Gourmets of yesteryear

Barras

It is known that Barras, in his old age, was reduced to eating only one dish. And what a dish! With a grater, a plate full of bread was crumbled, and on top of this pâté, a maître d'hôtel cut up a barely cooked leg of lamb to moisten it with juice.
But the one who had been nicknamed the handsome Barras had not devoted his whole life to such meager fare; the dinners he had formerly given had been famous as much for the attentions the host lavished on the women as for their abundance and delicacy. Every morning, he had his chef present him with a draft of a meal that he would comment on with a pen in his hand, and which he would sign after writing down a few observations. Alexandre Dumas père has sent us one of these menus that he had before his eyes and that will certainly interest our readers:

DINING MENU

for the table of the citizen director and general Barras Le décadi, 30 floréal

TWELVE PEOPLE
I soup, I spicy, 6 starters, 2 roast dishes, 6 desserts, I salad, 24 dessert dishes.
The soup with small onions à la ci-devant minime. The spicy, a piece of sturgeon on a spit.
The six starters
I of a sauté of turbot fillets with the trusted man, former head waiter;
I of eels tartare;
1 of cucumbers stuffed with marrow;
I vol-au-vent of chicken breasts with Béchamel sauce;
I of a former John Dory with caper sauce;
I of partridge fillets in rings.
The two roast dishes
I of departmental gudgeon;
i of carp in court-bouillon.

The six desserts

I of eggs in snow;
I of sautéed white beets with ham;
I of a wine jelly with Madeira;
I of orange blossom cream fritters;
I of lentils à la ci-devant reine with cream and blond veal;
I of artichoke bottoms with ravigote;
I of celeriac salad in remoulade."

Too much fish? Remove the gudgeons, the rest is fine. Let's not forget to put cushions on the seats for citoyennes Tallien, Talma, Beauharnais, Hainguerlot and Mirande. And for five o'clock sharp.
Signed: Barras. "Bring some Veloni ice cream, I don't want any more."