Modern cookery, in all its branches

[All wild-fowl is in full season in mid-winter : the more severe the weather, the more abundant are the supplies of it in the markets. It may be had usually from November to March.] This beautiful bird is by no means rare upon our eastern coast, but ■we know not whether it be much seen in the markets generally. It is most excellent eating, and should be roasted at a clear quick fire, well floured when first laid down, turned briskly, and basted with butter almost without cessation. If drawn from the spit in from twenty-five to thirty minutes, then dished and laid before the fire for two or three more, it will give forth a singularly rich gravy. Score the breast when it is carved sprinkle on it a little cayenne and fine salt, and let a cut lemon be handed round the table when the bird is served ; or omit the scoring, and send round with it brown gravy, and Christopher North's sauce made hot. (For this, see the following page.) 20 to 30 minutes. TO ROAST WILD DUCKS. A bit of soft bread soaked in port wine, or in claret, is sometimes put into them, but nothing more. Flour them well, lay them rather near to a very clear and brisk fire, that they may be quickly browned, and yet retain their juices. Baste them plentifully and constantly with butter, and, if it can be so regulated, let the spit turn with them rapidly. From fifteen to twenty minutes will roast them sufficiently for the generality of eaters ; but for those who object to them much underdressed, a few additional minutes must be allowed. Something less of time will suffice when they are prepared for persons who like them scarcely more than heated through. Teal, which is a more delicate kind of wild fowl, is roasted in the same way : in from ten to fifteen minutes it will be enough done for the fashionable mode of serving it, and twenty minutes will dress it well at a good fire. A SALMI, OR HASH OF WILD FOWL. Carve the birds very neatly, strip off the skin, and proceed as for the salmi of pheasants (page 292), but mix port or claret, instead of white wine, with the gravy, and give it a rather high seasoning of cayenne. Throw in the juice of half a small lemon before the salmi is served, place fried sippets round the dish, and send it to table as hot as possible. For a common hash boil the skin and trimmings of the wild-fowl in some good broth, or gravy (with a couple of lightly fried eschalots or not, at choice), until their flavour is imparted to it; then strain, heat, and thicken it slightly, with a little brown roux, or browned flour ; add a wineglassful of port wine, some lemon-juice, and cayenne ; or sufficient of Christopher North's sauce to flavour it well ; warm the birds slowly in it, and serve them as soon as they are thoroughly hot, but without allowing them to boil. [The following receipt having , from inadvertence , been omitted from the chapter to which it properly belongs — as the reader has already been informed — a place is given to it here .] CHRISTOPHER NORTHS OWN SAUCE FOR MANY MEATS.