FoodNet

The spirit of cookery

1895

Page 317

Presented as published in 1895. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Thus, we find Pheasants with Truffles, or A la Perigueiix, a copy of truffled turkey ; Pheasants d la Ghipolata ; Pheasants roasted in Papillate toith Bavioli ; Pheasants boned, stuffed, and roast; Pheasants studded with Truffles aiul stuffed toith GhestmUs (syn. faisati braisi a I’Angou- tnoise) ; Pheasants fried in the Pan ; Pheasants with Sour- kraut ; Breasts of Pheasants, when small, to be dressed in all forms of the breasts of fowl (fillets). Salmis, escalopes, pat6s, boudins, and quenelles of pheasant are all made according to the prescriptions relating to the analogous preparations of fowls. Of partridges Europe possesses several varieties, of which four are most esteemed for eating ; these are the ordinary gray partridge, the red-legged partridge, the bartavelle, and the rock partridge. Bartavelle is one of the naiues of the Greek partridge ; this bird is larger than, but otherwise very similar to, the red-legged variety. It is common in the Orient, Sicily, and Naples, and never descends into the plain from the mountainous and alpine regions in which it lives. One of the epigrammatists and poets, Julius Caesar Scaliger, who lived early in the sixteenth century, said that this bird was derived from Mount Olympus, and had pre- served the consciousness of the grandeur of its origin. Rene of Anjou, King of Naples, imported it from the island of Ohio, and acclimatized it in the Proven9e. There are many culinary observations extant regarding the bartavelles, but they are all of an exaggerated nature. Thus, Cyrano of Bergerac said that they were as much superior to ordinary gray partridges as cardinals are above mendicant friars. Reyni^re blustered, as usual, that the diner should go on his knees before them, and eat them in the attitude of adoration ; and the author of the ‘ Mdmoires of Madame 504 THE SPIRIT OF COOKERY de Orequi ’ advised that they should be larded and barded, i.e., roasted in an envelope of thin slices of bacon. But Vuillemot opposed this, as he did the larding of all game. According to Vincent Leblanc, there are in Bengal white partridges of larger size than the European gray ones. The recl-lcgged iMrtridge, which is very common in the South of Europe, is little larger than the gray, and in our opinion equally good to eat. But different persons have different predilections, and the question, in itself irrelevant, which of the two varieties is culinarily preferable, will probably never be decided. The recipes for cooking apply equally to both. We may have them roast, stewed, fried, braised, with various supports, such as mushrooms, cepes, or truffles ; or they may be egged, crumbed, and grilled (d la crapaudine). They may be dressed as salmis, or as breasts or fillets. These latter pass under all the forms and names under which the fillets of fowls and pheasants are presented. The boudins complete the list. Woodcock, in French b&casse, and its smaller varieties, snipe (bicassine) and sandpiper {b&casseau ; this last name is also used for young woodcock), are the most important of paludal dark-fleshed birds, and much coveted by the lovers of good fare and sportsman’s dishes.