The Germans claim that the custom of providing a written or printed
menu, or _Speisenkarte_, originated in their country.
At a meeting of the _Reichstag_ in Regensburg, in 1541, Count Hugo of
Montfort noticed one day at a banquet that the host, Duke Heinrich von
Braunschweig, had before him a _Zettel_, or slip of paper, which he
glanced at now and then. Being questioned, the Duke replied that it was
a list of the dishes that were to be served, made for him by the chef
so that he might save his appetite for those which he liked best.
Whether true or not, the story gives the _raison d'être_ for a menu
at every table-d'hôte meal. It is related by Friedrich Baumann in his
_Meisterwerk der Speisen_, a monumental work in two volumes, of over
two thousand pages, to which brief reference has already been made.
Baumann has been called the German Carême (who was "the Luther of
the French cuisine"). To him cooking was not mere handwork; it was
an art and a science; and in his work he not only enumerates and
briefly describes the foods of all countries (for example, of fishes,
and dishes made thereof, there are about twenty-five hundred!), but
treats of everything pertaining to the growing, cooking, and serving
of victuals with true German thoroughness and with hundreds of those
footnotes which are accepted in that country as the best evidence of
scholarship.
Of all the German cities none is visited by more American and English
tourists than Munich; and few of these fail to go and see the Court
Brewery, even though they may not wish to try the beer--the best in
the world. You may eat at the Hofbräuhaus without drinking anything,
though you will be stared at as a freak. There are several large
dining-rooms and the bill of fare is large, varied, and thoroughly
German. Look at the soups, for instance: bouillon with egg, bread
soup, noodle soup with or without a large chunk of boiled chicken,
which adds sixteen cents to the price, liver-noodle soup, and brain
soup. All are nutritious and tasty and cost only four or five cents a
big plate. The fishes offered on this particular day in September are
carp, pike, sand-eel from the Danube, and perch-pike. These cost from
about 27 to 32 cents a generous portion. Ochsenfleisch--boiled beef--is
always in great demand and is usually juicy and well-flavored. Without
vegetables it costs only 12 cents a plate. Five different cuts of veal
open the list of roasts, and the same price is charged for them--17
cents--though in other restaurants the kidney piece often costs a few
cents more. Pork is two cents and a half higher, while chicken, goose,
and pigeon may rise to the dizzy heights of 32 cents a plate.
Among the day's ready dishes--_Fertige Speisen_--we note haunch of
venison at 35 cents and leg of venison for five cents less. Half a
partridge is listed at 24 cents, and the same charge is made for a
quarter of a wild duck. There is of course a _Sauerbraten_--a sort
of bœuf à la mode with a palatable sour sauce--and you may choose
bœuf braisé, or Greek steak, or various mutton dishes, smoked meats,
and so on, the prices for these being about 22 to 24 cents, including
a vegetable: cabbage, potatoes, beans, or rice, noodles, dumplings
(Bavarian liver-dumplings--_Leberknödel_--are fine!) or macaroni with
minced ham, which ought to be on every table in every country at least
two or three times a week.
The roasts and fries to order include, of course, the _Wiener
Schnitzel_ (savory when you have German or Austrian veal), the
_Paprikaschnitzel_ and various other cuts from the calf or the ox.
_Kompotts_ are in Germany served with roasts as regularly as salads are
in France; they are stewed fruits--apples, pears, apricots, cherries,
and berries among which the Preisselbeere is most Teutonic and most
delicious.
The _Mehlspeisen_ on this particular menu are fewer in number and less
racy of the soil than those you would find on a Viennese bill of fare.
Besides the international omelette and the Italian macaroni there is
only the German pancake and the _Windnudel_. Among the vegetables and
salads are listed, rather out of place, the _Spätzl_, a variety of the
noodles which are the German version of the Italian macaroni and other
pastes, and which only a German knows how to cook to perfection. A
glance at the twenty-two varieties of cold meats and appetizers and the
dozen varieties of cheese brings to mind the international aspect of
German gastronomy.
In the more expensive restaurants of Munich and other German cities the
French influence is more obvious. I chose the menu of the Hofbräuhaus
because of its thoroughly _bourgeois_ and German aspect.
The largest restaurants in the world are in Berlin; one of them seats
four thousand people. In the _bourgeois_ places the food is usually
less savory than in similar establishments in South Germany, but there
is a larger proportion of the high and highest class resorts, with
viands and prices almost, if not quite, on a level with those of Paris
and London, which it is the ambition and intention of the Berliners
ultimately to surpass in these respects as well as in the splendors of
their hotels.
Breakfast.
=======
=Fruit=
Oranges, Bananas, Grape Fruit, Grapes
=Preserves=
Honey, Strawberry Marmalade, Jams, Quince Jelly
Sweet Pickel Peaches, Scotch Marmalade
=Coffee, Tea, etc.=
Coffee, Coffeeïneless Coffee H. A. G., Cocoa, Chocolate
Ceylon Tea, Mixed Tea, Milk and Cream
=Bread=
Rolls, Milk and Butter Toast, Toast plain
Various Kinds of Cakes and Crackers
=Cereals=
Milk Rice, Oatmeal, Hominy, Force, Shredded Wheat, Grape Nuts
=Eggs, Omelettes and Pancakes=
Buckwheat, Hominy, Rice and Wheat Cakes,
Pancakes plain, with Apples or Cherries
Apricot or Currant Marmalade
Potato Pancakes,
Boiled Eggs, Poached Eggs, Baked Eggs
Fried Eggs plain, with Bacon or à la Tyrolienne
Scrambled Eggs plain, with Ham or à la Bavaroise
Omelette plain, aux fines Herbes or with Strawberries
=Fish, Steaks, Chops etc.=
Kippered Herrings, Haddock, Fish Croquettes, Sole, Salted Mackerels
Fillet Steak Westmoreland, Fillet of Veal Esterházy
Fillet Gulyàs with Mushrooms, German Beef Steak
Chicken Liver on the Spit with Piémontaise Rice
Calf's Liver with Apples and Onions, Fried Calf's Brains Sauce
Rémoulade
Grill: Tenderloin Steak, Mutton Chops, Sirloinsteak, Lamb Kidneys,
English Ham, Frankfort Sausages
=Potatoes=
Boiled, Fried, Baked, Mashed Potatoes
Saratoga Chips, French Fried Potatoes, Lyonnaise Potatoes
=Cold Dishes=
Westphalian Ham, Smoked Bologna Sausages, Smoked Tongue
Potted Fieldfares with Truffles, Roast Beef, Chicken
=Relishes=
Eel in Jelly, Oil Sardines, Anchovies, Fillet of Herring in
diverser Sauce
=Cheese=
Camembert, Herb, Imperial, Holland Cheese
=Gabel-Frühstück--Luncheon=
=à la carte.=
=Vorspeisen=
Salat de Boeuf Parisienne
Küken-Salat
Geräucherter Aal
Royans à la Bordelaise
Heringsfilet, Remouladensauce
Rollmops
Anchovis
=Suppen=
Hühner-Kraftbrühe in Tassen
Schottische Graupensuppe
Kartoffelsuppe mit Croutons
=Fisch=
Gerösteter Lachs, Anchovisbutter
Streifbarsch, Sauce Pluche
=Eierspeisen=
Omelett mit Schnittlauch
Spiegeleier Othello
Verlorene Eier Cardinal
=Fleischspeisen und Geflügel=
Küken in Curry und Reis
Kalbsleber mit Aepfeln und Zwiebeln Kartoffelmus
Zungenragout Financière, Fleurons
Entrecôtes à la Macédoine
Jungschweinskeule deutsche Art
Roastbeef au Jus
=Bürgerliches Gericht=
Klops à la Königsberg
=Auf Bestellung (vom Grill 15 Min)=
Hammelkoteletten, Beefsteak
Filetsteak, Rumpsteak
=Gemüse und Kartoffeln=
Brechspargel
Perlbohnen
