STORY OF THE KITCHEN.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 6, 6 February 1892, Page 129

STORY OF THE KITCHEN.

mateials from which repasts are .-s~Tj3yftr made have, as rega.ua toetr principal eJesaeata, been oaech toe same store x ** world began. There have always been toe same birds, toe same wild animals and tcany of the vegeasbles and fruits shat are now id use. Means have tera foe rd to improve toe qoanrtv and qualirv of animal food, ana also of fruit* and ve«e«a.ores. she number of whieh has ueee increased by mo e .eerar dto eoveriea. TSe kitchen of toe Greeks was a oply provided wito game rrons toe forests of toe north, esh oi all kinds f<om the Mediterranean, and domrerie animals and reroinets of the f-eld and gardee f-om sbeir own highly cultivated eonetry. !T»e R .mans La.i the same means of sur-pyiug the tatde. which. sruipSe unde, toe kings and during toe repubrie, attained a Sa ury store seareerv paralleled under tbeetnperrea. Tae modern table «H-Tere i'wn the anrient in respect of tbe manner of p-epvring the i oi and the articles used to give davour to the dishes. A m-riere would have foursd, on ace»<nat of the seasocing. a banquet of Lueul’-as. to prepare wtuch toe forests ana wares of toree eoorinents h&a been ransacked, as ODea&ahie as an elah>iate Chinese feast of these times. It i« quite ersoegh to be obliged to think of dishes seasotKd with a*af etida, me, saffron, and other herbs or flavou-s equally nan searing. Sarfroo, it is true, is still errertovely nsei in rooking by the Sraniards, and till two hundred years ag»-> w as e<npioved in Froaee and elsewhere in Northern Europe. The Germans still us* cinntrr >n to Savour so ip* aod o,ber dtsbes. rm elsew - ere tins spere only hods legiriaiaLs erDnloywent in toe sweets tout end a repast We know to oagh toe legislation of Charletnagne what were toe provitoMS* toad femisbed the tables of toe righto reutory. that is, the maieriai of the eni-ire 1100 years ago. Tbe animal food was toe same a* that used by the Romans, ana prxtoably most of the vegetables. Jo the laws regulating agriculture Chariemagoe recommended the euitivatbon of seeds and plants used for seasoning, anise, coriander, enuTusin, fennel, gviie, oeiosts, shallots, rsarsley and some other aerbs ot risnilar character. A< satori* be • eeonrmemoed cresses, lew-ore and endive, aa-i as vegetables beets, carrots cabbages leeks, parsnips :atosbe* and beans and peas of citfeeat speries. The kinds of front ealrivaled in the gardens of thos* days seem not to differ greatly 1 row those now tn use, W e find to tot* assorted list filberts, walnuts, seTvireberrieSs quinces, meito-s almonds, figs peaches, eoestßax moiberries g apes, plants uf various kinds, and apples and pears of different species. The list of Sowers is of eaosMierubte extent bet does >« relate to toe subject under diseussioeL Tbe parne, meats. verera'--le* ano fruits were the material of which the rook* of those days ma.de toe repasts of toe emperor and oodles according u> toeir knowledge. Foer or five hundred years later, that is from 1100 to 1309, and from me year 1333 to tbe year I*o3. few, if any, toinss were added to these lists of things tooogh the taeass of wholesale supply and the genera: distributioti by mean* of sh.-ps, markets, and street vendors had developed as Eaxipe began to emerge f-om toe obscurity of tbe dark ages, i 'aris will uave to be taken as example, for. having l»»-rowed largely from Italy, impreveenenrs radiated from mis centre to other countries uf Q<srto*Tn Earope, Dmdoa seemingly bring the first to fol row. for Eng and was still ruled by F -each, that i*. by Normaa kings. In toe twelfth eentury. while Rieiiart toe Linn Heal wa* King, we find in Pari* a minute di* sioa of the trades and of all toe Cleans of living. Tae Paris markets were supplier daily with over toi’ty kin is of fi*h. brought in long slender ea-ks on boreebaek from the variows ports of toe channel l»y a class of persons called * tc-ie - chasers.’ Fre-h - water fish were sup plied from toe Seine and c»i.oer rivers in tbe vicinity of tbe eapitah There were sobl ax toe d »rs of all the bouses by sellers carrying a basket or leaning a horse by tbe bridle, grit, flour, bread, meat and fish of all kinds, wine, vinegar, m Ik. spires, vegetables, cats, fruits and every kind of eookad toad know n at that epoch, and the list is by no means brief. Those who wished to eboo*e from a greate- asso.tment went to toe puoiie Htarkess. which were toen tear tbe Place du CaaxeleL a short distance a-.».ve where now stun is toe Pont Neat. Tn.ee who made toetr own o-ed tough: toe flo-ir of the flour cnereaaat and ro»k it to she mill which wa* on toe great bridge, now called Pont si Change. All the bridges across the Setae at that ritoe had shops on earner ride wito residences in toe seeood aod toitd storeys, aod other ImHuings csed for industrial pc-pases: and all tots a: the time of toe crusade*, and du: ing a period of which we are wont to think as deprived oi every euavenjeoee aou a m v*.t of toe means of eivilired existeoee.

Toe kitejen* of tbe great ensiles and convents of tl»e middle age* were often built apart, with a roof tapering g-aoually to a piin:, where was tbe chimney, which resembled a small tower. In palace*, aod sometimes in eastles aod eusvents, they were locate! in tbe cosemen:. whose vast arenes offered ample space foe the eseare of the smoke, and foe tbe areammodauon of an army of eooka Toe eooking of tbe middle class, and sometimes of toe wealthy, was ohenest done in huge fire places, seen everywhere in America fifty year* ago. and still found in tbe rural districts of tbe Eastern and Weste-n states. Toe appHanees were moeh toe same, a huge e-ane from wuiea to suspend toe pots and ketues, and various shallow iron vessels having three legs, and u*ed as ovens by sn-roan ling and covering toem with live eoala It may be said of these implements that, though toey were primitive, soe results were generally excellent. Toese tripods are sail extensively u«ed for baking s-»:a biseai; or co-n bread. There were other smaller utensils for minor uses, but no tea or coffee pots, some hundreds of years having to eiap>e before tbe ÜBpo*l*ii-« into Europe of toe leaf and bevy whose dreocu-ro* ebeer but do not iuebriaxe. From tbe rise west suspeu-ied -re-tain pots and kettles, and aboot tbe fireplace, into which a man eoaM eater without stooping, were placed or hang various acressnries soeh as tong*, shovel, bellows, spits for turning tbe roosss, and the long two pronged foek fje trying the meats to see if they we-e safe need v eooked or for taking them out of toe vessels At one ride of tbe room was a long table for tbe preparation of fool for tbe fire, and above it a shelf oe which were seen stew pans, strainer*, sieves and other utensils essential to tbe buuoeaa la another place

toe eapboed for toe sjwee* ana plate. T_e pan try, with several ladles for t-.rov isioua, was close at ham~ In toe booses of toe rieh these appiianees were nemeroes. In toe Kitchen of Caaries toe Han-iwme (U2s> toe e were over one handred of toes, and in that of Cnaries V. of France, who ruled thirty years later, unusenxus pot* ano keaties of solid silver. Tee srdees usee ia toe mxxile ages may be known from tbe following list found in toe of a certain princess of France: A'asoo-.a, Uaex tapper, ginge-, elnaasroa, eardamum, doves, satorosx, red pepper, mastic, nre, lavender and enmmia. Some of ::.ese were used to give odour rather Idas taste to toe dishes. Tse ragonta made wito them must have been at»jminarie. Tae hrs: definire iuformarioc oc :be manner of preparing R»i dariag th* midJle ages is derived from a work pablisned by toe eook of Cna-le* \ . ia IJcl 1: show* that tbe French of those days, an: all toe otser people of Europe, for that matter, were great eater*, and no-t ax all scrapi’roa* ia regs.ro to whs: toey permitted to enter toeir stomachs. Another book of ihe saose kind written a: toe same epoch by Barges*, for toe instruction c-f Li* young wife, did not appear in print till ISSfi. From these w.