But why don't you try to invent a sauce for calf's liver? Fry it in
plenty of butter, then add to the butter, when the liver is removed,
anything that your palate suggests or which your common sense
approves. For instance, put in a few tiny slices of gherkin, a handful
of mushrooms, a soupçon of tomato sauce, a few capers, a little lemon
juice, chopped chives or chervil, chopped shallot or any herb or
condiment that you may have in the house. Of course you don't want to
use all of these articles, but try a combination of any two or three
or more of them, with the addition of a little stock and--who
knows?--you may invent a sauce that will make you as famous as was
Béchamel, Condé or Carême. Success be with you!
* * * * *
"Do be kind enough some of these times when you are scribbling about
the good things at market to bear in mind that not every one is hale
and hearty and blessed with digestive organs that could stand a diet
of shingle nails. Give a thought to the poor unfortunates that are
obliged to think twice before gratifying their appetites once." Thus
wailed one of the said "poor unfortunates" once upon a time, and as a
result of the complaint I have since been "holding them in thought" to
a considerable extent, with a view to making the material aspect of a
period of invalidism and convalescence a bit the brighter.