  DEAREST ELOISE,—I certainly here must avail myself of M. Soyer’s kind permission by taking from his ‘Gastronomic Regenerator’ a very simple receipt, it is true, but one which, in my estimation, has a great deal more merit than that of a sumptuous dish—a new mutton chop; yes, dearest, that is all. Many will very likely laugh at me, and think I am joking to take notice of a dish of such trifling importance, but, indeed, I assure you that I am far from that, because I have tried it for my dinner to-day, and in my opinion it is as far superior to the other as silver is to copper; and it was only in an enlightened era of wonders like ours that such a novelty in the culinary department could have been produced; where steam, gas, railways, electric light, suspended bridges, which seem to fly like zephyrs across the bosom of our mighty, wealthy, old Father Thames, and the subterranean promenade under his gutta-percha bed, where, as the French say, the fishes from their windows make faces at the English while walking below, as well as (and more wonderful still) the electric telegraph, which, even more freely than free-trade itself, carries like lightning the flashes of the genius of a Cobden from our great commercial town of Manchester to Printing-house square and various offices the sparks of a speech, which, if printers were careless, might set the paper on fire, by acquainting the metropolis not only of his love for freedom, but of his enthusiastic action, motion, commotion, and almost his thoughts; even the cheerings of the convives are actually in print, and read with the greatest anxiety by the multitude in town, while the report of the last and most powerful line just put to press is still roaring with echo throughout the vast cupola of the Free Trade Hall as well as in the ears of thousands of guests present who have been favored by partaking of the monster banquet; and as well, but not so wonderful, the invention, insurrection, and demolition of the Chartists—the last effected by special order and special constables; the Satanic bottle, double sight, and ethÉrienne suspension of the inimitable Robert le Diable, by mistake called Robert Houdin; Banyard’s Yankee cabinet picture, 3000 miles long, out of which 2999 and three quarters are out of sight; more so than all, the discovery of rocky dust, called gold, in the barbarian land of California, where the humble and convalescent potato would be worth its weight of the precious metal, a loaf of bread three times as much, and a basin of poor man’s soup a guinea instead of a penny as here. Have we not also heard of the great sea serpent, which a very serious American, who appears to have been in company with him, says that he was so tarnation long, that whilst engaged in dining out upon 4000 or 5000 turtles in Honduras, the end of his tail was at the same time hunting the white bear in the crystallized mountains of the North Pole for his supper, being something of an epicure, and consequently fond of a change? These, dearest, are FACTS that no one can deny,” I guess; “and still it was to be among all these marvellous wonders that the innovation of a new mutton chop should emanate from the brain of a simple individual, while, for a century previous, the ancestors of our great grandfathers were, as we were till the present day, often obliged to satisfy their voracious appetite with a fat and clumsy mutton chop. Even now, dear, you will hardly be able to comprehend the meaning of my enthusiasm for this simple innovation: it is then for its great simplicity and cheapness, and that if in general use (as I sincerely hope it will be), thousands will be able to partake of it and enjoy it, and probably will keep a friendly remembrance of the name of its inventor, because any one who invents, or tries so to do, attempts to conquer the greatest difficulty to obtain fame and wealth, and which by others is always envied and tried to be surpassed; such is the world. While here, the humble, unassuming, disinterested inventor of the said mutton chop will not even have the honor of opposition, though he may be copied. Believe me, dearest, that is the only cause of my admiration. Now for this wonder.
434. Soyer’s New Mutton Chop.—Trim a middling-sized saddle of mutton, which cut into chops half an inch in thickness with a saw, without at all making use of a knife (the sawing them off jagging the meat and causing them to eat more tender), then trim them to the shape represented in the drawing, season well with salt and pepper, place them upon a gridiron over a sharp fire, turning them three or four times; they would require ten minutes cooking; when done, dress them upon a hot dish, spread a small piece of butter over each (if approved of), and serve: by adding half a tablespoonful of Soyer’s Gentlemen’s or Ladies’ Sauce to each chop when serving, and turning it over two or three times, produces an excellent entrÉe; the bone keeping the gravy in whilst cooking, it is a very great advantage to have chops cut after the above method. At home when I have a saddle of mutton, I usually cut two or three such chops, which I broil, rub maÎtre d’hÔtel butter over, and serve with fried potatoes round, using the remainder of the saddle next day for a joint. The above are also very excellent, well seasoned and dipped into egg and bread-crumbs previous to broiling. Lamb chops may be cut precisely the same, but require a few minutes less broiling. You must remark that, by this plan, the fat and lean are better divided, and you can enjoy both; whilst the other is a lump of meat near the bone and fat at the other end, which partly melts in cooking, and is often burnt by the flame it makes; the new one not being divided at the bone, keeps the gravy in admirably. If well sawed it should not weigh more than the ordinary one, being about half the thickness. Do try them, and let me know your opinion. Ever yours,
HORTENSE.
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