African Cookery

As a rule oniy one principal meal 9 eaten in Central África, lo the early part of tho evening. It usually oonsista of parrot soup, roasted or stewed monkeys, alligator eggs (also well liked by Europeans) and birds of overy desorlption. Thoy also have moambo, or palm chops, and íish. A sreat delicacy, so considerod by Enropeans and nat i ves aliko, is elephatit's feot and triink. These havo somewhat the tasio of voal. To prepare thora tlio nat ves dlg -i bo!e about flve feet deep in the sanil aiul in it build a large oro. After the sand is thoroughly hoated the lire is removed, leaving only tho ashos in tho hole. Tho trunk snrt foot are nlaced in this hole and covered with loaves, and afterwards with hot sand. In two hours tljey aro done. All carcassos of animáis which are to be cooked are placed on a bloek of wood and pounded until every bone isbroken, care being taken not to tear or bruise the skin. Tbey are then boiled or roasted on an opon wood flre or in hot sand or ashes, without removing the hide or feathers. The cooking is of a very inferior grade, the only spices used being salt and pepper. The kitchen utensils consist of common earthen or wooden ware. Very little time ia taken ior settins or decoraüng the table; knives, forka and napkins aro disponsed with. Africans have several vegetables well liked by Euroi eans. N'gutti-n'sengo is a dish eaten all over África. Itconsirta of egg plant, small fish somewhat like our sardines and the rootsof the cassava or manioca plant (oalled n'gutti), which have a knotty appearance and often weigh as much as twenty pounds. As the latter containa poison, the manioca is aoakod in water for three to four days to extract the poisonous substance. It is then cut and sliced and small tomatoe8 aro addod. All is placed In a vessel with water and seasoned with aalt and pepper and boiled. Moambo, or, as the Europeanscall it, palm chops, is also a favorite dish. The palm nuts are flrst boiled in water until the pulpy substance loosens from the pit, then the shell, which contains a very delicious oil, is placed in a wooden mortar and cruahed to obtain the oil. Whatever the meal consista of, meat, fish, mossels, is put in a vessel, adding the oil and the pulpy part of the palm nut, also red pepper and salt, and is boilod. Roast or boiled squash (loenge) is generalij' eaten with it Sweetpotatoes (m'ballabenga) are more farinaceous and sweeter tban ours, but do not taste so good. They are boiled or roastod. Bananas (bltaebe) welgh about half a pound each and are about fifteen inches long. When half ripe they are cut in slices and boiled in water with salt and pepper. N'sensi is a little. red boan, which Is boiled in water without salt or pepper, and is freely eaten. For pe;inut bread (chisulu) the peanuts are first roasted and then crusbed. Th is mass is then rolled and put into the skin of a banana, adding a little prossure, forming it into a body. It readliy relains this shape from the pressure of thn oily su!stance in the