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quinquina, to fortify the suffering on. Then take the skynne and all the bowels, and enable them successfully fedures, and lay hit on a tabel abrode, to withstand the daily bombardment and strawe thereon grounden cornyn. of so inhuman and detestable an as- Then take the pecok and rost him, sailant. A good cook, therefore, we and endore him with raw yoks of eggs, repeat, should be of weak digestive and when he is rosted, then take him powers, and of a bilious habit; and he off and let him cole awhile, and tak who presumes to treat of cookery, and sow him in his skynne, and gylde without possessing these fundamental hys combe, and so serve him forthe essentials, builds, like Dr Kitchener, with the last corse.” on the sand, and, like the small erection of the Doctor, its foundations shall be swept away by the breath of reason and philosophy.

It has been truly stated in a former article on this subject, that the progress of cookery and civilization are uniformly coetaneous. The stages of its advancement, we believe, in all countries, to be nearly alike. It passes first from rudeness to simplicity, from simplicity to magnificence, from magnificence to comfort and refinement. The splendour of the entertainments of ancient Rome have remained ever since perfectly unrivalled. But the dinners of Apicius are not precisely such as a modern Gastronome would wish to partake of; the taste of the enterainment is at least questionable; and it is probable that the value of he dishes was estimated more by heir rarity, and consequent expence, han for their flavour on the paate, and their fitness for culinary urposes. As connected with the advancement of philosophy and the arts, t were perhaps a curious and not unprofitable task to trace the proress of cookery in our own counry. In former times, if we may trust he suggestions of our own gustatory lands, the eye was consulted more han the palate. We are by no means nclined to envy the magnificence of a oasted horse, a boiled porpoise, or a at in jelly,-dishes which occasionally ecorated the tables of the great in the fteenth and sixteenth centuries. The eacock, however, in all the graces of is plumage, was the dish which was onsidered as shedding the greatest stre on the baronial tables of our cestors. Daniel has quoted from a S. in the library of the Royal Soety the following receipt for dressing, the most approved manner, a "Pek enhakyl:—”

"For a feste royal, pacokkes schol dighte on this mannere. Take and coffe the skynne, with the fedures, le, and the neck, and the hed thereVOL. X.

The swan, too, was a bird which our lordly forefathers took great pleasure in devouring. Such was the estimation in which it was held, that, by an act of Edward the Fourth, it was decreed, that no one "other than the son of our Sovereign Lord the King, should have the privilege of keeping any, unless he possessed a freehold to the clear yearly value of five marks," a rent-roll in those days of no inconsiderable amount. The following singular instances of gastric aristocracy are likewise to be found in the MS. from which we have already quoted. "Take conynyes par boiled, or elles rabits, for they are better for a lord." "A hole chycken for a lord.”

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An, if it be for a lord, put seven leches in a dyshe, and make a dragge of fine sugar.' "When a pig is rosted, lay athwarte him over a bar of sylver foile, and anoder of golde, and serve him so all hole to borde of a lorde." &c. &c.

But, while the nobility fared thus sumptuously, their vassals appear to have had little reason to complain of their cheer. They were denied, it is true, the peacock and the swan, but the goose and the turkey compensated amply for their loss. If the horse was beyond their means, the bullock afforded them consolation; and the following poetical account of the domestic economy of a yeoman, in the reign of King Henry the Eighth, will leave, we apprehend, but few claims to superiority in the score of eating to his descendants of the present day.

"Twelve soits of meat my wife provides,

And bates me not a dyshe,
Foure are of fleshe, of fruite are foure,
The other foure of fyshe.
For the fyrste corse shee stores my borde

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With byrdes that daintyes are,
And first a quayle, and then a rayle,

A byttern, and a jarre.
Mine appetite, when cloyed with these,

With fyshe she makes it sharpe,
And brings me next a lump, a ponte,
A gugeon, and a carpe.
4 B

The second corse, of fruite well served,
Fyttinge well the seson,

A medlar, and a hartichoke,

A crab, and a small reson.

What's hee that having suche a wyfe
Upon her should not dote,
Who every day provides him fare
That costes him never a grote ?"

