[Note. The tradespeople received their orders a week previous to the dinner. The finest mullets I ever saw, as well as the Severn salmon, were obtained at Grove’s, in Bond Street; the remainder of the fish was from Jay’s, Hungerford Market. At seven o’clock the live Severn salmon was brought to me, it having just arrived direct from Gloucester, and was boiled immediately, being just ten minutes before the dinner was placed upon the table, and was eaten in its greatest possible perfection. The finest of the poultry came from Bailey’s, Davis Street, Grosvenor Square, and Townsend’s, Charles Street, Haymarket. The foies gras and some very fine fresh French truffles came from Morel’s; the hors-d’-œuvres, from Edges and Butler’s, Regent Street. The saddleback of lamb came from Newland’s, Air Street, Piccadilly, the Welsh mutton from Skier’s, and the young green peas and a very expensive dessert came from Solomon’s, Covent Garden. My being so minute in mentioning the name of the above tradespeople is not to advertise their fame in their different specialities, as that I believe they have already acquired, but merely to prove the trouble a real gourmet will take to furnish his table, Mr. S. having called many times upon several of them himself, previous to this party taking place, to ascertain what his dinner was to be composed of. The most expensive dishes were the mullets, the salmon, poulardes à la Nelson, and, above all, the crawfish which, when dressed, cost upwards of seven guineas.]
DIALOGUE CULINAIRE
Entre Lord M. H. et A. Soyer.
S. Vous avez parfaitement raison, Mylord; le titre de gourmet n’appartient qu’à celui qui mange avec art, avec science, avec ordre, et même avec beaucoup d’ordre.