The Hotel St. Francis Cook Book.

by Victor Hirtzler.

PREFACE

In this, my book, I have endeavored to give expression to the art of cookery as developed in recent years in keeping with the importance of the catering business, in particular the hotel business, which, in America, now leads the world.

I have been fortunate in studying under the great masters of the art in Europe and America; and since my graduation as Chef I have made several journeys of observation to New York, and to England, France and Switzerland to learn the new in cooking and catering.

I have named my book The Hotel St. Francis Cook Book in compliment to the house which has given me in so generous measure the opportunity to produce and reproduce, always with the object of reflecting a cuisine that is the best possible.

VICTOR HIRTZLER.

JANUARY 1

BREAKFAST Sliced oranges Farina with cream Calf's liver and bacon Lyonnaise potatoes Rolls Coffee

LUNCHEON Eggs Oriental Tripe and potatoes, family style Cold ham and tongue Celery root, field and beet salad Port de Salut cheese Crackers Coffee

DINNER Consomme d'Orleans Boiled whitefish, Netherland sauce Squab pot pie, a l'Anglaise Lettuce and tomatoes, mayonnaise Savarin Montmorency Demi ta.s.se

=Eggs Oriental.= Put on a plate one slice of tomato fried in b.u.t.ter, on top of the tomato place six slices of cuc.u.mber simmered in b.u.t.ter and well seasoned, on top of that one poached egg, and cover with sauce Hollandaise.

=Tripe and potatoes, family style.= Slice the white ends of six leeks very fine, put in sauce pan with four ounces of b.u.t.ter and simmer for five minutes. Then add a scant spoonful of flour and simmer again. Then add one pound of tripe cut in pieces one inch square, one pint of bouillon, two raw potatoes sliced fine, some chopped parsley, salt and pepper, and one-half gla.s.s of white wine. Cover and cook for an hour, or until all is soft.

=Boiled whitefish, Netherland style.= Boil, and serve on napkin with small boiled potatoes, lemon and parsley. Serve melted b.u.t.ter separate.

=Squab pot pie, a l'Anglaise.= Roast the squabs and cut in two. Fry a thin slice of fillet of beef on both sides, over a quick fire, in melted b.u.t.ter. Put both in a pie dish with a chopped shallot that was merely heated with the fillet, six heads of canned or fresh mushrooms, one-half of a hard-boiled egg, a little chopped parsley, and some flour gravy made from the roasted squab juice, and well seasoned with a little Worcestershire sauce. Cover with pie dough and bake for twenty minutes.

This is for an individual pie; make in the same proportions for a large pie.

=Lemon water ice.= One quart of water, one pound of sugar, and four lemons. Dissolve the sugar in the water, add the rinds of two lemons and the juice of four lemons. Strain and freeze.

=Orange water ice.= One quart of water, one pound of sugar, three oranges and one lemon. Melt the sugar in the water, add the juice of the oranges and the lemon, and one drop of coloring. Strain and freeze.

=Strawberry water ice.= One-half pound of sugar, one pint of water, one pint of strawberry pulp, the juice of one lemon, and coloring. Strain and freeze.

=Raspberry water ice.= Same directions as for strawberry water ice. Use raspberry pulp instead.

=Cantaloupe water ice.= Add to one quart of cantaloupe pulp the juice of three lemons and a half pound of sugar. Pa.s.s through a fine sieve and freeze.

JANUARY 2

BREAKFAST Grape nuts with cream Kippered herring Rolls Coffee

LUNCHEON Omelet with oysters Perch saute, meuniere Browned hashed potatoes Lobster salad with anchovies Floating island Napoleon cake Coffee

DINNER Little Neck clams Codfish chowder Planked shad and roe Artichokes au gratin Hearts of romaine, Roquefort dressing Peach Melba Caroline cakes Coffee

=Omelet with oysters.= Parboil six oysters, add one spoonful of cream sauce and season well. Make the omelet, and before turning over on platter place the oysters in the center. Serve with light cream around the omelet.

=Perch saute, meuniere.= Season the fish well with salt and pepper, roll in flour, put in frying pan and cook with b.u.t.ter. When done, put fish on platter, and put a fresh piece of b.u.t.ter in pan, over fire, and allow to become hazelnut color. Pour the b.u.t.ter and the juice of a lemon over the fish, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and garnish with quartered lemons and parsley in branches.

