336 CULINARY REFLECTIONS. 



serves, " Et jamais Suisse n'est sans cousteau ; auquel ils prennent 

 toutes choses et ne mettent guere la main au plat." If digetal appli- 

 cation to a dish somewhat shock our refined ideas, it is yet the custom 

 with the most noble of the Turkish empire, where an orthodox rule 

 of government has so long prevailed. An amusing instance of this 



habit occurred to the late Sir T M , when he visited Bucintro, 



on the Grecian continent, some years before his death, to treat with 

 Ali Pacha, of Janina, for the cession of Parga to the latter, who emi- 

 nently desirous of consulting the taste of the distinguished Christian, 

 in soliciting his presence at a repast to be given in his honour, consi- 

 derately suggested that the cook of the British general should attend 

 him, as the Turkish dishes might haply be unpalatable to him. The 

 feast was served, and Ali's acute observation was directed to the 

 many acts of politeness demonstrated by the officers of the general's 

 staff to the Countess of L , his relation, who had solicited per- 

 mission to be present on such an interesting occasion, and who had 

 been placed at the right hand of the Pacha. The latter, more accus- 

 tomed to dictate to than to sue the gentler sex, was for some time at a 

 loss how to evince his attention to the noble lady, until a boiled fowl 

 and oyster sauce, prepared by the general's cook, attracted in no slight 

 degree his examination and surprise, until, not knowing what else to 

 make of it, he decided that it should become the channel of a com- 

 pliment. Inserting his comprehensive hand into the dish, and grasp- 

 ing a liberal quantity of the shell fish, while its unctuous concomitant 



streamed through his sovereign fingers, to the horror of Lady , 



he held it forth for her acceptance; "What is to be done?" ex- 

 claimed the horror-struck female to the general, as the greasy sub- 

 stance was shoved into her hand, and, the very picture of despair, 

 her imploring looks solicited some charitable suggestion how to get 

 gracefully rid of the disgusting present. '' Eat it, to be sure," was 

 the laconic and unconsolatory reply to her appeal ; and, anxious to 

 avoid offence to her Turkish host, in bending her head, in token of 

 regaling on the luscious bivalves, she let them gently slip her hold to 

 the ground, to the somewhat equivocal improvement of her gros de 

 Naples robe. Of the meats adapted to our use, the unconstitutional 

 nature of soups is equally evident from the materials whereof they 

 are composed, and their foreign derivation. The black broth of 

 Sparta was essentially democratic ; and the barley compound of our 

 northern neighbours, undoubtedly promoted their separation from 

 the episcopal church, for the more desecrating tenets of John Knox ; 

 while soup maigre is the type and image of popery. The very name 

 of Terrine (although taken from the French) was, but a century since, 

 in no wise connected with the purpose to which it is now applied, 

 being used for a most substantial composition of dainty meats, com- 

 pared, by a writer of that day, to a Spanish oglio ; from the abandon- 

 ment whereof may probably be dated a change of national policy, 

 and a taste for the customs of France. 



In the preparation of fish, we have, to our honour, but slightly de- 

 rogated from the rules of our ancestors ; although it is well to sug- 

 gest that the arrangement of mackerel with gooseberries, as formerly 

 practised, may hereafter merit legislative attention ; and that the 



