Even before Ingrid Bergman and the late Gary
Cooper dined there, Begue's was the Hin" spot of 19th century Creoles, those charming and
ingratiating people who left their stamp on New Orleans.
Bergman and Cooper were in a make--believe world in the movie ~~Saratoga Trunk'" but
Begue's was for real. It was an unpretentious and rather small restautant begun in 1863.
From that time, until it faded away in 1917, it enjoyed a world--wide reputation.
Ironically, the young lady who made Begue's famous was German born. Her name was
Elizabeth Kettenring and she came to New Orleans in 1853 to visit her brother Philip who
was a butcher at the French Market. It was inevitable ... Philip had a good friend, also
a butcher, by the name of Louis Dutrey. The fact that Elizabeth was German and Louis
French made not a whit of difference and so they were married.
And, like smart people, decided to go into business. So they took over a little coffee house
at the corner of Decatur and Madison Streets. They called it HDutrey's" and it became
very popular with the butchers from the French Market (Les HaIles). In 1875, Dutrey died
and his widow, Elizabeth, managed the business.
But it was difficult for Madame Dutrey to really keep things going even with the great
help provided by her bartender named Hypolite Begue. Begue, a Frenchman, was also a
butcher but he enjoyed the meals so at Dutrey's that he quit the meat business and became
a bartender. In 1880, the course of true love ran according to form, and Elizabeth Dutrey
married Hypolite Begue, many years her junior.
Dutrey's became Begue's, and Hypolite became the first PR man in the region. For he was
able to convince his wife that although the Germanic foods were fine, the French foods
would be just merveilleux.
And merveilleux they were. The French touch was just right for Begue's and its fame spread
throughout the land; actually, in the beginning, mostly the butchers and others who worked
at the Markets ate their big meal at Begue's. Now the butchers found themselves out-numbered,
as other folk were discovering the delights of the little restaurant. In 1884, the
year of the big Cotton Centennial in New Orleans, visitors and tourists flocked to Begue's.
A meal at Begue's might begin with soup ... a heavy one. The guest might also have some"
thing we call bouilli which is the boiled meat of the soup. Shrimp or crawfish were serv:ed.
Then might come a fine fish (a snapper, trout, or flounder) from local waters ... quail In a
good wine sauce ... crisp green salad ... and thus finally to dessert and a cup of steaming
New Orleans Cafe Brulot.
Elizabeth Kettenring Dutrey Begue, the proprietor and cook of Begue's passed away in
1906. And, for some time, Begue's remained closed. But, canny Hypolite Begue not only
reopened the restaurant but he married a widow who had just happened to work for his
first wife; thus the Begue menu was to be carried on by the second Madame Begue who had
learned the Begue culinary secrets from Elizabeth Kettenring Dutrey Begue.
The restaurant prospered and continued until Hypolite Begue's death in 1917.
Today, in this 20th century with its manned moon flights and jumbo jets, a building put up
in 1826, near the New Orleans riverfront, still stands at the corner of Decatur and Madison
Streets very near Les Hanes ... the French Market where it all began as a restaurant in 1853.
( f
n- ~k ~~ Jk Jk ~k ~k ~n
U ----------~ · - · U
~ La Cuis~~~ Creole ~
n "La Cuisine Creole" (Creole cookery) partakes of the n
U nature of its birthplace-New Orleans-which is cos- U
~ mopolitan in its nature, blending the characteristics of ~
the American, French, Spanish, Italian, African and
"Vest Indian. In this compilation will be found many
original preparations and other valuable ones hereto-
~ fore not often seen. Notable preparations are those of ~
Combo, Bouill-abaisse. Daube Glacee, Sauce Rernoulade,
Salade a la Romaine, Bisque of Crab a la
~ Creole, Cafe Brulot. :Much of our clients' contentment ~
depends upon th'2 su(,cessful preparation of the meal.
Efficiency and simplicity govern "La Cuisine Creole",
and its many savory dishes are rendered palatable more
~ as rhe result of care in their preparation, than any great ~
skill or expensive outlay in the selection of materials.
