Chapter XV: The Dessert

Carème’s opinion of dessert, 213. La Chapelle’s opinion of
dessert, 214. Forced cherries sent from Poitevins, in 1560, to
Paris, 215. La Quintinié, head gardener of Louis XIV., served
strawberries in March, peas in April, and figs in June, 215.
Preserved pines at dessert in Paris, in 1694, 215. Italian
liqueur prepared from the pine, 215. Dates, 216. Tunisian
dates the best, 216. Oranges, 216. Fondness of Louis XIV. for,
216. Portuguese oranges, 217. Sweet citron, carried by ladies,
to produce red lips, 217. Figs common at dessert in France
270 years ago, 217. Fig-trees placed in wooden boxes by the
gardener of Louis XIV., 218. Figs at Worthing and Hampton Court,
218. Pomegranates, 218. Chestnuts, 219. Madame de Sévigné on
chestnuts, 219. Cherries, 220. Apricots, 220. The reine claude,
or greengage, 221. The peaches of Corbeil, of Troyes and,
Dauphiné, 222. Pêches de vigne, 223. Abricots en plein vent,
223. The New-town pippin, 223. Golden pippin, 223. The paradis
de Provence, 223. The capendu, 223. Pears and their different
species, 224. Gooseberries, 224–5. The chasselas of Fontainbleau,
and other grapes, 225. Strawberries and their varieties, 226.
Trois mendiants, 227. Olives of Provence and Languedoc, 227.
Gingerbread, 228. The drageoir, 229. Brandied fruits and
compotes, 229. Brillat Savarin on the dessert, 230. Melon eaten
with bouilli, 231. Madame de Sévigné on melons, 232.

CHAPTER XVI.--ON ICES.

Ices, 233. Turks had glacières in 1553, 233. Henry III. first
introduced ice, 233.

CHAPTER XVII.--COFFEE.

Coffee, 235. Drank in Paris in 1657, 235. Praises of coffee by
Rousseau, Buffon, Voltaire, Montesquieu, Delille, and Lebrun,
236. The retreat from Russia and coffee, 237. Twining’s coffee,
238. Brillat Savarin on pounded and ground coffee, 238. The
best coffee in Paris, though the finest qualities in the London
market, 240. Modes of making coffee, 241–3. Coffee sweetmeats,
242. Dr. Roques’ café à la creme frappé de glace, 243. Coffee
should be hot, clear, and strong, 244. Tea, 244.