THE TSAR'S KITCHEN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 139, 6 March 1908, Page 3

THE TSAR'S KITCHEN.

; '''lii'- 'dismal' .contrast to.,the' recently published account of the King's model;kitchens, 'their cleanliness; comfoi;t, and thrift,-, comes 'a description in "La Revue" of tho Tsar's Icitchon, told with" tho most/ gruesome detail.'. One hears a good ideal about the yearsold; dirt that is supposed.to lurk behind the magnificence of many a Russian drawingroom, but oven then ono is hardly: prepared to'-.believe' that' the samo -degree: of dirt •exists wliere the: food is prepared for the. royal tables: :'"lt will .bo'remembered,-says' the article, 'that, in' the ; autumn-.of 1900,. when- the Tsar, was at' livadia, he had a :suddoii attack ' of, typhoid fever.. . Tho incident: v/as, much talked aboift in .St.- Petersburg. How .could ..the .Tsar.- be attacked by. a malady always caused', by, infection i and-j which is iusually. . found : associated' with- poverty Wkdi'rt?', A- lady/..who j appeared well-informed, mado answ;er to ,n circle of-friends who wero discussing similar problems. Nothing, she said, could surprise her :after her visit to "the"' kitchen on 'the Imperial train. In regard uo the luxury and: comfort:of' tho Tsax's rooms, her expectations.: wero-. - more ; than (. realised, : : but whan sho saw,.tho kitchen sho : was st'upified arid indignant' at' the state of. dirt, simply' 'renulsive in ;which she.; found it." , ■ ; ' Then . there is : tho .shocking waste " that goes on in' the kitchens, and the dishonesty, .that makes'the position of belief most lucrative.:. - Every .dish-' which 7 appgars; on .the Tsar's 'table "in an ordinary way .'is paid :for at. the' rato: of ■ten - •roubles (say, 225. : 6d). 'But -for;great. dinners, receptions, i etc., - tho 'arrangement is. different. .Suppose there :is a dinner ! .for 500, and that the menu inclrtdos : such things-:'as lobsters, Rouen' {ducklings',. : and ; champagne "of -a" special; brahd;'' - ; -This: means that. ? sCo-lobsters;-500 ducklings,-and 500 -bottles -'of champagne, will be,paid for. 'Every.thing, from Raris,-and, reckoning the minimum cost at 100 francs.a, head, we seo that: the chef-will bo paid ' 50,000 francs (over £2000). by the Minister of the Court.' f Thcri*t-he article; goes on to tell how recklessly tho servants'of. the court piunder -the .stores, taking bon-bons; ,- cakes, Ifrnit, -and wine. Tho stolen wines: and food are .frequently -'.'sold to • outsiders, 'and -the ■writer declares .that he ■ was;: at the houso. of •;'a' .professional - man Vwhen ■ a • valet in court, livery ",-, arrived - with a ;-;hamper. /' containing 'twenty bottles ' of. expensivo .winei for 'which •Itho': professional man' .paid as '' good as; noMoreover, ', the article • concludes, more precious- things than- food, ; and .\yine have also been taken, and objects of art and curios from the Palaco. have been bought !at'shops, hi .St: "Petersburg:-': ■'' ./ ;