Evening star., 1941-09-02

aS2Ss ssszz@ spread polish
MeLemOre. right up to the
sinners elbows.
There's the marker along hfe's
way when he sits right down in the
BARRIERS chair for a haircut, and
isn't asked to perch up on the
board spread across the arms of the
chair.
There is the time when he goes
out on date and isn't told at just
what hour he is to be home.
There are a hundred such mile
stones.
The first cigarette, right out in
public. The first time he drives the
family car, all by himself Of an
evening. The first time he Is asked
what he would like to do, and not
told what he would like to do.
At "a, I passed another milestone
the other night. I ate at Antoine's
in New Orleans.
Finally, at long last, the Busy Bee
boy, the greasy spoon habitue, the
tables for ladies" eater, becomes a
gourmet.
I sat in the same chair that five
Presidents have used in eating at
Antoine's. From the walls photo
static testimonials informed me that
such talented knights of the knife
and fork as Irwin Cobb, Fiorello
La Guardla, Marchal Foch. Ben
Bernie, Walter Winchell. Grand
Duchess Marie, Buddy Baer, Grand
Duke Dmitri. Primo Camera, Doris
Duke. Felix Frankfurter and Whiz-
zer White rated Antoine's cuisine
as the best in the world.
At the finish Of my meal I had
to agree with them. There isn't
dish on the menu that shouldn't be
placed in the Worlds Fair time
capsule and left as a reminder for
the citizens of a thousand years
from now that while We of the Goth
century didn't have brains enough
to live nicely. We had enough taste
to eat all right.
The speciality of the house is
oysters Rockefeller. This dish was
created by Antoine's and is some
thing else again to prepare. As I
get it the oysters first are sent to
boarding school then have two years
at West Point, and finally are
brought home for the last examina-
ton. If they pass this test, and are
judged suitable to 60 into the dish,
they are given trip to the gardens
at Natchez, introduced to the
Governor, and then cooked like he'll
in all kinds of sauces for three DAYS.
When you eat them they are
combination of money from home,
wire announcing the death of a
rich uncle, and an invitation from
Lana Turner to 60 picnicking.
In paying my respects to the
chef, Camille Averna, after my meal,
asked him If I could spend a
morning IN his kitchen, watching
him work. I had heard that of all
the dictators in the world. Hitler
and Stain not excepted, the greatest
dictators were celebrated chefs.
Camille graciously aSSented. and
the next day found me in the
kitchen at Antoine's, watching a
chef at the business of chefng.
Camille did rot disappoint me. He
tasted and tested everything, and
was merciless with the under chefs
when dish was not to his liking.
No general was ever more stern
with a subordinate than was
Camille with his Bearnaise sauce
man when he found what must have
been a bear too few or a bear too
many in the sauce.
Under the spell of Camille I felt
an uncomfortable desire to create a
new dish. I found myself agreeing
with Brillat-Savarin that new dish
was more important than the dis
covery of a new star. 7 asked If
might try my hand at the creation
Of new dish. Camille agreed. So
did Roy Alciatore, grandson of the
founder of Antoines.
They furnished me everything in
the way Of ingredientS-all known
meats, fish. vegetables and spices.
wanted to devise something as
rich as oysters Rockefeller.
I tried to create hamburger J. p.
Morgan, 1t failed. I tried turnip
greens Henry Ford. 1t was tasteless.
Then came my triumph.
Mutton Barbara Hutton.
The recipe: Take a shoulder of
mutton. Cover with $4,000 bills
} and bake at even temperature on a
10-cent store stove.
A very rich dish, indeed. But I
doubt If you can get it at Antoine's.
You can try, of course.
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