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    884 THE LEADER, [No. 890, September 12, ...

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    SOYER'S CULINARY CAMPAIGN. Soycr's Culin...

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  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

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    A Fascicle Of Eomance. . The -Xuthor-Of ...

    is a favourite writer for the young , and has contributed a little library of pleasant and profitable books to parlour literature . The Story of My Girlhood has our cordial recommendation . —The Recollections of Mrs . Hesfar Taffetas ( Knight and Son ) profess to be -written by a Court Milliner and Modiste during the Reign of King George III . and his Consort Queen Charlotte , and edited by her granddaughter . They are- anecdotes worked up into stories , " with an affectation of genuineness—and are of several varieties , good , badi and indifferent , dull , tame , extravagant , and interesting . The best are ' The Porcelain Mania , ' The Highwayman ' Bridal , ' and ' The Lady ' s Revenge . ' Occasionally Mrs . Hester Taffetas writes in a style which her granddaughter' might have judiciously moderated , if only for the sake of good manners . Paul Heyse ' Four Phases qfLocehsive been translated by E . H . Kingsley , and are published in a neat little volume . ( Routledge and Co . ) . —The tales have an impress of originality , and are agreeably moralized . Two of the titles are eccentric : — 'Eye-Blindness and Soul-Blindness , ' and * By the Banks of the Tiber . ' The varieties of passion are forcibly suggested .

    The interest excited by the events in China will attract attention to a really meritorious book by Mr . William Dalton—The Wolf-boy of China ; or , The Incidents and Adventures of Lya Payo . ( Bath : Binus and Goodwin . ) The -writer ' s object has been to illustrate the manners of the Chinese , as well as their modes of thinking , and his success in performing a difficult task has been considerable . The volume , of course , is addressed to the young , and it is admirably adapted to fix in their minds a notion of "the differences between European and Asiatic civilization , especially that quaint , formalisticj pretentious civilization , which has been the growth of so many centuries in China . The hero of the story , which , abounds in incident , 5 s a boy , the son of an English father and a Chinese mother , and his adventures are of such a . nature as to enable Mr . Dalton to pass in review almost every aspect of Celestial society . We might object that the result is too

    favourable to the Chinese—a gross , vain , cruel , unprogressive nation of charlatans —but The Wolf-hoy has not been written in support of any theory . It is purely , simply , and successfully a book prepared to please tlie young , and open a primrose path to an elementary knowled g e of China . Merits rare in kind , if not in degree , characterize Sivan the Sleeper : a Tale of all Time . By the Rev . H . C . Adams . ( Rivingtons . ) Original in design , it is forcible and picturesque in , style , and marked by a refinement of taste and a superiority of tone seldom , to be met with amidst the multifarious romances of the day . Notable through these distinctions beyond the ordinary mass of fiction , it is so in another sense , because stamped by the peculiarity of its construction , its teachings , and essential features , as an acceptable addition to the especial department of imaginative literature , adorned by the genius of Moore , Samuel Johnson , and Sir Charles Morrell .

    In Sivan and in ' Kasselas' the moral is similar—the pursuit of an ideal lappiness j but affinity ceases in the diversity of experience through which attainment of the object is sought . Mr . Adams employs the supernatural element as the basis of his plan . This fanciful method he has been necessitated to adopt in order to maintain an identity of personal interest with the changing scenes of the pagan , the early Christian , and the media 3 val periods , in all of which Sivan , the hero pilgrim , is a participator under different conditions of circumstance and vocation . But , whether as the aged Elarnite , the companion of Grecian sages , the priest of the Sanhedrim , or the friend of Savonarola , he is haunted by a desire for the triumphant Bway of truth and justice on the earth—by visions of tlie Unattainable . Through this medium of action we sire presented with a series of vivid sketches descriptive of the various nations—Egypt , Greece , Italy—whose superior civilization has illumined history . It is difficult , when the imagination is warmed into realization of remote epochs , to describe with fervour

    yet with faith—a difficulty which . Mr . Adams has , however ,- overcome , with the still greater one of uniting in familiar dialogue , under contrasted social phases , dignity and ease . The production of & ivan , curious and interesting as the volume is , cannot fail to do honour to Mr . Adams ' s name—one , we believe , somewhat exclusively known in connexion with the successful authorship of religious allegories . jEmmeline Latimer . A Novel . In 3 vols . By Sarah Symonds . ( ISTewby . ) —We imagine Emmeline Latimer to be a maiden publication , and as such may beBtow upon it a word of praise . Miss Symonds writes from feeling , and conjures up a romance of the passions , with violent scenes atid situations , and often a tragic dialogue . The general tone is melancholy , and the fruit of life to the ethereal Emmeline is ' sorrow , sorrow / crowned by a climax of joy . Miss Symonds , we hope , if she intends to become a novelist , will not adopt the habit of making her heroine fade sweetly and gradually away . She is too free , moreover , in the use of pistols and poison .

