CHINESE HIGH LIFE IN PARIS.

Bruce Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 1207, 28 May 1880, Page 6

CHINESE HIGH LIFE IN PARIS.

The Paris corespondent of the ' Sydeny Mail ' has the following re the reception of a Chinese ambassador's wife : — The reception in honour of the arrival of the wife of the Chinese Ambassador, at the house of M. Prosper Gique], Director of the Chinese Embassy, was attended by all who were fortunate to be invited. According, it is said, to Eastern usage, the proceedings were divided into twopartions. Up to midnight, only ladies were admitted into the rooms, though an exception was made in favour of the master of the house, and a conjurer who gavo an amusing display of his art. As the clock struck twelve, the members of the inferior ccx were allowed to enter the receptionrooms, some few adventurous spirits, who had attempted to steal in before the appointed time, having been pitilessly expelled. On the admission of the gentlemen, dancing began and was prolonged to a Jate hour in the morning. The Ambassadress and the ladies who accompanied her were very richly dressed in Chinese fashiou, and were, of course, curiously observed by their lady* guests, the general opinion among the latter being that the materials worn by them were " most lovely," but that their " make-up" was tf horrid." The banquet, which ha 3 been the subject of so much speculation and curiosity, has also c >me off, eighteen guests having been admited to the Ambassadorial symposium. Marquis Tseng received his guests with a cordinal affability, which was highly appreciated by the latter, tho success of the entertainment being due rather to the host than to the novel deiicacie3 provided for their satisfaction. The menu included many of the favourite dishes in the Celestial Empire ; among these rarities being the famous " swallows' nest soup " a chicken broth, thickened by the swallows' nes f . cub into strips and resembling vermicelli ; sharks' fins with $ ankin sauce ; thete fins being dried and con ■ sequently wanting in moisture, and the "JNai.kiu sauce" being a sort of stew of aromatic herbs not known in this part of the earth's surface. There was duck rousted in Chinese fashion, that is to say, roasted to such a point as to resemble a piece of lacquerware. The smoked Tain-Boua ham was judged to be equal to the most savoury York ham. There was chicken stewed in Pekin style, being highly flavoured with Chinese mushrooms and the Houeng flower. There were " Rolls cooked in steam," resembling sweet dumplings larded with bacon fat. Happily for his guests, the noble Blarquis had con* siderately provided various French dishes. which were interspersed with the Celestial ones ; so thut those of the guests who held any misgivings to the amenability of their stomachs, were enabled to satisfy at ouco the requirements of politeness and of appal its. The result of this experimental excursion into the terra incognita of Celestial cookery are not likely to effect any radical modification of the Gallic cuisine.