But it was not only in Paris that Ritzs influence was to be felt. London as well as other European capitals were to witness the genius of this Napoleon amongst hôteliers. The Savoy opened with the world's greatest chef and the greatest hótelier in collaboration, and though the proprietors of other concerns looked askance, prophesying that the unheard of luxury now provided could not last, the "persuasive Swiss with the Midas touch" brought about a complete revolution in the hotel business in London. The Savoy became the rage, the scene of the st wonderful parties, some costing as much as £20 a head, and of these Ritz with his enthusiasm and ingenuity was generally in charge.
Tt was here that he had the assistance of Escoffier, during a time when he created many of his most famous dishes such as filets de sole Coquelin, bemard aux Feux Eternels, volaille la Derby, peches Melba, and cuisses de mymphes à l'Aurore, The stories concerning the last two are not without Interest and happily give a general taste of the book itself:
Melba fresh from American an tour. was planning a little dinner part' which "would include many of her ce-stars at Covent Garden. She and E: coffüer perfectly agreed upon all the items of the menu save one. Melba wished to have" pêches flambées, thinking the meal needed hot and piquant ending. Escofüe insisted that an ice would be much better. They compromised. The result was one of Escoffers happiest invention.
As no the cuisses de nymphes VAurore. The Prince of Wales, later Edward VIl, liked to entrust the making of a menu entirely to Ritz, Mabitually Ritz was conservative and discreet, rarely permitting himself to order anything but slight variations On dishes which he knew were solid favourites of the Prince. But on one occasion he decided to be daring, and Nymphes à VAurore appeared at tne top of the menu—the first time it had ever appeared on any menu. The Prince and his guests ate t with delight. "'Nymphs at Dawn!' Lovely name and lovely dish. But what is it?" they fished, "Is it a small bird, what?"
Ritz confessed to me that he trembled when he disclosed the secret. The Prince and his friends had eaten nothing more nor less than frogs' legs! It is one of Escofer's most original dishes—the frogs lo being served cold in a jelly of cream and Moselle wine, coloured and Slightly flavoured with paprika.
The book is replete with stories of the great and the fashionable, and serves to give a very adequate idea of how the world enjoyed itself in those days. It has been written with all the signs of 'a' widow's loving care, and the sympathetic manner in which she has handled the story adds greatly to the charm of the book.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.