At Jerez I was first made aware of the fact that the very best Dutch cheese of the day is still imported into Spain. The great Duke of Alba first sent a Queso de Bola as a present to all his friends, and since that time the Spaniards have always eaten the round red cheeses and have always insisted that they shall be the best of their kind. This is rather a curious instance of the conservatism which is so typical of Spain. The Hotel de los Cisnos, the hotel of the town, is good and clean, and for 8 to 10 pesetas a day the food and lodging is all that a traveller in Spain can expect. This is a Sunday menu showing what the Cisnos can do : — Consomme de Quenelles a la Royal. Filetes de Tenguados a la Tutus. Chuletas de Cordero a la Inglesa. Pechugas de Polios a la Suprema. Perdices al jugo. Ensalada Rusa. Esparragos de Aranjuez, salsa blanca. Mantecados de Vainilla y Fresa. Postres variados. 298 The Gourmet's Guide to Europe The Clubs of Jerez The clubs of Jerez are the Casino National in the Calle Larga, the leading club of the town, and the Casino Jerezano, the Agricultural Club, also in the Calle Larga. In both these clubs, as in all Spanish clubs, mild roulette is played, especially at Fair time. A Lawn-tennis Club, a Polo Club, and the Jerez Gun Club complete the list. At all these clubs an English- man having proper introductions is welcomed as an honorary, or a temporary, member. It was at the Jerez Gun Club that King Alfonso won the hearts of the makers of sherry. A big challenge cup had been shot for. It was filled with wine, and the king, who had been shooting, was about to drink to the town and the winner, when looking into the cup he saw that the liquid was champagne. aTake this away,” he said, “ and bring it to me full of sherry. I will drink to the town of Jerez in its own good wine.” Cadiz Fish is the contribution of Cadiz to the kitchen. There is a small variety of sole, called locally A sadia , which, fried dry, is a very toothsome morsel. Fried red mullet is a local dish much appreciated. The prawns of Cadiz are very large and very fine. The shell- fish are better avoided, for the drains of the town empty into the bay. The dining-room of the Hotel de Francia is the restaurant of Cadiz. The hotel was built by the Hotel de present proprietor with money won in Francia, Plaza the lottery. The white marble patio de Mina gives the hotel an appearance of dazz- ling cleanliness, and the house is in fact exceedingly Spain 299 well managed. The a pension ” of the hotel is 15 pesetas a day. The cook knows his art, and when a private dinner is ordered everything is really excellent. There are no restaurants in Cadiz not attached to hotels. The establishments which call cerveceria themselves restaurants are really cafes, ingles, Plaza de The Cerveceria Ingles, however, will la Constitution give luncheons and dinners to a special order, and they are very good— for Cadiz. About three miles outside the town, on the line of the tramway, is the Balneario. This is a new Casino and bathing establishment built on the j ° • 1 c d u The Balneario sands some thirty yards from the sea.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

At Jerez I was first made aware of the fact that the very best Dutch cheese of the day is still imported into Spain. The great Duke of Alba first sent a Queso de Bola as a present to all his friends, and since that time the Spaniards have always eaten the round red cheeses and have always insisted that they shall be the best of their kind. This is rather a curious instance of the conservatism which is so typical of Spain. The Hotel de los Cisnos, the hotel of the town, is good and clean, and for 8 to 10 pesetas a day the food and lodging is all that a traveller in Spain can expect. This is a Sunday menu showing what the Cisnos can do : — Consomme de Quenelles a la Royal. Filetes de Lenguados a la Tutús. Chuletas de Cordero a la Inglesa. Pechugas de Pollos a la Suprema. Perdices al jugo. Ensalada Rusa. Espárragos de Aranjuez, salsa blanca. Mantecados de Vainilla y Fresa. Postres variados. 298 The Gourmet's Guide to Europe The Clubs of Jerez The clubs of Jerez are the Casino National in the Calle Larga, the leading club of the town, and the Casino Jerezano, the Agricultural Club, also in the Calle Larga. In both these clubs, as in all Spanish clubs, mild roulette is played, especially at Fair time. A Lawn-tennis Club, a Polo Club, and the Jerez Gun Club complete the list. At all these clubs an Englishman having proper introductions is welcomed as an honorary, or a temporary, member. It was at the Jerez Gun Club that King Alfonso won the hearts of the makers of sherry. A big challenge cup had been shot for. It was filled with wine, and the king, who had been shooting, was about to drink to the town and the winner, when looking into the cup he saw that the liquid was champagne. aTake this away,” he said, “ and bring it to me full of sherry. I will drink to the town of Jerez in its own good wine.” Cadiz Fish is the contribution of Cadiz to the kitchen. There is a small variety of sole, called locally Asadía, which, fried dry, is a very toothsome morsel. Fried red mullet is a local dish much appreciated. The prawns of Cadiz are very large and very fine. The shellfish are better avoided, for the drains of the town empty into the bay. The dining-room of the Hotel de Francia is the restaurant of Cadiz. The hotel was built by the Hotel de present proprietor with money won in Francia, Plaza the lottery. The white marble patio de Mina gives the hotel an appearance of dazzling cleanliness, and the house is in fact exceedingly Spain 299 well managed. The "pension" of the hotel is 15 pesetas a day. The cook knows his art, and when a private dinner is ordered everything is really excellent. There are no restaurants in Cadiz not attached to hotels. The establishments which call themselves restaurants are really cafés. The Cervecería Inglés, Plaza de la Constitución, however, will give luncheons and dinners to a special order, and they are very good— for Cadiz. About three miles outside the town, on the line of the tramway, is the Balneario. This is a new Casino and bathing establishment built on the The Balneario sands some thirty yards from the sea.

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