The cookeiy of Spain has often been most unjustly dis-
paraged, but I hope to show in the second part of this work,
the Recipes, that the Dons can dress a goodh' number of
dainty dishes. I scarcely think that there could be a
more appropriate topic for a chat on Iberian cookery, than
the Aveekly dietar}* of Don (^)uixote. If, however, we wish
to be accurate in this respect, it is necessary to go to the
Spanish text of Cervantes, since most of the English versions
that I possess give curiously conflicting and usually inaccu-
rate translations of the hebdomadal bill-of-fare of the Knight
of La Mancha. For example, an ornately illustrated and
quite '■ up-to-date "' edition of the " Adventures of Don
Quixote " gives the following as the Don's mcnii : —
" Soup, composed of somewhat more nnitton than beef,
the fragments served up cold on most nights ; lentils on
Fridays ; collops and eggs on Saturdays ; and a pigeon by
way of addition on Sundays." The Spanish text tells a very
different story. Therein we read that the Knight of the
Rueful Countenance fed on an olla — which is a great deal
more than a soup, and is in reality composed of diti'erent
sorts of meat and vegetables stewed together; and it takes
its name from the round earthen pot in which the mess is
usually prepared. The English translator says that in Don
Quixote's olla there was 'more mutton than beef": but
Cervantes himself saj-s just the contrary', namely, that there
was ' more beef than mutton." Then the translator goes
on to state that the " fragments " of the soup were served up
" cold on most niglits." He evidently does not know how to
GHATS ABOUT COOKERY. 17
translate the Spanish word salj^icon, ansAvering to our
"sahnagundi," which is a mixture of chopped meat, eggs,
anchovies, and red pickled cabbage. You will find a
recipe for " salpicon " in this book.* Furthermore, Ave are
told that on Saturdays the Don regaled on " coUops and
eggs," and in another version — a very old one which I have —
instead of " collops and eggs " I find " gripes and grumblings,"
as an equivalent for the Spanish duelos y quehrantos. The
old English expression is a slightly coarse one ; still it comes
nearer the author's meaning than the modern English version
does. These duelos y quehrantos Avere the "humbles" of
animals (you have heard of humble pie), or else the carcases
of lambs and calves Avhich had died a natural death ; and
they Avere thus utilised for the making of a modest steA\',
at Avhich no doubt the shepherds and other farm-ser\'ants
grumbled as sorely as English school-boys and school-girls
grumble at Avliat they call " resurrection pie."
Page 17
Presented as published in 1895. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
A modernized reading is not available for this page yet. You are seeing the original text.
The cookeiy of Spain has often been most unjustly dis-
paraged, but I hope to show in the second part of this work,
the Recipes, that the Dons can dress a goodh' number of
dainty dishes. I scarcely think that there could be a
more appropriate topic for a chat on Iberian cookery, than
the Aveekly dietar}* of Don (^)uixote. If, however, we wish
to be accurate in this respect, it is necessary to go to the
Spanish text of Cervantes, since most of the English versions
that I possess give curiously conflicting and usually inaccu-
rate translations of the hebdomadal bill-of-fare of the Knight
of La Mancha. For example, an ornately illustrated and
quite '■ up-to-date "' edition of the " Adventures of Don
Quixote " gives the following as the Don's mcnii : —
" Soup, composed of somewhat more nnitton than beef,
the fragments served up cold on most nights ; lentils on
Fridays ; collops and eggs on Saturdays ; and a pigeon by
way of addition on Sundays." The Spanish text tells a very
different story. Therein we read that the Knight of the
Rueful Countenance fed on an olla — which is a great deal
more than a soup, and is in reality composed of diti'erent
sorts of meat and vegetables stewed together; and it takes
its name from the round earthen pot in which the mess is
usually prepared. The English translator says that in Don
Quixote's olla there was 'more mutton than beef": but
Cervantes himself saj-s just the contrary', namely, that there
was ' more beef than mutton." Then the translator goes
on to state that the " fragments " of the soup were served up
" cold on most niglits." He evidently does not know how to
GHATS ABOUT COOKERY. 17
translate the Spanish word salj^icon, ansAvering to our
"sahnagundi," which is a mixture of chopped meat, eggs,
anchovies, and red pickled cabbage. You will find a
recipe for " salpicon " in this book.* Furthermore, Ave are
told that on Saturdays the Don regaled on " coUops and
eggs," and in another version — a very old one which I have —
instead of " collops and eggs " I find " gripes and grumblings,"
as an equivalent for the Spanish duelos y quehrantos. The
old English expression is a slightly coarse one ; still it comes
nearer the author's meaning than the modern English version
does. These duelos y quehrantos Avere the "humbles" of
animals (you have heard of humble pie), or else the carcases
of lambs and calves Avhich had died a natural death ; and
they Avere thus utilised for the making of a modest steA\',
at Avhich no doubt the shepherds and other farm-ser\'ants
grumbled as sorely as English school-boys and school-girls
grumble at Avliat they call " resurrection pie."