CANVASBACKS AND TERRAPIN. 



479 



which come from other parts, and which 

 are really inferior to that good table bird, 

 the mallard. They are not even to be com- 

 pared with teal. 



Then we must consider the cooking of 

 these birds. The ordinary housewife, or 

 even the rural hotel cook, may fill them 

 with some dressing, flavored with herbs, 

 and cook them as thoroughly as she would 

 a domestic fowl. The epicure, who " does 

 not hesitate at paying for a pair of canvas- 

 backs a price that would buy a yearling 

 steer, in Texas," will have no such cook- 

 ing. There must be no " stuffing " and 

 the bird must be served as rare as a beef- 

 steak. Twelve to 15 minutes in a hot oven, 

 and served immediately on hot plates, 

 with only squares of fried hominy, is the 

 correct thing. This would horrify the av- 

 erage housewife, who would call the bird 

 raw. It is nearly raw, but is truly delicious 

 and this is the only way in which any dark 

 meated game bird should be served, in 

 order to preserve its individuality. 



To cook a prairie chicken as thoroughly 

 as you would cook a ruffed grouse, a quail, 

 or other white meated bird should be 

 cooked, is to destroy its flavor. Stuff and 

 roast your tame ducks to a crisp, if you like 

 them so; but serve the dark birds rare and 

 hot, just as a beefsteak should be served. 

 Then it is that the epicure's mouth waters 

 as he slices the breast of the expensive 

 duck, and enjoys each morsel of it served 

 in only its own juices. 



If the market gunners of Texas wish to 

 make a name, and consequently a price, 

 for their canvasbacks and redheads, let 

 them plant the wild celery in their deep 

 lakes. In Chesapeake bay the canvasbacks, 

 owing to their power of remaining under 

 water a long time, dive and bring up this 

 plant from depths where no other duck can 

 get it. Then, when the exhausted diver 

 comes to the surface, it is often robbed by 

 a waiting redhead or widgeon, who reaps 

 the reward of the canvasback's industry. 

 It is a matter of doubt if the latter can be 

 distinguished from the redhead, when both 

 are served on the table by a competent 

 cook. 



" These same houses are paying $8 a 

 dozen for canvasbacks for their New York 

 trade," says the Texas writer. Think of 

 that, you jolly old fellows, who pay the 

 same amount for a pair of ducks and con- 

 sider yourselves lucky to get them. A 

 New York game dealer said to me: 



" We get an order from a hotel or res- 

 taurant which will pay first class orices 

 and we send first class birds, from Chesa- 

 peake bay, that cost us first class prices; 

 but if they don't care to pay more than $4 

 a pair we send them birds from other 

 places, which are really no better than 



black ducks or mallards that we can sell at 

 $1.50 a pair." These second grade can 

 backs may, perchance, come from Texas. 



It is nearly the same with terrapin. In 

 Washington they demand the Chesapeake 

 bay animals, as they also do in Philadel- 

 phia; but New York dealers say the far- 

 ther North the terrapin are caught the bet- 

 ter they are, and that those from Long 

 Island are best of all. This is about the 

 Northern limit of the range of the diamond 

 back terrapin, of the salt marshes, which 

 is " the " terrapin of the epicures. 



In each of the three cities named it is 

 believed that in no other than their own 

 can terrapin be properly served. Balti- 

 more epicures smile when they hear that 

 cooks in any other city pretend to serve 

 the dish; while New York claims prece- 

 dence in cooking it, and Washington 

 sneers at the cooks of both. 



The diamond back is being hunted so 

 persistently that the price has risen, great- 

 ly. Only females bring the long prices, 

 for they are larger and a " count " terrapin 

 must measure 6 inches on the under shell. 

 They rarely exceed 8 inches. All others 

 are sold by the dozen, and at a low figure. 

 Twenty years ago I have known " counts " 

 to sell for $15 a dozen, and within a year 

 have known them to bring $80 to $100; 

 while little bulls would bring only $1 a 

 dozen. Of course the latter, as well as the 

 " sliders," or pond turtles, from the South, 

 are used to mix with the regal diamond 

 back, if they do not furnish the whole stew. 



Personally I have failed to enthuse over 

 terrapin stew. It is good; but that word 

 would not satisfy the epicure who tastes, 

 rolls his eyes and thinks he is in the sev- 

 enth heaven of Mahomet. I once said as 

 much to Mr. E. .G. Blackford, the banker 

 and fish merchant. 



" Probably you never tasted it when it 

 was properly cooked," he replied. 

 /'That is > possible," said I. "The last 

 time I ate it was at your house, and you 

 said it came from Delmonico's." 



Col. F. G. Skinner, one of the old-time 

 sportsmen, from the region of Chesapeake 

 bay, used to tell this story: He was in New 

 York and, with 2 friends, invited an inland 

 sportsman to dine at a restaurant, famous 

 for its terrapin. After the appetizers had 

 been served the terrapin came on, but the 

 stranger did not understand the " Ahs " 

 and " Ohs " of his friends, and reached for 

 a bottle of Worcestershire sauce. 



" What are you going to do? " asked the 

 horrified Colonel. 



" Going to put some Worcester in it." 



" Here waiter," said the indignant man, 

 " take this terrapin away, and bring this 

 man some fried oysters or something he 

 can put Worcestershire sauce on." 



