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Title: Congress Hotel Home of a Thousand Homes
Author: Paull, Irving S., Goodnaw, W. S.
Language: English
As this book started as an ASCII text book there are no pictures available.


*** Start of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "Congress Hotel Home of a Thousand Homes" ***


Transcriber's Note:

The spelling in this short text is a mixture of American and British
English. The little French is both accented correctly and missing
accents. The spellings below are exactly as found in the original.



 [Illustration: Cover]



 [Illustration: Marble Hall
                The Famous Peacock Alley]



 [Illustration: Title Page]

     Congress Hotel
        Home of
    a Thousand Homes

       Rare and
       Piquant
       Dishes
         of
       Historic
       Interest

   Copyrighted by
   N·M·Kaufman
   1914



 [Illustration]

    _True friends a few, a nice abode,
       And dinners fine and Recherchés--
     Far better such for peace of mind
       Than Life's refrain "Ah Lack a Day."_

     --_Grimrod de la Reyniere_



The epicure says we live to eat; the ascetic maintains we eat to
live. Perchance there is a grain of truth in the French maxim that
we eat to live only when we do not understand how to live to eat.
However that may be, those of us who are wise in our generation are
content with the golden mean between these widely variant schools.

The dishes herein set forth are a few of the most piquant and rare
in all the enchanting lore of cookery. About many of them cluster
striking anecdotes of famous characters of history whose destinies
have been strangely influenced by their epicurean tastes and habits.

These and other culinary masterpieces are produced at the Congress
by artistes de cuisine, and served in their distinctive native form.
Those who have visited famous eating places abroad will be glad to
renew their acquaintance with these celebrated dishes. All who
appreciate exquisite cookery will find them a delightful treat.

These delicacies do not appear on the regular bill of fare, but on a
special menu card which may be had, upon request, from the maitre
d'hotel.

 [Illustration]

    _"Man is a carnivorous production
        And must have meals--at least once a day
      He cannot live, like woodcocks, upon suction."_

      --_Lord Byron_



_Beluga Caviar with Blinis_


Russia has contributed many original dishes to the cuisine of the
world, but perhaps the greatest alimentary gift of all for which we
are indebted to the land of the tsars is Beluga Caviar with Blinis.

The blinis, which take the place of the French toast canape, are a
Russian adaptation or version of American wheatcakes except that
they are not sweetened. When the blinis are done to a rich golden
brown they are brought to the table piping hot and the caviar, taken
from a jar sunk in ice, is spread on top.

At the Congress the blinis are made and served in true Russian
style, with specially imported pearl egg Beluga Caviar--the favorite
of all epicures.

Tradition says this dish was originated in the Russian Winter Palace
during the reign of Tsar Alexander, uncle of the present emperor.
Alexander was an illustrious gourmet, and, so the story goes, was as
much at home in the mysteries of cookery as in the intrigues of
state. But whether he or his chef conceived this typically Russian
dish, tradition does not disclose.

 [Illustration]

    _"The combat deepens. On ye brave,
        The Cordon Bleu--and then the grave
      Wave Landlord, all thy menus wave,
        And charge with all thy deviltry."_

      --_Old Ballad_



_Tomato Volga_


Russia is justly famed as the land of hors d' oeuvres--delightful
whets that clear the palate. But none of these delicacies are more
tempting to the epicure than Tomato Volga.

That chef--his name unhappily is not known--who bestowed this
culinary gift upon the elect is worthy of our deepest gratitude.
Only in the land of the Volga is the worth of such gastronomic
artists rightly appraised. Endowed with perfect technique, clear
palates and inexhaustible patience, chefs there are considered in a
class apart--second only to the nobles.

At the Congress, Tomato Volga is served in a manner that would
delight the heart of its creator. Only the finest vine ripened
tomatoes--tributes of the hotbed--are used. The pommes de amour, as
the French call them on account of their beautiful red hue, are
hollowed out and stuffed with Beluga caviar and grated yolks of
eggs.

The blending produces an exquisite result--one that would flatter
even the most _blasé_ palate.

 [Illustration]

    _"The stewed cock shall crow, cock-a-loodle loo,
        A loud cock-a-loodle shall he crow;
      The duck and the drake shall swim in a lake
        Of onions and claret below."_

      --_Fletcher_



_Poule au Pot Henri Quatre_


Since the day when good King Henri Quatre vowed that every peasant
of France should have a fowl in his pot every Sunday, this
delightful soup has been named in his honor. Waving away the
exquisite bouillons, lordly consommes and rich bisques set before
him, it was Henri's wont to call for poule au pot.

