THE COOKERY OF VENISON 317 



add mushrooms, if procurable, and failing these, shred 

 in a few onions. A squeeze of a lemon gives zest to 

 the dish, and, as Bailie Jarvie's father, the Deacon, 

 said of a boiled tup's head, an overdone pasty is rank 

 poison. An hour and a half of baking in the oven 

 should suffice for a moderate-sized dish. In any 

 case, underdoing is a fault on the right side which 

 can easily be rectified. N.B. In the opinion of 

 most competent judges a pasty slightly underdone is 

 decidedly better cold than hot. 



The shoulder is often too lean to roast, and is 

 generally somewhat dry. It is sold reasonably 

 enough in the market to be well within the reach 

 of modest purses. But with simple treatment and 

 small expenditure in spices which in this case may be 

 judiciously used in moderation it makes an admirable 

 stew, and, as -Mr. Micawber remarked of the devil 

 of underdone mutton, there are few better comestibles 

 in its way. Keep the shoulder till it bones easily. 

 Flatten and cover with slices of fat mutton. Sprinkle 

 with spices and roll it up. Stew in a close pan in 

 beef or mutton gravy, and when nearly ready for 

 dishing, add some wine, or, if strict economy be a 

 consideration, we suggest that ale may serve. 



In our opinion there is not much to be said for 

 soup of venison, pure and simple. It is made like 



