more so than many of us imagine, as for myself I do not consider
that I am a good manager, being perhaps of too forgiving a
disposition; but there is one good quality which I possess which
makes up for the want of others, that is exactitude; by enforcing
this it causes all to know their place, and perform their work.
_Mrs. R._ But what surprises me is to see everything so well done
and clean with so few servants; you seem to have but two maid
servants, the cook, house-maid, and coachman.
_Mrs. B._ Yes, that is all, and I generally find that they are
enough for the work, unless I have a dinner party, and then of
course, as you know, I have extra men; but I will tell you how I
pass the day, and then you will be able to judge.
We are what are called early risers, that is, Mr. B. is obliged to
leave home every week day at twenty minutes past nine; our
breakfast is on the table at half-past eight; the breakfast parlor
having previously been got ready, as the servants rise at seven. We
are, when we have no visitors, our two selves, the three children,
and the governess. The children, in summer time, have had a walk
before breakfast, but before leaving their room they uncover their
beds, and if fine open the windows, if a wet morning about two
inches of the top sash is pulled down. The servants get their
breakfast at the same time as we do, as we require hardly any or no
waiting upon, everything being ready on the table. In a former
letter I told you what was our breakfast some years since when in
business, now we have placed on the table some brown bread, rolls
and dry toast; the butter is in a glass butter-dish, and the eggs
are brought up when we have sat down to table. The urn is placed on
the table, as I make my own tea and coffee; the cocoa is made down
stairs.
You will perhaps be surprised when I say that I make the coffee for
breakfast myself, but I have done so for some little time past,
having found that when made in the kitchen it never came up twice
alike, but now we always have it delicious.
I lately purchased a coffee-pot which enables me to do it in the
very best manner, with no more trouble than I have in making the
tea. I mentioned it in my receipts for coffee, and said it was
invented by a Mr. S., which letter was inserted by mistake instead
of C. which it ought to be. It is called Carey's Hecla. It makes
the very best coffee at one short operation, and is so contrived as
to produce it almost boiling hot; in fact, never permitting the
great mistake of boiling the coffee itself at all.
Mr. B. generally leaves home in the brougham, which returns in time
for me; in case I should be going out, he then goes in a cab or
omnibus. Whilst we are at breakfast, I generally consult Mr. B.
what he would like for dinner, and if he is likely to invite any
friend to dine with him; the fishmonger has previously sent his
list and prices of the day. I then write with a pencil on a slip of
paper the bill of fare for the nursery dinner, luncheon, should any
be required, and our dinner, which I send to the cook. At ten
o'clock I go down stairs into the kitchen and larder, when the cook
gives me her report, that is everything that is required for the
next twenty-four hours' consumption, including the servants'
dinner, which report is filed in the larder and made to tally with
the week's list, for I must tell you that the week's consumption of
all things that will not spoil is had in on the Saturday, on which
day the larder is properly scoured out, and everything put again
into its proper place, there being bins for all kinds of
vegetables, &c. The larder is generally kept locked, the cook and I
only having keys, because it is in fact a larder, and not, as in
many houses, full of emptiness; this occupies about half an hour,
during which time the chambermaids have been attending to the
bed-rooms and drawing-room, &c. If I go out or not, I always get my
toilet finished by twelve o'clock; I thus have one hour to write
notes, or see tradesmen or my dressmaker, and Monday mornings check
and pay my tradesmen's accounts, and to dress. If I stop at home, I
amuse myself by reading, or going to see the children in the
nursery, or sometimes go again into the kitchen and assist the cook
on some new receipt or preparation, and often have several calls;
during the course of the morning the two maids scour out
alternately one or two of the rooms, according to size, except on
Wednesdays, when one of them is otherwise engaged.
Mr. B. arrives home at twenty minutes to five, and at half-past
five we dine: the cloth is laid, and everything prepared as if we
had company; it may be a little more trouble for the servants; but
when we do have any friends they find it less trouble; besides it
is always uncertain but what Mr. B. may bring somebody home with
him, and it prevents slovenly habits; the two maids, with the
exception of Wednesdays, are always ready to attend on us. I never
allow the coachman to defile our carpets with his stable shoes; all
his duties in the house are--the first thing in the morning to
clean the knives and forks for the day, for enough are kept out for
that purpose, clean the boots and shoes, and those windows the
maids cannot easily get at, and assist in the garden if required.