And as he smacked the royal lips he swore that every subject in his
realm should have the happiness of tasting this kingly dish.

Poule au pot is served to patrons of the Congress just as it came to
Henri's table in days of old. A whole capon, swimming in his own
broth, is brought to the table in a huge terrine, with a great
silver ladle. Then the capon is taken out, carved at one side and
served in the same dish as the rich broth.

Its palatable taste, as well as its unique and distinctive service,
makes this dish a prime favorite among those who dine well.

 [Illustration]

    _Flow wine, smile woman
       And the universe is consoled._

     --_Old Proverb_



_Consomme Nids d'Hirondelles_


Since the days of Kublai Khan, the Great, whose Tartar hordes swept
over China centuries ago, swallows nest soup has been a luxury to
grace the table of epicures and kings.

The exquisite taste of this typical Oriental delicacy so delighted
the palates of the Tartar kings, says tradition, that tidings of it
were carried back to Europe by traders and wanderers. So in time the
news reached Paris and Chinese swallows nests soon were brought from
the far East--priceless luxuries for the delectation of the
anointed.

The nests, which are gathered in cliffs, are composed of a
gelatinous substance, said to be the spawn of fish, and impart a
delightful piquancy to chicken stock. Alexander Dumas--as celebrated
a gastronomer as a writer--upon tasting the consomme pronounced it a
dish fit for the gods.

Only the choicest of these nests--collected from the most perilous
ledges along the Asiatic Coast--are used by the Congress chefs in
preparing this culinary rarity.

 [Illustration]

    _"This Bouillabaise a noble dish is--
        A sort of soup or broth, or brew,
      Or hotchpotch of all sorts of fishes,
        That Greenwich never could outdo:
      Green herbs, red peppers, mussels, saffron,
        Soles, onions, garlic, roach and dace:
      All these you eat at Terre's tavern
        In that one bowl of Bouillabaise._

    _"Indeed, a rich and savoury stew 'tis;
        And true philosophers, methinks,
      Who love all sorts of natural beauties,
        Should love good victuals and good drinks.
      And Cordelier or Benedictine
        Might gladly, sure, his lot embrace,
      Nor find a fast-day too afflicting,
        Which served him up a Bouillabaise."_

      --_Thackeray's "Ballad of Bouillabaise"_



_Bouillabaise_


Its fragrant aroma, its sweet spiciness and its unmatched sauce in
which mussels and other denizens of the deep have been brewed to a
wondrous flavor have won for Bouillabaise the appellation: "The Dish
of Kings."

In the stirring days just before the Third Empire of France it wooed
the palates of famous bon vivants who thronged the cafes of
Paris--among them William Makepeace Thackeray. And beef-fed Briton
that he was--upon being initiated into the delightful mysteries of
Bouillabaise, Thackeray was moved to write a ringing ballad in its
praise.

As the smoking Bouillabaise comes from the sanctum of the Congress
Chef to your table, it wafts an incense upon which, alone, "man
could live and thrive." And its flavor--well if Thackeray could
feast with you who knows but that he would be inspired to pen a
postlude to his charming roundelay.

 [Illustration]

    _"Tom, whom to-day no noise stirs,
        Lies buried in these cloisters.
      If at the last trump
        He does not quickly jump,
      Only cry: 'Oysters!'"_

      --_Epitaph on a Grave at Colchester, England_



_Oysters Bourguignonne_


The delectable savour of oysters delighted the palates of epicures
as far back as the time of Apicius--the celebrated Roman gourmet who
moved his palace to the seashore in order to have fresh shellfish
for his table.

When Apicius discovered how to keep oysters alive during long
journeys he narrowly escaped being deified. But the bivalves which
he knew were tiny dwarfs--like our clams. How he would have been
transported at the sight of a dozen luscious Sadde Rochs or
Malpecques. And for a dish of Lynnhavens a la Bourguignonne from the
kitchen at the Congress--well he squandered an estate for less.

The oysters are placed in a pan moistened with olive oil. The Chef's
deft hand bestows a pianissimo touch of garlic and just a suspicion
of onion. Then the bivalves are placed in the oven and roasted in
their own fortresses, as it were. Soon the shells open and the rich
liquor pours out. Thus, bathed in this delicious juice, they are
brought to the table and served.

