On looking at the various compilations of dinner menus, one will find that there are three kinds of dinners : the solitary dinner, social dinners, and set dinners. All need and merit an equal amount of consideration by the menu compiler and the cook, who should be one person. The last two dinners may be termed society dinners. The success of a dinner does not depend in the least on two soups, two fish, two entrees, &c., but on having it well cooked, well served, sufficient on the table, and, above all, everything of the best possible quality. It is far better to have one of each and good, well dressed, than a large number of dishes badly done. The way to success, in fact, is to have the dishes choice, but limited in number. The wines as well as the dishes should be more remarkable for their excellence than their variety. As an illustration of this, take the words of the late Earl of Dudley, who used to say : ‘ A good soup, a small turbot, and a neck of venison, duckling with green peas, or chicken with asparagus, and an apricot tart, is a dinner for an emperor.’ FRENCH DISHES IN GENERAL La fine cuisine bourgeoise is perfection, and its dishes for family dinners are more likely to be generally adopted in England than the more elaborate and expensive dishes of la haute cuisine Franqaise, which will not, I fear, ever become generally prevalent in England. THE CONSTRUCTION OF MENUS 629 Careme tells us that at grand balls and dinners he used to roast 'fowls and turkeys merely for his soups ; and in his recipes generally talks of two, four, and even six birds, as though they could be got at the rate of eighteenpence apiece. Such a system of cookery can never become general either in this or any other country. To come to the more practical point, viz. the actual construction of menus, it is necessary that this, the most important branch of the subject we are discussing, be illustrated by examples, and I would now refer the enquiring reader to the various specimen menus appended. SPECIMEN MENUS. POTAGE . Poisson Entree Roti Entremet MENU DU DINER. LE 15 JANVIER. A PLAIN DINNER. FRENCH Queux de Boeuf. Filets de Cabillaud a la Normande. Cotelettes de Mouton a la Milanaise. Dinde Botie aux marrons. Pouding k la Viennoise. ENGLISH Ox-tail. Fillets of Cod, Normandy style. Mutton Cutlets, Milanese style. Roast Turkey stuffed with chestnuts. Viennese Pudding. It will be observed that no vegetables have been entered on the above bill of fare. One or two vegetables should be served : these are selected according to taste and season. The following, in addition to potatoes, is a list of vegetables procurable in January : — Artichokes (Globe and Jerusalem), Brussels sprouts, celery, tomatoes, seakale, savoys, cauliflower, salsify, parsnips, turnips, Spanish onions, &c. &c. A complete list of foods in season will be found on page 34. Menu du Diner le 15 Mars. jfrencb Bill of Fare, March 15. JEnglxsb Hurs-d’ceuvre Anchois sur Canapes. Anchovies on croutons of toast. POTAGE . Consomme Brunoise. Clear Soup, Brunoise style. Poisson . Filets d’Anguille 4 la Juive. Sauce Tartare. Fried fillets of Eel, Jewish fashion. Tartare Sauce. Entree . Tournedos a la Bearnaise. Pommes Parisiennes. Tournedos, Bearnaise style. Parisian potatoes. Roti . Canard Roti. Salade a la Francaise. Roast Duck. French Salad. Entremets .

AI-modernized reading of the original text

On looking at the various compilations of dinner menus, one will find that there are three kinds of dinners : the solitary dinner, social dinners, and set dinners. All need and merit an equal amount of consideration by the menu compiler and the cook, who should be one person. The last two dinners may be termed society dinners. The success of a dinner does not depend in the least on two soups, two fish, two entrees, &c., but on having it well cooked, well served, sufficient on the table, and, above all, everything of the best possible quality. It is far better to have one of each and good, well dressed, than a large number of dishes badly done. The way to success, in fact, is to have the dishes choice, but limited in number. The wines as well as the dishes should be more remarkable for their excellence than their variety. As an illustration of this, take the words of the late Earl of Dudley, who used to say : ‘ A good soup, a small turbot, and a neck of venison, duckling with green peas, or chicken with asparagus, and an apricot tart, is a dinner for an emperor.’ FRENCH DISHES IN GENERAL La fine cuisine bourgeoise is perfection, and its dishes for family dinners are more likely to be generally adopted in England than the more elaborate and expensive dishes of la haute cuisine Franqaise, which will not, I fear, ever become generally prevalent in England. Careme tells us that at grand balls and dinners he used to roast 'fowls and turkeys merely for his soups ; and in his recipes generally talks of two, four, and even six birds, as though they could be got at the rate of eighteenpence apiece. Such a system of cookery can never become general either in this or any other country. To come to the more practical point, viz. the actual construction of menus, it is necessary that this, the most important branch of the subject we are discussing, be illustrated by examples, and I would now refer the enquiring reader to the various specimen menus appended. SPECIMEN MENUS. Poisson Entree Roti Entremet MENU DU DINER. LE 15 JANVIER. A PLAIN DINNER. Queux de Boeuf. Filets de Cabillaud a la Normande. Cotelettes de Mouton a la Milanaise. Dinde Botie aux marrons. Pouding k la Viennoise. Ox-tail. Fillets of Cod, Normandy style. Mutton Cutlets, Milanese style. Roast Turkey stuffed with chestnuts. Viennese Pudding. It will be observed that no vegetables have been entered on the above bill of fare. One or two vegetables should be served : these are selected according to taste and season. The following, in addition to potatoes, is a list of vegetables procurable in January : — Artichokes (Globe and Jerusalem), Brussels sprouts, celery, tomatoes, seakale, savoys, cauliflower, salsify, parsnips, turnips, Spanish onions, &c. &c. A complete list of foods in season will be found on page 34. Menu du Diner le 15 Mars. jfrencb Bill of Fare, March 15. JEnglxsb Hurs-d’ceuvre Anchois sur Canapes. Anchovies on croutons of toast. Consomme Brunoise. Clear Soup, Brunoise style. Poisson . Filets d’Anguille 4 la Juive. Sauce Tartare. Fried fillets of Eel, Jewish fashion. Tartare Sauce. Entree . Tournedos a la Bearnaise. Pommes Parisiennes. Tournedos, Bearnaise style. Parisian potatoes. Roti . Canard Roti. Salade a la Francaise. Roast Duck. French Salad. Entremets .

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