RECIPES 305 



contrived lures to dyspepsia, whose contemplation 



may well awaken a sympathetic appreciation of that 



antique philosophic . epigram, " There are as many 



diseases as cooks " — the discriminating impeachment 



of Seneca regarding the " chef a la moder 



But doubtless the author will be overwhelmingly 



overruled in his hypercriticisms, and will remain one 



of a select discriminating minority in 



De gustibus continued genuine enjoyment of his 



non est , -i • • 



dlsputandum mushrooms, while the majority of his 



proselytes to mycophagy will in vain 

 endeavor to detect the mushroom flavor in the oblit- 

 erating disguise concocted in the kitchen or insti- 

 gated by the mischievous "receipt-book." 



Indeed, the prominence of the spice, clove, nut- 

 meg, thyme, tarragon, and pepper ingredient in most 

 of these " favorite recipes," to say nothing of the 

 champagne, onion, garlic, lemon-juice, cayenne, an- 

 chovy, etc., with which the delicately flavored mush- 

 rooms are so generally sophisticated in these culi- 

 nary preparations, would seem to warrant our scep- 

 ticism as to the value of the epicurean testimony 

 as to the " superior flavor," of the various " Cham- 

 pignons," " Chantarelles," etc., so confidently recom- 

 mended. The juice of a lemon, or oil of lemon-peel, 

 will absolutely annihilate the peculiar characteristic 

 " funo-us " flavor of the average mushroom. The true 

 mushroom epicure, it would seem, should value his 

 mousseron not as an absorbent vehicle for the gas- 

 tronomic conveyance of highly seasoned sauce or 

 dressing, but for the unique individual flavor which 

 differentiates the fungus from other kinds of food. 