Many have made the remark to me, that as you have a male servant
why not have him wait at table. I reply that the duties of the
stable are incompatible with those of the table, and if he does his
duty properly he has enough to do. The servants dine at one, and
have tea at quarter to five, by which time the cook has everything
ready, all but to take it from the fire, and the maids the
dining-room ready. The nursery dinner is at the same hour; after
dinner, should we be alone, we have the children and the governess
down; if we have company we do not see them; they go to bed at a
quarter to eight, and we have tea and coffee at eight; the
governess comes and passes the rest of the evening with us; eleven
is our usual hour of retiring, before which Mr. B. likes his glass
of negus, a biscuit, or a sandwich, which is brought upon a tray.
_Mrs. L._--What you have described to me is all very well, yet I am
certain, that if I go and try to do the same to-morrow, I shall not
succeed; how is it that you have everything in its place, and I
never hear a word said to the servants?
_Mrs. B._--It is because they all know their duties, and if they
should in any way neglect them, I think of the maxim, bear and
forbear, for none of us are perfect, and I take an opportunity when
I may be alone with them to tell them quietly of their faults. Some
mistresses will go into the kitchen and be angry with them before
the other servants; the consequence is, that as soon as her back is
turned they all begin to laugh. A ridiculous incident of this kind
occurred the other evening at Mrs. G.'s. We missed her out of the
drawing-room just before tea, and it appeared that her young boy
Fred, followed her; whilst we were at tea he was very
communicative, as children sometimes will be (l'enfant terrible),
and said, "We have been having such fun in the kitchen." On inquiry
he said, "My mother has been down stairs scolding Jane, and I hid
myself behind the door; and when my mother had gone up, Betsy the
cook spoke and moved her hands just like mamma; it made us all
laugh so, it was such fun." I need not tell you it was no fun for
Mrs. G., who looked rather annoyed. We should ever remember, that
we have our feelings, and should also think that others have
theirs; and I think it is as much the mistress's fault when
anything goes wrong in the house, as the servants'. I only lose my
servants when they get married, or from ill health, and the only
thing that I find bad, is, that they quarrel amongst themselves,
but should this occur thrice with the same two, I dismiss them
both. I am certain, that if you teach your servants to take care of
themselves, they are certain to take care of you. I continually
hear Mrs. M. complaining of changing her servants, and that seems
to be her sole occupation. Poor thing, she has no children, and
nothing to occupy her mind, and without occupation the mind becomes
diseased, and the least action throws it into fever. Mrs. N.
complains of the extravagance of her servants; it is her own
extravagance, or, more properly speaking, her want of management
which causes all; but this I really think, that if everybody were
more cautious in receiving and giving characters to servants other
than what they are, we should not hear the continual complaint we
do, when often assembled in the drawing-room after dinner, when,
perhaps, some dear old lady complains of the education given to
young people of the present day, and that, in time, there will be
no such thing as servants. To some extent I am of her opinion, and
consider that the education given by all classes to their children,
is a great deal more ornamental than useful. I would rather see
the child taught some of the accomplishments of housekeeping, than
that she should be considered as the mere ornament of the
drawing-room. I think it is the bounden duty of every mother, where
the income of the husband may be dependent on trade or profession,
to give her children that education which even the most adverse of
circumstances may call upon them to assume. Look at the
advertisements which appear in the public press every day!--Young
girls offering themselves as governesses, to be remunerated by
their board; whereas, if they had been educated with a knowledge of
some useful employment, they would have made good ladies' maids or
housekeepers, or useful wives to tradesmen.
BILLS OF FARE.
When I was first married and commencing business, and our means were
limited, the following was our system of living:
_Sunday's Dinner._--Roast-Beef, Potatoes, Greens, and Yorkshire
Pudding.
_Monday._--Hashed Beef and Potatoes.
_Tuesday._--Broiled Beef and Bones, Vegetables, and Spotted Dick
Pudding.
_Wednesday._--Fish if cheap, Chops and Vegetables.
_Thursday._--Boiled Pork, Peas Pudding, and Greens.
_Friday._--Peas Soup, Remains of Pork.
_Saturday._--Stewed Steak with Suet Dumpling.
The Sunday's dinner I used to vary, one time Beef, another Mutton,
another Pork or Veal, and sometimes a Baked Sucking Pig; our living
then, including a good Breakfast and Tea, cost us about 32_s._ per week.
In case we had a few friends, we used to make an addition by having one
Fish, Leg of Mutton, Roast Fowls, Pickled Pork, and Peas Pudding, with a
Mould Pudding and Fruit Tart, and a little dessert.
This was for the first two years; our means and business then
increasing, and having the three young men to dine with us, we were of
course obliged to increase our expenditure and to alter our mode of
living, besides which I had accompanied Mr. B. to France, where my
culinary ideas received a great improvement.
