head waiter talks a little French, and with his help
I read over the bill of fare written in execrable
handwriting and violet ink. Boiled beef and veal
cooked in many forms seemed to be the principal
dishes, so I appealed to the waiter to bring me a
thoroughly Sicilian dish, and then waited to see what
would happen. When the dish came it proved to
Italy 271
be little strips of tripe cooked in oil with beans and
tomatoes. It was by no means unpalatable. I then
ordered a dish of fried calf’s brains, which was excel-
lent, for every .Italian cook fries admirably. The
wines of the country on the Umberto’s list are
Camastro, Carituba, Corvo, and Signora ; and of
these I chose Camastro at a venture, and found it
to be a harmless white wine with a curious little
after taste of prunes. The Sphagetti of Palermo is
generally seasoned with minced meat and egg-plant.
Marsala, Moscato di Siracusa, and Amarena di Sira-
cusa are some of the wines of the island which are
obtainable in Palermo and all the other towns of
the island.
Sicily is not an island of good material for cookery,
and most of the rich inhabitants of Palermo and the
leading hotels import their mutton, veal, and chickens
from Naples, a supply being brought every morning
by the line of steamers which run down the coast
every night.
Clubs
The Casino Nuovo, 41 1 Corso Vittorio’Emanuele,
is hospitably inclined towards visitors. An honorary
member is made free of the club, which has very fine
rooms, for a fortnight, and can continue his member-
ship at 1. 10 a month. The Artists’ Club is in the
Via Isnello, No. 7.
AFTER DINNER
The Teatro Massino is a huge barn of a house, and
grand opera and long ballets are on its bill of fare.
The Bellini, a tawdry red, blue, and gold house, is the
popular house of opera. Everything except the treat-
ment of debutants is of the friendliest description in
this house. The musicians of the orchestra sit during
272 The Gourmets Guide to Europe
the entr'acts in any unoccupied stall and chat to
their friends, the singers are greeted by their admirers
with an ovation after each air, and the hour of com-
mencement and of ending are not to be judged by the
time put down on the programme. Novelli was play-
ing at one theatre, and one of the young Salvinis, in
his father’s parts, was at another, the last time I stayed
at Palermo, and there is generally a good programme
at the Politieama music hall. At the Garibaldi the
Sicilian tragedians sometimes play for a season.
%
IX
SPAIN
The Cuisine of Spain — Barcelona — The Clubs of Barcelona — Port
Bou — San Sebastian — San Sebastian Clubs — Bilbao — Portu-
galete — Madrid — Madrilene Clubs — Andalusian Cookery —
Seville — Sevilian Clubs — Bobadilla — Granada — Jerez — The
Clubs of Jerez — Cadiz — The Cadiz Clubs — San Lucar —
Algeceiras — Ronda — Malaga — The Malaguenean Clubs.
The Cuisine of Spain
Page 150
Presented as published in 1903. 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
head waiter talks a little French, and with his help I read over the bill of fare written in execrable handwriting and violet ink. Boiled beef and veal cooked in many forms seemed to be the principal dishes, so I appealed to the waiter to bring me a thoroughly Sicilian dish, and then waited to see what would happen. When the dish came it proved to
Italy 271
be little strips of tripe cooked in oil with beans and tomatoes. It was by no means unpalatable. I then ordered a dish of fried calf’s brains, which was excellent, for every .Italian cook fries admirably. The wines of the country on the Umberto’s list are Camastro, Carituba, Corvo, and Signora; and of these I chose Camastro at a venture, and found it to be a harmless white wine with a curious little after taste of prunes. The Spaghetti of Palermo is generally seasoned with minced meat and egg-plant. Marsala, Moscato di Siracusa, and Amarena di Siracusa are some of the wines of the island which are obtainable in Palermo and all the other towns of the island.
Sicily is not an island of good material for cookery, and most of the rich inhabitants of Palermo and the leading hotels import their mutton, veal, and chickens from Naples, a supply being brought every morning by the line of steamers which run down the coast every night.
Clubs
The Casino Nuovo, 41 1 Corso Vittorio Emanuele, is hospitably inclined towards visitors. An honorary member is made free of the club, which has very fine rooms, for a fortnight, and can continue his membership at 1. 10 a month. The Artists’ Club is in the Via Isnello, No. 7.
The Teatro Massino is a huge barn of a house, and grand opera and long ballets are on its bill of fare. The Bellini, a tawdry red, blue, and gold house, is the popular opera house. Everything except the treatment of debutants is of the friendliest description in this house. The musicians of the orchestra sit during
272 The Gourmets Guide to Europe
the entr'acts in any unoccupied stall and chat to their friends, the singers are greeted by their admirers with an ovation after each air, and the hour of commencement and of ending are not to be judged by the time put down on the programme. Novelli was playing at one theatre, and one of the young Salvinis, in his father’s parts, was at another, the last time I stayed at Palermo, and there is generally a good programme at the Politieama music hall. At the Garibaldi the Sicilian tragedians sometimes play for a season.
%
SPAIN
The Cuisine of Spain — Barcelona — The Clubs of Barcelona — Port Bou — San Sebastian — San Sebastian Clubs — Bilbao — Portugalete — Madrid — Madrilene Clubs — Andalusian Cookery — Seville — Sevilian Clubs — Bobadilla — Granada — Jerez — The Clubs of Jerez — Cadiz — The Cadiz Clubs — San Lucar — Algeceiras — Ronda — Malaga — The Malaguenean Clubs.
The Cuisine of Spain