Kettner's Book of the Table

Every food on the Victorian table gets its history, its etymology and a strong opinion — the wittiest cookery book of 1877, written in secret by a Times leader-writer and named for London's most fashionable restaurant.

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25 entries in this part of Kettner's Book of the Table.

Palates

Those of the ox are alone worthy of trouble. They are to be blanched for ten minutes, cooled, drained, carefully scraped, and divided in…

Palestine Soup

The name given to soup made from the Girasole, ignorantly called the Jerusalem artichoke. PANADA-for forcemeat. Soak in warm water the…

Pancakes

It is a curious unaccountable fact that if one asks for a pancake in Paris one has to wait nearly half an hour for it, and if one asks for…

Partridge

There is an old controversy about the partridge. There is a tract called The Debate between the Heralds of France and England, supposed to…

Pass

This is as great a word in cookery as it is in legerdemain. "Pass!" says the juggler, and the pigeon vanishes. A. French cook passes almost…

Pastry

It has been said that the greatest discovery of the modern kitchen is pastry, and it would be difficult to name any other article of food…

Paysanne

The Peasant's soup; but really a very good soup for peer as well as peasant. It is a clear broth with winter vegetables in it. See…

Peas

In the English way.-Put them into boiling water with some salt and a bunch of green mint, and let them boil briskly for twenty minutes…

Pepsin

It is no doubt all right and as it should be in Perch this best of all possible worlds. But when in that sublimated future which is to…

Perch

He who has once partaken of the zander or giant perch of the German waters and it is worth going all the way to Dresden to do so-will…

Pickles

We should be sorry for those who have to eat pickles. The craving for this condiment usually implies a sickly digestion and a jaded…

Pie

We have dealt with a considerable number of words belonging to the French table, the origin of which is frankly stated by the French…

Pike

The pike, jack or luce is a dry fish, which is not to be enjoyed unless prepared in grand style, with many rites and gorgeous ceremonies…

Pilchard

called also the gipsy herring, is a fine fat fish most abundant on the Devonshire and Cornwall coasts; but it is to be found all over the…

Pimento

Jamaica pepper, the dried berry of a West Indian tree-the Eugenia pimento. It also bears the honorary name of Allspice, as combining within…

Plaice

called on the Sussex coast diamond plaice, from the little orange lozenges on their backs, and for the same reason called in France…

Plovers

The best are the golden plovers. They used to be, and often still are, roasted without being drawn-as were also turtledoves and larks…

Plum Pudding

A pound and a half of combined flour and breadcrumbs; a pound and a half of chopped suet; a pound and a half of combined raisins (stoned)…

Potato

The place of the potato in the English dinner has been discussed when treating of bread, and the place it holds on the French dinner-table…

Poulette Sauce

in its best form, is no other than Allemande or Almayne sauce. Most commonly it is a mock Almayne made as follows. Stir on the fire for a…

Prawn

There is nothing that need be said about cooking prawns, or in praise of them. One word, however, about the origin of the name, which seems…

Pumpkins

Lady Llanover says: "Few vegetables are so little understood and consequently so much undervalued in Great Britain as pumpkins. Perhaps…

Punch

Dr. Kitchener was once a considerable authority on all questions of eating or drinking; and he spread abroad a statement which has…

Purées

A purée meant at first peppery-its original form being poivrée. The old meaning of the word being lost, it is now supposed to be something…

Pintail – Punctuality

to be treated as widgeon or wild duck. See Sharp.

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