COOKERY OF THE GROUSE 287 



and methods observes similar gradations, which by 

 connection or accident very often adjust themselves 

 to the three varieties of casing just mentioned. The 

 simplest form of grouse pie merely requires the birds 

 (jointed, halved, or sometimes whole), a proportion 

 (a pound to a brace is usual) of rump steak cut into 

 knobs, seasoning, crust, and a sufficiency of good gravy 

 (which may or may not be touched up with lemon 

 juice and claret) to fill up and moisten the mixture. 

 To this, of course, the usual enrichments of hard eggs 

 (whether of the domestic fowl or, as the youthful heir 

 of Glenroy in Destiny suggests, plovers' eggs), mush- 

 rooms, truffles, forcemeat balls, and so forth, may be 

 added. These additions may further be said to be 

 customary in the raised grouse pie, and invariable in 

 that which is made in a tcrrine. These latter forms 

 merge themselves very much in the general ' game 

 pie,' an excellent thing in its way no doubt. But I 

 do not know that it is so good as the simple grouse 

 pie with nothing added but steak, seasoning, an 

 alliaceous touch of some sort, and a few eggs and 

 mushrooms. 



And so we come at last to the more elaborate 

 varieties of cooking this noble animal. In that utter- 

 ance of Soyer's above quoted he is made to confess 

 that 'his art cannot improve grouse,' that in good 