-. k* it is lea-ned tost it was the eaaioeo to serve oc the saute dish great piles of diffieren: kind* of meat*, wito several *«.*•;* of usn and a variety of vegetables, toe sauce to eac.;> being served apart. Tai* e>>u*tita:e<i one ro- *e. After wa* -erve*-, another course, also wish roeai*. fish, fo» ! -. pa**ie*. vegetables, difleriog somewhat in mode of --reparaline, but very little in kin: : then a ibi d situ:.ar.y composed, and so oo to toe end of tbe repaai. A huudreo year* Later ;ue luxury of the royal eou-t of France had great y increased. It required for tbe ea-e of toe kitcnea oi Cuarie* XL thirty persons to kso, after toe bread, thirty eight :o care for tne wine, seveaiyfoor to uerform the immediate service of the aiicben. and fifteen to take ebar-ge of am prepare toe f-uit for to* t.*: .e. Six of these were eooks, and eleven squire* of toe kitchen wno had tbe general *uperilstendeoee. There was also one ferretmau. whose daiy it wa* to eaten the rabbits by mean* of these animals. Toe King and hi* aousetotd eoa*nme»; weekly 123 sheep. 16 cs>..;.e. 16 calves, 12 swtoe, ano every day 630 fowl*, 43Q nigeous. 5C goats ana 53 goslings. Toe hoosebold of tbe Queen eocsoined eaeb »*e* 3C sheep. 12 eanle, 12 col res. and each oay 300 Lvls, 3c groats, 300 pigeocs and 36 goslings. 1b the sixteenth cranny, time of F aneis 1.. Henry 11. and Catoe-uie de Media*, there wa* shown great royal magnificence in palace* and in Ivan-*nets. Nearly a', wa# then eaten that we ea; in l-nese liases, and many toise* that have since been discarded. Aru* ma had been .:>* covered, aad with it toe tuikey, a* i* gene-ally be-ie-ec. which wa* imported into Europe by toe JesuiL*, and has .ng been dromesrieaxed to Drictaay, *oon became a faroante arric.re of diet. Tne mode of bring i* known from various eookery-bookspub'tsbed during toe century. Carrot:* Lad already appeared. Toe potato wa* aril! unknown. Among toe sroun* is noraii -tied one ealiesi ' mil, winch the think to have teen a broth or mush mace of maL-re or In.nan eocn. In the list of birds eaten are founu tne peacock. * wan, heron, stork, esrret, e-ane repwted * deisciows an*s toeiamtogo. The fish were toe same a* those now eaten, w i:a toe exception of use whale toe tongue of whsen wa* considered dreiicirou*. Tbe eccentric use of spices and toe profuse manner of serving were Mi grea*ly naodtoed, bowe«e-, till a hundred yea s afterward. Int.be menu of a huriae: given by tbe city of Taris to Queen Elizabeth of Austria to 1571 are found the folks* mg deLcaeie* : 230 oia*a tripes, fifty pounds of whale an : 1.-330 frogs Henry IV did not eare much for tbe pea* , reof tbe table. Lxsais XIIL wa* a goua cook, a* eooks went at taaa rime, aad a osoierate ester. Ixsois XIV. wa* a beany eater and not at all delicate to regard to tne esusine of his palace, whieh was on a mam: ...rent *ea e. like every thing else about it. The iro>«£./-»#»’of tne roya* kiccoen **.- ts-vw numbered byhuclreds an-i taat of the roya. housen-... by t-bousands. A stresK intervene!., between toe yolace auto* building occupied by toe kitchen. Tae repasts of t_e King in royal state by a long r.rocessiou erosse* to:street ars-i trare-sed several long ornuors and room* hero e reaching the diuing-nsom. Au toe person* along toe . ate ’■rose and bowed lov a* it passed, saying a; toe same time a tone of profound rererense ; ‘ Tne nrea-. of tbe King : Whale had disappeared from toe French ccisine before this epoch, but vac .a* tilings saeh a- calves’ u-e.