never before i had seen so much gathered in one place-smoked salmon and raw oysters , chicken gumbo and sweet pea puree , soft-shelled crab and broiled bluefish , stuffed shoulder of lamb and braised beef with noodles , broiled quail and blue-winged teal duck served in a sauce espagnole , mushrooms on toast and pigeon with peas , stuffed eggplant , stewed tomatoes , parsnip cakes sauteed in butter , hash brown potatoes baked in cream ... ...