FEEDING THE HUNGRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19092, 10 August 1925, Page 11

FEEDING THE HUNGRY.

THE "DINING-OUT" HABIT.

GREAT ART OF CATERING.

THE PAST ANp THE PRESENT.

In the crowd of diners that makes its way to Auckland's restaurants and tearooms every day there aro probably very few who ever givo thought to tho amount of work and organisation that goes to tho making up of tho menu over which they cast a critical eye. In tho last few decades tho number of peoplo who " eat out" has increased enormously, and thousands of meals aro served nowadays in tho city toa-rooms anil rostaurants whero they might have been numbered in scoies in tho early days. The growth of tho restaurant business in itself is a subject of interest to those whoso memories go back to tho old days of tho pie-and-coftee stall, to that era of tho 'eighties and 'nineties, when names such as Canning, McEwen, Waters and Tommy Quoi were known to every business man and to every visitor from tho country who looked forward to tho novelty of a dinusr in town on "market day." Prices in those days were remarkably cheap. A good thrcc-courso dinner could bo obtained for a shilling at any of tlio loading restaurants. That was also tho day of tho ninepenny dinner, and there was even one place in Albert Street,-well known to sailors and working men, whero a dinner of threo courses was served for sixpence. " It was good, but rough," remarked one of Auckland's early restaurantours, who retains many interesting memories of days gono by. "It was worked on a regular system. You could get bones for practically nothing in those days—a shilling's worth would make a tank of soup—so tho idea was to servo up a huge plateful for a start. Well, by tho time tho diner had got through that, ho had very little appetite left for auything else, and that was how tho business was made to pay. Seven Courses for Half-a-Grown. " But you can't do that kind of thing nowadays," the informant added, with a shado of regret for the good old days in his voice, " not with bones selling by tho pound! Then take tho price of meat in those days. Chops wero twopence a pound, now they aro a shilling. You could get a bundle of a dozen flounder for a shilling, whero you have to pay sixpence or eightpenco each for them to-day. Those were good old days all right!" Yet further inquiries into facts and figures showed that although soup bones are no longer obtainable for a song, and though flounders aro sold by the pound, Auckland is remarkably well and cheaply fed when it decides to take its meals in town. Indeed, it is probably no exaggeration to say that New Zealand is the best and cheapest fed country in tho world at the present time. This opinion has frequently been expressed by overseas visitors, notably those from the United States, who aro accustomed to paying a dollar and a-lialf for a dinner that could be obtained in Auckland for-a couple of shillings. At ono popular hotel, a sevencourse dinner is served every evening for half-a-crown, which certainly could not be obtained in any other country in tho world for less than seven-and-sixpence. As may be imagined, a restaurant cannot obtain a reputation of this kind without expert management and experienced supervision. Tho diner does not seo behind tho scenes; his gaze goes no further than the shining crystal and napery on the tables, or at farthest, the tie-ends of tho trim waitress's apron as sho whisk 3 through the door leading to tho hinterland of the kitchens beyond. A Well-stocked Storeroom.

But tho real work of organisation goes farther back than even the kitchens. It goe:; right back to a big storeroom, stocked ceiling-high with every imaginable kind of foodstuff in tins, cartons, bottles and bags. Hero are sauces and pickles from England, fruit and all manner of canned delicacies from California, biscuits, sugar, rice, tea, spices, jams, cheese—everything that could be found in a wellstocked grocer's shop. Some figures supplied with regard to the quantities of food consumed weekly by. Aucklanders at this hotel are im pressive. The total food-bills run into a sum approaching £IOOO a month. Bo twecn 4000 and 5000 meals are served every week, and the quantity of food consumed would be sufficient to maintain a £ mall township. One of the heaviest items is potatoes, a ton of theso being used every week. Over two hundred pounds of fish and meat are used daily, and the amount of poultry consumed per week is over 4001b. Sugar runs into 10001b. for a month, cheese 1601b., bacon 5501b., butter 1281b. a week. When eggs are scarce the hotel manages to make shift with sixty or seventy dozen a week, but this amount is doubled when the "go-slow" policy is abandoned in tho poultry yard. In addition to tho 600 loaves consumed weekly, tho hotel uses about 2001b. of flour. Practically all these foodstuffs aro local products. But thero is one line in which restauranteurs agree New Zealand has not yet learned how to compete with tho imported product, and that is canned fruits. Tho fault is said to lie in tho packing. One manager went to the trouble of opening a tin to demonstrate his contention, and showed a number of gooseberries floating in a sea of pale liquid. If those were Californian," he said, "there would be gooseberries right to the top. Wo are not going to pay for water. It is tho same with nearly all the New Zealand stuff. It is all right for cooking, but wo prefer tho imported fruits for dessert. Australia is coming along splendidly in this connection, and wo aro doing a big trade now in lines that formerly came exclusively from California." "Whales for Butter." A few observations mado by ono of these veteran restaurant managers were of interest. "Aucklanders are great eaters," he said, "and they aro absolute whales for butter! They use it inoro extravagantly that I have ever seen it eaten in my life, butter with their mashed potatoes, with their fish, with a hot dinner or cold. The same with tomato sauce—wo simply cannot keep enough in tho place. llley seem to like it with every course; I often just have a look to see if they arn't tipping it on to their fruit sa;ad or apple pie!" Another development of recent years in the catering business is the vogtio of the light luncheoii, consisting of soup, a dainty entree and dessert, which costs about two shillings. This is stated to bo the most popular mid-day meal in Auckland, although thero aro many people, mostly young folk from city offices, who remain true to tho seones-cakcs-and-sand-wiches repast that came into fashion a decade or so ago. It is estimated by ono authority that over 5000 people aro served daily in the four lending tearooms- of the city. But no matter whether they dino in tearoom or restaurant, it is an undoubted fact that Aucklanders, and New Zealanders generally, eat the best of food at a lower cost than any other people in the world.