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when ancient prejudices can promptus

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to reject the improvements of foreign artists, on what is vulgarly termed our national cookery. For the rich, there is no national cookery. The materials of our dishes are furnished by all the regions of the globe. In the compass of a single ragout are congregated the productions of every climate, and of Since the days of Queen Elizabeth, every soil. The east, the west, the notwithstanding the unprecedented north, and the south, unite their treadiffusion of wealth and knowledge, sures to increase its flavour, and of the and the consequent progress of refine- cook, rather than of the poet, it is true ment in all classes of society, but little that he has "exhausted worlds," and improvement has taken place in the if he could discover new, would rensystem of our national cookery. Strange der them subservient to our greatest that in the proud and glorious march source of enjoyment, the gratification of science and philosophy, amid disco- of the palate. It is only to the maveries which have rendered even the nagement of these extensive materials, elemental principles of nature subser- to certain specific and customary comvient to our power, that the art which, binations of them, that the term nomore than all others, contributes to tional can be applied. The diet of the our enjoyment, should alone have re- poor, indeed, is, and must be, regulamained uncultivated and unimproved, ted by the productions of the country a bare and barren spot, amid the uni- in which they live. For them, there versal verdure, and the golden fruits exists no region but that which they of industry and genius! But whatever inhabit. But this is the law of neces reproach this acknowledged and palpa- sity, not of choice; and the reason why ble deficiency may tend to cast on our the Highland fisherman devours his national taste, certain we are, that the spoil without the savoury relish of work of Dr Kitchener will tend in no anchovy sauce, and the Lowland degree to avert its application. He is ploughman mingles no curry pow equally ignorant of the kind of work der with his porridge, is merely that which the wants of the public demand, these articles are placed, perhaps for as he is of his own utter unfitness, to wise purposes, beyond their reach. But write on cookery at all. His, there- if the productions of our own country fore, is a double failure. He has failare insufficient for the gratification of ed both in that which he has attempt more refined palates, why, when ed, and in not attempting that which borrow the productions of foreign alone the public required at his hands. countries to increase our pleasure, To come forward, in the present day, should we not likewise adopt those with a long and laborious treatise on modes of preparation which can render roasting, boiling and stewing, (for pro- them more subservient to our enjoy lix directions for these simple operations ment? We have a national literature occupyfour-fifths of the Doctor's book,) as well as a national cookery. But the is mere trifling at best. In fact, our former has been raised to its present cooks, bad as they generally are, can eminence, not more by the gigantic ef roast, boil, and stew, as well as Dr forts of our native genius, than by an Kitchener himself; or, if they do not, intimate knowledge of the beauties it is negligence, not ignorance, which and excellence of the literature of fooccasions their failure. It is from prac- reign nations. So it must be with our tice, not theory, that accuracy in these cookery. Our indigenous artists must elementary processes must be derived. appreciate and adopt the improvements All the necessary instructions have al- which the science has received in other ready been a thousand times repeated; nations, before it can receive any conand the republic of cooks, we trust, siderable advancement at home. We have too much taste and penetration cannot but consider it, therefore, to prefer the tedious prolixity of the consummate piece of impertinence in Cook's Oracle to the simple and prac- any man in these days of continental tical directions of Mrs Glass and Mrs

Rundell.

We trust the days are now past

as &

intimacy, and uninterrupted intercourse, who presumes to palm upon the public, a bald and unnecessary re

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petition of elementary directions for the most simple and ordinary processes, as a new system of cookery. What is, and will be required of every future writer on this subject is, that he shall carefully study the cookery of the different European nations that he shall make large and judicious selections of the best dishes they afford, thus enlarging the orbit to which the track of our native cooks has hitherto been confined, and opening a new vista of inexperienced enjoyment to the palates of their masters. Whoever publishes a cookery-book, without doing this, is a quack, and we warn the public not to trust to his pretensions.

We feel that we have been too prolix in these general observations. But cookery is a subject on which we love to gossip, and we might almost say, with regard to ourselves, that the next enjoyment to eating a good dinner, is to talk about one. But we must have done, and proceed to introduce Dr Kitchener to the more intimate acquaintance of our readers, by giving them a taste or two of his qualities, in the capacity in which he has offered himself to the public.

In the preface to the Cook's Oracle, the Doctor gives us the following piece of information.

“He has not printed one Receipt that has not been proved in His own Kitchen -which has not been approved by several of the most accomplished Cooks in this Kingdom-and has, moreover, been eaten with unanimous applause by a Committee of Taste, composed of some of the most illustrious Gastropholists of this luxurious Metropolis."

Now we should really like to know of whom "the illustrious Gastropholists," thus vaguely alluded to, consist. If the Doctor will only tell us the names of the members of this illustrious committee, we promise never to dine with one of them should we live a hundred years. As a specimen of the taste of this club of foul feeders, we shall specify a few of those dishes which were devoured by them with unanimous applause."Scotch Haggies," "Scotch Crowdie," ""Ox cheek stewed," Ox tails do," "Black Broth of Lacedæmon.” Or take the following receipt for a savoury mess, which the Doctor calls a "Fat Pudding."

"

"Break five Eggs in a basin, beat them up with a teaspoonful of Sugar and a ta

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Now, it is surely not judging too harshly of Dr Kitchener's taste, and that of his Committee of illustrious Gastropholists, to assert, that if they, as the Doctor assures us, really considered this mass of unvarnished abomination as a delicious composition," they are just about as well qualified to judge of delicacy of eating as an old Boar, (no personal allusion to the author,) and a Committee of Yorkshire Pigs.