The Cd'ole housc\\,ife often makes delicious nwrceau,\'
~ from things usually thrown away by the extravagant ~
<;cn'ant. This menu \\,ill be found quite different from
the average or specialty menu in its treatment of New
Orleans preparations.
~c:c =:::;'J-CJkC:==J~:ktc::=~Jl(k==:>IJ~kk=· .=.=L:::>:I:.c:cad==iO~~":lce=a=r=n~~ ~
xc: 11I11
SU&GESTIOIS~~
Half
1>+++~~~~~~+~~<8>~*~ ~ Bottle Bottle
Red Bordeaux
Chateau Lascombes-Vi ntage 5.50 10.50
Margaux
Mouton-Cadet Rothschild 3.50 6.75
st. Julien-Vintage 3.75 7.00
Red Bourgogne
Gevrey Chambertin-Vintage 5.50 10.00
Barton and Guestier
Nuits st. Georges-Vintage 4.75 9.50
Chanson
Pommard-Vintage 5.00 9.50
Jouvet
Beaujolais-Vintage 3.75 6.50
Schoonmaker
Julienas-Vintage 3.50 6.00
Caves de Charnay-Bellevue
Fleurie-Vintage 3.75 6.50
Harvey Selection
Roger Despres
White Bourgogne
Chablis Premier Cru -Vintage 3.75 6.50
J. Drouhin
Pouilly Fuisse-Vintage 3.75 6.50
Jouvet
Other Suggestions
Cote Rotie-Vintage-Red 4.75 9.00
Chapoutier et Cie
Pouilly Fume-Vintage-White 4.25 7.50
de la Doucette
WE WELCOME YOUR VISIT TO OUR
WINE BINS AT THIS LEVEL.
.r-
, ( ~~Vv-:: ;z"-- - /?/ f/;.~
Sazerac . . . . .. 1.25 New Orleans
Absinthe Gin Fizz ...
Frappe . . .. 1.25 Martini ..... .
Absinthe Manhattan .. .
Suissesse .. 1.25 Old Fashioned.
1.25
1.25
1.25
1.25
PEYCHAUD BITTERS "COQUETIER" 1.25
In New Orleans, bitters were a big hit anp lucky,
you were, if you were a friend of Antoine Amedee
Peychaud (1793), because if you wanted a little
brandy he would add just a dash of bitters. His
concoction became celebrated. The word spread.
Cocktails were about to be born-as Peychaud
poured the bitters and brandy into what we call
an egg cup (those lovely little pieces of china with
two different sized ends). The French called it a
"COQUETIER". Those whose French was not
so good called it a "Cock;tay". And those who
had one too many developed a bad case of pronunciation
and called it a "COCKTAIL".
iARD SOAP
1880
HARD SOAP FOR HOUSEHOLD PURPOSES
AGREEABLE AND CLEAN
To seven pounds of tallow, or other clean grease, use
three pounds of rosin; add six gallons of water to this,
stir in two pounds of potash; boil this together for
five hours, then turn the soap, while hot, into a wash
tub and let it stay all night; when cool cut into bars, and
lay on a board to harden. This quantity should be
sufficient fora family of four persons for one year.
-
~~ ~s:
Jj( .EVERAGE. itt
. -. .
Cafe Chicoree, Cafe Natur ;'
CAFE BRULOT
One Creole wag used to say: "If the path to
hell be poured with Cafe Brnlot, then that
is the road I want to take".
Caf~ Brulot! Steaming. Aromatic. Black.
New Orleans coffee with brandy; thinly
sliced orange peel; cinnamon sticks; cloves;
lump sugar; lemon peel.
Burn it. Become mesmerized by its blue and
gold flame. Then, pour it. Taste.it. Savor it.
Hallelujah, what a way to end a dinner.
Drink liquid fire and brimstone served from
our pulpit which once graced a church on
Prytania Street.
Surely, the Devil knew what he was doing
when he concocted this one.
What happens is your responsibility ... but
we do hope we haven't put the devil in you!
ll,cJ~
~~
,
~
~.
