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

Crockford nor the captain could assist me, when an idea struck me:--“If you can’t give me an idea,” said I to my friends, “at any rate lend me a dish.” “That I will,” said the captain. “Recollect, I want a large one.” “You had the largest for your salad yesterday.” “That one will do; it will hold enough for twenty-five persons. “Then here goes,” said I, writing. “To-day I shall dress in it the _Macédoine Lüdersienne à l’Alexandre II._” “A very good name in honour of the event,” said Mr. Crockford. “But pray, of what is it to be composed?” “Oh! for that,” said I, “if I were to implore the Genius of Gastronomy, from Lucullus to Apicius and Vitellius, or Vatel to Ude and Carême, I could get nothing from them but inspiration; while what I require is something substantial, and not artificial. It strikes me that a word from you to your head man at Kadikoi (as you will not be there to-morrow) would do more for me in a few minutes than the whole of those defunct celebrities, whom I am not now inclined to trouble upon so material a subject. Pray give me _carte blanche_ to get anything you may have and I require for the composition of this modern Babylon, which must be constructed upon a base sufficiently strong to resist the joint attack of the heads of three of the most powerful armies in the world, and only be destroyed after having conquered the conqueror’s _place d’armes_, the stomach, so called in military parlance.” The order was readily given by my friend Mr. Crockford, and we then lay down to sleep, being both completely exhausted with the fatigues of what was called a day of pleasure. We had hardly closed our eyelids, when morning caused them to be reopened; so up we got. My friend started for Constantinople, and I for head-quarters. On my way I called upon Major Ross, who kindly lent me a pony, and told me of the message left with him. I started immediately--bought a few things in Balaklava market--called