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On a diligent comparison, however, of the utter worthlessness of the book as a culinary manual with the shrewdness and sagacity which we believe the Doctor to possess, we think it probable that he trusted his hopes of success in his present undertaking rather to his jokes than his receipts; and looks for applause less to the originality of his discoveries, than from the facetious and sparkling garb in which he has invested them. Be it so. The Doctor's wit shall experience the same ample justice which we have already bestowed upon his cookery. In truth, the better half of his book is occupied, not by receipts for the composition of dishes, for in this respect it is meagre in an unprecedented degree, but by a treatise on the proper mode of issuing and accepting invitations to dinner, instructions to awkward gentlemen and ladies how to conduct themselves in company, directions for carving, friendly advice to cooks, and by various other matters, no doubt very interesting, but which very few of his purchasers have the smallest inclination to pay for. By the help of all this, and the frequent repetition of the same receipt in different parts of his book, the Doctor has certainly succeeded in making a volume of a very respectable size; and we are really inclined to consider him a better maker of a book than of a fricassee. The Doctor does not seem inclined to prize the joys of love so highly as the more enduring, and more easily repeated ones of the stomach. He is, therefore, rather ungallant to the ladies, and scarcely ever omits an opportunity of giving them a

sly daub with his brush. We fear the fair sex will be rather out of humour with him for thinking it necessary, in the present day, to extract the following directions for their deportment, from a curious old work, entitled, "The Accomplished Lady's Rich Closet of Varieties; or Ingenious Gentlewoman's Delightful Companion."

"A gentlewoman being at table, abroad or at home, must observe to keep her body straight, and lean not by any means with her elbows, nor by ravenous gesture discover a voracious appetite; talk not when you have meat in your mouth; and do not smack like a Pig, nor venture to eat Spoonmeat so hot that the tears stand in your Eyes, which is as unseemly as the Gentlewoman who pretended to have as little a Stomach as she had a Mouth, and therefore would not swallow her Peas by -spoonful, but took them one by one, and cut them in two before she would eat them. It is very uncomely to drink so large a draught, that your Breath is almost gone and you are forced to blow strongly to recover yourself throwing down your liquor as into a Funnel is an action fitter for a Juggler than a Gentlewoman: thus much for your Observations in general, if I am defective as to particulars, your own prudence, discretion, and curious observations will supply.

"In CARVING at your own Table, distribute the best pieces first, and it will appear very comely and decent to use a Fork; so touch no piece of Meat without it.”

We think in the following extract our readers will recognize, like ourselves, an equal proportion of delicacy, wit, and philosophy.

"The old Adage that "the Eye is of

ten bigger than the Belly," is often verified by the ridiculous vanity of those who wish to make an appearance above their fortune-nothing can be more ruinous of real comfort than the too common custom of setting out a table with a parade and a profusion, unsuited not only to the circumstances of the Host, but to the number of the Guests :--or more fatal to true Hospitality, than the multiplicity of dishes which luxury has made fashionable at the tables of the Great, the wealthy, and the Ostentatious, who are often neither great nor wealthy.

"Such excessive preparation, instead of being a compliment to our Guests, is nothing better than an indirect offence; it is a tacit insinuation that it is absolutely necessary to provide such delicacies to bribe the depravity of their palates, when we desire the pleasure of their company-and that Society in England now must be purchased at the same price SWIFT told POPE

he was obliged to pay for it in Ireland

I should hardly prevail to find one Visitor, if I were not able to hire him with a bottle of Wine.'-Vide SWIFT's Letters to POPE, July 10th, 1732.

"When twice as much cooking is undertaken as there are Servants, or conve niences in the Kitchen to do it properly, dishes must be dressed long before the dinner hour, and stand by spoiling-the poor Cook loses her credit, and the poor guests get indigestions. Why prepare for eight or ten Friends more than sufficient for twenty or thirty Visitors? "Enough is as good as a Feast," and a prudent provider, who takes measure of the Appetites, instead of the Eyes of his Guests, may entertain his Friends,-three times as often, and ten times as well.

"It is your SECOND COURSES-ridicu lous variety of WINES, LIQUEURS, ICES, DESSERTS, &c., which are served up to feed the Eye-that overcome the Stomach, and paralyze Digestion, and seduce "children of a larger Growth" to sacrifice the health and comfort of several days for the Baby-pleasure of tickling their tongue for a few minutes with Trifles and Custards!!! &c. &c."

There is still one topic to which we have not hitherto alluded, but on which it would be unjust to the worthy Doctor to be silent. Aware, probably, of the coarse and abhorrent nature of most of the dishes detailed in his work, he has very judiciously recommended the exhibition of certain wonder-working drugs, to enable patients of weak stomachs to digest them. We recommend them particularly to the attention of all those who intend nical sway of the Doctor. The fol to subject their stomachs to the tyranlowing passage contains both full directions for their composition and their use.

