etensions; but M. Curmer's book professes to be a
complete exposition of the scientific principles of cookery, and
holds a high rank in the didactic literature of France. We half
suspect that M. Curmer obtained his knowledge of English beef in
the same way as did the poor Frenchman, whom the late Mr.
Mathews, the comedian, so humorously described. Mr. Lewis, in
his "Physiology of Common Life," has thus revived the story of
the beef-eating son of France:--"A Frenchman was one day blandly
remonstrating against the supercilious scorn expressed by
Englishmen for the beef of France, which he, for his part, did
not find so inferior to that of England. 'I have been two times
in England,' he remarked, but I nevere find the bif so superieur
to ours. I find it vary conveenient that they bring it you on
leetle pieces of stick, for one penny: but I do not find the bif
superieur.' On hearing this, the Englishman, red with
astonishment, exclaimed, 'Good heavens, sir! you have been
eating cat's meat.'" No, M. Curmer, we are ready to acknowledge
the superiority of your cookery, but we have long since made up
our minds as to the inferiority of your raw material.

BEEF OLIVES.

I.

650. INGREDIENTS.--2 lbs. of rump-steak, 1 egg, 1 tablespoonful of
minced savoury herbs, pepper and salt to taste, 1 pint of stock, No.
105, 2 or 3 slices of bacon, 2 tablespoonfuls of any store sauce, a
slight thickening of butter and flour.

_Mode_.--Have the steaks cut rather thin, slightly beat them to make
them level, cut them into 6 or 7 pieces, brush over with egg, and
sprinkle with herbs, which should be very finely minced; season with
pepper and salt, and roll up the pieces tightly, and fasten with a small
skewer. Put the stock in a stewpan that will exactly hold them, for by
being pressed together, they will keep their shape better; lay in the
rolls of meat, cover them with the bacon, cut in thin slices, and over
that put a piece of paper. Stew them very _gently_ for full 2 hours; for
the slower they are done the better. Take them out, remove the skewers,
thicken the gravy with butter and flour, and flavour with any store
sauce that may be preferred. Give one boil, pour over the meat, and
serve.

_Time_.--2 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. per pound.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

II.

(_Economical_.)

651. INGREDIENTS.--The remains of un