It was Napoleon III, who upon tasting this crustacean delicacy,
exclaimed: "A delicious flash of gustatory lightning."

 [Illustration]

    _"The cook produced an ample dish
        Of frizzled sole, those best of fish,
      Embrowned, and wafting through the room,
        All spluttering still, a rich perfume."_



_Filet of Sole Marguery_


By originating this dish, an obscure restaurant keeper of Paris
achieved a place among the immortals of cookery. The high relief of
piquant sauce which sole requires, M. Marguery supplied in a
flavoring with little mussels in it. So delightfully did it enhance
the dish that a distinguished company of bon vivants who happened
into the humble Marguery restaurant one night pronounced it a
triumph.

The next day M. Marguery awoke to find himself and his sole famous.
He soon was on the road to wealth and the dingy little eating shop
grew into the magnificent establishment with which visitors to Paris
are familiar.

The genius who presides over the range at the Congress is shown at
his best in the reproduction of this exquisite culinary treat. The
crisp tenderness of the browned sole and the piquant flavor of the
sauce is the tribute of an artist to the immortal name of Marguery.

 [Illustration]

    _"Cookery is like matrimony--two things
        served together should match."_

      --_Yuan Mei, the Savarin of China_



 _Noisettes of Beef Tenderloin
        a la Rossini_


Rossini, a contemporary and friend of Dumas and Balzac--two famous
fourchettes--was not only a distinguished composer, but also a cook
of ability. This dish of his invention bears witness of his skill
and rivals in seductiveness the sweet strains of "The Barber of
Seville."

Dumas once complained to Rossini that he had tasted everything
eatable and sighed, like Alexander, for new culinary worlds to
conquer. Whereupon the musician promised the great romancist that
his palate should enjoy a new sensation.

That evening at Rossini's table Dumas sat down before a wonderful
dish. Dainty slices of tenderloin were fried in oil, portions of
chicken liver sauted in butter were placed on these, the whole being
capped with a slice of truffle and bathed in a delightful Madeira
sauce. Dumas--himself a master juggler of the saucepans--pronounced
the dish a more glorious creation than any of the composer's operas.

It is the proud boast of the Congress chef that the cookery of this
dish requires an artist's delicate perception as truly as does the
rendition of Rossini's sweetest arias.

 [Illustration]

_Lucullus one day ate alone. Whereupon, his chef, thinking that a $500
dinner would suffice, acted accordingly._

_At the end of the repast, his face flushed with Falernian, Lucullus
sent for the chef and took him to task. There were no fig-peckers and
the prized spawn of the sea lamprey was missing._

_"But seigneur," said the chef, "you were alone."_

_"At such time," responded his master, "you must remember that Lucullus
dines with Lucullus."_



_Salmi of Partridge_


Salmi is perhaps the finest preparation of game which historic
cookery has bequeathed to us. Like other masterpieces of art, it has
never been improved upon. The wonderful sauce brings out the
delightful woodland flavor in which the partridge excels--as all
sportsmen who love to tramp afield when the woods are covered with a
shroud of autumn frost can attest.

In the Congress kitchen this delectable native of the cover is
prepared according to the original recipe given to Grimrod de la
Reyniere, the famous French epicure by the prior of an English
abbey. After the bird is roasted it is cooked in white wine, then
immersed in melted butter and served hot with mushrooms and
truffles.

When the witty Grimrod first tasted this dish he remarked that one
must take care to eat with the fork for fear of devouring a finger
should it be baptized with the exquisite sauce.

 [Illustration]

_"It is difficult to imagine a happier conjunction than the blending
of symbols when the arms of a sportsman are quartered with those of a
cook."_

     --_John Aldergrove_



_Venison a la Cumberland_


The saddle of venison for centuries has been the symbol of civic
luxury in England and is held in highest esteem by epicures. An
offspring of wild Nature--fed upon its sweet fruits and vegetation,
it exhales the very essence of the forest. In addition venison
possesses the admirable virtue of calling forth the rare flavor of
port, Bordeaux or Burgundy.

A choice cut from the ruddy flesh of the roebuck--that monarch of
the north woods--is skillfully prepared for the oven by the Congress
chef. When it has received just the right caress from the flames'
heat it is brought to the table smoking hot and served with the
exquisite Cumberland sauce--the invention of the gifted Francatelli,
officier de bouche to Queen Victoria.

