Imperial Valley press., 1937-05-16

)
- LUTTONS and gourmets through the cent
" similar tastes and capacities and between
eaters of today and famous trenchermen of h
little difference. One thing all have in common
desire to consume vast quantities of rare and
but If the shades of famous European chefs CT
the starched white caps and shoulders of mod
would undoubtedly give startled shudders of diss
the menus of today.
why! These fellows have an easy task!
Their menus do not compare to the great feasts
given by our royal masters-Kngs and Queens
who knew what good food meantw Chagrned
and amazed that the world has forgotten ira
dition of feasting brought down through genera
tons of gourmands, these skilled and proud
chefs of vanished world might conclude that
human stomachs of this era have astonishingly
diminished in size-appetites have wilted-and
that no one knows how to enjoy fine food and
plenty of it.
Modern scientists give somewhat different
reason for the sad state into which od-fashioned
feasting has fallen Actual capacity, they say
IS no smaller, but conditions have changed-and
men and women, no matter how blessed by
wealth and leisure have learned not to "eat
themselves into the grave To much food at any
one time amounts to more than a primitive
gorging, habit which has come down from the
time of cavemen who never knew when the
next meal could be had. And in the hurried ac-
tivities of modern life people cannot sleep off,
great feast, as they could-and did-a century
or more ago. Heavy feasting," say deticians,
"overloads not only the stomach but slows down
the brain" And this the successful business
man and active woman cannot afford.
Yet the fashion of small, selected menus-for
health's sake-Was not always so. Out of the
past come tales of the mighty feats of rulers
and generals, gentlemen of quality and dainty
ladies' -.-'ssessed of palates and capacities un-
equaed since their time. True accounts of
chi limo
proud princes and princesses who valued as
high accomplishment their ability to taste and
consume amazing quantities of food-and drink
There come royal trenchermen-two bottle
three bottle, and even four bottle men-who
thought nothing of quaffing that amount of old
port after an evenings full measure of sherry
or sack, hook, bordeaux, burgundy and cham
pagne-and who later repaired to late session
of Parliament and delivered speeches that al
tered the destiny of nations. To these statesmen
tremendous quantities of food and drink proved
but a small handicap, because then they retired
for few days of rest and fasting.
The full story of feasting enjoyed by royal
gluttons comes from the pen of methodcal
chef de cuisine, a Frenchman in the service of
Catherine II of Russia. He writes of almost un-
believable quantities of food, prepared and
served by small army of his assistants-roast-
ing cooks, spit-turners, pastry cooks fish cooks,
and makers of entrenlets-a grand total of 500
workers in the royal kitchens!
Being French, this chef knew the story of
LIE Grand Vatel, commander of the kitchen of
Louis XIV-the poor cook who threw himself
on his sword when the costermonger failed to
bring the fish on time for one of Louis the Glut-
tons feasts Knowing the uncertain temper of
royal masters and the fate of careless Chefs
GATHERINGS head cook took precautions against
mistakes. He wrote out each menu in great
folios and made sure that every portion of the
feast arrived hours in advance of the deSipOated
hour. Today these historic and colorfu records
are preserved in the archives of the ancient
Hermitage Catherine the Greats favorite resi-
dence-where the vast dining hall resounded to
hoarse toasts, merry tales, and the boisterous
laughter of courtiers
An unestimated variety of "snacks' were first
served with vodka-almost meal that preceded
the feast itself-but these appetizers were on
old tradition, mere 'palate-ticklers' to whet the
hunger of strong men. And GATHERINGS chef
thought little of their Importance that he
fails to mention them.
Nor does her chef say much of the wines
served with each course-or the list of imported
beverages stored in the royal cellars yet some
account of these, fortunately, comes from other
Slavic sources
An afternoons refreshment might we'll be sew
eral bottles per head of a delicious light wine
just as a cooler and 'pepper-upper" Or of
vodka, six or seven "captains'-a glass the size
of sherry glass-before a meal
And if such potation was mere refreshment,
a pleasant interlude in the serious business of
making love or quarreling, what did these peo-
pie do when they settled down to important eat
ing and drinking?
The menu of one of GATHERINGS small din
ners'-not great court banquet, just a little
dinner en- fdnsille, perhaps for Potemkin or for
Oroff with few young officers of the guard
and ladies in waiting to fill out the board: