_Cream of Egypt l’Ibrahim Pacha._ The novelty of the bill of fare which
appeared in our columns of Saturday last relating to the banquet given
to his Highness Ibrahim Pacha, by the members of the Reform Club, the
day previous, having since been the topic of general conversation, our
readers will perhaps feel interested in the description of two of the
most novel and original dishes served on that occasion. The first,
entitled “Cream of Egypt à l’Ibrahim Pacha,” and composed expressly for
the occasion by M. Soyer, the _chef de cuisine_ of the club, was the
admiration of the whole company, and especially so of the Pacha, who as
soon as it was placed before him, quickly perceived the honour intended
to be conferred upon him. This dish consisted of a pyramid about two
feet and a half high, made of light meringue cake, in imitation of solid
stones, surrounded with immense grapes and other fruits, but
representing only the four angles of the pyramid through sheets of waved
sugar, to show, to the greatest advantage, an elegant cream _à
l’ananas_, on the top of which was resting a highly-finished portrait of
the illustrious stranger’s father, Mehemet Ali, carefully drawn on a
round-shaped satin _carton_, the exact size of the top of the cream. The
portrait was immediately observed by his Highness, who carefully took it
up, and, after showing it to several of his suite, placed it in his
bosom. What was his Highness’s astonishment, however, on again looking
at the spot, to observe in the cream, as under a glass, a
highly-finished portrait of himself, surrounded by a very
carefully-executed frame. M. Soyer, having been sent for by the party,
was highly complimented by his Highness, through his interpreter. The
Pacha desired to know where and how he could procure such a likeness of
his father, and how his own was so correctly drawn in the cream? “Please
tell his Highness,” says M. Soyer to the interpreter, “that both were
executed from the original sketches drawn by our celebrated artist
Horace Vernet, whilst in Alexandria. The portrait in the cream is drawn
on wafer-paper, which being placed on the damp jelly representing the
glass, dissolves, and nothing remains of the wafer-paper but the
appearance of the portrait painted in light water-colours. The imitation
of the gilt frame is made with the eau de vie of Dantzic and gold water
mixed with the jelly, the gold leaf of which forms the frame.” After
having been thanked by the Pacha, the pyramidal cream of Egypt was
ordered to be shown to each guest by sliding it from one to the other
round the table.
Though everything was eatable in it, this magnificent dish was
respected, and remained untouched until the end of the banquet, though
everybody tried to partake of the fruit which surrounded it.
The next dish which much amused the company was the one entitled the
“_Gateau Britannique à l’amiral_,” being the representation of an old
man-of-war, bearing the English and Egyptian flags, drawn on rice-paper,
the ship being filled with ice _mousseuse aux pêche_. and loaded with
large strawberries, cherries, grapes, and bunches of currants. It was so
placed on the table that Commodore Napier had to help from this cargo
the illustrious stranger, who appeared much amused at the incident. The
moisture and liquor of the ice gradually melted and imbibed the carcase
of the vessel, which was made of a kind of delicate sponge cake. While
the gallant commodore was in the act of helping the remainder of the
ice, the ship gave way, and formed a complete wreck, which caused great
hilarity among the company who were close enough to witness the scene.
NEWSPAPERS, &c. IN WHICH M. SOYER’S WORK HAS BEEN NOTICED.
Athenæum.
Bell’s Life.
Blackwood’s Magazine.
Britannia.
Brussels Herald.
Builder.
Chambers’s Journal.
Colburn’s New Monthly.
Court Journal.
Courrier de l’Europe.
Douglas Jerrold.
English Gentleman.
Era.
Examiner.
Glasgow Constitutional.
Globe.
Guardian.
Hood’s Magazine.
Illustrated News.
John Bull.
Journal des Débats.
La Mode.
Dispatch.
Literary Gazette.
Liverpool Chronicle.
L’Observateur Français.
Morning Chronicle.
Morning Herald.
Morning Post.
Musical World.
Naval and Military Gazette.
Observer.
Petit Courrier des Dames.
Pictorial Times.
Punch.
Satirist.
Sharpe’s Magazine.
Spectator.
Sun.
Sunday Times.
Tablet.
Times.
Weekly Chronicle.
Windsor and Eton Journal
Atlas.
* * * * *
From ‘THE TIMES’ of the 19th FEBRUARY, 1847.
Third Edition.--Yes! a third edition of this truly national work now
lies before us. The public, as we shrewdly foresaw, have not failed to
appreciate the labour of its author. Alexis Soyer has received the
reward that sooner or later is bestowed upon the philanthropist and the
patriot. It may possibly be remembered that when the incomparable cook
of the Reform Club was overcome, to use his own words, with “a thrill of
horror,” by the request of several persons of distinction, “particularly
the ladies,” who urged him to publish a cookery book, he suddenly
recollected having been in “a most superb library,” where all at once
his attention was attracted by the 19th edition of a voluminous work,
which was supported on either side by the glories of a Milton and a
Shakspeare. When the Regenerator found courage to open the precious
volume, to his great disappointment he discovered “a receipt for ox-tail
soup.” “The terrifying effect produced upon me,” says Monsieur Soyer,
“by this succulent volume made me determine that my few ideas, whether
culinary or domestic, should never encumber a sanctuary which ought to
be entirely devoted to works worthy of a place in the temple of the
Muses.” Alas, how rash are human resolutions! How little, in the
obscurity of our spring-time, do we dream of the dazzling splendour that
awaits our coming summer! Every library, from the London to the British
Museum, from Brocket Hall to the Palace of the Tuileries, has welcomed
the Regenerator to its choicest shelf, and edition follows edition with
a rapidity which, in the case of so ponderous a work, is positively
marvellous. Like Byron, M. Soyer finds himself famous in a morning. We
do not grudge him his greatness, but we confess we do envy the
succeeding generations, who, destined to be the offspring of men that
have been taught by Soyer to eat--not to appease hunger, but to elevate
the soul,--will have acquired a delight in existence for which their
grosser grandfathers were physically unfit. We welcome with all respect
the third appearance of this true child of civilization. We can do no
more.
* * * * *