Bohemian San Francisco | Page 4

to call the pre-pioneer days of San Francisco "Bohemian" in
any sense of the word.
Courtesy unfailing, good-fellowship always in tune, and lavish
hospitality, marked the days of the Dons--those wonderfully
considerate hosts who always placed a pile of gold and silver coins on
the table of the guest chamber, in order that none might go away in
need. Their feasts were events of careful consideration and long
preparation, and those whose memories carry them back to the early
days, recall bounteous loading of tables when festal occasion called for
display.

Lips linger lovingly over such names as the Vallejos, the Picos, and
those other Spanish families who spread their hospitality with such
wondrous prodigality that their open welcome became a by-word in all
parts of the West.
But it was not in the grand fiestas that the finest and most palatable
dishes were to be found. In the family of each of these Spanish
Grandees were culinary secrets known to none except the "Senora de la
Casa," and transmitted by her to her sons and daughters.
We have considered ourselves fortunate in being taken into the
confidence of one of the descendants of Senora Benicia Vallejo, and
honored with some of her prize recipes, which find place in this book,
not as the famous recipe of some Bohemian restaurants but as the
tribute to the spirit of the land that made those Bohemian restaurants
possible. Of these there is no more tasty and satisfying dish than
Spanish Eggs, prepared as follows:
Spanish Eggs
Empty a can of tomatoes in a frying pan; thicken with bread and add
two or three small green peppers and an onion sliced fine. Add a little
butter and salt to taste. Let this simmer gently and then carefully break
on top the number of eggs desired. Dip the simmering tomato mixture
over the eggs until they are cooked.
Another favorite recipe of Mrs. Vallejo was Spanish Beefsteak
prepared as follows:
Spanish Beefsteak
Cut the steak into pieces the size desired for serving. Place these pieces
on a meat board and sprinkle liberally with flour. With a wooden
corrugated mallet beat the flour into the steak. Fry the steak in a pan
with olive oil. In another frying pan, at the same time, fry three
good-sized onions and three green peppers. When the steak is cooked
sufficiently put it to one side of the pan and let the oil run to the other
side. On the oil pour sufficient water to cover the meat and add the

onions and peppers, letting all simmer for a few minutes. Serve on hot
platter.
Spanish mode of cooking rice is savory and most palatable, and Mrs.
Vallejo's recipe for this is as follows:
Spanish Rice
Slice together three good-sized onions and three small green peppers.
Fry them in olive oil. Take one-half cup of rice and boil it until nearly
done, then drain it well and add it to the frying onions and peppers. Fry
all together until thoroughly brown, which will take some time. Season
with salt and serve.
These three recipes are given because they are simple and easily
prepared. Many complex recipes could be given, and some of these will
appear in the part of the book devoted to recipes, but when one
considers the simplicity of the recipes mentioned, it can readily be seen
that it takes little preparation to get something out of the ordinary.

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