previous to his marriage — that he made friends with Louis
Eustache Ude, of Crockford's Club House, with whom he was
afterwards, with his wife, on terms of friendly intimacy. Ude
gave a dinner party on the occasion of his birthday, and to this
M. and Madame Soyer Avere duly invited. The scene is most
amusingly described by 8oyer, who made great fun out of the
complications that were occasioned by M. and Madame Ude's
passion for dogs.
From all accounts that can be gathered from those who
knew him Alexis Soyer was a merry fellow, and as full of fun
as could be — no man loved a practical joke more than he, and
few were so smart at repartee. One day Lord Melbourne was
inspecting his kitchen at the Eeform Club, and laughingly
observed to Soyer that his female assistants were remarkable
for good looks. " Ah ! my lord," replied Soyer, with a knowing
smile, " we do not want plain cooks here."
With reference to Soyer's work in his profession, it has
been stated by some that there was not so much art displayed as
originality. This may be so ; but, in any case, whether deserving
or not, Soyer was a thorough master of the art of making
himself famous. His method was to make something, or some
one else, famous first, and then to take his share as the
promoter : for instance, every aristocrat in the country paid a
visit to his "model" kitchen at the Reform Club, and these
Soyer would conduct himself, with his red velvet cap set on one
side of his head and spoon in hand, and, after extolling the
glories of the place, he would shake up a pan and commence
to prepare a dish, explaining the process as he went along, and
then serve it to his guests, requesting the opinion of their
palates. It might be mentioned that he always had a glass of
good wine to set alongside, and proclaimed the dishes as being
specially prepared for some grandee a degree or two at least
above the status of his visitor. To her ladyship he would say,
" The Duke of has ordered this dish for to-night ; let us
taste it," and the result was a certain appreciation. Amongst
all this gastronomic splendour it is remarkable, though, that
Soyer's own tastes and habits were exceedingly simple. He tells
us in one of his works, the " Modern Housewife": " WTien I
first married our means were limited, and the following w^as our
system of living : —
Sunday Dinner . Roast beef, potatoes, greens, and Yorkshire
pudding.
Monday „ . Hashed beef and potatoes.
Tuesday „ . Broiled beef and bones, vegetables, and
spotted-dick pudding.
Wednesday „ . Fish, if cheap, chops, and vegetables.
Thursday „ . Boiled pork, peas-padding, and greens.
Friday ,, . Pea-soup, and remains of pork.
Saturday „ . Stewed steak, with suet dumpling."
FAMOUS CHEFS AND EPICURES 861
Many a time has he been known to dive into some back slum
and purchase two-pennyworth of fried fish, devouring it with
consummate relish, and preferring it to a rol-au-vent or cotelette
of his own cooking. He was a professor of taste, but not a
gourmet.
Page 402
Presented as published in 1892. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
A modernized reading is not available for this page yet. You are seeing the original text.
previous to his marriage — that he made friends with Louis
Eustache Ude, of Crockford's Club House, with whom he was
afterwards, with his wife, on terms of friendly intimacy. Ude
gave a dinner party on the occasion of his birthday, and to this
M. and Madame Soyer Avere duly invited. The scene is most
amusingly described by 8oyer, who made great fun out of the
complications that were occasioned by M. and Madame Ude's
passion for dogs.
From all accounts that can be gathered from those who
knew him Alexis Soyer was a merry fellow, and as full of fun
as could be — no man loved a practical joke more than he, and
few were so smart at repartee. One day Lord Melbourne was
inspecting his kitchen at the Eeform Club, and laughingly
observed to Soyer that his female assistants were remarkable
for good looks. " Ah ! my lord," replied Soyer, with a knowing
smile, " we do not want plain cooks here."
With reference to Soyer's work in his profession, it has
been stated by some that there was not so much art displayed as
originality. This may be so ; but, in any case, whether deserving
or not, Soyer was a thorough master of the art of making
himself famous. His method was to make something, or some
one else, famous first, and then to take his share as the
promoter : for instance, every aristocrat in the country paid a
visit to his "model" kitchen at the Reform Club, and these
Soyer would conduct himself, with his red velvet cap set on one
side of his head and spoon in hand, and, after extolling the
glories of the place, he would shake up a pan and commence
to prepare a dish, explaining the process as he went along, and
then serve it to his guests, requesting the opinion of their
palates. It might be mentioned that he always had a glass of
good wine to set alongside, and proclaimed the dishes as being
specially prepared for some grandee a degree or two at least
above the status of his visitor. To her ladyship he would say,
" The Duke of has ordered this dish for to-night ; let us
taste it," and the result was a certain appreciation. Amongst
all this gastronomic splendour it is remarkable, though, that
Soyer's own tastes and habits were exceedingly simple. He tells
us in one of his works, the " Modern Housewife": " WTien I
first married our means were limited, and the following w^as our
system of living : —
Sunday Dinner . Roast beef, potatoes, greens, and Yorkshire
pudding.
Monday „ . Hashed beef and potatoes.
Tuesday „ . Broiled beef and bones, vegetables, and
spotted-dick pudding.
Wednesday „ . Fish, if cheap, chops, and vegetables.
Thursday „ . Boiled pork, peas-padding, and greens.
Friday ,, . Pea-soup, and remains of pork.
Saturday „ . Stewed steak, with suet dumpling."
FAMOUS CHEFS AND EPICURES 861
Many a time has he been known to dive into some back slum
and purchase two-pennyworth of fried fish, devouring it with
consummate relish, and preferring it to a rol-au-vent or cotelette
of his own cooking. He was a professor of taste, but not a
gourmet.