262 COOKERY OF THE HARE 



levraut^ with Iwudifis, qiie7ielles, croquettes^ 7noiisse/uies, 

 tinibales^ crcpinettes^ and so on ad libitum^ the chief 

 points in every case being the sauce and the garnish, 

 which may of course be much diversified. 



Ever since that memorable dish, chevreau e?i 

 chevreiiil, which the cordon bleu Rebecca composed so 

 well that Isaac was completely deceived by it, cooks 

 have no doubt endeavoured to produce good effects 

 by ' mock ' compositions. It is only natural, there- 

 fore, that some English genius should have discovered 

 that if a good rump steak be marinaded, stuffed with 

 hare stuffing, rolled up securely, and cooked exactly 

 as a hare, it will be found precisely like the real 

 thing. It is, nevertheless, quite possible that a con- 

 noisseur might entertain a different opinion. The 

 only meat I know which might be taken for hare is 

 that of the porcupine, not only in flavour and close- 

 ness of grain, but also in appearance, 'which the 

 blacknesse thereof convinceth,' for, contrary to the 

 general impression, it is not white. A young porcupine 

 about half-grown is really a delicacy. Of this a certain 

 veteran who lived on the hills of Southern India was 

 fully aware -a gastronome was he^ of the stamp of 

 Grimod de la Reyniere, the Marc^uis de Cussy, Brillat 

 Savarin, and their celebrated set. It is related con- 

 cerning him that about eleven o'clock one night he 