The following is the plan we then adopted:
_Sunday._--Pot-au-Feu, Fish--Haunch of Mutton or a Quarter of Lamb,
or other good joint--Two Vegetables--Pastry and a Fruit Pudding--A
little Dessert.
_Monday._--Vermicelli Soup made from the Pot-au-Feu of the day
previous--The Bouilli of the Pot-au-Feu--Remains of the Mutton--Two
Vegetables--Fruit Tart.
_Tuesday._--Fish--Shoulder of Veal stuffed--Roast Pigeons, or
Leveret, or Curry--Two Vegetables--Apples with Rice, and light
Pastry.
_Wednesday._--Spring Soup--Roast Fowls, Remains of Veal minced, and
Poached Eggs--Two Vegetables--Rowley Powley Pudding.
_Thursday._--Roast-Beef--Remains of Fowl--Two Vegetables--Sweet
Omelette.
_Friday._--Fish--Shoulder of Lamb--Miroton of Beef--Two
Vegetables--Baked Pudding.
_Saturday._--Mutton Broth--Boiled Neck Mutton--Liver and Bacon--Two
Vegetables--Currant Pudding.
Our parties then, when we had them, never consisted of more than ten.
We had: Julienne Soup--Fish--a quarter of Lamb--Vegetables,
Cutlets--Vegetables, Bacon and Beans--Boiled Turkey--Pheasant--Jelly or
Cream--Pastry--Lobster Salad--Omelette or Soufflé--Dessert, &c.
At present, though the number of our establishment is not greater, yet
the style and manner of our living have changed. We dine alone, except
when Mr. B. invites somebody to dine with him, which is most generally
the case; our daily bill of fare consists of something like the
following:--
One Soup or Fish, generally alternate--One Remove, either Joint or
Poultry--One Entrée--Two Vegetables--Pudding or Tart--A little Dessert.
This may seem a great deal for two persons; but when you remember that
we almost invariably have one or two to dine with us, and the remains
are required for the breakfast, lunch, nursery and servants' dinners,
you will perceive that the dinner is the principal expense of the
establishment, by which means you are enabled to display more liberality
to your guests, and live in greater comfort without waste. Our parties
at present, to many of which you have constantly been, and therefore
know, vary according to the season; here are a few bills of fare of
them; the following is one for two persons:--
One Soup, say Purée of Artichokes--One Fish, Cod Slices in Oyster
Sauce--Remove with Smelts or White Bait.
_Removes._--Saddle of Mutton--Turkey in Celery Sauce.
_Two Entrées._--Cutlets a la Provençale--Sweetbreads larded in any
White Sauce.
_Two Vegetables._--Greens--Kale--Potatoes on the Sideboard.
SECOND COURSE.
_Two Roasts._--Partridges--Wild Ducks. Jelly of
Fruit--Cheesecakes--Meringue à la Crême--Vegetable--French Salad on
the Sideboard.
_Removes._--Ice Pudding--Beignet Soufflé. _Dessert_ of eleven
dishes.
The following is one for a birthday party, which generally consists of
twenty persons:--
FIRST COURSE.
Two Soups--Two Fish.
_Removes._--Haunch of Mutton--Broiled Capons à l'Ecarlate.
_Flancs._--Fricandeau of Veal--Currie of Fowl.
_Entrées._--Fillets of Beef, sauce Tomate--Cutlets Soubise--Oyster
Patties, or Little Vol-au-Vent; Croquettes of Veal or Fowl.[10]
SECOND COURSE.
Wild Ducks--Guinea Fowl larded--Charlotte Russe--Punch Jelly,
Crusts of Fruit--Flanc Meringue--Apple with Rice--Scolloped
Oysters--Mayonnaise of Fowl--Sea Kale or Asparagus.
_Removes._--Turban of Condé Glacée--Cheese Soufflé à la Vanille.
_Dessert_ of nineteen dishes.
The bills of fare for our small evening parties, say thirty persons, are
as follows; everything is cold, although I know that the fashion has
been progressing towards having hot removes.
