French term for "bill of fare". Why should the word MENU head our American dinner bills? Why should the progressive American ape dying France? Why should the American culinary student detest the kitchen because he cannot twist his tongue around the French culinary a la this and that? Is not the American flag dear to the American? Then why net the American language? Does not the farmer, mechanic, layman and every American who patronizes hotel, restaurant and club life know the meaning of the term "bill of fare"? Then why put the French word "MENU" at the head, and the generally mongrel Frenchy terms throughout the bill of fare? When in Rome do as the Romans do; then when in America do as the Americans do. Let those from France, or the French scholars, read the plain homelike American language on our bills of fare, the same as the traveling American has to read the Menus in the languages of Europe. They do not print the Menus in France in the American language; then why should we print our American bills of fare in French, or as is generally the case in half French and half American? For example: "Veal cutlet a la Francaise," or "Small patties de volaille," why not put Small patties of chicken"? Everyone knows what chicken is and will order it, but all do not know that volaille translated means fowl.

One of my first thoughts in writing this handbook was to abstain from French terms. I said to myself, I WILL WRITE AN AMERICAN CULINARY HANDBOOK FOR AMERICANS. I have heard it frequently stated that the terms for the bill of fare could not be properly represented in the American language. I SAY IT CAN, and as a proof positive you have it here. There are no French terms used for the receipts of this book, and the headings as given are what should in my opinion be placed on the bill of fare, as perfectly adequate in describing the dish.