I will take as being typical three other bills I have
preserved. One is for a lunch for two people at
Maire’s : Hors d' oeuvre, a dish of eggs and tomatoes,
a Filet Maire and potatoes, cheese, a couple of pears,
a bottle of the Charbonnier of the house, and a bottle
of mineral water. The total of this was 18 f. 50 c.
At the Restaurant Laperouse I have eaten prawns,
always an expensive dish, Bisque , Filets de Sole Lape-
rouse , Noisettes de Veau Sautees Champignons , Haricots
Ferts nouveauxy and a slice of cheese, and drinking a
bottle of Musigny, have been charged, for two, split-
ting the portions, 17 f. Breakfasting by myself at
the “ Au Pere Boivin,” I have eaten Goujons Frits ,
a Demi-Noisette de Filet Grille Sauce Estragon , and
Cepes Bordelaise , have drunk half a bottle of Vouvray,
and have been charged 7 f.
To these totals the tips must be added. In the
expensive restaurants a franc per louis or a franc per
head is the least the head waiter expects, and I am
sorry to say that we English and the Americans have
so spoilt the market that a franc is scarcely received
now with a “Thank you” at the smart restaurants.
The sommelier is always on the watch expecting a
tip, the portier who takes the hats and coats and the
chasseur who calls a fiacre are permanently hopeful.
tparis 5 7
A half franc apiece to these worthies is more than
sufficient. If one is fairly generous three francs
should see one clear after dinner or breakfast ; but
some men deal out francs to every servant who looks
as though he would like one.
The Paris Clubs
The Club life of the Parisians differs very consider-
ably from the Club life of Britain and America. In a
Parisian, or indeed any club of the continental nations,
the “ introducers ” of any candidate have, when he
becomes a member, a far larger responsibility than
the proposer and seconder of a candidate for any
London or New York club. The introducers,
amongst other duties, are expected to present the
new member to such gentlemen of the club as are
of their acquaintance, and the new member has to
record in his memory the faces of those gentlemen
to whom he has been introduced and be ready to
greet them. This etiquette makes all club life a
little difficult to the Englishman or American who
for the first time becomes a member of a purely
French club, or of a club organised on French models.
The Anglo-Saxons in Paris, to escape this etiquette,
have always of late years possessed a club or clubs of
their own.
Among the Anglo-Saxon clubs which are in existence
in Paris at the present time is the Travellers’ Club in
the Avenue des Champs Elysees. The
, 1 t t 1 • "l 1 • The Travellers
house, the Hotel ravia, has history ciuh, Avenue
attached to it. It was presented to a des Champs
great demi-mondaine in the days of the Elysees
Second Empire, and its salons became a centre of the
dragon-fly life of impenitent Paris. When France
fell sobbing into Russia’s arms, proclaiming that she
had at last found her amant de c/zur , Cubat, the well-
58 T’he Gourmet's Guide to Europe
Page 34
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
I will take as being typical three other bills I have preserved. One is for a lunch for two people at Maire’s : Hors d' oeuvre, a dish of eggs and tomatoes, a Filet Maire and potatoes, cheese, a couple of pears, a bottle of the Charbonnier of the house, and a bottle of mineral water. The total of this was 18 f. 50 c. At the Restaurant Laperouse I have eaten prawns, always an expensive dish, Bisque , Filets de Sole Laperouse , Noisettes de Veau Sautees Champignons , Haricots Verts nouveaux and a slice of cheese, and drinking a bottle of Musigny, have been charged, for two, splitting the portions, 17 f. Breakfasting by myself at the “ Au Pere Boivin,” I have eaten Goujons Frits , a Demi-Noisette de Filet Grille Sauce Estragon , and Cepes Bordelaise , have drunk half a bottle of Vouvray, and have been charged 7 f.
To these totals the tips must be added. In the expensive restaurants a franc per louis or a franc per head is the least the head waiter expects, and I am sorry to say that we English and the Americans have so spoilt the market that a franc is scarcely received now with a “Thank you” at the smart restaurants. The sommelier is always on the watch expecting a tip, the portier who takes the hats and coats and the chasseur who calls a fiacre are permanently hopeful.
Paris 57
A half franc apiece to these worthies is more than sufficient. If one is fairly generous three francs should see one clear after dinner or breakfast ; but some men deal out francs to every servant who looks as though he would like one.
The Paris Clubs
The Club life of the Parisians differs very considerably from the Club life of Britain and America. In a Parisian, or indeed any club of the continental nations, the “ introducers ” of any candidate have, when he becomes a member, a far larger responsibility than the proposer and seconder of a candidate for any London or New York club. The introducers, amongst other duties, are expected to present the new member to such gentlemen of the club as are of their acquaintance, and the new member has to record in his memory the faces of those gentlemen to whom he has been introduced and be ready to greet them. This etiquette makes all club life a little difficult to the Englishman or American who for the first time becomes a member of a purely French club, or of a club organised on French models. The Anglo-Saxons in Paris, to escape this etiquette, have always of late years possessed a club or clubs of their own.
Among tThe Anglo-Saxon clubs which are in existence in Paris at the present time is the Travellers' Club in the Avenue des Champs Elysees. The Travellers Club, Avenue des Champs Elysees house, the Hotel Pavia, has historyue
attached to it. It was presented to a des Champs
great demi-mondaine in the days of the Elysees
Second Empire, and its salons became a centre of the
dragon-fly life of impenitent Paris. When France
fell sobbing into Russia’s arms, proclaiming that she
had at last found her amant de c/zur , Cubat, the well-
58 T’he Gourmet's Guide to Europe