Spaghetti italienische Art
Gekochter Reis
Französische und deutsche Bratkartoffeln
Kartoffelmus, Gebackene Kartoffeln
=Salate=
Kartoffelsalat, Achanaka-Salat
=Kaltes Buffet=
Lammrücken garniert
Galantine von Poularde, Sauce Cumberland
Chaud-froid von Reh mit Pilzen
Tournedos Jockey Art
Junge Ente in Aspik
Geräucherte Zunge
Gespicktes Kalbsfrikandeau, Roastbeef
Kaltes Geflügel
Geräucherter und gekochter Schinken
=Kompott und Süßspeisen=
Birnen
Blanc-manger mit Früchten
Schneebälle
=Käse=
Kräuter-, Schweizer-, Camembert-Käse
Frucht Kaffee
=Hors d'Oeuvres=
Salad de Boeuf Parisienne
Chicken Salad
Smoked Eel
Royans à la Bordelaise
Fillet of Herrings, Sauce Remoulade
Rolled Pickled Herrings
Anchovies
=Soups=
Chicken Broth in Cup
Scotch Barley Soup
Potato Soup with Croutons
=Fish=
Broiled Salmon, Anchovy Butter
Striped Bass, Sauce Pluche
=Eggs=
Omelet with Chive
Fried Eggs Othello
Poached Eggs Cardinal
=Entrées, Roasts and Poultry=
Curried Chicken with Rice
Calf's-liver with Apples and Onions
Mashed Potatoes
Tongue Ragout Financière, Fleurons
Entrecôtes à la Macédoine
Leg of Pork, German Style
Roastbeef au Jus
=Special Dish=
Klops à la Koenigsberg
=To Order (from the Grill 15 min.)=
Mutton Chops, Beefsteak
Tenderloin Steak, Sirloin Steak
=Vegetables and Potatoes=
Cut Asparagus
String Beans
Spaghetti Italienne
Boiled Rice
French and German fried Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes, Baked Potatoes
=Salads=
Potato Salad, Salad Achanaka
=Cold Cuts and Cold Dishes=
Saddle of Lamb garnished
Galantine of Pullet, Sauce Cumberland
Chaud-froid of Venison, Mushrooms
Tournedos à la Jockey
Duckling in Aspic
Smoked Tongue
Larded Roast Veal, Roastbeef
Roast Chicken
Smoked and Boiled Ham
=Compote and Desserts=
Pears
Blanc-manger with Fruits
Cream Puffs
=Cheese=
Herb, Swiss, Camembert Cheese
Fruit Coffee
=Carte du jour.=
Hors d'Oeuvres:
Hors d'oeuvre Varié
Caprice Sticks
Soups:
Consommé Grimaldi
Cream Soup à la d'Orléans
Fieldfare Soup Old Style
Fish:
Salmon Cutlets à la Count d'Artois
Sole Meunière
Turbot, Butter, Parsley
Entrées:
Fillet of Beef Renaissance
Lamb Chops, Sauce Périgueux
Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms
Croutons of Goose Liver Moderne (cold)
Broiled Sweetbread, Green Peas
Entrecôtes Jardinière
Leg of Lamb, Larded, Brussels Sprouts
Grill: (15-30 min.):
Mixed Grill consisting of:
Fillet Mignon, Lamb Chops
Kidney, Sausage, Tomato
Tenderloin Steak, Entrecôte, Sirloin Steak
Lamb Chops, Mutton Chops
Ready Dishes:
Prague Ham à la Fitz James
Poultry:
Cherbourg Poularde
Partridge
Vegetables:
Palm Marrow Bordelaise
Peas and Asparagus, Stew Corn
Boiled Rice
French and German fried Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes, Baked Potatoes
Compote:
Green Gages, Strawberries
Salads:
Lettuce Salad
Endive Salad
Sweets:
Strawberry Ice, Whipped Cream
Peaches à la Condé
Praline Ice Cream
Ice Napolitaine
Pastry
Cheese Fruit Coffee
+------------------------------------------+
|Table-stewards and stateroom-stewards will|
|take orders for dinner at any time during |
|the day. |
+------------------------------------------+