Mr. CHARLES VOGEL reminds us, in the Journal, that in 1829 an enterprising industrialist tried to introduce the Chinese steam-powered kitchen car to Paris.
“...Steam Chinese” is a bit bold. The Chinese, in fact, peddle food in the streets. But their caravans, especially in 1829, were not steam-powered, and for good reason the children of the Juste-Milieu may have invented gunpowder, but not the locomotive.
Whatever the case, the inventor intended "to spread hot food throughout Paris at very modest prices, prepared with care and cleanliness, for the numerous and interesting class of inhabitants of the capital who have neither the time nor the means to prepare their own food.” Each car was to distribute 2,000 rations daily. It contained two furnaces and eight boilers.
Innovation does not succeed. Mr. Charles Vogel, however, believes that it should be resumed. This is also my opinion. I see no reason why a lot of good things, broth, tripe, sausages, double fat and ice cream, and even, in summer, ice cream, quite simply, should not be carried around and sold in the streets. , as well as fried potatoes.
There is no need for this car to be steam-powered, or even gasoline-powered. She must, in fact, go slowly. A good little donkey would suffice just fine.
But there are objections, which I do not hide.
First, it would further increase traffic congestion.
Secondly, I don't know why, moreover, the French, perhaps a sign of general well-being, seem to be detaching themselves more and more from hot cooking bought ready-made, and especially from mobile cooking.
A few years ago, we saw little caravans in our streets, very nice, of American origin, if I'm not mistaken, selling I don't know what delicacies, quite pleasant. They seem to have had no success. The rotisseries, which were one of the characteristics of old Paris, and the shops where cooking dishes were sold are decreasing in number every year, while in London, for example, fish fries, in working-class neighborhoods, have a large clientele, and that in Constantinople you can get excellent grilled meat (kebab) on every street corner.
Likewise, fate does not seem to be favorable, in Paris and even in Lille, where there used to be so many of them, to outdoor fried potato sellers.
Only the chestnut seller remains... Can we react? The experiment can be tried, but I do not claim that it is without risks.

Pierre MILLE.