ood materials, we repeat, were never as cheap and as abundant as they
are today. But who can say that they always will be so in the future?

SCIENCE CONFIRMING ANCIENT METHODS

We must not overlook the remarkable intuition displayed by the
ancients in giving preference to foods with body- and blood-building
properties. For instance, the use of liver, particularly fish liver
already referred to. The correctness of their choice is now being
confirmed by scientific re-discoveries. The young science of nutrition
is important enough to an individual who would stimulate or preserve
his health. But since constitutions are different, the most carefully
conceived dietary may apply to one particular individual only,
provided, however, that our present knowledge of nutrition be correct
and final. This knowledge, as a matter of fact, is being revised and
changed constantly.

If dietetics, therefore, were important enough to have any bearing at
all upon the well-defined methods of cookery, we might go into detail
analyzing ancient methods from that point of view. To call attention
to the "economy," the stewardship, or craftsmanship, in ancient
methods and to the truly remarkable intuition that guided the ancient
cooks is more important. Without these qualities there can be no
higher gastronomy. Without high gastronomy no high civilization is
possible. The honest and experienced nutrition expert, though perhaps
personally opposed to elaborate dining, will discover through close
study of the ancient precepts interesting pre-scientific and
well-balanced combinations and methods designed to jealously guard the
vitamins and dietetic values in dishes that may appear curiously "new"
to the layman that would nevertheless receive the unqualified approval
of modern science.

We respect the efforts of modern dietitians and food reformers; but we
are far removed from the so-called "simple" and "plain" foods
advocated by some well-meaning individuals. With the progress of
civilization we are farther and farther drifting away from it. Even
barbaric and beastly food is not "simple."

This furtive "intuition" in cookery (in the absence of scientific
facts because of the inability of cooks to transform empirical
traditions into practical rules emanating from understood principles)
still prevails today. It guides great chefs, saves time spent in
scientific study.

The much criticized "unnatural union of sugar and meats" of the
ancients stil