The Cook Book, by "Oscar" of the Waldorf

Economic Value. — ^The diamond-back is highly prized for food. Philadelphia furnished the best market for this species, but it is also sold in large numbers in Baltimore, Washington, New York, Boston, Chicago, Pittsburg, Cincinnati, St. Louis and many other cities. The season lasts from the beginning of October to the first or middle of June ; the best months are October and November. The specimens from North Carolina usually appear in the market last. The "counts" or those over six inches long bring from eighteen to thirty-six dollars per dozen in the market ; the smaller ones are usually sold separately at prices of from fifteen to fifty cents apiece. These prices, however, are almost sixty per cent higher than the prices received by the catcher, for the terrapins pass through several hands on their way to the market The majority of terrapins are actually caught in the summer months and are penned in yards, known as "crawls" until the marketing season arrives. To kill the terrapin it is necessary to have ready a large saucepan of boiling water, one that will hold a terrapin easily, and to plunge the creature into it head first, putting the lid or cover on the pan immediately, and leaving it in the water for ten or fifteen minutes. Then remove it and peel off the black skin from the shell, and the nails from the claws. Wash the terrapin thoroughly in warm water, and remove the under shell by chipping through the thinnest parts, where the black shell joins. Cut close to the shell so as not to lose any meat, pour away the water, but keep the blood, which will be found in the deep or black shell. Take out the dark green gall bladder, which is about the size of a cherry, and will be found near the center at the side of the liver, and also the sand bag and entrail, and preserve the eggs, if there be any. Loosen the meat from the top shell, cutting through the spine bone, just above the tail, where it is attached to the shell, turn the terrapin into a flat pan, and cut off the head. This, with the shell, can be used for soup. Separate the two fore and two hind legs, so as to have four pieces, trim off the claws, and scrape off the thin outside covering. In the female terrapin there will be found rich fat at the shoulders. This should be taken off, as it does not require so much cooking as the other parts, and should only be added when they are nearly done. It is of a dark g^een color. All the pieces of meat, together with the fat and legs, should be kept in water until wanted for use. Only the flesh, eggs and liver of the terrapin are ordinarily used, but sometimes the intestines are scalded and scraped, and added to the terrapin. When there are no eggs in the terrapin, egg balls are made to accompany it. Baked Terrapin. Cut off the head of a terrapin, put it in a saucepan or pot with the shell on, and let it boil until the under shell can be removed easily. Take it out, pull out all the meat, cleaning the upper shell thoroughly ; pick the meat to pieces, and mix it up with a few crackers and chopped onions, a small quantity each of allspice, black pepper, chopped parsley and butter, and pour over a small quantity of wine. Put this mixture into the top shell, place a few slices of lemon on the top, set it in the oveii and bake. When done take it out and serve. Baked Terrapins, Maryland Style.