Amongst the dishes of the middle ages we find
mention, in a catalogue of extras suitable for a grand
and formal repast, of *' an umble pie." This dish,
provided for those " below the salt," was composed
of the " umbles," or entrails, of the deer, and anti-
quaries claim to have found in it the origin of the
colloquial phrase of to-day — "to eat humble pie."
But it is among the ancients that we must look for
the really heroic days of feasting and eating. In quite
early time the appetite seems to have been simply
voracious, unstimulated as it was by the refinements
of luxury to which the Romans attained. Theogenes
and Milo are both credited with having devoured an
ox at a single sitting ; Astydamas of Miletus ate for
supper portions quite as large ; Canubis, of Lydia, is
not the only potentate believed to have been guilty of
cannibalism. To come to later times, Fuller relates
the case of one Nicholas Wood who, in providing for
a feast, was considered a culinary artist, and rose in
importance. To be indifferent to the description of
food served up was to wound this personage in his
tenderest feelings. The Duke of Wellington lost the
services of a good chef for no other reason than that
he was careless regarding the quality of his meals.
" I cannot stay with him," said the wounded artist.
80 PRACTICAL GASTRONOMY
" I cook him a dinner fit for the king, he say nothing !
I go out, and leave the dinner to ze stupid cookmaid
— again he say nothing." A more pomted rebuke was
administered to the Duke by the celebrated epicure
Cambaceres, who invited him to a banquet, and, piqued
at his not praising the excellence of the cuisine, asked
his opinion of some particular dish. " It is very good,"
was the reply, " but, to tell the truth, I hardly know
what I eat." The disgusted epicure cried, "then why
did you come to dine with me ? "
Besides the indifferent and the abnormal, some
persons possess what may be called a diseased appetite.
Tastes differ widely regarding food. Many persons
would not object to partake of the meal Kmg James
said he would provide " for the devil if he asked him t©
dinner " — pork and "a pipe for digestion." I will not
dwell on cannibal banquets, nor on the peculiar method
of the interment of a husband's ashes practised by the
Queen of Mausolus. The old " fire-eaters," so common
at country fairs a generation ago, professed to find a
supportmg diet in fuel and flames. Among the many
attacks made upon Dr. Johnson after his acceptance of
a pension from the Government was one purporting to
be written by a famous '* fire-eater " at Bartholomew
Fair. He complains that Dr. Johnson has been
rewarded for ** writing well," and Sheridan for " speak-
ing well," but that he himself has received nothing for
" eating well." This unappreciated genius declares that
his favourite mess is "brimstone and fire," and that if
THE ART OF COOKERY 31
Page 11
Presented as published in 1892. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
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Amongst the dishes of the middle ages we find
mention, in a catalogue of extras suitable for a grand
and formal repast, of *' an umble pie." This dish,
provided for those " below the salt," was composed
of the " umbles," or entrails, of the deer, and anti-
quaries claim to have found in it the origin of the
colloquial phrase of to-day — "to eat humble pie."
But it is among the ancients that we must look for
the really heroic days of feasting and eating. In quite
early time the appetite seems to have been simply
voracious, unstimulated as it was by the refinements
of luxury to which the Romans attained. Theogenes
and Milo are both credited with having devoured an
ox at a single sitting ; Astydamas of Miletus ate for
supper portions quite as large ; Canubis, of Lydia, is
not the only potentate believed to have been guilty of
cannibalism. To come to later times, Fuller relates
the case of one Nicholas Wood who, in providing for
a feast, was considered a culinary artist, and rose in
importance. To be indifferent to the description of
food served up was to wound this personage in his
tenderest feelings. The Duke of Wellington lost the
services of a good chef for no other reason than that
he was careless regarding the quality of his meals.
" I cannot stay with him," said the wounded artist.
80 PRACTICAL GASTRONOMY
" I cook him a dinner fit for the king, he say nothing !
I go out, and leave the dinner to ze stupid cookmaid
— again he say nothing." A more pomted rebuke was
administered to the Duke by the celebrated epicure
Cambaceres, who invited him to a banquet, and, piqued
at his not praising the excellence of the cuisine, asked
his opinion of some particular dish. " It is very good,"
was the reply, " but, to tell the truth, I hardly know
what I eat." The disgusted epicure cried, "then why
did you come to dine with me ? "
Besides the indifferent and the abnormal, some
persons possess what may be called a diseased appetite.
Tastes differ widely regarding food. Many persons
would not object to partake of the meal Kmg James
said he would provide " for the devil if he asked him t©
dinner " — pork and "a pipe for digestion." I will not
dwell on cannibal banquets, nor on the peculiar method
of the interment of a husband's ashes practised by the
Queen of Mausolus. The old " fire-eaters," so common
at country fairs a generation ago, professed to find a
supportmg diet in fuel and flames. Among the many
attacks made upon Dr. Johnson after his acceptance of
a pension from the Government was one purporting to
be written by a famous '* fire-eater " at Bartholomew
Fair. He complains that Dr. Johnson has been
rewarded for ** writing well," and Sheridan for " speak-
ing well," but that he himself has received nothing for
" eating well." This unappreciated genius declares that
his favourite mess is "brimstone and fire," and that if
THE ART OF COOKERY 31