142 On Cookery in general 



The dispensation of garlic is a matter of the nicest judg- 

 ment ; garlic in the hands of the cook is like prussic acid in 

 the hands of the doctor, and becomes poison or panacea, 

 according to the skill with which it is administered. The 

 learning displayed on this .subject is the test of gastronomic 

 profundity. In some dishes there should be a mere " soup- 

 qon" in others " un petit bran." In bechamele, for instance, 

 it should be the former. The comfort and harmony of a 

 fashionable party was very nearly destroyed, a short time ago, 

 by the garlic being " un pen trop forte." My Lord having 

 tasted and duly considered the bechamele, shook his head, 

 and gave it as his opinion, that the garlic was not enough 

 concealed, but earnestly begged the company to taste it with 

 attention, and give their sentiments upon it. 



The company, after proper deliberation, confirmed his Lord- 

 ship's opinion, that " the garlic did indeed distinguish itself 

 too much!" The artist was condemned, the dish was d — d; 

 when the Maitre d'Hotel put the matter in a different position, 

 by stating, that the cook had only the night before received an 

 official intimation, (( that they were now stronger than ever in 

 garlic at Paris." On which the company, one and all, said, 

 11 That altered the case." 



This ingenious and edifying controversy is continued some- 

 times through four courses, till the company can neither 

 swallow nor utter any more. 



Nor are these schisms in sauces confined to the gustatory 

 organs alone ; the organ of vision must be gratified. The 

 eye, " critically nice," as Sir Joshua used to remark, regards 

 the tints. u What did you think of our dinner yesterday ?" 

 said an antiquarian friend of ours, to the late Greek-gourmand 

 of Soho : " Was it not excellent ? was it not well cooked ?" — 

 " Yes, it was ; every thing was well done — but — " w But what ?" 

 " It was a little too brown!" 



A very great person of ancient times was asked, if he was 

 not ashamed to play so well upon the fiddle ? May we not, 

 with as much reason, ask these illustrious moderns, are you 

 not ashamed of being such good cooks ? Yet such is the rage 

 amongst our higher orders, at present, that we expect to see a 

 11 Digest of the Noble Art of Cookery," by " Persons of Qua- 



