FoodNet

Bohemian San Francisco

1914

Page 20 · 1 recipe record on this page

Presented as published in 1914. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
fire, he need but go out to Coppa's and while he will not have his eyes regaled by the quaint drawings with which the old-time artists decor- ated the walls, nor the hurrying footsteps along the ceiling to the famous center table where sat some of the world's most notable Bohemians on their visits to San Francisco, nor the frieze of black cats around the cor- nice, nor the Bohemian verse, written under inspiration of "Dago red," he will find the same old cooking, done by Coppa himself. We asked Coppa what he considered his best dish and he gave us the Irishman's reply by asking another question: "What do you think of it?" There are so many to choose from that our answer was difiicult but we finally stopped at "Chicken Por- tola." It was then that the old smile came back to Coppa's face. "Ah! Chicken Portola. That is my own idea. It is the most delicious way chicken was ever cooked." This is the recipe as Coppa gave it to us, his little wife standing at his side and giving, now and then, a suggestion as Coppa's memory halted : /MjuM/rv Take a fresh cocoanut and cut off the POHTOI A ''' •'t'"i"^''"fi nearly all of the meat. Put \I \('()PP\ together three tablespoonfuls of chopped cocoanut meat and two ears of fresh, green corn, taken from the cob. Slice two onions into four tablespoon- fuls of olive oil, together with a tablespoonful of diced bacon fried in olive oil, add one chopped green pepper, half a dozen toniat(K's stewed with salt and pepper, one clove of garlic, and cook all together until it thickens. Strain this into the corn and 38 SAN FRANCISCO cocoanut and add one spring chicken cut in four piecesChicken Portola. Put the mixture into the shell of the cocoanut, using the cut-otf top as a cover, and close tightly with a covering of paste around the jointure to QAXTr" keep in the flavors. Put the cocoanut into oAISLt a pan with water in it and set in the oven, THE SWAN well heated, for one hour, basting fre- SONG quently to prevent the cocoanut's burning. A bare recital of the terms of the recipe cannot bring to the uninitiated even a suspicion of the delightful aroma that comes from the cocoanut when its top is lifted, nor can it give the slightest idea of the delicacy of the savor arising from the combination of the cocoa- nut with young chicken. It is not a difficult dish to pre- pare, and if you cannot get it at any of the restaurants, and we are sure you cannot, try it at home some time and surprise your friends with a dish to be found in only one restaurant in the world. If you desire it at Coppa's on your visit to San Francisco you will have to telephone out to him in advance (unless he has suc- ceeded in getting back to the city, which he contem- plates) so that he can prepare it for j^ou, and, take our word for it, you will never regret doing so. Coppa has many wonderful dishes to serve, and he delights so much in your appreciation that he is always fearful something is wrong if you fail to do full justice to his meal. He showed this one evening when he had filled a little party of us to repletion by his lavish provision for our entertainment, and nature rebelled against anything more. To us came Coppa in tears. "What is the matter with the chicken. Doctor? Is it not cooked just right?"