A CHARTREUSE is an elaborately constructed dish, which was
devised for the use of, and derived its name from, the reli-
gious brotherhood called Chartists, or Carthusians. As one
of the compulsory rules of this order was total abstinence
from flesh, it is clear that the dish which bore its name, if
it was to be used by its members, was necessarily destitute
of meat, and of savoury extracts derived from it. In ac-
cordance with this conclusion, Careme, in speaking of the
grande chartreuse, which he termed ‘ the queen of modern
entries,’ treated the studied absence of meat from it as a
matter of common knowledge, ‘ La grande chartreuse ne doit
contenir, comme on sait, quedes legumes et des racines.’ In
this sense only has any chartreuse claim to speciflcity, and
the introduction of any meat whatever causes that distinc-
tion to be destroyed. It is therefore a curious sign of deca-
dence in culinary literature when authors not only know no
true chartreuses, but introduce meat into every recipe for a
so-called specimen of that kind of dish, and even extend the
appellation to mere cylindrical puddings of forcemeat. The
matter is of no importance to persons whose diet is not
regulated by influences unconnected with biological science,
but may affect, and be worthy of the attention of, those who
CHARTREUSES, VARIOUS FORMS
577
observe days of abstinence from meat, or abstain from it
altogether, as the so-called vegetarians. For these certainly
the grande chartreuse, the most accomplished of hot vege-
table combinations, ought to be a comforting consideration,
and even its contemplation, preliminary to its consumption,
ought to assist in the assertion of their propositions on
account of its monumental aspect.
A chartreuse can be perfect only during the months of May
to August inclusive, inasmuch as the vegetables necessary
for its production are only then in the desired state of growth
and tenderness. At any other time of the year its perfec-
tion will be opposed by the seasons, the effects of which
cannot here be overcome by processes of preservation, so
useful for other purposes. But of course substitutions can
do much to make up for deficiencies, even if they imply the
abandonment of some of the fundamental demands of the
definition. For there are several ways of observing the fast-
days so called, the jours maigres of the French, the absolute
non-compromising rule, which excludes milk, eggs, broth,
and similar derivates, and the less rigorous interpretation,
by which these viands of animal origin are considered as
not satisfying the definition of flesh food, and are therefore
permitted.
The definition of grande chartreuse by Careme was so
stringent that it excluded even that first widening of the
appellation by which it was made to include so-called
entrees made with fruit, such as apples. But he allowed
the introduction into chartreuses simply so called, which
might be assumed to constitute a variety, for the sake of
distinction, of parts of fish and shellfish. When thus a
cavity was once made in the structure of the chartreuse
this apparail quickly became a raised pie, or pcite-chaud, the
case of which only consisted of the legitimate green vege-
tables and roots, while the contents were the most ordinary
meat entrees and ragouts, such as Carthusians would neces-*
37
57S
THE Sf’lErr OF COOKERY
Page 364
Presented as published in 1895. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
A CHARTREUSE is an elaborately constructed dish, which was devised for the use of, and derived its name from, the religious brotherhood called Chartists, or Carthusians. As one of the compulsory rules of this order was total abstinence from flesh, it is clear that the dish which bore its name, if it was to be used by its members, was necessarily destitute of meat, and of savoury extracts derived from it. In accordance with this conclusion, Careme, in speaking of the grande chartreuse, which he termed ‘ the queen of modern entries,’ treated the studied absence of meat from it as a matter of common knowledge, ‘ La grande chartreuse ne doit contenir, comme on sait, quedes legumes et des racines.’ In this sense only has any chartreuse claim to specificity, and the introduction of any meat whatever causes that distinction to be destroyed. It is therefore a curious sign of decadence in culinary literature when authors not only know no true chartreuses, but introduce meat into every recipe for a so-called specimen of that kind of dish, and even extend the appellation to mere cylindrical puddings of forcemeat. The matter is of no importance to persons whose diet is not regulated by influences unconnected with biological science, but may affect, and be worthy of the attention of, those who
CHARTREUSES, VARIOUS FORMS
observe days of abstinence from meat, or abstain from it altogether, as the so-called vegetarians. For these certainly the grande chartreuse, the most accomplished of hot vegetable combinations, ought to be a comforting consideration, and even its contemplation, preliminary to its consumption, ought to assist in the assertion of their propositions on account of its monumental aspect.
A chartreuse can be perfect only during the months of May to August inclusive, inasmuch as the vegetables necessary for its production are only then in the desired state of growth and tenderness. At any other time of the year its perfection will be opposed by the seasons, the effects of which cannot here be overcome by processes of preservation, so useful for other purposes. But of course substitutions can do much to make up for deficiencies, even if they imply the abandonment of some of the fundamental demands of the definition. For there are several ways of observing the fastdays so called, the jours maigres of the French, the absolute non-compromising rule, which excludes milk, eggs, broth, and similar derivates, and the less rigorous interpretation, by which these viands of animal origin are considered as not satisfying the definition of flesh food, and are therefore permitted.
The definition of grande chartreuse by Careme was so stringent that it excluded even that first widening of the appellation by which it was made to include so-called entrees made with fruit, such as apples. But he allowed the introduction into chartreuses simply so called, which might be assumed to constitute a variety, for the sake of distinction, of parts of fish and shellfish. When thus a cavity was once made in the structure of the chartreuse this apparail quickly became a raised pie, or pcite-chaud, the case of which only consisted of the legitimate green vegetables and roots, while the contents were the most ordinary meat entrees and ragouts, such as Carthusians would neces-
57S
THE Sf’lErr OF COOKERY