Practical gastronomy and culinary dictionary

Mr. Ude has managed to raise a little doubt in his own world, for there appears to have been no public record taken of his birth. All we can learn of his antecedents dates from his active life as a cook — he promised once, we are told, to write the memoirs of his life; but, alas ! poor Ude was no more immortal than the best of them. For upwards of twenty years Ude served Lord Sef ton, and introduced the light sandwich ball supper so much in favour in present times. Ude was also once maitre dliotel to H.R.H. the Duke of York, from whom, it is re- ported, "he contrived to elicit many a hearty laugh by his clever mimicry." Under his auspices, also, " the great play- house in St. James's, Crockford's, was ushered into its de- structive career." Another authority upon these matters, and who seems to know about as much of Ude's career as anybody, tells us that " Louis Eustache Ude was verily the Gil Bias of the kitchen. He had, in his latter days, a notion of writing his memoirs ; and if they had not proved deeply interesting, those who knew him well can with truth assert that many would have relished the curious scandal and pleasant gossip with which his astonishing memory was so well stored. Ude's mamma was an attractive and lively milliner, who married an underling in Louis X VI. 's kitchen," hence he found a welcome there, and was duly christened after the king. Ude was intended to be brought up as a priest or to study medicine. " The mother, however, thouglit Master Eustache too pretty a boy to be sacrificed to the priesthood. The consequence was that, after an attempt made by his sire to train him in his own glorious xjath, the youngster absconded, and apprenticed himself , first to a jeweller, then to an engraver, next to a printer, and lastly to a haberdasher I After which he became traveller for a mercantile house at Lyons. Something occurred to him at this point which occasioned him to change his vocation once more. He returned to Paris, and there tried his genius as an actor at a small theatre. He soon, however, discovered that his share of the world's cake was not on that stage, and, by FAMOUS CHEFS AND EPICUEES 857 some means, he set up an office and a cabriolet^ and forthwith started into life as an agent de change. This scheme did not last long; he got cleane_d out on 'Change, and shortly after was installed as an inspector of gambling-houses. He soon tired of this appointment, and, on relinquishing it, determined to return to his original calling, and became once again a cook." " After practising in the culinary profession some few years in the early dawn of the fortunes of the house of Bonaparte, Ude raised himself to the post of maitre cVhotel to Madame Letitia Bonaparte. Here he remained for about two years, when, owing to some difference of opinion between Madame Letitia and himself in matters ' arithmetical,' he somewhat suddenly left that lady's service to honour England with his presence ; and ever after, when fitting opportunity presented itself, he was wont to express his indignation against the vsurpateur and all his family. Good cooks were scarce in England in those days, and, shortly after his arrival, the late Earl of Sefton secured his services at a salary of 300 guineas per annum ; and not only proved himself a liberal and kind- hearted patron during his lifetime, but, with that benevolence for which he