Our table on those occasions is, as you know, in the form of a
horseshoe, which, in my opinion, is the most sociable after that of a
round one, and upon the sociability of the supper depends in a great
measure the success of the party. In the centre, and at the head of the
table, I place a large Grouse-pie, the same as Nos. 249, 285, of which,
by my recommendation, everybody partakes; I then on each of the wings
have Fowls, Lobster Salads, Mayonnaises of Fowl, Ham, Tongue, cut in
slices, and dished over parsley, ornamented with Aspic Jelly; and on the
sideboard I have a fine piece of Sirloin of Beef, plain roasted, or an
Aitch-Bone of Beef, or Fillet of Veal. Should there be no game, I have a
Turkey or Fowls en Galantine, instead of the Grouse-pie, or if game is
plentiful, I have less poultry, and add roast Pheasants--mind, not fowls
with black legs larded, and a pheasant's tail put to them, but real
ones,--or Partridges or Grouse, or a fine Salad of Game.
With the Sweets I generally place about twelve--four on each table, that
is 4 Jellies, 2 Creams, 2 Bavaroises, 4 Iced Cabinet Puddings, and 4
Raised Dishes of small Pastry, all of which are artistically disposed
upon the table.
The fruits are likewise placed on the table: they consist of simple
Compotes, 6 of various kinds and 6 of Dried Fruit, Biscuits, Wafers and
Cossacks, which last are getting much out of fashion, but are very
amusing.
The following is the Bill of Fare for Mr. B.'s Birthday Party, for which
he allows me £15, with which I find everything in the shape of
refreshments, with the exception of wine; it is--
One Raised Pie--Two Mayonnaises of Fowl--Two Lobster Salads--One Piece
of Roast Beef--Four Dishes of Fowl--Two Dishes of Pheasant--Four Dishes
of Tongue--Four Dishes of Ham--Four Jellies with Fruit--Two Creams with
Noyeau--Two Flancs with Apple Meringue--Two Iced Cabinet Puddings--Two
Puddings à la Eloise--Six Various Pastry--Eight Various Compotes--Four
Pièces Montées in China with Bonbons, Cossacks, &c.--Four of Fruit, as
Pears, Grapes, &c.--Four of Dried Fruit, &c.--Four of Biscuits, &c.
This perhaps may appear extravagant, but we always have them, some
country friends stopping a few days with us, so that I manage to make
the best of everything, and make my week's account look very well. We
sometimes have as many as sixty on an evening.
Our Children's Parties are as follows, there are generally about fifty
present:
16 Dishes of Sandwiches. 4 Dishes of Lamb. 4 Dishes of Ham. 4 do.
of Slices of Beef. 4 do. of Tongue. 6 do. of Fowls. 10 Dishes of
Slices of Galantine of Veal. 1 Dish of Dressed Beef. 24 Dishes of
Various Pastry, Custards, Jellies, Bonbons, &c.
But I remember when in business, on those occasions we only used to have
a large quantity of Sandwiches and Patties, and used to amuse the
children by labelling the Dishes as Sandwiches of Peacock's Tongues,
Patties of Partridge's Eyes, &c., and also a large quantity of plain
Sweets; and at that period Mr. B.'s birthday party was not so extensive
or _recherché_ as at present. It consisted of something like the
following:
A Roast Turkey--2 Dishes of Fowls--1 Ham--2 Pigeon Pies--1 Piece of
Boiled Beef--4 Lobsters--4 Salads--4 Jellies--4 Tarts--4 of Preserved
Fruit, &c.--4 of Pastry; with about twelve of various kinds of Fruit,
&c.
You will have seen by the previous Bills of Fare that I have not at all
encroached upon the high-class cookery, they being selected from the
receipts I have given you; in order that you may see the difference, I
inclose the Bill of Fare, of a dinner given by--Bass, Esq., M. P., at
the Reform Club, the other day, and a copy of yesterday's _Post_,
containing one given in the country. You will find that the dishes
mentioned in these Bills of Fare are not to be found in our receipts.
REFORM CLUB,
_7 Juillet, 1849._ _Dîner pour 18 Personnes._
Rissoletes à la Pompadour.
Petites Croquantes aux oeufs de Rougets.
Rissoletes à la Pompadour.
Petites Croquantes aux oeufs de Rougets.
Deux Potages.
One Thick Turtle.
One Clear Ditto.
* * * * *
Deux Poissons.
_Crimped Salmon_, Turbot
en Matelote Normande. à la Richelieu.
* * * * *
Deux Relevés.
La Hanche de Venaison aux haricots verts.
Les Poulardes en Diadême.
* * * * *
Six Entrées.
Vol-au-Vent de Foies gras à la Talleyrand.
Côtelettes d'Agneau demi Provençale.
Petits Canetons Canaris aux jeunes légumes glacées.
Noix de Veau demi grasse à la purée de concombres.
Ortolans à la Vicomtesse.
Aiguillettes de petits Poussins à la Banquière
* * * * *
Deux Rôtis.
