Soyer's Culinary Campaign: Being Historical Reminiscences of the Late War.: With The Plain Art of Cookery for Military and Civil Institutions

I have frequently heard Beyram Pacha speak of you; only yesterday he mentioned your name. He is acquainted with you?” “Yes, your excellency; I had the honour of sailing from Marseilles to Constantinople in company with the general.” “He told me you were about to open a large hotel at Eupatoria.” “No, no, your excellency; Monsieur Soyer is come to show our soldiers how to make the best of their rations, which I consider very kind of him; and no doubt they will improve under his tuition. They will not change their old style of cooking for anyone else. Myself, several colonels, and even generals, have taken a deal of interest and trouble in trying to teach them a better way of cooking. They adopt our plan while we are present, but when once our backs are turned, they go on in their old way.” “Very true, very true,” said Omer Pacha. “It is just the same with my men. Show them anything better than their pilaff, they will not adopt it for the world.” “You have done wonders, Monsieur Soyer, in the hospitals at Scutari, as I perceive from the report and the letter addressed to me by Lord William Paulet.” “I am very happy to have succeeded so well; and hope the system will in time be followed out by every hospital, as it is less trouble than the old one, not more expensive, and has been highly approved by all the medical authorities.” “Oh,” said Lord Raglan, “if it has been approved of by the faculty, there is no doubt of its being adopted at home.” “I have great numbers of testimonials from the heads of the medical departments.” By this time we had arrived near Kadikoi, which then consisted of only a few wooden huts. The rain never ceased, and we went at a foot-pace all the way, which gave us an opportunity of conversing. I had the honour of riding on Lord Raglan’s right side, and Omer Pacha was on his left. No sooner did we come within view of the plain of Balaklava, than