Radio Digest (June 1932-Mar 1933)

33 BRILLAT-SAVARIN, that great French chef and writer of cooking books, once said that "an animal swallows its food, a man eats it, but only a man of intellect knows how to dine", and that no man under the age of forty can be dignified with the title of gourmet. He also said that no true gourmet could be late for dinner. That's one thing a gourmet and a hungry man have in common. * * * I remember once when Berry Wall, Dean of the American Epicureans, invited me to dine with him in Paris. I took Brillat-Savarin's advice and arrived on time at Mr. Wall's chateau. Wall is an interesting man. He is just slipping onto the wrong side of seventy but does not look a meal older than fifty, and is just as good a dancing man as ever; his waist is slim, his legs are slender and his instep still shows an arch. That is pretty good for a man of seventy. Being naturally curious as to why's and wherefor's, I asked him how he did it. "Good plain food, my boy," said Berry, "and good plain cooking. Every meal should be simple. Start with a consomme with a good body. A plain roast with one fresh vegetable, a salad, and wind up with tea or coffee." When he told me that I laughed to myself, for I happened to know that Berry has swallowed enough fancy food in his life to give the gout to the standing armies of the world. However, don't get me wrong, member Berry Wall in the old Rector's, he was an extremely intelligent eater. He never gorged himself at the table, nor did he ever sit down to a twelve-course banquet. He was the most finicky eater I ever saw and always insisted on mixing his own salads. * * * WELL, speaking of Berry Wall and Brillat-Savarin puts me on the track of the many restaurants to be found in Pans. A great many new dining places have sprung up since I worked in the kitchens of the Cafe de Paris, more than twenty-five years ago. I guess there must be 100,000 restaurants in Paris. Everybody has his favorite dining place, and I have mine. I won't mention which it is, for if I told you, you would tell somebody else and my little E As I re ATATORIALS BY Creorge Ivector pet canary would becorrfe a round robin. If you find a good place to eat, keep it quiet, for though publicity is great for a motion-picture house it spoils a good restaurant, especially a good European restaurant, for over there the proprietor is usually the chef, with the pride of achievement in each bowl of soup served ; however, once mass production comes in the restaurant door, individual, loving care goes out the kitchen window. * * * Just in passing, here is some good advice to the tourist going to Paris for a "rest". 1-eave your tuxedo or your evening gown at home. You will then be unable to dine at the high class places. They are too formal and you will have a better time in mufti, and also a cheaper one. I do not have to tell you that it is a lot of fun scouting around to find yourself an obscure dining place on a quaint side street. Of course, there is always a thrill in the big names — Ciro's, the Pre-Catelan, the Chateau de Madrid — all of them are at the height of their popularity just now. As I think over the famous cafes in Paris, I think of many which used to be but are no more — the Cafe Anglais, which stood on the Boulevard des Italiens, and was the Paris office of King Edward, when he was Prince of Wales — Maison Doree, which has fallen before the march of commerce — Bignon's establishment — Tortoni's and the King George — all are buried in that past which we all look back on with fondness. * * * One restaurant which has survived through the years is the Cafe de Paris, where I was scullion in the Garde Manger, or cold-meat room, more than twenty-five years ago. Mourier, who made it famous, married a daughter of the illustrious Foyot, feeder of diplomats and statesmen. The minute Mourier took over the cafe it became renowned all over Europe for its fine food. He catered to the French people exclusively, but the cuisine became so well known and advertised that the Americans, English, Russians and South Americans rushed in to share the good things. The Cafe de Paris is not far from the opera house, on the Avenue de l'Opera, and graduates of that kitchen are directing famous restaurants all over the world. Probably the favorite dish with the early American explorers of Paris and the Cafe de Paris was Lobster Thermidor. Some of the specialties of the French cuisine which are always interesting are, as I said, Lobster Thermidor, the specialty of the Cafe de Paris; Poularde a l'Archiduc, which is chicken saute, — Volaileesous la Cendre, a specialty of Ciro's and a sort of chicken pot-pie. And, of course, we can't overlook Crepes Suzettes. • * * * But then, Berry Wall was right when (Continued on page 48)