I must now enter into a very important question, which is that of eating and drinking. Mr Cooper, in his remarks upon his own countrymen, says, very ill-naturedly--"The Americans are the grossest feeders of any civilised nation known. As a nation, their food is heavy, coarse, and indigestible, while it is taken in the least artificial forms that cookery will allow. The predominance of grease in the American kitchen, coupled with the habits of hearty eating, and of constant expectoration, are the causes of the diseases of the stomach which are so common in America."
This is not correct. The cookery in the United States is exactly what it is and must be every where else--in a ratio with the degree of refinement of the population. In the principal cities, you will meet with as good cookery in private houses as you will in London, or even Paris; indeed, considering the great difficulty which the Americans have to contend with, from the almost impossibility of obtaining good servants, I have often been surprised that it is so good as it is. At Delmonico's, and the Globe Hotel at New York, where you dine from the Carte, you have excellent French cookery; so you have at Astor House, particularly at private parties; and, generally speaking, the cooking at all the large hotels may be said to be good; indeed, when it is considered that the American table-d'hote has to provide for so many people, it is quite surprising how well it is done. The daily dinner, at these large hotels, is infinitely superior to any I have ever sat down to at the _public_ entertainments given at the Free-Masons' Tavern, and others in London, and the company is usually more numerous. The bill of fare of the table-d'hote of the Astor House is _printed every day_. I have one with me which I shall here insert, to prove that the eating is not so bad in America as described by Mr Cooper.
+=======================================+ ÝAstor House, Wednesday, March 21, 1838.Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝTable-d'Hote Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝVermicelli Soup Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝBoiled Cod Fish and Oysters Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝDo. Corn'd Beef Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝDo. Ham Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝDo. Tongue Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝDo. Turkey and Oysters Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝDo. Chickens and Pork Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝDo. Leg of Mutton Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝOyster Pie Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝCuisse de Poulet Sauce Tomate Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝPoitrine de Veau au Blanc Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝBallon de Mouton au Tomate Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝTete de Veau en Marinade Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝSalade de Volaille Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝCasserolle de Pomme de Terre garnie Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝCompote de Pigeon Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝRolleau de Veau a la Jardiniere Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝCotelettes de Veau Saute Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝFilet de Mouton Pique aux Ognons Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝRonde de Boeuf Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝFricandeau de Veau aux Epinards Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝCotelettes de Mouton Panee Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝMacaroni au Parmesan Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝRoast Beef Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝDo. Pig Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝDo. Veal Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝDo. Leg of Mutton Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝRoast Goose Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝDo. Turkey Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝRoast Chickens Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝDo. Wild Ducks Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝDo. Wild Goose Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝDo. Guinea Fowl Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝRoast Brandt Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝQueen Pudding Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝMince Pie Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝCream Puffs Ý +---------------------------------------+ ÝDessert. Ý +=======================================+