In this sauce, port or Bordeaux is the dominant chord. The
translucent ruby red which the currant jelly imparts to the sauce
contrasts beautifully with the embrowned roast, thus giving the eyes
almost as delightful a treat as the palate.

 [Illustration]

_"I consider the discovery of a dish which sustains our appetite
and prolongs our pleasures as a far more interesting event than the
discovery of a star, for we always have stars enough."_

     --_Henrion de Pensey_



_Poularde de Portugal_


It is to the friars of Portugal that we are indebted for this famous
contribution to the world's store of cookery. When the French troops
sacked a Portuguese monastery during the Peninsular war the cook was
forced to flee from his sanctorium, leaving behind his precious book
of recettes. This the invaders seized, with other spoil, and carried
back to Paris.

Here, the culinary grammar fell into the hands of a noted chef, who,
one day happened upon the recette for Poularde de Portugal, a dish
that took the French capital by storm.

This olden monastic recette is followed at the Congress. A large
imported Portugal chicken is cooked until the rich broth attains the
consistency of jelly. Then fresh mushrooms are added, the whole
being sealed up in a casserole and put in the oven. In this way
evaporation is cut off completely and all the delightful flavor
stays in the dish.

When the casserole is brought to the dining room and unsealed before
the guests, the fragrant aroma that arises attests the merit of the
monastery's cookery.

 [Illustration]

_"Thirteen at table is a number to be dreaded only when there is just
enough to go round for twelve."_

     --_L'Almanach des Gourmands_



_Chicken Marengo_


Those whose happiness it is to enjoy this dish at the Congress may
well be devoutly grateful to the intrepid chef of Napoleon who
created it amid the roar of guns on one of the great battlefields of
history.

On the eve of the battle, when the skirmish guns had already begun
to boom, the emperor called for his favorite dish--chicken fried in
butter. As it happened, the butter could not be found in the
confusion, and Napoleon's "Minister of the Interior" was at his
wit's end.

Then, inspired by the necessity of the occasion, the chef poured
some fresh olive oil into the bottom of a casserole. In this the
fowl, moistened with white wine, was sauted and then served with
mushrooms and chopped olives--all in a rich brown gravy.

So exquisite was the dish that the emperor, after achieving a
brilliant victory over the Austrians declared the culinary triumph
should be known as poulet a la Marengo. Thereafter it was his
favorite campaign dish and it is said that this reminder of his days
of glory was one of his solaces at lonely St. Helena.

 [Illustration]

_"Two things are essential in life--to give good dinners and keep well
with women."_

     --_Talleyrand_



_Eggs Balzac_


Give the artisan a piece of clay and he mixes it with straw. The
result--a brick. Give the same clay to an artist--he kneads his
genius into it and produces a work of art. So it is with an egg.

Whether it is to be merely a hodge podge of proteins, fats and
solids or a dainty fit for the table of an epicure depends upon
whether it has the good fortune to fall into the hands of such a
genius as graces the kitchen of the Congress.

In preparing this dish, he breaks the eggs from the shell and places
them in the oven until the heat gently broils them. Then they are
girdled by ebony-hued truffles, exhaling a delightful fragrance. A
libation of savoury tomato sauce, with seasoning ad lib--and the
dish is ready for the table.

Well may those who know its delight exclaim that this product of
Balzac's saucepans is as worthy a heritage as the most inspired
works of his pen.

 [Illustration]

    _"O green and glorious, O herbaceous meat!
        'Twould tempt the dying Anchorite to eat.
      Back to the world he'd turn his weary soul
        And dip his fingers in the salad bowl."_

      --_Sidney Smith_



_Salade Rachel_


A tender offering from Nature's cuisine delightfully designed to
promote digestive harmony and to bridge the gap between the entree
and the demitasse.

For this dish earth yields such choice treasures as fresh truffles,
artichokes, asparagus and celery--all laid in a crisp green basket
of lettuce, while over all is spread the golden halo of mayonnaise.

Ah, could you but peek at the Congress artiste de cuisine as he
prepares this masterpiece! See him as he skillfully blends the
ingredients so that they fall into place like the notes of a
beautiful symphony. Truly the salad maker, like the poet, is born,
not made.

"Whom the gods love die young," may well be said of salads, as well
as of mankind. So that it may be eaten in all its virgin tenderness
and crispness Salade Rachel is brought to the table fresh from the
hands of its creator--cool, crisp and comforting.

