FRANCE: Hypodermic Triumph

The discoverer of a new dish is worthier of esteem than the discoverer of a new star. —Brillat Savarin. To the triumphs of French cuisine was added officially, last week, a discovery called L’Intrasauce. The beaming discoverer, Monsieur le Docteur Gauducheau was clapped, cheered and feted, at Paris, by 150 gourmets banqueting under the auspices of La Societe d’Acclimatisation (French National Society of Acclimatization). This august body, unique, is devoted to popularizing in France new or outlandish products, processes, animals, or plants which seem to possess authentic merit. Last week the blushing and bowing discoverer of intrasauces was assured that his name will live with that of Marie Harel, immortal creator of fromage camembert, to whom a monument was recently erected and dedicated by onetime President Alexandre Millerand (TIME, April 23). Modest Culinary Immortal Dr. Gauducheau then explained that his discovery is quite simple, merely a shrewd adaptation of the physician’s hypodermic and the chemist’s skill to the problems of the chef. A pigeon, chicken, goose, pheasant, sheep, pig or even cow is firmly secured and a hypodermic injection made into the heart. Before this organ ceases to function the secret hypodermic fluid has penetrated through the veins and into the flesh, flavoring or coloring it as the art of the intrasauceur may require. Thus all crude flavoring methods such as dusting with pepper and salt, tying in strips of bacon, or basting with a sauce are triumphantly supplanted.

“My fragrant or emollient fluids,” cried Dr. Gauducheau, “penetrate through the natural channels of the vascular system into the most distant tissues and uttermost fibres. By a refinement of my method I can infallibly impart different attributes to various parts of the same fowl, transforming a pigeon, for example, into a veritable symphony of flavors and a bouquet of delicate pastel colors.”