    Labour and Lioc . A Story . By the Author of ' Blenliam . ' ( Freeman . )—We find in Labour and Live the merits which characterized Blenham , ' but in a more developed form . The subject is more skilfully treated ; the moral idea , while distinctly kept in view , never interferes with the rapid plan of incident ; tho character-painting i 8 firm and truthful . Upon the whole , Labour and Live 5 s a successful story of its class . In our batch of novels we must include a reprint of Horace Smith ' s wellknown Walter Colyton : a Tale o /" lGS 8 . ( . Knight and Son . )—It is well printed and got up , and remarkably cheap .

    884 The Leader, [No. 890, September 12, ...

    884 THE LEADER , [ No . 890 , September 12 , 1857 .

    Soyer's Culinary Campaign. Soycr's Culin...

    SOYER'S CULINARY CAMPAIGN . Soycr ' s Culinary Campaign . Being Historical Reminiscences of the Lato War with the Plain Art of Cookery , liy Alexis Soyer . Routledge and Co . The Icitchen ib , seriously , one of tlie most important of human institutions . Not that wo echo Quin , who said that the only murringo he cartel about was tliat between John Dory and Ann- Chovy ; but that we feel for Andrew Miirvull when ho sighed if the slioulder of muLton was ill roasted . We in England are sad barbarians in cookery . We know that Cleopatra owed her empire over Cccsar as much to her suppers as her beauty , that tlie rvign of Ijouis XIV . was prolonged because Madame do Maiiitenon invented tho immortal cutlets which bear her n » mc , that Cardinal Wolsey was conciliated by the good dishes on tho X'ield of tho Cloth of G-old , that

    Agrippina won Claudius by a receipt for dressing Spanish onions , and thTr in all ages mankind have been largely influenced by stewpans and cridW and yet we prepare and consume our food unintelligently and -suicidal ? ' Our national cuisine , with , its sacramental formula of ' steaks and el » and its eternal roast and boiled , is scarcely one remove from canning ? We eat when we should dine . We allow our national character to be h pered with by vile pretenders , whose made dishes are combinations of nil * ' and sodden meat , whose roasts are raw , whose soups are archipeh « E > pVS toast in oceans of water . " Three spoonfuls of soup and three spoonfuls of sherry , " said the lawgiver of a kitchen , are essential as the foundation of dinner ; more or less spoils the appetite . But with how many thousands f men , otherwise rational , beef and mutton junks form the stanle wit tconcomitants tne

    vegetaoi . es ue , ana Deer dilution ! What is it to themtl r Bordeaux and Burgundy and Sauterne are yielded by southern presses ? The Excise protects the malt-grower , and we sneer at the drinkers of red vinegar . But y hat of the poor ? Is machinery of more importance to them than intelligent cookery , which economizes the materials of their food and which renders the plainest substances cheaply enjoyable ? It is because M . Soyer offers admirable instructions to persons of the smallest means that we regard him as a social benefactor ; he teaches the cottager how to sub sist , without increased expenditure , upon savoury dishes , and he comes also to the rescue of the indigestive savages who search London at nio-ht for a supper . Chop , kidney , lobster—lobster , chop , kidney—are the alpha and tne tn mnisn taverntiere

    omega or e , are a hundred receipts for supper delicacies , easily prepared , and in general far from costly . If there be no re form , it will beeome a stern necessity to hang an hotel-keeper . A vulgar cook is among the worst of criminals . He traduces nature . He abuses the gifts of the earth . He is a slow poisoner . He insults the human vitals And yet his art is not involved in mysteries . We don ' t ask him to study how , when a joint is roasted , coagulation of the albumen takes place , the cellulose tissue is converted into gelatine , tlie fibrin and albumen are oxydized , and most of the empyreumatic oils and products of dry distillation carried off . M . Soyer talks of a good cook as necessarily a chemist , but he himself avoids all such abstruse investigations . How stewed and baked