=Browned hashed potatoes.= Hash three cold boiled potatoes. Melt three ounces of b.u.t.ter in a frying pan, add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and fry evenly. When nearly done form in the pan in the shape of a rolled omelet and fry again until well browned on the top. Turn over on platter in the same manner as an omelet, and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

=Lobster salad.= Take the tails of two boiled lobsters, season with salt and pepper and a teaspoonful of vinegar, and let stand for a half hour, then add one cup of mayonnaise sauce. Put some sliced lettuce in the bottom of a salad bowl, the lobster salad on top, a few nice lettuce leaves around the sides, cover the salad again with mayonnaise, and decorate with hard-boiled eggs, beets and olives.

=Lobster salad with anchovies.= Same as above. Decorate with fillets of anchovies.

=Floating island.= Beat the whites of six eggs very stiff, add six ounces of powdered sugar and the inside of a vanilla bean. Mix well.

Boil one quart of milk, one-quarter pound of sugar, and the remainder of the vanilla bean, in a wide vessel. Dip a tablespoon in hot water and form the beaten eggs, or meringue, into the shape and size of an egg, and drop into the boiling milk. Dip the spoon in hot water each time so the meringue will not stick. Take off the fire and let stand for a few minutes, turning the floating eggs several times. Then take out of the milk and dress on napkin to cool. Boil the milk again and bind with the yolks of two eggs, strain and cool. Put the sauce in a bowl, or deep dish, and float the "islands" on top. Serve very cold.

JANUARY 3

BREAKFAST Orange Juice Waffles and honey Chocolate and whipped cream

LUNCHEON Chicken salad, Victor Rolls Coffee

DINNER Potage Normande Fillet of turbot, Daumont Sirloin of beef, Clermont Endives salad Rolled oats pudding Coffee

=Chicken salad, Victor.= Cut the breast of a boiled soup hen or boiled chicken in half-inch squares, add one-half cup of string beans cut in pieces one inch long, a cup of boiled rice, one peeled tomato cut in small squares and one sliced truffle. Season with salt, fresh-ground black pepper, a little chives, chervil, parsley, one spoonful of tarragon vinegar and two spoonsful of best olive oil. Mix well and serve on lettuce leaves.

=Potage Normande.= Veloute with Julienne of carrots and turnips.

=Fillet of turbot, Daumont.= Put the fillet in a b.u.t.tered pan, season with salt and pepper, and add one gla.s.s of white wine. Boil six fresh mushrooms in a little water and strain the juice over the fish, or use the juice of canned mushrooms. Cook the fish, remove to platter, and reduce the sauce to glace, then add one pint of sauce au vin blanc (white wine sauce), strain, and before pouring over the fish add two ounces of sweet b.u.t.ter and the juice of one lemon.

=Sirloin of beef, Clermont.= Roast sirloin of beef, sauce Madere, garnished with tomatoes stuffed with whole chestnuts, and Bermuda onions stuffed with cabbage.

=Boiled chestnuts.= Cut the chestnut sh.e.l.ls with a sharp knife and put on pan in oven for ten minutes. Then peel, put in vessel with a small piece of celery, salt, and cover with water. Boil slowly so they will remain whole when done. Use for garnishing, stuffing, etc.

=Tomatoes stuffed with chestnuts.= Peel four nice fresh tomatoes, cut off the tops, scoop out the insides, and fill with boiled chestnuts. Put a small piece of b.u.t.ter on top, and put in oven for five minutes. Serve as a garnish, or as an entree with Madeira sauce.

=Boiled cabbage.= Cut a head of cabbage in four, trim and wash well.

Have a kettle with salt water boiling. Put the cabbage in the kettle and cook until nearly soft, then drain off nine-tenths of the water, add a small piece of ham, or ham bone, and simmer till soft. Remove the ham or bone and prepare the cabbage with cream, or any other style. For stuffing onions, cut the cabbage up, add a little b.u.t.ter, and season with salt and pepper.

=Stuffed onions with cabbage.= Peel four large Bermuda or Spanish onions. Boil them in salt water until nearly done, then remove from the fire and allow to cool. Take out the inside and fill with cabbage prepared as above. Put the stuffed onions on a b.u.t.tered dish with a piece of b.u.t.ter on top, and bake in oven.

JANUARY 4

BREAKFAST Hothouse raspberries with cream Baked beans, Boston style Brown bread Coffee

LUNCHEON Canape of fresh caviar Consomme Julienne Boiled Salmon, sauce Princess Corned beef hash with poached eggs Escarole salad French pastry Coffee