“The Irishman loves Usquebaugh, the Scot loves ale call’d Blue-cap,
The Welchman he loves toasted cheese, and makes his mouth like a mouse-trap.”
Our Italian neighbours regale themselves with macaroni and parmesan, and eat some things which we call carrion.—Vide Ray’s Travels, p. 362 and 406.
While the Englishman boasts of his roast beef, plum pudding, and porter,
The Frenchman feeds on his favourite frog and soupe-maigre,
The Tartar feasts on horse-flesh,
The Chinaman on dogs,
The Greenlander preys on garbage and train oil; and each “blesses his stars, and thinks it luxury.” What at one time or place is considered as beautiful, fragrant, and savoury, at another is regarded as deformed and disgustful.[51-*]
“Ask a toad what is beauty, the supremely beautiful, the ΤΟ ΚΑΛΟΝ! He will tell you it is my wife,—with two large eyes projecting out of her little head, a broad and flat neck, yellow belly, and dark brown back. With a Guinea negro, it is a greasy black skin, hollow eyes, and a flat nose. Put the question to the devil, and he will tell you that BEAUTY is a pair of horns, four claws, and a tail.”—Voltaire’s Philos. Dict. 8vo. p. 32.
“Asafœtida was called by the ancients ‘FOOD FOR THE GODS.’ The Persians, Indians, and other Eastern people, now eat it in sauces, and call it by that name: the Germans call it devil’s dung.”—Vide Pomet on Drugs.
Garlic and clove, or allspice, combined in certain proportions, produce a flavour very similar to asafœtida.