that in which lemon-thyme took the place of sage. Herb-
cheese was a Roman delicacy, and one flavoured with
parsley seeds is said to have been greatly relished later
by Charlemagne, who had first been regaled upon it by
a bishop on a fast-day, and enjoyed it so much that he
afterwards ordered a supply of these cheeses to be sent to
him annually; and, lest the cheesemonger should send them
without the due proportion of seeds, he commanded that
they should be cut in two and afterwards skewered
together.
Thyme is perhaps best known by name from Shake-
speare's song, ' I know a bank whereon the wild thyme
grows,' but it is highly esteemed for its flavour in seasoning,
although a very small quantity suffices.
Mint, so much associated in the popular idea with lamb, is
one of a large variety of plants of the §ame species, most of
which are highly valued in many countries for their medicinal
virtues. Peppermint is known everywhere, and the menthol,
which of late has been so much used for neuralgia, is pre-
pared from a mint, but that which we use in sauce for lamb,
is the spearmint.
Marjoram, chervil, basil, and marigold were much used
formerly in seasonings, but, like the sorrels, burnet, and
garden rocket, which were salad plants in the last
century, are seldom seen now. Fennel, also, is little used
except as a garnishing, and occasionally as a flavouring in
fish sauces, for fashion reigns in food as much as in dress,
and the epicures of to-day would turn up their noses at some
of the most highly esteemed delicacies of Apicius, whilst the
latter would probably scorn the cookery of the most renowned
French chef of to-day. We may, however, be thankful that
244 OUR VIANDS
the gluttony of Rome and of ancient Egypt is no longer the
fashion. We eat, it is true, often more than hunger requires,
but certainly do not indulge in the excesses recorded by
ancient historians, although in Russia and Scandinavia
it is still the custom to introduce a variety of dishes as
a preliminary stimulant to the appetite before dinner.
In Russia salt fish, cheese, and brandy serve this purpose ;
but in Norway and Sweden a greater variety is introduced.
Among ourselves, perhaps, oysters may be considered in the
same light ; and even soups are regarded as a preparation
for more solid food. Oysters, however, must now be classed
among luxuries, and soups in England are far too rare. We
know nothing of the excellent bouillons and vegetable soups
which form the invariable prelude to more substantial dishes
on the Continent. If an English housewife wants soup she
buys an ox-tail, or a pound or two of lean beef, or a calf s
head, and the soup thus produced is of course too strong
and expensive for family consumption ; whereas abroad a
very small piece of meat, or none at all, and plenty of
vegetables, compose a wholesome and appetising soup at a
very small cost.
Our viands
1893Page 122
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that in which lemon-thyme took the place of sage. Herb-
cheese was a Roman delicacy, and one flavoured with
parsley seeds is said to have been greatly relished later
by Charlemagne, who had first been regaled upon it by
a bishop on a fast-day, and enjoyed it so much that he
afterwards ordered a supply of these cheeses to be sent to
him annually; and, lest the cheesemonger should send them
without the due proportion of seeds, he commanded that
they should be cut in two and afterwards skewered
together.
Thyme is perhaps best known by name from Shake-
speare's song, ' I know a bank whereon the wild thyme
grows,' but it is highly esteemed for its flavour in seasoning,
although a very small quantity suffices.
Mint, so much associated in the popular idea with lamb, is
one of a large variety of plants of the §ame species, most of
which are highly valued in many countries for their medicinal
virtues. Peppermint is known everywhere, and the menthol,
which of late has been so much used for neuralgia, is pre-
pared from a mint, but that which we use in sauce for lamb,
is the spearmint.
Marjoram, chervil, basil, and marigold were much used
formerly in seasonings, but, like the sorrels, burnet, and
garden rocket, which were salad plants in the last
century, are seldom seen now. Fennel, also, is little used
except as a garnishing, and occasionally as a flavouring in
fish sauces, for fashion reigns in food as much as in dress,
and the epicures of to-day would turn up their noses at some
of the most highly esteemed delicacies of Apicius, whilst the
latter would probably scorn the cookery of the most renowned
French chef of to-day. We may, however, be thankful that
244 OUR VIANDS
the gluttony of Rome and of ancient Egypt is no longer the
fashion. We eat, it is true, often more than hunger requires,
but certainly do not indulge in the excesses recorded by
ancient historians, although in Russia and Scandinavia
it is still the custom to introduce a variety of dishes as
a preliminary stimulant to the appetite before dinner.
In Russia salt fish, cheese, and brandy serve this purpose ;
but in Norway and Sweden a greater variety is introduced.
Among ourselves, perhaps, oysters may be considered in the
same light ; and even soups are regarded as a preparation
for more solid food. Oysters, however, must now be classed
among luxuries, and soups in England are far too rare. We
know nothing of the excellent bouillons and vegetable soups
which form the invariable prelude to more substantial dishes
on the Continent. If an English housewife wants soup she
buys an ox-tail, or a pound or two of lean beef, or a calf s
head, and the soup thus produced is of course too strong
and expensive for family consumption ; whereas abroad a
very small piece of meat, or none at all, and plenty of
vegetables, compose a wholesome and appetising soup at a
very small cost.