FoodNetArchive

Cookery and housekeeping

1882

Page 183

Presented as published in 1882. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
St. Hubert presides over game as he does over field sports. Ste. Menehould has the knack of sug- gesting a sauce, which Louis XVI. to his cost must stop at Varennes to taste. More modern names, too, are found in menus — Talleyrand and Chateaubriand ; names from Russia — Nesselrode,Demidoff, Pahlen ; and there is the excellent dish called after Napoleon's battle 'a la Marengo.' M. de Cussy, who when young had been patronised by Marie Antoinette, and who in later years was about the court of Marie Louise, failed to obtain a small place under Louis XVIII. till the discriminating monarch was told that the mixture of strawberries, cream, and champagne which possesses such a refined flavour was the creation of the aged gastronome. Puree of carrots is called a la Crecy Puree of turnips „ a la Bretonne Puree of green peas „ a la d'Artois Puree of red haricots „ a la Conde Puree of white haricots „ a la Dustan Puree of lentils „ a la Chantilly Puree of onions „ a la Soubise Trout, carp, salmon, and pike, a la Chambord, are highly artificial dishes, with truffles and mush- rooms disguising the taste of the fish. MENUS. 463 Veal cutlets studded with truffles and tongue are called ' a la Dreux.' Dishes garnished with macaroni are 'a la mila- naise.' Parmesan cheese gives the epithet 'au Par- mesan.' ' Potage Parmentier ' is made with potatoes, which were introduced into France by M. Parmentier. ' Potage Xavier ' is a clear pale soup with threads of vegetables floating in it. ' Potage a la d'Esclignac ' must have a floating garnish of turnips. ' Patties a la Montglas ' contain a mixture of foie gras and truffles. Garnish ' aux trois filets ' means fillets of truffle, tongue, and chicken in equal quantities and of the same size. ' Aux trois racines ' means carrots, turnips, and celery. ' Chipolata,' little home-made sausages used as an addition to an entree. 'Chateaubriand' may be a sauce, a beefsteak, or a sweet dish. Fricassee of chicken 'a la chevaliere' is a very elaborate dish in flavour and arrancrement. 464 MENUS. The epithet ' a la marechale ' is given to fillets of pork, of roe deer, of chicken, of sweetbread, or whiting *boudins.' Breadcrumbs and eggs, and broiling in each case are the distinctive points. Entrees ' a la Cardinal ' imply a garnish of either tongue or lobster to give a red colour. St. Florentin is patron of a rolled loin of beef, roasted in a paper coat, glazed before coming to table, and accompanied by a ' sauce Robert,' i.e. a French version of sirloin and radish sauce. The expression ' a la Joinville ' implies a garnish of truffles and crayfish. ' A la Chasseur ' is said of the presence of game, or of a game flavour. ' A la Venitienne ' describes the refined form of parsley and butter sauce with a squeeze of lemon. * A la Nivernaise ' alludes to a garnish of carrots cut to the shape of olives. ' A la Financiere ' will have a large admixture of cockscombs. When Bordeaux wine is put into the sauce, it is called ' a la Bordelaise.' Beignets of peaches are called a la Royale „ strawberries „ a la Dauphine „ currants „ a la Dauphine „ apricots „ a la Chartres „ apples „ pommes d'api a la d'Orleans Rice a la Creole, i.e. fried after being boiled. Gateau a la Genoise contains almonds. Sicilienne a sweet dish iced. MENUS. 465