78 THE REARING AND 



rivalled by the epigrammatic point of the question, " Did you 

 ever see a bun dance on a table ?" 



A specimen or two may be given of the savoury messes in 

 which our great grand-fathers delighted. 



" The other delicious Broths ; which none but the Rich can 

 afford, are, the Bisk* of Pigeons; the Pottage of health; 

 Partridge Brotli with Coleworts, &c. &c., and the Pottage of 

 Fowls with green Pease. We put the Fowls to boil with 

 Broth, and skim them well; then pass the green Pease through 

 a Frying-pan, with Butter, or melted Bacon; and afterwards 

 have them stew'd apart, with Lettices; and when the Fowls 

 are done, we mix the Broth and Pease together, and send it 

 to the Table. 



" Chickens are roasted either larded, or barded, i. e. } covered 

 before and behind, with a thin slice of Bacon, and wrapped 

 in Vine-leaves, in their Season. 



"Fowls ^IQ pickled with Vinegar, Salt, Pepper, and Lemon- 

 peel, and are left in their Pickle till they be wanted; when 

 wanted, they are taken out, put to drain, and after they have 

 been fried in Butter, they are put to stew for a few Minutes, 

 in some of the Pickle, and then carried to Table." Dennis 

 de Ccetlogon. 



Fowls for cooking that are required to be sent to a distance, 

 or to be kept any time before being served, are plucked, drawn, 

 and dressed immediately that they are killed. The feathers 

 strip off much more easily and cleanly while the bird is yet 

 warm. On special occasions, such as Michaelmas, for Geese, 

 and Christmas, for all sorts of Poultry, when large numbers 

 have to be slaughtered and prepared in a short time, the pro- 

 cess is expedited by scalding the bird in boiling water, when 

 the feathers drop off almost all at once. But Fowls thus treated 

 are generally thought inferior in flavour, and are certainly 



* Derived from biscuits, twice cooked. 



