"Book of the Table/' the late Mr. Dallas observes, on the subject of hors d'oiuvres or savouries, "There Avas a time when these little articles demanded a good deal of attention, but they are now of the smallest account, and are little more than the trifles — prawns, olives, radishes, an- chovies— which keep the customer occupied at the restaurant while the dinner he has ordered is getting read}^" Kettner's " Book of the Table " was published about twenty years ago, but the fashion in savouries has changed in a most capricious manner since Mr. Dallas's time. If you dine at a grand hotel, say at the Albemarle, the Berkeley, or the Royal Palace Hotel, Kensington, your relishes — anchovies, radishes, olives, Italian salads, and what not — wdll be served as a prelude to your dinner ; but at dinners in private life, the, to me, objection- able savoury comes between the sweet and the dessert. In the name of common sense, why ? When I have friends to dinner I feel compelled to submit myself to this silly fashion, simply because it is my endeavour to study other people's tastes rather than my own, and I shrink from laying down laws which I am well aware would be only reluctantly obeyed, if they were obeyed at all. If you like to be sensible and take your relishes as an overture and not a finale to your dinner, as the French, the Germans, the Scandinavians, and the Russians do, let me recommend, in summer-time, as an admirable zest, a good slice of melon, not dressed Avith sugar, but with pepper and salt. Likewise, allow me most strongly to direct your atten- tion to pickled tunny. They will give you tunny as a hovs cVceiivre at the " Star and Garter" at Richmond, and at the " Greyhound," Hampton Court, and you should be able to procure the article itself at Barto Yalle's, or at any good Italian warehouse. There is also a favourite hot hors d'oeuvre, to be served at the end of dinner, called the " Madison Canape," which will be found in that great treasure-house of cuhnary lore, the 4-t THE TnOROUGH GOOD COOK. " Delmonico C-ook Book," of which I have ah'eady spoken. " Madison canapes "' are httle sKces of toast, covered with thin shces of lean cooked ham, over Avhich is spread a little mustard. Then you add a layer of garnishing of " a la Proven^ale," a little butter with a dash of white wine. More grated Parmesan is dredged on the canape, and , fresh bread-crumbs and a little more butter✪ Madison Canape are strcAvn over all. Place in a hot oven for ten minutes, and serve on a folded napkin. Potatoes. Madame de Staiil said that she did not believe in ghosts, but that she was afraid of them. Not much more paradoxical is it, I hope, for me to say that, although I do not believe in potatoes, I recognise their great value in the alimentation of humanity. The potato has, I suppose, some nourishing qualities. Cobbett denied that fact alto- gether, and called the potato "hogs' food." Still, it is sutficiently filling as an article of human diet. Its taste, although insipid, is not disagreeable ; and it is wholesome when it is eaten ripe.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

"Book of the Table," the late Mr. Dallas observes, on the subject of hors d'oeuvres or savouries, "There was a time when these little articles demanded a good deal of attention, but they are now of the smallest account, and are little more than the trifles—prawns, olives, radishes, anchovies—which keep the customer occupied at the restaurant while the dinner he has ordered is getting ready" Kettner's "Book of the Table" was published about twenty years ago, but the fashion in savouries has changed in a most capricious manner since Mr. Dallas's time. If you dine at a grand hotel, say at the Albemarle, the Berkeley, or the Royal Palace Hotel, Kensington, your relishes—anchovies, radishes, olives, Italian salads, and what not—will be served as a prelude to your dinner; but at dinners in private life, the, to me, objectionable savoury comes between the sweet and the dessert. In the name of common sense, why ? When I have friends to dinner I feel compelled to submit myself to this silly fashion, simply because it is my endeavour to study other people's tastes rather than my own, and I shrink from laying down laws which I am well aware would be only reluctantly obeyed, if they were obeyed at all. If you like to be sensible and take your relishes as an overture and not a finale to your dinner, as the French, the Germans, the Scandinavians, and the Russians do, let me recommend, in summer-time, as an admirable zest, a good slice of melon, not dressed with sugar, but with pepper and salt. Likewise, allow me most strongly to direct your attention to pickled tunny. They will give you tunny as a hors d'oeuvre at the "Star and Garter" at Richmond, and at the "Greyhound," Hampton Court, and you should be able to procure the article itself at Barto Valle's, or at any good Italian warehouse. There is also a favourite hot hors d'oeuvre, to be served at the end of dinner, called the "Madison Canapé," which will be found in that great treasure-house of culinary lore, the "Delmonico Cook Book," of which I have already spoken."Madison canapés" are little slices of toast, covered with thin slices of lean cooked ham, over which is spread a little mustard. Then you add a layer of garnishing of "à la Provençale," a little butter with a dash of white wine. More grated Parmesan is dredged on the canapé, and fresh bread-crumbs and a little more butter are strewn over all. Place in a hot oven for ten minutes, and serve on a folded napkin. Potatoes. Madame de Staiil said that she did not believe in ghosts, but that she was afraid of them. Not much more paradoxical is it, I hope, for me to say that, although I do not believe in potatoes, I recognise their great value in the alimentation of humanity. The potato has, I suppose, some nourishing qualities. Cobbett denied that fact altogether, and called the potato "hogs' food." Still, it is sufficiently filling as an article of human diet. Its taste, although insipid, is not disagreeable ; and it is wholesome when it is eaten ripe.

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Madison Canape

The thorough good cook