Dessert — Apple, pumpkin, custard or mince pies.
To Choose Ducks. — Ducks must be fat and plump and
thick on the breast. If a duck is young, the skin can be easily
broken with the finger, and the feet are pliable. Tame ducks
are prepared for the table the same as young geese. For roast-
ing, have a hot fire, and baste freely and often; half an hour
will be sufficient for the smallest, the larger in proportion.
Wild ducks should be fat, the claws small, reddish and supple;
if they are not fresh, on opening the beak there will be a dis-
agreeable smell. The flesh of the hen is the most delicate.
Pick them clean without scalding; cut the wings close to the
body and empty it; cut off a part of the neck, and singe them
nicely.
Having drawn wild ducks, wipe them well inside with a
cloth, rub each outside and in with a mixture of pepper and
salt, cut a slice of white bread, dip it in hot water, spread it
thick with butter, sprinkle pepper over and put it in the body,
sew it up, truss the legs close to the body and fasten them with
skewers; then split them or lay them on a trivet in a dripping-
pan; have a bright, clear fire that they may roast quickly; put
half a pint of water in the pan, put to it a teaspoonful of salt✪ Roast Goose
and an onion sliced thin, baste with this ten or twelve minutes
(to take off the fishy taste peculiar to wild ducks) throw it away,
put half a pint of hot water in its place, put in a little pepper,
baste the ducks with butter, dredge a little flour over and
baste with the water in the pan; turn them that every part may
be done. Half an hour, with a hot fire and frequent basting,
will roast them nicely. Serve the ducks as hot as possible.
Whilst the ducks are roasting, boil the giblets tender in a
little water, chop or mince them fine, add to the mince pepper
and salt, a small bit of butter and a tablespoonful of browned
flour, when the ducks are done put it in the pan with the gravy,
set it over the fire, stir it for a few min tes, then serve in a
HOUSEHOLD. 157
tureen. Make a glass of wine hot, put to it a tablespoonful of
currant jelly and white sugar each, and serve with ducks, or
put a wineglass of port in the pan; a few minutes before taking
them up baste the ducks once or twice with it; add a table-
spoonful of jelly and the gravy.
Or half roast wild ducks without seasoning. When they are
brought to the table slice the breast, strew over pepper and
salt, pour a little port wine over, or squeeze the juice of an
orange or lemon over; add a bit of butter the size of an egg,
sprinkle over a teaspoonful of fine white sugar, cut up the bird
and set it over a chafing dish, turn it that it may be nicely
done; or prepare it in this manner and set it on coals before a
hot fire.
Canvas Back Ducks. — Canvas back ducks are served in
the same manner as wild ducks, without the onion in the bast-
ing; as there is no disagreeable taste to destroy, that is not
necessary. Canvas back ducks may be served the same as
goose or tame duck. Roast them according to their size.
Venison. — The choice of venison is regulated by the fat,
which when young is thick, clear and close. As it always be-
gins to taint first towards the haunches, run a knife into that
part; if it is tainted you will perceive a rank smell, and it will
have a greenish appearance.
Page 106 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1883. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Dessert — Apple, pumpkin, custard or mince pies.
To Choose Ducks. — Ducks must be fat and plump and thick on the breast. If a duck is young, the skin can be easily broken with the finger, and the feet are pliable. Tame ducks are prepared for the table the same as young geese. For roasting, have a hot fire, and baste freely and often; half an hour will be sufficient for the smallest, the larger in proportion. Wild ducks should be fat, the claws small, reddish and supple; if they are not fresh, on opening the beak there will be a disagreeable smell. The flesh of the hen is the most delicate. Pick them clean without scalding; cut the wings close to the body and empty it; cut off a part of the neck, and singe them nicely.
Having drawn wild ducks, wipe them well inside with a cloth, rub each outside and in with a mixture of pepper and salt, cut a slice of white bread, dip it in hot water, spread it thick with butter, sprinkle pepper over and put it in the body, sew it up, truss the legs close to the body and fasten them with skewers; then split them or lay them on a trivet in a drippingpan; have a bright, clear fire that they may roast quickly; put half a pint of water in the pan, put to it a teaspoonful of salt and an onion sliced thin, baste with this ten or twelve minutes (to take off the fishy taste peculiar to wild ducks) throw it away, put half a pint of hot water in its place, put in a little pepper, baste the ducks with butter, dredge a little flour over and baste with the water in the pan; turn them that every part may be done. Half an hour, with a hot fire and frequent basting, will roast them nicely. Serve the ducks as hot as possible.
Whilst the ducks are roasting, boil the giblets tender in a little water, chop or mince them fine, add to the mince pepper and salt, a small bit of butter and a tablespoonful of browned flour, when the ducks are done put it in the pan with the gravy, set it over the fire, stir it for a few minutes, then serve in a
tureen. Make a glass of wine hot, put to it a tablespoonful of currant jelly and white sugar each, and serve with ducks, or put a wineglass of port in the pan; a few minutes before taking them up baste the ducks once or twice with it; add a tablespoonful of jelly and the gravy.
Or half roast wild ducks without seasoning. When they are brought to the table slice the breast, strew over pepper and salt, pour a little port wine over, or squeeze the juice of an orange or lemon over; add a bit of butter the size of an egg, sprinkle over a teaspoonful of fine white sugar, cut up the bird and set it over a chafing dish, turn it that it may be nicely done; or prepare it in this manner and set it on coals before a hot fire.
Canvas Back Ducks. — Canvas back ducks are served in the same manner as wild ducks, without the onion in the basting; as there is no disagreeable taste to destroy, that is not necessary. Canvas back ducks may be served the same as goose or tame duck. Roast them according to their size.
Venison. — The choice of venison is regulated by the fat, which when young is thick, clear and close. As it always begins to taint first towards the haunches, run a knife into that part; if it is tainted you will perceive a rank smell, and it will have a greenish appearance.
Records on this page
Roast GooseWild Duck