In the discussion of these divergencies modern French
cooks admit that both methods contain good elements which
might be adopted, and bad ones which should be avoided.
The service d la Busse is without question more expeditious
and simple in its details than the old French service, whicli
is frequently embarrassed and slow ; but it cannot be denied
that this manner of carving everything beforehand ‘ tends
to destroy the fine art of decorating and dressing, in which
so many of our most celebrated cooks have excelled, and,
indeed, to extinguish wdth one blow the external appearance
of our great French cuisine, that great development of taste
and show which has given it a prominent position amongst
all others.’* On the other hand, it is incontestable that
* This (luotatioii may bu teniiud (joulle’s lament. Of. loc. ctt., p. -Mi.
Observe that in it he terms cookery a line, art.
SERVICE A LA FRANCAISE AND A LA RUSSE 647
there are grave inconveniences connected with the practice
of having on the table for an indefinite time certain dishes
which must lose their quality if they are allowed to
languish. Many of the products of cookery of the refined
type require to be eaten immediately after they are done,
in the condition which the French term a point. If such
dishes are allowed to remain on the table as part of its
edible decoration, their essence — namely, their good taste —
is given over to a false craving for appearances.
But we believe that this possible deterioration of some of
the more delicate dishes by delay of their consumption is
only a minor one of the motives which have caused the
service d la Busse to be preferred to that d la Frangaise.
We believe that diners, hosts as well as guests, were tired
of the overloaded, overgarnished, border-surrounded, skewer-
impaled, and in many senses overvariegated and overtinted
compositions, some actually called d la Harleqidn, which, like
the casts made of steariue and other materials, it was as diffi-
cult to place on the table as to remove without causing some
inconvenience to persons sitting at table. These composi-
tions, moreover, involved an expenditure for which the mere
view of their exterior was no equivalent ; also the outside
was frequently so complicated that it did not allow of any
visual diagnosis of the essence or corpus of the dish, and the
exhibition was consequently a mere masquerade.
As most cooks perceived that the French mode of serving
dinner was no longer acceptable to many strata of the
public, they endeavoured to save a part of it by a com-
promise, as some termed it, ‘ par une transaction.’ Accord-
ing to this, the table should be furnished and decorated with
the larger cold dishes, which admit of that ornamentation
so dear to some culinary spirits ; it should further receive
the large removes and the hot entrees, which can generally
bo kept warm for some time on hot water or candle-warmed
dishes without deterioration. In this wise the diners, on
648
THE SPIRIT OF COOKERY
Page 408
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
In the discussion of these divergencies modern French cooks admit that both methods contain good elements which might be adopted, and bad ones which should be avoided. The service à la Russe is without question more expeditious and simple in its details than the old French service, which is frequently embarrassed and slow ; but it cannot be denied that this manner of carving everything beforehand ‘ tends to destroy the fine art of decorating and dressing, in which so many of our most celebrated cooks have excelled, and, indeed, to extinguish wdth one blow the external appearance of our great French cuisine, that great development of taste and show which has given it a prominent position amongst all others.’* On the other hand, it is incontestable that
* This quotation may be termed Gouffé's lament. Cf. loc. cit., p. 246. Observe that in it he terms cookery a fine art.
SERVICE A LA FRANCAISE AND A LA RUSSE 647
there are grave inconveniences connected with the practice of having on the table for an indefinite time certain dishes which must lose their quality if they are allowed to languish. Many of the products of cookery of the refined type require to be eaten immediately after they are done, in the condition which the French term a point. If such dishes are allowed to remain on the table as part of its edible decoration, their essence — namely, their good taste — is given over to a false craving for appearances.
But we believe that this possible deterioration of some of the more delicate dishes by delay of their consumption is only a minor one of the motives which have caused the service d la Busse to be preferred to that d la Frangaise. We believe that diners, hosts as well as guests, were tired of the overloaded, overgarnished, border-surrounded, skewerimpaled, and in many senses overvariegated and overtinted compositions, some actually called d la Harleqidn, which, like the casts made of steariue and other materials, it was as difficult to place on the table as to remove without causing some inconvenience to persons sitting at table. These compositions, moreover, involved an expenditure for which the mere view of their exterior was no equivalent ; also the outside was frequently so complicated that it did not allow of any visual diagnosis of the essence or corpus of the dish, and the exhibition was consequently a mere masquerade.
As most cooks perceived that the French mode of serving dinner was no longer acceptable to many strata of the public, they endeavoured to save a part of it by a compromise, as some termed it, ‘ par une transaction.’ According to this, the table should be furnished and decorated with the larger cold dishes, which admit of that ornamentation so dear to some culinary spirits ; it should further receive the large removes and the hot entrees, which can generally bo kept warm for some time on hot water or candle-warmed dishes without deterioration. In this wise the diners, on