366 menus and 1200 recipes of the Baron Brisse in French and English

PROVISION CALENDAR. XY the sun to put out a few of its fires, after which you will enjoy them with the enthusiasm which they deserve. William the Conqueror took England for the sake of an oyster-bed, and Talleyrand governed the world by the aid of truffles. Young plover begin to appear, and Guignard says they are the most delicate-eating bird. Certainly they know the art of making them into delicious pies at Chartres. Provisions in season during September. September eggs are very good, though not to be compared to those laid in May. Artichokes are better now than at any other time of the year, and it is time to pick our nuts. It is for poets to make odes to spring, and for gourmands to make verses to autumn. Happy month of October, its only fault being that it is the last month of the gourmand’s holiday. During October nature is still beautiful, and all food is good. It always brings back to me the happiest reminiscences. I can almost feel the sweet air of. the woods blow against my face. What a jovial season ! We are so gay, so strong, and have such an appetite. Thank God, I have always kept my lightheartedness, vigour, and appetite ; but when I think of some of the companions of my youth, years gone by, oh ! what phantoms they now are, with no digestion, dull eyes, trembling hands that can hardly hold either fork or glass ; they may perhaps enjoy fortune and honours, but what wouldn't they give to be able to enjoy a good dinner as I do? When Brutus was dying of hunger after a defeat, he exclaimed, “ Fortune is but a name.” Provisions in season during October. Added to pears and apples we now have almonds, medlars, and chestnuts. Here we are in cold and foggy November, the gastronomical scene has changed ; yesterday we were in the country, to-day we find ourselves in town, The actors are the same, only Xvi PROVISION CALENDAR, feeling much strengthened and determined to brave indigestion, which after all can only be called “ Remorse of the stomach.” We have one recruit in our culinary army, a very unpretentious one, but that does not prevent its assaulting our appetite: I mean the fresh herring with soft roe, and eaten with mustard sauce. There is a saying that many people die in November, so I advise my friends to have more than one invitation to dinner for the same day, so that if one host fails, they can always have recourse to another to console them. Provisions in season during November. We are no longer troubled about provisions, our duty is to eat them. The festive season has now arrived for those gourmands, mostly bachelors who, like Rabelais, always dine out, and show their gratitude by not returning the hospitality offered to them. The hour of execution has sounded, but what an amount of tact is required not to give offence. Who are we to please, husband, wife, father-in-law, or mother-in-law ? Try now, you husbands, who keep your house with a firm hand, and arrange ‘the invitations. I make a bet that the mother-in-law has her own way; all I warn the guest to do is not to remind the mother-in-law that he remembers her in the comet year of 1811, or that the tail of her pet dog does not curl, for it would be sad to end the year with an empty stomach. Provisions in season the same as in November, [illustration: Menus and Fare] Potage à la Condé. Purée of haricot beans à la Condé. Barbue à la béchamel. Brill, béchamel sauce. Aloyau au vin de-Madère. Sirloin of beef, Madeira sauce. Poulets rôtis à la peau de goret. Roast fowl à la sucking-pig. -Artichauts à la barigoule, Stuffed artichokes à la barigoule. Baba au rhum. Rum cake or Baba. Purée of haricot beans à la Condé. Make a purée of red haricot beans in the same manner as a purée of white haricot beans (see 2nd of July). Put someslices of fried bread in a soup-tureen, and pour the soup over them.