Les _Turkey Poults_ piqués et bardés,
garnis de Cailles aux feuilles de vignes.
Les Jeunes Levrauts au jus de groseilles.
* * * * *
Huit Entremets.
Gelée a l'eau de vie Flanc d'Abricôts
de Dantzick. aux Liqueurs.
Aspic de Homard Quartiers d'Artichaux
à la Gelée. à la Vénitienne.
Petits Pois Gâteau Milanais
à l'Anglaise. au Parmesan.
Pain de Pêches Bombe Glacée
au Noyau. au Café Moka,
* * * * *
Jambon en surprise glacé
à la Vanille.
_Pudding_ à la Méphistophiles.
A. SOYER.
FESTIVITIES AT GRENDON HALL.
A series of festivities are taking place at the seat of Sir George
Chetwynd, Bart., Grendon Hall, Atherstone, Warwickshire, to celebrate
the christening of Sir George's infant grandson. The christening took
place on Tuesday, at Grendon church, and in the evening a grand dinner
was given in celebration of the event, under the able superintendence of
M. Alexis Soyer. As the dinner, which was provided for twenty persons,
was of a very _recherché_ description, we subjoin the bill of fare.
Deux Potages.
One of Clear Turtle.
Ditto à la Nivernaise.
* * * * *
Deux Poissons.
Crimped Severn Salmon Turbot
à la Régence. à la Cardinal.
* * * * *
Deux Relevés.
La Hanche de Venaison. Deux Poulardes à la Nelson.
* * * * *
Rissolettes de Foie
gras à la Pompadour.
Rissolettes de Foie
gras à la Pompadour.
Six Entrées.
Les Ortolans à la Vicomtesse.
Epigramme d'Agneau à la purée de concombres.
Grenadins de Veau aux petits pois.
Filets de Caneton au jus d'orange.
Côtelettes de Mouton à la Provençale.
Turban de Volaille à la Périgord.
* * * * *
Deux Rôtis.
Cailles bardées aux feuilles de vignes.
Gelinottes des Ardennes.
* * * * *
Huit Entremets.
Turban de Meringues Pain de Fruit
aux Pistaches. aux Pêches.
Galantine Croûtades d'Artichaux
à la Volière. à l'Indienne.
Vegetable Marrow Miroton de Homard
à la Béchamel. à la Gelée.
Bavaroise Mousseuse Blanche Crême
à l'Ananas. au Marasquin.
* * * * *
Ices. Deux Relevés. St. James's
Pine Apple Hure de Sanglier en surprise glacé Cake,
and à la Vanille. the first
Strawberry. Petits Biscuits soufflés à la Crême. ever made.
After dinner M. Soyer had the honor of presenting the youthful heir the
proof copy of his new work on Cookery.
_Morning Post, July 26, 1849._
LETTER XX
A NEW ALIMENT.
Bifrons Villa.
Here, dear Eloise, is an entirely new aliment, which has never yet
been introduced into this country. A semi-epicure of our
acquaintance, on returning from his visit to the National Guard of
France, presented me with a pound of it, which he had purchased in
Paris; but even there, said he, it is almost in its infancy; you
may fancy, if I were not anxious of making an immediate trial of
it; but before I give you the receipt how to use it, let me tell
you I have found it most delicious. Mr. B. has not yet tasted it,
being for a week in the country, but I am confident he will like
it, especially for breakfast: but the puzzle is, after my pound is
used, how we are to get more? Time, I suppose, will teach us. It
appears that we are indebted for it to a celebrated French
gentleman, M. le Docteur Lamolte, the inventor of the electric
light, who ingeniously, though oddly, named it Cho-ca, being a
scientific composition of _chocolat_ and _café_, the alliance of
which balancing admirably their excellence and virtue, and partly
correcting their evils, the first being rather irritable, the
second heavy. But I think, if my recollection serves me rightly,
the idea of this compound must have originated from that great
French philosopher, M. de Voltaire, who constantly, for his
breakfast, partook of half café-au-lait and half chocolate, which
were served at the same time in separate vessels in a boiling
state, and poured from each slowly, about eighteen inches in
elevation from his cup, which, he said, made it extremely light and
digestible.
Years after, that still more extraordinary man, Napoleon Bonaparte,
became so partial to it, that he made a constant use of it, and it
has often been remarked by those who surrounded his person, that
after the great excitement and fatigue of a battle he has often
partaken of two or three cups, which seemed to restore all the
strength and energy which used to characterize that great man; on
ordinary occasions one cup would suffice him, but served more _à la
militaire_, not being poured so scientifically as did the Fernaise
philosopher.