A CHINESE BANQUET.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1879, 11 January 1875, Page 3

A CHINESE BANQUET.

A German paper publishes a curious account of Merr yon Fries an Austrian employed in the Chinese Custom service, of an official Chinese banquet at which he was present. The guests, he says, /haying assembled in tb'e outer oourtyard of the house, the doors where thrown open by two coolies, who admitted them into a second courtyard. Here tCfcy-v.ere received with a flourish of trnmpets, some discordant Chinese music, and the firing of mortars. They then proceeded to the third courtyard, where the master of the * house received them and showed them, into the dining room which ig only divided irom the courtyard l>y a glass partion. In the middle of the room was a large round table, and against the walls were chairs -\vitl4 a small table before each jo put tpa cups on, tea being served im-, mediately before dinner. The walls were

covered with Chinese pictures, and, numberless lamps and Jauterus hung down from the ceiling. After a short conversation in the Chinese language, ihe table was laid in the presence of ihe guests. When all was read}',-the host asked each ■gtieslf to come into the table, pointing out hill seat, and handing him with many compliments a set of red lacquered chop'stick*. When this, ceremony^ was completed, the company sat down to dinner. !Kice wine was first brought up, to^Ojau^ith hams, eggs, and various cold vegetables. The next course consisted of bird's nest soup, and thirty four dishes followed, among which were sharks fins, a soup made of diminutive snails of the size of small beans, which come from Lafc c Tahiti a ragout of ducks' tongues, fishes' brains with brown sauce (a most disgusting dish to a European palate), and piddings baked in oil. Roast pork and ducks were also served, these were eatable, and the fish were particularly well cooked, but Herr yon lories- came to the conclusions that the simplest European dish is far preferable to the most elaborate delicacy of the Chinese cuisine, End he says that after dinner he felt as if he had eaten bj-Jsi gutta percha. The best part of the entertainment was a dish of excellent fruit. Champagne was served towards the end of the dinner; this is the only wine drunk by the Chinese, and only the wealthy can afford to buy it, as a case costs from ten to fifteen ducats. Cigars were banded round after the soup, and it is the custom to go away directly after dinner. It is also remarkable that at a banquet of this kind the host only appears in official costume, the guests being all in mufti.