FORTUNES ON MEALS

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11664, 31 October 1923, Page 2

FORTUNES ON MEALS

MILLIONAIRE'S FANCIES

COSTLY DISHES ORDERED.

Not long ago an American millionaire tasted one of tho famous beefsteak puddings served at tihe Cheshire Cheese, London. He asked the landlord how many people could <hne off such a pudding. A hundred he was told Thereupon he offered his informant £SOO to take a pudding to New York and carve it at one of the clubs there. There was aluneheon some time ago at which the chief dish was an emu’s egg omelette. The contents of the egg weighed two pounds, which was sufficient to give each of tlhe dozen guests a small helping. The dish cost £SO. One of the most delicate fish in the world is a tinv creature no bigger than a smelt, which is caught occasionally in the Yellow River in Northern China. It is called the Nian-tu. A San Francisco millionaire determined to have a dish of them served on the occasion of tho coming-of-age of his son. He sent a special agent to China to procure them. The agent reported that the fell would not keep well, even upon ice. ‘ Spare no expense,” was the reply, “but see that thev arrive in perfect condition.”! The agent had two large tanks prepared. These were fixed on boaTd a finer filled with water from the Yellow River. In thi way the fisli were kept alive until they wero delivered' at the millionaire’s mansion. The bill amounted to £320.

The ortolan is a very rare bird, caught only in Italian vineyards. It has to he ~ fattened on a speciallyconstrueted dar krooni before being killed for the market, and if during this process a severe thunderstorm takes place, the little bird may die of fright. Small wonder that at a London hotel a dish of ortolans for four diners cost the giver of the feast £lO.