class="c5" align="center">Duck with Currant Compote

In Germany the rich and poor alike have the same taste for strange and extraordinary dishes, though these are prepared in a more costly manner in the houses of the wealthy. The German "geschmack," to borrow their own word, seems different from that of other nations. A waiter who had the selection of a menu for the principal officers' mess in Berlin, when questioned stated that all the sweets were regularly struck out by the officer who revised the bill of fare with the remark, "Give us only sour." That the Germans, however, lay great stress on the culinary art is best proved by the fact that in the German domestic exhibition, recently held in Berlin, the recipes were sold at the rate of 12½ cents apiece and freely bought at that price.

The Germans have a greater variety of soups, including chowders, broths and bouillons, than any other nation of Europe. Most peculiar are their beer soups. One of the most popular of these is beer and raisin soup, which, in the form of chowders, broths, bouillons and soups, is served for breakfasts, dinners, and suppers. It is made as follows:

Boil a sufficient quantity of raisins in water with a slice of bread in it until the raisins are soft. Then pour in beer till the mixture tastes quite strong. Sweeten with sugar and when it boils add from a half to a whole teaspoonful of flour thickening. Stir the liquid and add whisked eggs or cream.

It might seem the height of human imagination to combine beer and raisins in a soup or bouillon, but the Germans proceed a step further and make a favorite soup, broth or bouillon out of beer and milk, which are mixed together in the proportion of two pints of milk to one pint of beer and prepared with the addition of currants, flour and salt. Fruit soups, broths and bouillons of all kinds play an important part at German luncheons, dinners and suppers, and really some of them are delicious. Perhaps the best is a strawberry decoction which is made as follows:

Boil some biscuit powder in water. Add wine, sugar and cinnamon according to taste. In case the mixture is not thick enough stir in a little corn flour. When this has boiled take it off the fire and put in some cupfuls of ripe strawberries which must have lain an hour with sugar over them. Serve as soup, broth or bouillon.

Fish soups are also very usual, the chief fish employed for the purpose being the carp and the pike. Indeed the Germans seem able to make soup out of anything and, not only to make it, but enjoy it.

Vegetables at German dinners, luncheons or suppers are always served in a special course by themselves, being served cold at suppers. They are dressed with oil, butter, or drippings, never boiled in water as we cook them. These fats are placed in a saucepan and allowed to boil before the vegetables are put in. Suet may be used instead of the above. Of course, this method of dressing does not always apply to potatoes—which are boiled in the American manner, though served in a countless variety of ways. They are served with melted butter and parsley sauce as a dish by themselves. They are served with sour milk sauce. Other preparations of potatoes are too numerous to mention, but we may briefly enumerate sour potatoes with bay leaves (the latter being boiled with them), potato fritters, potatoes and apples, potatoes and pears, potatoes and damsons, potatoes and vermicelli, etc. Some of these mixtures we attest, from personal experience after tasting them, are not so unsavory as at first sight might appear. The potato is a vegetable of undecided flavor and lends itself to combinations with sweet fruits in an extraordinary manner. Indeed by the addition of sugar in some of the German dishes it would pass for a fruit itself.

Sour roast meat is a favorite with Germans. The extraordinary taste which finds pleasure in eating this sour meat is little less remarkable than the strange way in which the viand is prepared. Whey is first taken and curdled with vinegar, and the meat is laid in this, the whey and vinegar being changed every two days. This preliminary pickling goes on for more than a week until the meat is thoroughly sour and sodden. If not sour to the last degree the cook has orders to baste it with vinegar while roasting, so as to secure the extreme point of acidity. Before it is put to the fire the cooks often slash it, and rub it with cayenne pepper, onions, turnips and the crust of black bread so as to give it some recondite flavor, with the merit of which we are unacquainted. When finally cooked, it is eaten by Germans with as much relish as a fine sirloin is by Americans. This meat is very popular when served cold at suppers.

At German suppers along with the meat is eaten the "compote." This is a species of preserved or stewed fruit, which is served on little glass plates, and lies at the side of the supper plate. It is not an uncommon sight to see a German at supper or dinner putting methodically a piece of meat in his mouth and next instant a spoonful of cranberries or stewed apricots, and repeating the process indefinitely as long as the meal lasts. The little glass plate on which the "compote" lies is lifted to the mouth along with the spoon, replaced on the table, and then the German attacks his meat for another mouthful only.

A Dutch Supper.

Some cold night try an American version of a Dutch supper. Have the place cards in the form of Hans Brinker with the silver skates, or sketches of Henriette Ronner's famous cats. A windmill for a centerpiece and copies of the wooden shoes for bonbons and nuts.

Use Delft china and of course the coffee must be from Mandheling or Padang—the best Java. From a German bake shop get the bread, either "Kummel," (which is rye with caraway seeds), or Pumpernickel. Be sure and have herring and anchovies in some form—anchovy toast is nice. The simplest way to prepare this is to toast white bread cut in strips, then spread each with butter and essence of anchovy. Fry some fine oysters. Prepare plenty of cabbage salad or cold slaw, with boiled dressing. From a delicatessen store procure dill pickles and a nice Edam cheese.

After these, serve rich compotes of fruit—cherry and plum, with anise seed cookies and little nutmeg and cinnamon cakes, so that if, perchance, dreams follow, they will be of the tropic seas and the fragrant breezes of the Dutch spice islands.

Bohemian Supper for Men.

Here are two ideas for a Bohemian supper. Knowing that men prefer substantial dishes with generous helpings to a great number of fancy "messes" as they term it, we would therefore suggest a Beefsteak supper. First serve raw oysters. After the oysters have the steaks brought in on separate platters, placing platters before the second, fifth, eighth, eleventh, etc, guests. These men cut the steak for the men on their left and right. With the steaks serve French fried potatoes and the Vienna bread or rolls, the very hard crusty kind. For the second course serve