137 



On Cookery in general, and on the Works of Ude and Jarrin 

 in particular* 



We are induced to particularise the works of Messrs. Ude 

 and Jarrin, because they form the most complete " Code of 

 Cookery" ever presented for the world's edification ; and also 

 because we are convinced that the well-being of the nation 

 depends more on that useful science, scienxe as we are now 

 bound to call it, than the public in general are aware of. 



It might, perhaps, be going rather too far, to charge the 

 atrocities of the French Revolution to those " Artistes" who 

 left their ordinary duties to turn orators, or to say that the 

 cruelties of Robespierre and Carnot, with the other monsters 

 who acted in the national tragedy, arose from the crudities of 

 undressed viands ; and yet, when it is recollected that all the 

 useful arts were done away, and cookery amongst the rest was 

 so unnaturally misused to be applied to the purposes of state, 

 when the country was embroiled^ — the " First Etat," in a, fer- 

 ment, — the Noblesse in hot-water, and M. de Colonne mak- 

 ing a hash of affairs ; we repeat, that when ministers thus 

 usurped the jirofessor's chair, (his stew-pan we should rather 

 say,) and by their inability the state cauldron was boiling over, 

 it was no wonder that domestic cookery should fall into disre- 

 pute. In fact, the c< Chef de Cuisine" was superseded by the 

 " Chef d'Armee ;" as was the " Batterie de la Cuisine" by 

 the " Batterie de la Guerre." 



This state of affairs is feelingly alluded to and explained by 

 M. Ude. The Goddess of Reason employed no (i Maitre 

 d'Hotel." The Parisian dealers in " JEpice Fine" were as 

 cruelly treated as 



Poor Barto-Valle, and melancholy Burgess; 

 Victims of Pitt, of Huskinson, and Sturges. 



Our author, Ude, begins his useful book with an elaborate 

 history of French cookery, headed by a Greek quotation, which 

 we at first sight took to be /xsya xaxov, and that, by a free 

 translation, being made " great cake," it might have reference 

 to pastry and pie-crust ; but on closer inspection we found it 

 to be /xEya aofMc, and other Greek words, implying, " great 



