266 COOKERY OF THE PARTRIDGE 



men who say that pigeon pie is chiefly valuable for its 

 steak, and chicken pie (despite its literary renown 

 from 'The Antiquary') because of its seasoning. 

 But the partridge has a sufficient value of his own to 

 communicate it to other things instead of requiring to 

 be reinforced by them. And perhaps in no case is this 

 more perceptible than in partridge pie, which should, 

 of course, like all things of the kind, be cold to be 

 in perfection. 



It should be still more needless to say that par- 

 tridge may be grilled either spread-eagle fashion or in 

 halves (in which case, however, as in others, it will be 

 especially desirable to guard against possible dryness 

 by very careful basting, or waistcoats of bacon, or 

 larding) ; that he may be converted into various kinds 

 of salad ; that the process of braising or stewing may 

 be applied without the cabbage being of necessity ; 

 that in roasting him all manner of varieties of stuffing, 

 from the common bread variety with parsley (they 

 use marjoram in some counties, and it is decidedly 

 better) through mushrooms to truffles, are available. 

 Partridges can, of course, also be potted, either in 

 joints or in the ordinary fashion of pounding up the 

 fleshy parts. They make, if a sufficient number is 

 available, and sufficient care is taken in the compound- 

 ing, admirable sandwiches, and like every other kind 