Oysters on the Half Shell with
Acadian Country Sausage
Daube Glacee
Shrimp Remoulade
Crabmeat Cocktail
Oysters Conti en Casserole
Crab Claws Provencale
Oysters Trois Fafons
Baked Oysters Begue
Oysters Rockefeller
Baked Oysters Diable
Snails in Little Clay Pots
~SO\U]II»~
Crab Bisque
Turtle Soup
Gumbo a la Creole
Gazpacho
SOUP
soup must have time to cook, and should
always boil gent]y, that the meat may become
tender, and give out its juices. Al10w a quart
of water and a teaspoonful of salt for each
pound ' of meat. Soup meat must always be
put down in cold water. Skim well before it
comes to the boiling point, and again skim off
superfluous fat before putting in the vegetables.
The vegetables most used in soups are carrots,
leeks, parsley, turnip, celery, tomatoes, okras,
cabbage, cauliflower, peas and potatoes.
CREOLE Vie cannari kafe bon bouillion.
FRENCH Les vieux potsfont les bonnes soupes.
ENGLISH It's the old pot that makes the
good soup.
~WESERVE
COMPLETE DINNERS
ONLY
Anything and
Everything on
Bill of Fare
(except Beef extra)
8.00 PER
PERSON
Suggestions
Crabmeat Casserole d'Iberville
I. I
Pompano Angelique
Baked Stuffed Flounder
Presbytere
I
Broiled Filet o-f Red Snapper Bouillabaise Orleans
Trout Saute Pecan and Lemon
Butter Sauce
Soft Shell Crabs
Roast Plantation Quail
Pontalba
Roast Duckling Cognac-Orange
S1a_u ce
Grilled Six Rib Rack of
Lamb Creole
BII. IRTRIIS
($1 (e ""')
Filet of Beef Sauce Foyot
Heavy Steer Sirloin Steak
Roast Prime Rib of Beef
~~'~
~ I SWEETS AND CAKES I · I r·"'~"':;:"'~"'''' ",~~q ",'
§. '9 L· '.: §. . ~ agnlappe ~ i ~ ~ CREOLE LagnIappe c'est hittin qui hon. ;.
§ E GLTSH L:.lp'. iapf 1S 1... ufuf booty
§
§ Camembert Cheese Tarte aux Fruits ! Chocolate Mousse MiIles FeuiIIes
Praline Ice-Cream Pie
Les Oreilles de Cochon ~
~~~t.Q>~"i
Lagniappe, a word familiar to every child in
New Orleans, signifies the little present
given to purchasers of groceries, provisions,
fruit, or other goods sold at retail stores.
~~: Groceries, especially, seek to rival each I~I
~ other in the attractive qualities of their 1;.'
lagniappe; consisting of candies, fruits, biscuits,
little fancy cakes, etc. The chief purpose is to
attract children. The little one sent for a f pound of butter, or Ha dime's worth" of sugar, ~
~ never fails to ask for its lagniappe. ~
,,'" ,,~~~~
,
/
)
)
)
CREOLE
FRENCH
ENGLISH
CREOLE
FRENCH
ENGLISH
CREOLE
FRENCH
ENGLISH
CREOLE
FRENCH
ENGLISH
CREOLE
FRENCH
ENGLISH
...-....'.....~..... _ .. ..
Mme. Begue's Celebrated New Orleans
Restaurant at Decatur and Madison Streets
opposite the French Market
as it was in the 1800s
Old Creole Sayings
Yo ka quimbe Chritiens pa langue yo, bef pa cone yo.
On prend les Chretiens par la langue, les boeufs par lescornes.
Christians are caught by their tongues, oxen by their horns. ..... ~
Quand poul ou tini ze, pas mette Ii dans canari.
Quand votre poule pond des oeufs, ne la mettez pas dans Ie pot. <
When your hen is laying, don't put her in the pot . . - .
Faut pas marre tayau avec saucisse.
II ne faut pas attacher Ie chiencourant avec des saucisses.
Don't tie up the hound with a string of sausages.
• • •
Bon lilit, bon menaze.
Bon lit, bon menage.
Where there's a good bed, there's good housekeeping.
• _ r
Balie nef, balie prope.
Un balai neuf, un balai propre.
A new broom sweeps clean.
---------'/,~------~~~------~~~------~~~-------'~~--------~
