The Elegant Art of Dining: Bohemian San Francisco, Its ... - iMedia

the angel food to be fish and the “icing” was shredded and pressed lobster. The
“fruitcake” developed into pressed dark meat of chicken, with an icing of pressed
and glazed white meat of the same fowl.
Following this came the second service of tea, this time in cups of a rare yellow
color and beautiful design, with similar teapot.
The next course was a mixture of immature vegetables, served in a sort of saute.
These were sprouting beans, lentils, peas and a number of others with which we
were unfamiliar. The whole was delicately flavored with a peculiar sauce.
After a short wait, during which the saki bottles circulated freely, one of the
women came in bearing aloft a large silver tray on which reposed a mammoth
crayfish, or California lobster. This appeared to be covered with shredded
cocoanut, and when it was placed before the host for serving he was at loss, for
no previous experience told him what to do. It developed that the shredded
mass on top was the meat of the lobster which had been removed leaving the
shell-fish in perfect form. It was served cold, with a peculiar sauce.
Now followed the piece de resistance. A tub of water was brought in and in this
was swimming a live fish, apparently of the carp family. After being on view for
a few minutes it was removed and soon the handmaidens appeared with thinly
sliced raw fish, served with soy sauce. Ordinarily one can imagine nothing more
repulsive than a dish of raw fish, but we were tempted and did eat, and found it
most delicious, delicate, and with a flavor of raw oysters.
Next came the third service of tea, this time in a deep red ware. Then came a
dessert of unusual flavor and appearance, followed by preserved ginger and fruit.
It must be remembered that during the meal, which lasted from seven until past
midnight, saki was served constantly yet no one felt its influence in more than a
sense of increased exhilaration. It is customary to let the emptied bottles remain
on the table until the close of the meal, and there was a mighty showing.
It was impossible to eat all that was set before us, but Japanese custom forbids
such a breach of etiquette as an indication that the food was not perfection,
consequently the serving maids appeared bearing six carved teak boxes, and
placed one at each plate. Into these we arranged the food that was unconsumed,
and when we went away we carried it with us. To cap the climax the Japanese
stripped the room of its bounteous decoration of chrysanthemums and piled
them into our arms and we went home loaded with food and flowers.
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