GAME.

Roast Canvas-back Ducks.
Red-head Ducks.
Brant.

Wild Goose.
Wild Turkey.
Wild Rabbits.

KNICKERBOCKER DISHES.

Rolletjies.
Smoked Sausages.
Head Cheese.
Kookies.

Smoked Goose.
Spack and Applejes.
Krullers.
Doughnuts and Oly Kooks.

PASTRY.

Mince Pie.Charlotte Russe.Swiss Méringues.
Blanc Mange.Rum Jelly.Apple Pie.

Poor Man’s Pudding.

ORNAMENTAL CONFECTIONERY.

Visit of Santa Claus.
Stuyvesant and his Dwelling.
Washington Monument.

City Hall of New Amsterdam.
Knickerbocker Comfort.
Holland Pavilion.

CONFECTS.

Macaroons.
Almond Cakes.

Lady-fingers.
Kisses.

Vanilla Ice-cream.

PRESERVES.

Brandy Peaches. Ginger. Chow-Chow.

FRUIT.

Schnaps and Pipes.

St. Nicholas Punch.

Coffee.

Anchovy Toast.

CURIOUS MENUS
OF
VARIOUS NATIONS.

MENU

FROM
Central Africa.

Through the courtesy of a gentleman who has for many years lived in Central Africa, and who has brought with him a young prince, son of one of the powerful chiefs of the Baaili tribe, to be educated in this country, the author is enabled to illustrate the habits and customs now in vogue in the Royal Kitchen there.

As a rule, there is only one principal meal, which is eaten in the early part of the evening. It mostly consists of parrot-soup, roasted or stewed monkeys, alligator eggs (also well liked by Europeans), and birds of every description. They also have moambo or palm-chops, and fish. A great delicacy, so considered by Europeans and natives alike, is elephant’s feet and trunk. They have somewhat the taste of veal, and have a very delicious flavor. To prepare them they dig a hole, about five feet deep, in the sand, and build in it a large fire. After the sand is thoroughly heated, the fire is removed, leaving only the ashes in the hole. They place the trunk and feet in this hole, covering them with leaves, and afterward with hot sand; they remain there about two hours, when they are considered done.

All carcasses of animals which are to be cooked, are placed on a block of wood, and pounded until every bone is broken, care being taken not to tear or bruise the skin. They are then boiled or roasted on an open wood-fire, in hot sand or ashes, without removing the hide or feathers.

The cooking is of a very inferior grade; the only spices used being salt and pepper.

The kitchen utensils consist of common earthen or wooden ware.

Very little time is taken for setting or decorating the table; knives, forks, napkins, &c., &c., are dispensed with.

All victuals are served in large wooden vessels. After the members of the chief’s household and his guests have assembled, each person is supplied with a wooden spoon, and selects whatever he wishes out of the different vessels, using his hands in eating it.

In the line of vegetables, they have also several dishes well liked by Europeans. N’gutti-N’sengo is a dish eaten all over Africa. It consists of egg-plant, small fish, somewhat like our sardines (N’sengo), and the roots of the cassava or manioca plant (called N’gutti), which have a knotty appearance, and often weigh as much as twenty pounds.

As the latter contains poison, they soak the manioca in water for three to four days, to extract the poisonous substance. They are cut and sliced, adding small tomatoes. All is placed in a vessel with water, and seasoned with salt and pepper, and boiled. Moambo, or, as the Europeans call it, palm-chops, is also a favorite dish. The palm-nuts are first boiled in water, until the pulpy substance loosens from the pit.

Then the shell, which contains a very delicious oil, is placed in a wooden mortar and crushed to obtain the oil. Then whatever the meal consists of, meat, fish, mussels, &c., all is put in a vessel, adding the oil and the pulpy part of the palm-nut, also red pepper and salt, and is boiled.

Roast or boiled squash (Loenge) is generally eaten with it.

Sweet potatoes (M’balla Benga) are more farinaceous, and sweeter than ours, but do not taste so good. They are boiled or roasted in the same way as we do here.

Bananas (Bitaebe) weigh about a half pound each, and are about fifteen inches long. When half ripe they are cut in slices, adding much salt and pepper, and are boiled in water.

N’sensi is a little red bean, which is boiled in water without adding salt or pepper.

Peanut bread (Chisulu): the peanuts are first roasted, then crushed. This mass is then rolled and put into the skin of a banana, adding a little pressure, forming it into a body. It readily retains this shape from the presence of the oily substance in the peanut.

Hongkong Menu.
China.

As to the Chinese, at their formal dinners or feasts no menus are used. The bill of fare consists of an interminable list of dishes, and which has been arranged by the author in the form of a menu card. The tables are laden with such dishes as shark-fins, bêche-de-mer fish, fish-soup, chicken-soup, duck-soup, rice, rice, rice, and tea, tea, tea, and tea; not forgetting the edible birds’ nests, candies, and cakes. One’s appetite is almost taken away on entering a Chinese house at which a banquet is to be given—the effect of burning incense and other vile herbs. The Chinese can be extremely polite. Champagne is a favorite drink among Chinese officials at the Treaty Ports, and is always brought out when they have a foreign guest.

Yokohama Menu.
Japan.

A most delicious sauce, called “Shoyu,” which is the basis of Worcestershire sauce, is also used to give spice to the food. Throughout the repast the guests are served from time to time with “Saki,” a pale liquor made from rice, and which tastes very much like sherry. It is served hot, and is a most insinuating tipple. In a large party you are expected to exchange cups and drink with every one present. The result is that, in nine cases out of ten, you leave the house just a “wee bit fu’,” as they say in Scotland. Like the Chinese, no knives, forks, or napkins are used—“chop sticks” only. To smack your lips or belch during the feast is, strange to say of such a supremely polite people, not considered bad form.