FRESH-WATER TURTLES. 19 



sons noted locally for their preparation of turtles. Special thanks 

 are due to Henry Lemm, of Peldn. 111., and to Mrs. Saunders, of 

 the Saunders Fish Market, St. Louis, Mo., for choice recipes. 



SOXJPS. 



These recipes apply especially to the snapper, which is the great soup turtle 

 of the Mississippi Baslu. They could, doubtless, be applied to terrapin and 

 soft-shell also, as they are as good for soups as the snapper. 



In making soups, cook the turtle only until the bones leave the flesh. Many 

 cook too long, which makes the flesh stringy. 



1. Tunle soup. — A favorite way to cook snapper is to make the soup like 

 old-fashioned beef soup, with any assortment of vegetables desired, with the 

 turtle meat cut up into small pieces. 



2. Turtle soup — :Make up a soup stock, without vegetables, but add egg. 



3. Turtle chowder. — One-half poimd turtle meat, 2 medium-sized potatoes, 3 

 onions, 3 carrots, any other vegetables wanted, as parsley, all diced into the 

 pot ; add % pound of salt pork diced, 1 teaspoonful pepper, 1 level teaspoonful 

 of butter, and cook about 2 hours over a slow fire. This is fine, a regular 

 turtle chowder. With soft-shell turtle cut up the shell also, and cook for 4 

 hours. 



4. Soft-shill Un-tle soup. — Use turtle meat same as for beef soup, adding a 

 slice of bacon and onion to modify the flavor. (Soft-shell turtle meat is also 

 good with noodles.) 



5. Turtle soup d la Creole. — This is the ancient recipe for turtle soup, and 

 it is safe to say that when once eaten after this delightful way no other will 

 seem quite so .^avory. Cut the turtle meat into small pieces. Let it brown 

 in a pot with a little lard, cut up several onions, a slice of ham, and a little 

 garlic, and stir and mix with the turtle meat. Then let the mixture brown 

 well. Put in some flour and mix. pour a quantity of the soup stock into the 

 pot, let it cool, and add a knee joint of veal. Let it simmer for an hour, then 

 I)Ut in some thyme, laurel leaf, parsley, .^ballots, and when everything is cooked 

 add more parsley and a couple of slices of lemon chopped fine. Just before serv- 

 ing atld a wineglassful of Madeira wine, or, in lieu of this, % that amount of 

 lemon juice. 



6. Terrapin soup. — Use the meat and eggs from 1 terrapin, put into a stew- 

 pan with 2 tablesjioonfuls of butter, and h^t it simmer until quite hot through- 

 out, keeping the pan closely covered. .Serve with the following sauce: 1 beaten 

 egg yolk flavored with nutmeg and mace, Mi cup currant jelly, 1 pinch of 

 cayenne, salt to taste, 1 tablesiwonful of butter. 



FRIJU) TIRTLE. 



Although the turtles generally preferred for frying are medimn-sized soft- 

 shells weighing from \V-2 to 3 pounds, many like fried snapper. For frying, the 

 younger and nutre tender snappers are to be preferred, although the older ones 

 can be us4'(l liy cffoking correspondiimly longer. 



7. Fried turtle. — fJut the turtle meat into small pieces, add salt and pepper, 

 roll in flour, and fry in (me-half lard and one-half butter until brown, then 

 add a little water, cover up, and steam imtil done (about Vi hour). 



8. Fried turtle. — Fry as above; when browned add .some catsup, a few mixed 

 spices, a glass of wine, or, in lieu of this, 2 tablespoonfuls of vinegar and a 

 little water; cover, ami steam until done (about Vi hour). 



9. Fried turtle. — Some cooks prefer to fry dry, without steam; in this case 

 one nnist cook slowly, and of course old turtles must be cooked longer than 

 young ones. 



10. Fried turtle. — Simply parboil the turtle meat and fry in butter. 



11. Fried turtle. — Put the turtle meat into salt water for a short time, re- 

 move and wipe dry, sprinkle with corn meal, and fry in hot grease, or use 

 butter, salt, and pepper, and thicken with barley. (The person who furnished 

 this reci[)e generally preferred .snapper to other turtles, and had this species 

 in mind.) 



1L'. Fri^d snapper. — Put the turtle meat Into salt water overnight, take out, 

 wipe dry, sprinkle with flour, and fr>' in plenty of grease. Fry slowly until 

 brown. Tliis is said to be better than fried chicken. For this old turtles are 

 said to be as good us young. 



