Chicken in a Shell

When the Gringo Came

To its pioneer days much of San Francisco's Bohemian spirit
is due. When the cry of "Gold" rang around the world
adventurous wanderers of all lands answered the call, and
during the year following Marshall's discovery two thousand
ships sailed into San Francisco Bay, many to be abandoned on
the beach by the gold-mad throng, and it was in some of these
deserted sailing vessels that San Francisco's restaurant life
had its inception. With the immediately succeeding years the
horde of gold hunters was augmented by those who brought
necessities and luxuries to exchange for the yellow metal given
up by the streams flowing from the Mother Lode. With them also
came cooks to prepare delectable dishes for those who had passed
the flap-jack stage, and desired the good things of life to repay
them for the hardships, privations and dearth of woman's
companionship. As the male human was largely dominant in numbers
it was but natural that they should gather together for companionship,
and here began the Bohemian spirit that has marked the city for its
own to the present day.

These men were all individualists, and their individualism has been
transmitted to their offspring together with independence of action.
Hence comes the Bohemianism born of individuality and independence.

It was only natural that the early San Franciscans should foregather
where good cheer was to be found, and the old El Dorado House, at
Portsmouth Square, was really what may be called the first Bohemian
restaurant of the city. So well was this place patronized and so
exorbitant the prices charged that twenty-five thousand dollars a
month was not considered an impossible rental.

Next in importance was the most fashionable restaurant of early days,
the Iron House. It was built of heavy sheet iron that had been brought
around the Horn in a sailing vessel, and catered well, becoming for
several years the most famed restaurant of the city. Here, in
Montgomery street, between Jackson and Pacific, was the rendezvous of
pioneers, and here the Society of California Pioneers had its inception,
receiving impressions felt to the present day in San Francisco and
California history. Here, also, was first served Chicken in the Shell,
the dish from which so many later restaurants gained fame. The recipe
for this as prepared by the Iron House is still extant, and we are
indebted to a lady, who was a little girl when that restaurant was
waning, whose mother secured the recipe. It was prepared as follows:

Chicken in a Shell

Into a kettle containing a quart of water put a young chicken,
one sliced onion, a bay leaf, two cloves, a blade of mace and
six pepper-corns. Simmer in the covered kettle for one hour and
set aside to cool. When cool remove the meat from the bones,
rejecting the skin. Cut the meat into small dice. Mix in a saucepan,
over a fire without browning, a tablespoonful of butter, a tablespoonful
of flour, then add half a pint of cream. Stir this constantly until it
boils, then add a truffle, two dozen mushrooms chopped fine, a dash of
white pepper and then the dice of chicken. Let the whole stand in a
bain marie, or chafing dish, until quite hot. Add the yolks of two eggs
and let cook two minutes. Stir in half a glass of sherry and serve in
cockle shells.

Cheers,
Gary