"INDIGESTION will sometimes overtake the most experienced Epicure. When the gustatory nerves are in good humour, Hunger and Savoury Viands will sometimes seduce the Tongue of a "Grund Gourmand" to betray the interests of his Stomach in spite of his Brains.

"On such an unfortunate occasion, when the Stomach sends forth eructant sig nals of distress for help, the Peristaltic Persuaders are as agreeable and effectual assistance as can be offered; and for delicate Constitutions, and those that are im paired by Age or Intemperance, are a vaÎuable Panacea.

"They derive, and deserve this name, from the peculiar mildness of their opera tion. One or two very gently increase the action of the principal viscera, help them.

to do their work a little faster, and enable the Stomach to serve with an ejectment whatever offends it, and move it into the Bowels.

"Thus Indigestion is easily and speedily removed,-Appetite restored,-(the mouths of the absorbing vessels being cleansed) Nutrition is facilitated, and Strength of Body, and Energy of Mind, are the happy results."-See "PEPTIC PRECEPTS," from which we extract the following prescription—

To make FORTY PERISTALTIC PERSUADERS.

Take

TIONAL EPICURE, who happily attends the Banquet with "mens sana in corpore sano," will keep the time not only for these strong reasons, but that he may not lose the advantage of being introduced to the other Guests. He considers not only what is on the Table,—but Who are around it ;-his principal inducement to leave his own Fire-side, is the charm of agreeable and instructive Society, and the opportunity of making connexions which may augment the interest and enjoyment of exist

ence.

"It is the most pleasing part of the Duty of the Master of the Feast, (espe

Turkey Rhubarb, finely pulverized, two drachms cially when the Guests are not very nume Syrup (by weight) one drachm.

Oil of Carraway, ten drops (minims.)

Made into Pills, each of which will contain Three Grains of Rhubarb.

"The DOSE OF the PERSUADERS nust be adapted to the constitutional peculiarity of the Patient-when you wish to accelerate or augment the Alvine Exoneraion-take two-three-or more, according o the effect you desire to produce-Two Pills will do as much for one person as five or six will for another; they will generally very regularly perform what you wish to-day, without interfering with what you hope will happen to-morrow ;—and are, therefore, as convenient an argument against Constipation as any we are acquainted with.

"The most convenient opportunity to ntroduce them to the Stomach,-is early n the morning, when it is unoccupied, and as no particular business of Digestion, &c. to attend to i. e. at least half an hour before breakfast. Physic must never inerrupt the Stomach when it is engaged iu digesting Food.

"From two to four Persuaders will generally produce one additional motion withn twelve hours. They may be taken at ny time by the most delicate Females, whose constitutions are so often distressed by constipation—and destroyed by the drasic purgatives they take to relieve it."

If the subsequent directions are necessary, we cannot say we envy the ircle of society in which we presume he Doctor forms the chief star.

"The Cloth should be laid in the Parour, and all the paraphernalia of the diner table completely arranged at least an hour before dinner time.

"The Cook's labour will be lost if the Parlour table be not ready for action,and the Eaters ready for the Eatableswhich the least delay will irreparably in ure:-therefore, the GOURMAND will be punctual for the sake of gratifying his ruing passion ;—the INVALID, to avoid the anger of encountering an Indigestion rom eating ill-dressed food; and the RA

rous,) to take advantage of these moments to introduce them to one another,-naming them individually in an audible voice,and adroitly laying hold of those ties of acquaintanceship or profession which may exist between them.

"This will much augment the pleasures of the Festive Board, to which it is indeed as indispensable a Prelude as an Overture to an Opera: and the Host will thus acquire an additional claim to the gratitude of his Guests. We urge this point more strongly, because, from want of attention to it,

we have seen more than once,-persons whom many kindred ties would have drawn closely together, pass an entire day without opening their lips to each other, because they were mutually ignorant of each other's names, professsions, and pursuits.

"To put an end at once to all Ceremony as to the order in which the Guests are to sit, it will save much time and trouble if the Master of the House adopts the simple and elegant method of placing the name of each Guest in the plate which is intended for him. This proceeding will be of course the result of consideration, and the Host will place those together who he thinks will harmonize best."

On the whole, the Doctor's wit is much better calculated for the meridian of a gentleman's kitchen than his cookery. We have no doubt it has excited many smiles among the nymphs of the scullery, and even in the more enlightened society of the housekeeper's room. To the beau monde of these regions, therefore, we consign it. It is there, we believe, the Doctor most wishes to be popular, and we are sure it is there only he will succeed. A good cookery book, in the higher sense of the word, is still a desideratum in our literature; and it is one which it will require an author of nicer palate and less indiscriminate voracity than Dr Kitchener to supply.

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