But if that seems too small an amount to expend for a dinner intended
to give pleasure to four persons, there will be no trouble in planning
one to cost rather more. And for the first course let us have a bisque
of clams. Get a quart of clams and a small piece of veal, about a
pound of it. Cook the veal in a little more than a pint of water and
the liquor drained from the clams. Season with one onion, a sprig of
parsley, a bay leaf, salt, and white pepper. Cook very slowly for one
hour, then strain and again place it in the kettle; rub a couple of
tablespoonfuls of butter with an equal amount of flour and add to the
soup when boiling. Chop up the clams very fine, and put them into the
soup; let it boil for five minutes and then add half a pint of cream.
Heat thoroughly, but don't let it boil after adding the cream, and
serve. And after you have partaken of this I'll warrant you will be
ready to declare that Grimod de la Reynière had this especial kind of
_potage_ in mind when he said: "Soup is not only the commencement of a
feast, but gives an idea of what is to follow."