Nevertheless, it took his followers almost a century to bring soups to the perfection of to-day, for modern cookery has replaced those stodgy dishes of yore by comparatively simple and savoury preparations which are veritable wonders of delicacy and taste. Now, my attention has been called to the desirability of drawing up some sort of classification of soups, if only with the view of obviating the absurdity of placing such preparations as are in- discriminately called Bisque, Purée, Cullis, or Cream under the same head. Logically, each preparation should have its own special formula, and it is impossible to admit that one and the same can apply to all. It is generally admitted that the terms Veloutés and Creams, whose introduction into the vocabulary of cookery is comparatively recent, are peculiarly well suited to sup- plant those of Bisque and Cullis, which are steadily becoming obsolete, as well as that too vulgar term Purée. Considerations 97 H 98 GUIDE TO MODERN COOKERY of this kind naturally led me to a new classification of soups, and this I shall disclose later. I shall not make any lengthy attempt here to refute the argu- ments of certain autocrats of the dinner-table who, not so many years ago, urged the total abolition of soups. I shall only submit to their notice the following quotation from Grimod de la Regniére, one of our most illustrious gastronomists: ‘‘ Soup is to a dinner what the porch or gateway is toa building,”’ that is to say, it must not only form the first portion thereof, but it must be so devised as to convey some idea of the whole to which it be- longs; or, after the manner of an overture in a light opera, it should divulge what is to be the dominant phrase of the melod throughout. I am at one with Grimod in this, and believe that soups have come to stay. Of all the items on a menu, soup is that which exacts the most delicate perfection and the strictest attention, for upon the first impression it gives to the diner the success of the latter part of the meal largely depends. Soups should be served as hot as possible in very warm plates, especially in the case of consommés when these have been pre- ceded by cold hors-d’ceuvres. Hors-d’ceuvres are pointless in a dinner, and even when oysters stand as such they should only be allowed at meals which include no soup. Those hors-d’ceuvres which consist of various fish, smoked or in oil, and strongly seasoned salads, leave a disagreeable taste on the consumer’s palate and make the soup which follows seem flat and insipid if the latter be not served boiling hot. CLASSIFICATION OF SOUPS This includes (1) clear soups, (2) thick soups, (3) special soups of various kinds, (4) classical vegetable soups, including some local preparations. 237—CLEAR SOUPS Clear soups, of whatever nature the base thereof may be, whether butcher’s meat, poultry, game, fish, shell-fish, or turtle, &c., are made according to one method only. They are always clear consommeés to which has been added a slight gar- nish in keeping with the nature of the consommé. ST TG Se NOI ETE aa LEADING CULINARY OPERATIONS 99 238—THICK SOUPS These are divided into three leading classes as follows :—(1) The Purées, Cullises, or Bisques. (2) Various Veloutés. (3) Various Creams. Remarks.—Though the three preparations of the first class are practically the same, and, generally speaking, the Cul- lises and the Bisques may be considered as purées of fowl, game, or shell-fish, it is advisable to distinguish one from another by giving each a special name of its own.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Nevertheless, it took his followers almost a century to bring soups to the perfection of to-day, for modern cookery has replaced those stodgy dishes of yore by comparatively simple and savoury preparations which are veritable wonders of delicacy and taste. Now, my attention has been called to the desirability of drawing up some sort of classification of soups, if only with the view of obviating the absurdity of placing such preparations as are indiscriminately called Bisque, Purée, Cullis, or Cream under the same head. Logically, each preparation should have its own special formula, and it is impossible to admit that one and the same can apply to all. It is generally admitted that the terms Veloutés and Creams, whose introduction into the vocabulary of cookery is comparatively recent, are peculiarly well suited to supplant those of Bisque and Cullis, which are steadily becoming obsolete, as well as that too vulgar term Purée. Considerations 97 H of this kind naturally led me to a new classification of soups, and this I shall disclose later. I shall not make any lengthy attempt here to refute the arguments of certain autocrats of the dinner-table who, not so many years ago, urged the total abolition of soups. I shall only submit to their notice the following quotation from Grimod de la Regniére, one of our most illustrious gastronomists: ‘‘ Soup is to a dinner what the porch or gateway is toa building,”’ that is to say, it must not only form the first portion thereof, but it must be so devised as to convey some idea of the whole to which it belongs; or, after the manner of an overture in a light opera, it should divulge what is to be the dominant phrase of the melod throughout. I am at one with Grimod in this, and believe that soups have come to stay. Of all the items on a menu, soup is that which exacts the most delicate perfection and the strictest attention, for upon the first impression it gives to the diner the success of the latter part of the meal largely depends. SSoups should be served as hot as possible in very warm plates, especially in the case of consommés when these have been preceded by cold hors-d'œuvres. Hors-d'œuvres are pointless in a dinner, and even when oysters stand as such they should only be allowed at meals which include no soup. Those hors-d'œuvres which consist of various fish, smoked or in oil, and strongly seasoned salads, leave a disagreeable taste on the consumer’s palate and make the soup which follows seem flat and insipid if the latter be not served boiling hot. CLASSIFICATION OF SOUPS This includes (1) clear soups, (2) thick soups, (3) special soups of various kinds, (4) classical vegetable soups, including some local preparations. 237—CLEAR SOUPS Clear soups, of whatever nature the base thereof may be, whether butcher’s meat, poultry, game, fish, shell-fish, or turtle, &c., are made according to one method only. They are always clear consommeés to which has been added a slight garnish in keeping with the nature of the consommé. ST TG Se NOI ETE aa 238—THICK SOUPS These are divided into three leading classes as follows :—(1) The Purées, Cullises, or Bisques. (2) Various Veloutés. (3) Various Creams. Remarks.—Though the three preparations of the first class are practically the same, and, generally speaking, the Cullises and the Bisques may be considered as purées of fowl, game, or shell-fish, it is advisable to distinguish one from another by giving each a special name of its own.

A guide to modern cookery