 [Illustration]

_"Life is so brief that we should not glance either too far backward or
forward in order to be happy. Let us, therefore, study how to fix our
happiness in our glass and on our plate."_

     --_Grimrod de la Reyniere_



_Crepes Suzette_


This is one of the most exquisite delicacies which French chefs de
cuisine, in their never ceasing search for gastronomic treasures,
have bestowed upon those who abhor the commonplace.

Though the Congress chef might regard it as profanation, not to say
heresy, crepes suzette may aptly be termed "pancakes de luxe." By
the magic touch of the artist, the plain Anglo-Saxon pancake is
transformed into the daintiest, most toothsome morsel for the
delectation of discriminating palates.

While the rich, thin cakes are being gilded a golden brown upon the
hot griddle, a sauce such as only a French master can prepare is
being brewed at the table. In a tiny chafing dish, butter is melted
and mixed with Grand Marnier cordial, or, if it is preferred,
Chartreuse, Kirsch or Grenadine. Then just a suggestion of spice and
a fragrant incense arises from the chafing dish as the steaming
cakes arrive.

The delicious nectar is poured over the cakes with a liberal hand,
they are deftly folded in quarters by the servitor and the feast is
ready.

 [Illustration]

_"To eat understandingly and to drink understandingly are two arts that
may not be learned from the day to the morrow."_

     --_Alexander Dumas_



_Potatoes Montgolfier_


This dish is happily christened in honor of the inventor of the
balloon, as the story of its origin attests.

A dining car chef one day was frying potatoes in deep fat just as
the train rolled into a station. As it happened the chef was a dual
personality--master of the sauce pans and porter, all in one. So he
took the half-cooked potatoes out of the hot lard, donned his
porter's uniform, seized the ever-ready whiskbroom and darted into
the chair car.

When he returned the potatoes were put back in the pan. Imagine the
amazement of this peripatetic cook when he saw the bewitched pommes
de terre swell out for all the world like a balloon when the gas is
turned on. Thus was a new dainty added to the world's culinary
repertoire.

A note of distinction is added to this dish by the ingenuity of the
Congress chef. While the potatoes are attaining a generous
rotundity, a dainty nest of thin potato ribbons is woven and in this
they are carried to the dining room and served.

 [Illustration]

    _"The turnpike road to people's hearts I find
        Lies through their mouths
      Or I mistake mankind."_

     --_Dr. Wolcot_



_Tetits Pots de Creme_

_(Vanilla Moka Mexicain)_


This delightful entremet--a special forte of the Congress
chef--fulfills to perfection the mission of the dessert, which is to
comfort the stomach by delicate reflex flattery through the palate.

It is a refreshing wave of gastronomic coolness, giving pleasure to
the taste without the cloying sense of fullness. Let those whose
fortune it is to know the charms of this dainty pay silent tribute
to that French chef to whom the world is indebted for the delights
of creamy sweets.

The cream is served from a large bowl. Beside each guest's plate is
a tiny glass of Kermis, a sweet French cordial. A few drops of the
Kermis poured over the cream gives it a delightful flavor and the
spoonfuls fall upon the tongue as buoyantly as snowflakes.

Well may those who bring their dinner to an end with this delicacy
echo the sweet lines of the poet:


    _"The last taste of sweets is sweetest last,
        Writ in remembrance more than things long past."_



 [Illustration: Congress Hotel
                Home of
                a Thousand Homes]



 [Illustration: Gold Room
                Appreciated for its Architectural Beauty]



_We Are Thinking With You_


As you journey toward Chicago the Management of this Home of a
Thousand Perfectly Appointed Homes is thinking with you.

Your approach to the Congress Hotel and Annex in Michigan Avenue,
the world renowned Boulevard on the beautiful West Shore of Lake
Michigan, responds at once to your ideal of location for quiet rest
and pure air. Yet within easy walking distance you find yourself in
the heart of Chicago's great Business, Shopping and Theater Center.

Your first glance at the Congress Hotel is satisfying. It awakens
interest no matter under what conditions you view it. You are
impressed as you enter with the atmosphere of perfect, quiet,
exclusive service and a warm-hearted hospitality. There is in the
policy of the Management of the Congress Hotel a warm-hearted desire
to make you feel at home.

 [Illustration: Pompeian Fountain Room
                A Masterpiece in Refined Splendor]

Your welcome begins at the curb. Alighting from the taxi you are a
personality. The rule of the house is that guests are known by name.
You are _you_, and _you_ are individual, distinct and personal all
during your stay. You feel at once that your visit is anticipated,
and every little comfort prearranged especially for you, to the
minutest detail.

