All the fish of the Danube are to be bought in the strange semi-Oriental street of the provision mer- chants at Sofia, where weird, uncouth joints of meat are surrounded by piles of country sandals and squares of embroidery and wooden water-bottles. Men carry bunches of live fowls tied to the end of yokes up and down this street, and boys sell sheep’s trotters arranged like a fringe on a stick. In the vegetable shops are masses of peppers, and a stew highly seasoned with papf'ika is the meat-dish of the people. The cheese Sadowa, or Sadova, is good, and so is a cream- cheese. Turkish and Austrian cookery meet and fraternise in the kitchens of Sofia. The Sofia Restaurants The restaurant of the Hotel de Bulgarie has white blinds and little tables with white linen tablecloths, and is quite smart and clean. The Hotel do cook must be an Austrian, or must Bulgarie have learned his trade in an Austrian kitchen, for 355 356 1 The Gourmet's Guide to Europe the food is exactly that which one would expect to be offered in a small provincial Austrian town. There is a Greek restaurant in Sofia, the exterior of which did not look sufficiently inviting to tempt an inspection of the interior, and there is a Mace- donian cafe where some of the ardent Bulgarian politicians dine. These and a beer-house, “The Red Crab,” where a band plays ; two cafe concerts, which keep open till all hours of the night, and in which fire-water is served under many different names ; and a dozen or two ordinary cafes, are the houses of refreshment in Sofia. The Sofia Clubs The military officers have a large club, on the model of the Austrian officers’ casinos, and the foreign colonies in Sofia have a particularly pleasant little club in the Union. Two-thirds of the mem- The Onion Club bers of this club are EnSlish 5 but some of the customs of continental clubs, such as the introduction of new members to all the other members, are adhered to. The diplomatists of the various Agencies — for Bulgaria being -nominally vassal to Turkey, the Legations are called Agencies — all belong to the Union. The club extends honorary membership to visitors, and to be accorded this privilege adds immensely to the pleasure of a stay in the Bulgarian capital. There is a reading-room in the club, where the papers of all nations are to be found. The chef is an artist. He adapts his menus to the tastes of his masters of all nationalities, and a mousaka , a risotto , and a saddle of Welsh mutton may sometimes be found on the same bill of fare. Some of the statesmen and generals of Bulgaria are members of this club, and when a man of very great ^Bulgaria 357 importance wishes to give a dinner which shall make history he is sometimes allowed to borrow the club cook. Bridge is played at the Union, and I believe that in the small hours a round of poker is not unknown, and that the Bulgarian generals play a very sporting game. AFTER DINNER The new opera house of Sofia is that capital’s latest proof of complete civilisation, but even Sofia cannot get rid of the Balkan vainglorious habit of producing interminable patriotic, poetic dramas. These are sandwiched with German opera. Little travelling operetta companies play in a barn on the road to the station, and the cafe-chantants are places of small rooms, much smoke, vile liquors, and indifferent performances. XVII TURKEY

AI-modernized reading of the original text

All the fish of the Danube are to be bought in the strange semi-Oriental street of the provision merchants at Sofia, where weird, uncouth joints of meat are surrounded by piles of country sandals and squares of embroidery and wooden water-bottles. Men carry bunches of live fowls tied to the end of yokes up and down this street, and boys sell sheep’s trotters arranged like a fringe on a stick. In the vegetable shops are masses of peppers, and a stew highly seasoned with paprika is the meat-dish of the people. The cheese Sadowa, or Sadova, is good, and so is a creamcheese. Turkish and Austrian cookery meet and fraternise in the kitchens of Sofia. The Sofia Restaurants The restaurant of the Hotel de Bulgarie has white blinds and little tables with white linen tablecloths, and is quite smart and clean. The Hotel do cook must be an Austrian, or must Bulgarie have learned his trade in an Austrian kitchen, for 356 1 The Gourmet's Guide to Europe the food is exactly that which one would expect to be offered in a small provincial Austrian town. There is a Greek restaurant in Sofia, the exterior of which did not look sufficiently inviting to tempt an inspection of the interior, and there is a Macedonian cafe where some of the ardent Bulgarian politicians dine. These and a beer-house, “The Red Crab,” where a band plays ; two cafe concerts, which keep open till all hours of the night, and in which fire-water is served under many different names ; and a dozen or two ordinary cafes, are the houses of refreshment in Sofia. Th[illustration: The Sofia Clubs. The military officers have a large club, on the model of the Austrian officers' casinos, and the foreign colonies in Sofia have a particularly pleasant little club in the Union. Two-thirds of the members of this club are English] 5 but some of the customs of continental clubs, such as the introduction of new members to all the other members, are adhered to. The diplomatists of the various Agencies — for Bulgaria being -nominally vassal to Turkey, the Legations are called Agencies — all belong to the Union. The club extends honorary membership to visitors, and to be accorded this privilege adds immensely to the pleasure of a stay in the Bulgarian capital. There is a reading-room in the club, where the papers of all nations are to be found. The chef is an artist. He adapts his menus to the tastes of his masters of all nationalities, and a mousaka , a risotto , and a saddle of Welsh mutton may sometimes be found on the same bill of fare. Some of the statesmen and generals of Bulgaria are members of this club, and when a man of very great ^Bulgaria 357 importance wishes to give a dinner which shall make history he is sometimes allowed to borrow the club cook. Bridge is played at the Union, and I believe that in the small hours a round of poker is not unknown, and that the Bulgarian generals play a very sporting game. The new opera house of Sofia is that capital’s latest proof of complete civilisation, but even Sofia cannot get rid of the Balkan vainglorious habit of producing interminable patriotic, poetic dramas. These are sandwiched with German opera. Little travelling operetta companies play in a barn on the road to the station, and the cafe-chantants are places of small rooms, much smoke, vile liquors, and indifferent performances. TURKEY

The gourmet's guide to Europe