* i* ana the internal o*gans of fowls, tarown to tae dogs, ».-■* croaside-eu deucrou*. had been added. Ext pxaltry game were allowed to eook tea or twelve aoursaau sea***: -■. wito aromatic sut>*taoees and spice*, sue-: a* gwge:. nr-: meg, thyme and otoere even more oojectsonable. I’erfu .*- were freelx- used to ragouts till toe middle of the reign t. Lro-nis XIV. Those which were always ax tbe band ot toe eook comprised iris, rose water, rosemary, am be and tuusK. Small patties an*, tarts even were seasone-x with mu*K. which substance was also used to pe fume roast eap>n*. Mackerel wa* enveloped while cooking in green fenoeL During toe latter year* of tbe reign of lxsais XIV. toe French cuisine took nea-ly its present form. an*, was ;e feesea under shat of hi* sueeessc , Louis XV. 1; i* n necessary to describe it. The first was a giutton, sometirt.- - having tL:ee or four chickens, with other finings, servec : himself alone. The sec.-na was more eeiieate and interest* himself greatly to the mode* of c:-:*king followed a: to* palace. Numerous cookery t»K-ki were t-u'-.isbed daring tl e reigns of there two monarchs. Ixrai# XVI. understood t-e cuisine as imperfectly as be urwersto-id polities, an- yt: was endowed with a tnarveßo: s sppettte. Marie Antoinette was more temperate to her bautts ana seerued to eare on:,, for her raf< an lai: to the raonucj and raicaeu eooked m different "ways, which constituted her cniet nourishmentNapoleon feu coarsely as a rule- Tbe legend that be it**: tbe bittie of Waterloo on aw>ont of an tautge-tion eac*e: by eating too much roast mutton, is familiar to most rea.-e * of history or historical gossip. Daring trie eighteenth century male eooks were only en ■ *>! *yed in the bouses of toe very rich. Every oce ba* bea- a of tbe cook who resigned because be «aw hi* ma*ter and a little salt to his soup. Tbe *t»-y of Vatel, a steward and famouseook of tbe time of Louis XIV.. wnose name i* found in tbe bsographiea! <t»e:ionarie», is much stranger. Mme. Serigne even boasts of tbe honour of having known this ac-eompi-shed gastronome- Vatel hai ettarge of a certain entertainment offered by tbe I'rinee de Conde to Louis XIV at Cnaocilly. Beeaure of some misealealauou, toe roast was wanting at two or three table#. Vatel was in despair Tbe Prioee tried to comfort him by tehing aim that be ha-i never seen anything so fine as the supper of toe King, bet

the king of providers was not to be consoled. He replied, ■My lord, your goodness overpowers me. I know that the roast wa« wanting at two tables.' ‘No such thing,’ said the Prince, 'don’t trouble yourself, everything is all right.' In the evening the fireworks failed, which was an additional annoyance. At four o’clock in the morning Vatel made the rounds to see if the fish of the last tide had arrived. He found only one porter and asked him, ‘ls that all ?’ ‘ Yes, sir !’ was the reply, for the man was not aware that Vatel had sent to all the seaports for supplies. He met a fiiend and said : ‘ Sir, I shall not survive this affront. I have honour and reputation to lose.' His friend laughed at this, but Vatel, going to his room, took his sword, and, placing the hilt against the door, ran it three times through his body, the third wound only being mortal. A little later fish arrived in abundance from all the seaports, and when they looked for Vatel to make the distribution they found him on the floor in a pool of blood. The Prince wept, as much from disappointment as from grief, for he depended on Vatel to successfully entertain the King ; but the festival went on all the same, the body of Vatel having l»een taken to the parish church for interment