If you are in Chicago on business you realize that the Congress
Hotel and Annex is a business meeting place for busy people. Here is
provided every convenience for the transaction of affairs.
Commodious rooms for conferences, for conventions and for the
display of merchandise. Everything is systematized that business may
be transacted with dispatch. But as business is only part of life,
this great hotel has equal attractions for the social side of human
nature. Private dining-rooms and reception rooms afford adequate
opportunity for entertainment.

 [Illustration: Florentine Banquet Hall]

You choose your room or suite as suits your convenience, assured of
quiet, of light and perfect ventilation in any part of every floor.
The safety of the Hotel and of all its guests and employes is of
first moment. No hotel in the world has more completely safe-guarded
precious human lives entrusted to its keeping than the Congress.
After safety comes cleanliness, and a careful inspection is an
assurance. Your home is not more free from dust, or any uncleanness
than this big, quiet, roomy hotel.

Your rooms are large and airy, with commodious closets. The filtered
air which flows ceaselessly through your apartments is tempered to just
the right temperature throughout the year. Your luggage is unpacked by
the deft hand of valet or maid, sent by the Management to assist you
in getting settled. Your rooms and furnishings speak quiet elegance
and true home comfort. Your wishes are as completely catered to as if
the house was your private residence, and every deferential servant
belonged to your personal establishment. It is this courtesy which is
the very spirit of hospitality; the reflection of the Management, whose
grasp of the essence of service has made the Congress Hotel a veritable
Home of a Thousand Homes.

 [Illustration: Lobby--
                Meeting Place of the
                World's Prominent People]

No hotel in the world contains within itself so many features of
unusual interest as the Congress Hotel and Annex. A walk from your
apartments will convince you instantly. From the Grand Lobby, a
magnificent achievement in architecture and decoration, where onyx,
mosaic and gold-bossed pilasters uprear a vaulted roof of extreme
beauty, you may stroll down the Marble Hallway, famed throughout the
civilized world; past Pompeiian Rooms, wherein gleams the Tiffany
Fountain, green crystal, limned with dull gold; past the Pool, by
whose quiet side you may place your tiny table and lunch in delicious
meditation, meanwhile observing the perfectly appointed grill; past
the great Elizabethan Room, a page torn from the Golden Age of English
History and on into a private art gallery, perfectly appointed,
where the best modern masters gladly hang their chef d'ouvres. Along
the opposite side of the Marble Hallway are small shops, exquisite,
delicate, inviting inspection to displays of jewelry, millinery,
confections, articles of virtu and bric a brac culled from the
workshops of the world.

 [Illustration: Elizabethian Room
                A True Period Room]

The Grand Dining Room, decorated in the style of Louis XVI is of
itself a feature well worthy of detailed description; the German
Room--Pomp-Grill Room--than which no hotel in the New World has a
more interesting dining room. Upon the walls of the Lobby and in
the reception rooms are hung originals from the brushes of such
masters as Detaille, Achilles Fould, Grolleron and Chelminski.

 [Illustration: Pompeian Grill]

Your inspection will not be complete until you have made a trip
through the vast kitchens, one of the most interesting features of
the great hotel. Here Cleanliness is King! Stainless floors,
alabaster walls, abundant air, and everywhere healthfulness and good
cheer. Great pantries, sweet storerooms, ample closets lined high
with glittering cut glass, with shining silver, with gleaming linen
ready for your next call for luncheon or dinner. On every face you
see honest pride in the work; immaculate in garb and person, chefs,
cooks, pantry-men and lesser serving men prepare with infinite care
for your entertainment. Utensils shining, radiant copper,
resplendent brass, enamel aluminum and chinaware attest ardent pride
in the great institution these men have served so long and so well.

 [Illustration: Louis XVI Dining Room
                Perfect in Appointment
                and Service]

It is for you they toil, this unseen army. Your comfort, your
pleasure, your entertainment is the goal of hospitality. It is for
this the edifice was raised, for this the art centers of the world
were searched, and for this the master craftsmen of seven continents
wrought and toiled. For _you_, whether you come today, or tomorrow
or next month or next year. All is ready, waiting, waiting--for
_you_.

To see the world, see Chicago first. To see Chicago best--you are
welcomed to the Congress Hotel.



 Prepared by
   Irving S. Paull
   W.S. Goodnow

 Illustrations by
   Sam Stoltz
   A. Fred Tellender





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