302 STije Barton's 



sipid buttons the French hatch out and send us 

 from their Cimmerian caves become worse and 

 worse every year, like the cuts off the tough Mon- 

 tana rangers they are used to garnish. The large, 

 high-flavored Cep of southern France, gathered 

 like our Agaricus campestris from the open 

 fields, is quite another thing, and is a prince of 

 esculents when prepared a la Bordelaise. This 

 agaric is very little known ; it has even been 

 overlooked by Gouffe and Francatelli. It may 

 be had in good condition in the can of commerce, 

 and, unlike the champignon, is always tender 

 and digestible. 



The common field mushroom itself is excel- 

 lent a la Bordelaise, and, for those who do not 

 know it, the recipe is worth quoting as a fragrant 

 flower of the table when executed by a compe- 

 tent hand. There is no more expert guide than 

 fat old Baron Brisse (requiescat in pace). I 

 know of none so concise and explicit as the au- 

 thor of the " Petite Cuisine " : 



" Champignons a la Bordelaise. Choose 

 large and freshly gathered mushrooms ; wash, 

 peel, and dry them ; soak them an hour and 

 a half in fine olive oil with salt and pepper ; 

 then place them on the grill and turn them. 

 After cooking, dress them on a platter and sauce 

 them with hot oil, to which add finely chopped 



