has been enjoyed.
This is what Xavier Cougat wrote
down, as we recited it to him
and with it in hand, he went with
high hope to the Swiss chef who
had promised to prepare it, if but
the recipe were to be had:
MEXICAN CHICKEN IN
SHERRY
The chicken itsel f-of nice
frying size-one chicken making
two portions.
onions, chopped fine
nubbins of garlic, chopped fine
(omit if you must)
2 good pinches dried marjoram
l big green chill pepper
" cup of ripe olives, chopped
Il cup of canned mushrooms,
chopped up
2 bay leaves
/ pinch of salt
-four and water thickening
cup sherry (more, if needed to
allow for evaporation)
The chicken is cut as for fry
ing and put into casserole. Cow
er with boiling water and put in
to oven for about fifteen minutes.
Then add bay leaves, onion, garlic,
marjoram and salt. Simmer for
about half an hour and then add
the chill pepper, chopped up, the
olives and mushrooms, and the
sherry and simmer until tender
If there is too much evaporation,
add another cup of sherry, or
sherry and. water mixed. When
chicken is tender, thicxen the gra-
Wy with about three or four spoons
of flour mixed with water and
pour in, stirring slowly. Boil for
five minutes more.
In some homes, white wine is
used in place of sherry and I
have seen this dish served with
hard boiled bantam eggs or other
small eggs stirred whole into the
gravy.)
Boiled rice, preferably colored
yellow with a bit of saffron, is
the correct accompanying dish.
"That is exactly i'll" Xavier
Cougat exclaimed. "Now, we shall
see what that Swiss can do. He
has the experience. Now he has
the list Of the ingredients. But
has he the temperament? That i
do not knew. He appears very
placid. That may count against
him. To properly prepare Latin
dishes one must never be placid.
There must be fire and verve, not
10 much outward. a. inward
smouldering but expressive"
"Es verdad, Xavier Cougat, but
twist your lips around this and
take your mind off the mundane
things-after your chicken drift
over into
MATTHIAS MAZITLAN
Zone pronounces the Double L
with the sound of q "Y," an
though spelled 'Nati-yas").
5 eggs
5 tablespoons sugar