Kidneys require light cooking when intending to serve them sautes; but if stewed or otherwise served they need longer time and gentle heat. P.O. N CHAPTER XVII. Zbc Bejeunei: a la ffoutcbette* THAT cleverest of Englislimen_, Macaulay^ must have had the ^^ Dejeuner a la Four- chette '' in his mind when he said that ^^ An invitation to breakfast was a proof that one was held to be good company; people were invited to dinner very often, but a man must be really liked when one asked him to breakfast.'^ This can scarcely be associated with the modern English breakfast, which, although an excellent meal in its way, is generally too early, too hurried, and too business-like to admit of the sociability which an invited guest would naturally expect; hence perhaps the more favourite invitation to lunch, common enough; sometimes delightful, sometimes not. It has been argued that people should never meet socially until dinner-time ; tempers are apt 178 THE DEJEUNER A LA FOURCHETTE. 179 to be too miicli tried, or nerves too unsteady, until the work of the day is practically over. This may be a very safe rule for acquaintances and friends, allowing exceptions to be made occasionally, but in the family it is different. In most families there will be found at least one member Avho will shirk coming down until the very last moment, thereby endangering the certainty as well as the sanctity of the family breakfast; another perhaps is so far before- hand as to have gone from the house before others can fairly begin the meal. Our French '' pere de famille " so far recog- nises this fact that he does not attempt to struggle against the inevitable. Each member is at liberty to follow his own inclinations as early or late as he pleases, provided they will all assemble at ^' dejeuner,'^ when as a rule hunger will bring all the flock to the family table. In Parisian families and in the better class provincial households this is the first serious meal of the day. It is partaken of at midday, breakfast consisting of little more than a cup of coffee, frequently served to each member in his own chamber. This midday repast is generally the time for the family chat, when all meet to- i8o THE d/'Ijeuner a la fourchette. gether for the first time in the day, and have less restraint upon them than at the more formal dinner hour. It is quite a characteristic meal ; although similar to the Eii^^^lishman's lunch, yet it is not so raucli a make-up meal as the l.'itter, when it is thought lawful to serve up half-finished joints or tarts in their original form, with little or no attempt at disguise. No, the Frenchman looks for his little ^^ plats'' to be as daintily presented as at the more important dinner, and the "remains," if brought again before him, must be delicately " rechauffe." " Potage " is sometimes served at this hour, and a vegetable puree is mostly chosen, as the lighter potages and clear soups are preferable at the late dinner. Dishes of fish, ragouts, fricassees, omelettes, etc., are all eminently suited for the dejeuner. Both at the dejeuner and the dinner it is customary in France to have whfit are termed " appetisers," cither to commence with or to liand round during the meal, such for instance as olives, anchovies, oysters, pieces of Dutch herrings, sardines and radishes.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Kidneys require light cooking when intending to serve them sautes; but if stewed or otherwise served they need longer time and gentle heat. CHAPTER XVII. The Dejeuner a la Fourchette. THAT cleverest of Englislimen_, Macaulay^ must have had the ^^ Dejeuner a la Fourchette '' in his mind when he said that ^^ An invitation to breakfast was a proof that one was held to be good company; people were invited to dinner very often, but a man must be really liked when one asked him to breakfast.'^ This can scarcely be associated with the modern English breakfast, which, although an excellent meal in its way, is generally too early, too hurried, and too business-like to admit of the sociability which an invited guest would naturally expect; hence perhaps the more favourite invitation to lunch, common enough; sometimes delightful, sometimes not. It has been argued that people should never meet socially until dinner-time ; tempers are apt THE DEJEUNER A LA FOURCHETTE. 179 to be too miicli tried, or nerves too unsteady, until the work of the day is practically over. This may be a very safe rule for acquaintances and friends, allowing exceptions to be made occasionally, but in the family it is different. In most families there will be found at least one member Avho will shirk coming down until the very last moment, thereby endangering the certainty as well as the sanctity of the family breakfast; another perhaps is so far beforehand as to have gone from the house before others can fairly begin the meal. Our French '' pere de famille " so far recognises this fact that he does not attempt to struggle against the inevitable. Each member is at liberty to follow his own inclinations as early or late as he pleases, provided they will all assemble at ^' dejeuner,'^ when as a rule hunger will bring all the flock to the family table. In Parisian families and in the better class provincial households this is the first serious meal of the day. It is partaken of at midday, breakfast consisting of little more than a cup of coffee, frequently served to each member in his own chamber. This midday repast is generally the time for the family chat, when all meet to- i8o THE d/'Ijeuner a la fourchette. gether for the first time in the day, and have less restraint upon them than at the more formal dinner hour. It is quite a characteristic meal ; although similar to the Eii^^^lishman's lunch, yet it is not so raucli a make-up meal as the l.'itter, when it is thought lawful to serve up half-finished joints or tarts in their original form, with little or no attempt at disguise. No, the Frenchman looks for his little ^^ plats'' to be as daintily presented as at the more important dinner, and the "remains," if brought again before him, must be delicately " rechauffe." " Potage " is sometimes served at this hour, and a vegetable puree is mostly chosen, as the lighter potages and clear soups are preferable at the late dinner. Dishes of fish, ragouts, fricassees, omelettes, etc., are all eminently suited for the dejeuner. Both at the dejeuner and the dinner it is customary in France to have whfit are termed " appetisers," cither to commence with or to liand round during the meal, such for instance as olives, anchovies, oysters, pieces of Dutch herrings, sardines and radishes.

The profession of cookery, from a French point of view