    meats retain a variety of educts inimical to the stomach ' s peace , how rapid boiling hardens a joint , and how warmed-up dishes threaten indigestion , are , however , points of knowledge indispensable to a decent denizen of a kitchen ! What is short pie-crust , and what is puff ? We are afraid the question might go far in search of an answer . At all events , M . Soyer is doinc his best , and this volume , w 5 th its Pelissier-like portrait of the author , will tend to propagate , far and wide , the principles of one of the noblest of sciences . It contains a narrative of M . Soyer ' s expedition to Scutari and the Crimea , his intercourse with Miss Nightingale and the Allied generals—in fact , of all his adventures and observations at the seat of war . The book is brimful of

    gossip , and is exactly such as will beguile a sea-side evening . M . Soyer is a vain man , and proud even of his vanity ; he is obsequious in his compliments to duchesses ; he reports all his dialogues with great people in a style the most amusingly ostentatious ; yet mixed up with his eccentricity there is an infusion of sound common sense , while the whole fabric rests upon a golden foundation—an inimitable proficiency in the science of cookery . Observe how inventive is the genius of the man who , entering the coffeeroom of the Albion , and being disgusted with the brutal uniformity of broiled bones , and mutton chops , improvises a creation like this : — Rump-steak and fried potatoes ; ditto with shalot , pimento , and anchovy butter . Relishing steak , fillet of beef , & laParisienne ; ditto a la Chateaubriand . Mutton chops a la bouchero ; ditto semi-provencale ; ditto Marseilles fashion ; ditto with relishing sauce . Plain cutlets with fried potatoes , a la maitre d'hotel , a la Sultana ,

    semi-provencale . Lamb chops , a . la boulangere , a 1 'A . mericaine , a la printaniere . Pork chops with pimento butter , a la Tartare j ditto camp fashion . Ycal cutlets en papillote ; with maitre d'hotel butter ; with relishing batter ; with fried potatoes . Kidneys on toast , semi-curried ; ditto with sherry or port ; ditto with champagne . For kidneys a , la maitre d'hotel , a la brochette , and a la Robert Diavolo , see Receipts , page 10 . Stewed and curried tripe ; ditto Lyonnaiso fashion . Lobsters au gratin in the shell ; scalloped ditto ; curried on toast ; lobster cutlets ; new salad , Tartar fashion ; plain salad with anchovies ; crabs au gratin i « the shell ; crab salnd with eggs . Grilled chicken and Sultana sauce ; b , la Robert Diavolo , with relishing sauce ;

    new broiled devil , Mayonnaise sauce ; chicken , American fashion . Stewed oysters on toast ; ditto American fashion , au gratin ; fried oysters . Omelettes with fine herbs , mushrooms , sprue grass ham , and parmesaii ; poacnei egga with cream ; ditto -with maitro d'hotel sauce ; semi-curried , with ham or bacon . Buttered eggs with mushrooms , sprue grass , harn with shalots , parsley , undchervi-Mirrored eggs with tongue , ham , or bacon ; curried eggs ; ditto vritli onion sauce aud tomato sauce . Rarebit a la Soyer with sherry or champagne . Pried potatoes in slices ; ditto with maitro d'hotel butter ; ditto with Cayenne pepper . , . Uold asparagus salad , while in season ; now potato salad , German fasliioii ; < 1 » i l'Yench and haricot beans .

    To the admirable ' London Dinner —a discovery—should be uddcu n c London Supper' upon M . Sojor ' e plan , and we promise the promoters ti grateful patronago of all who ever seek tlio stars from Fleet-street or tut-Strand . We will give one or two examples of M . Soyer ' s achievementsi in the East . After the announcement of the Paris treaty he prepared a i" ' e « $ Uoine LiiUersiennc a l'Alexaudrc 11 . This is composed of—12 boxes of preserved lobsters , 2 cases of preserved lampreys , 2 cases of preser sardines , 2 bottles of preserved anchovies ) , 1 caso of preserved caviar , 1 enso o ^ served sturgeon , 1 case of preserved thunny , 2 ciihoh of preserved oysters , 1 l' ° " ^ fresh prawns , 1 pounds of turbot cloutrf , 12 Russian pickled cucumbers , 4 uot pickled olives , 1 bottle of mixed pickles , 1 bott-la of Indian ditto , 1 bottle ol pw ^ French beans , 2 bottlca of pickled mushrooms , £ bottle of pickled mangoes , - a of pickled French truffles , 2 cases of preserved peas , 2 cases of preserved nnxeu tables , 4 . dozen cabbugo lettuces , 100 eggs , 2 bottles of preserved cockscombs . ^ Tho eauco was composed of « iottles of snlud oil , I of tarragon vinegar ,

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 12, 1857, page 20, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_12091857/page/20/