 Section 44 of the Book of Household Management this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Kalinda the Book of Household Management by Isabella Beaton recipes chapter 21 part 1 chicken cutlets and entree 926 ingredients two chickens seasoning to taste of salt white pepper and cayenne two blades of pounded mace egg and breadcrumbs clarified butter one strip of lemon rind two carrots one onion two tablespoon fulls of mushroom ketchup thickening of butter and flour one egg mode remove the breast and leg bones of the chickens cut the meat into neat pieces after having skinned it and seasoned the cutlets with pepper salt pounded mace and cayenne put the bones trimmings etc into a stew pan with one pint of water adding carrots onions and lemon peel in the above proportion stew gently for one and a half hours and strain the gravy thicken it with butter and flour add the ketchup and one egg well beaten stir it over the fire and bring it to the simmering point but do not allow it to boil in the meantime egg and breadcrumb the cutlets and give them a few drops of clarified butter fry them a delicate brown occasionally turning them arrange them pyramidically on the dish and pour over them the sauce time 10 minutes to fry the cutlets average cost two shillings each sufficient for an entree seasonable from April to July fowls as food priya severin preeminent in gastronomic taste says that he believes the whole galanaceous family was made to enrich our larders and furnish our tables for from the quail to the turkey he avers their flesh is a light element full of flavor and fitted equally well for the invalid as for the man of robust health the fine flavor however which nature has given to all birds coming under the definition of poultry man has not been satisfied with and has used many means such as keeping them in solitude and darkness and forcing them to eat to give them an unnatural state of fatness or fat this fat thus artificially produced is doubtless delicious and the taste and succulents of the boiled and roasted bird draw forth the praise of the guests around the table well fattened and tender a fowl is to the cook what the canvas is to the painter for do we not see it served boiled roasted fried fricasseed hashed hot cold whole dismembered boned broiled stuffed on dishes and in pies always handy and ever acceptable the common or domestic foul from time immemorial the common or domestic foul has been domesticated in England and is supposed to be originally the offspring of some wild species which abound in the forests of India it is divided into a variety of breeds but the most esteemed are the Poland or black the dorking the Bantam the game foul and the Malay or Chittagong the common or barn door foul is one of the most delicate of the varieties and at dorking in Surrey the breed is brought to great perfection till they are four months old the term chicken is applied to the young female after that age they are called pullets till they begin to lay when they are called hens the English County's most productive in poultry are Surrey Sussex Norfolk Hertz Devon and Somerset French chicken cutlets cold meat cookery 927 ingredients the remains of cold roast or boiled foul fried bread clarified butter the yolk of one egg breadcrumbs one half teaspoon full of finely minced lemon peel salt cayenne and mace to taste for sauce one ounce of butter two minced shallots a few slices of carrot a small bunch of savory herbs including parsley one blade of pounded mace six peppercorns a quarter pint of gravy mode cut the fouls into as many nice cutlets as possible take a corresponding number of snippets about the same size all cut one shape fry them a pale brown put them before the fire then dip the cutlets into clarified butter mixed with the yolk of an egg cover with breadcrumbs seasoned in the above proportion with lemon peel mace salt and cayenne fry them for about five minutes put each piece on one of the snippets pile them high in the dish and serve with the following sauce which should be made ready for the cutlets put the butter into a stew pan add the shallots carrot herbs mace and peppercorns fry for ten minutes or rather longer pour in half a pint of good gravy made of the chicken bones stew gently for 20 minutes strain it and serve time five minutes to fry the cutlets 35 minutes to make the gravy average cost exclusive of the chicken nine pence seasonable from April to July eggs for hatching eggs intended for hatching should be removed as soon as laid and placed in brand in a dry cool place choose those that are near of a size and as a rule avoid those that are equally thick at both ends such probably contain a double yolk and will come to no good eggs intended for hatching should never be stored longer than a month as much less the better nine eggs may be placed under a Bantam hen and as many as 15 under a dorking the odd number is considered preferable as more easily packed it will be as well to mark the eggs you give the hen to sit on so that you may know if she lays anymore if she does you must remove them for if hatched at all they would be too late for the brood if during incubation an egg should be broken remove it and take out the remainder and cleanse them in lukewarm water or it is probable the sticky nature of the contents of the broken egg will make the others cling to the hens feathers and they too may be fractured hens sitting some hens are very capricious as regards sitting they will make a great fuss and keep pining for the nest and when they are permitted to take it they will sit just long enough to add all the eggs and then they're off again the safest way to guard against such annoyance is to supply the hen with some hard boiled eggs if she sits on them for a reasonable time and seems steadily inclined like a good matron you may then give her proper eggs and let her set about the business in earnest chicken or foul patties 928 ingredients the remains of cold roast chicken or foul to every one quarter pound of meat allow two ounces of ham three tablespoon fulls of cream two tablespoon fulls of veal gravy half a teaspoon full of minced lemon peel cayenne salt and pepper to taste one tablespoon full of lemon juice one ounce of butter rolled in flour puff paste mode mince very small the white meat from a cold roast foul after removing all the skin weigh it and to every quarter pound of meat allow the above proportion of minced ham put these into a stew pan with the remaining ingredients stir over the fire for 10 minutes or quarter of an hour taking care that the mixture does not burn roll out some puff paste about one quarter inch in thickness line the patty pans with this put upon each a small piece of bread and cover with another layer of paste brush over with the yolk of an egg and bake in a brisk oven for about a quarter of an hour when done cut a round piece out of the top and with a small spoon take out the bread be particular in not breaking the outside border of the crust and fill the patties with the mixture time one quarter hour to prepare the meat not quite one quarter hour to bake the crust seasonable at any time hatching sometimes the chick within the shell is unable to break away from its prison for the white of the egg will occasionally harden in the air to the consistency of joiners glue when the poor chick is in a terrible fix enable writer says assistance in hatching must not be rendered prematurely and then some necessarily but only in the case of the chick being plainly unable to release itself then indeed an addition may probably be made to the brood as great numbers are always lost in this way the chick makes a circular fracture at the big end of the egg and a section of about one third of the length of the shell being separated delivers the prisoner provided there is no obstruction from adhesion of the body to the membrane which lines the shell between the body of the chick and the membrane of the shell there exists a viscous fluid the white of the egg thickened with the intense heat of incubation until it becomes a positive glue when this happens the feathers stick fast to the shell and the chicks remain confined and must perish if not released the method of assistance to be rendered to chicks which have difficulty in releasing themselves from the shell is to take the egg in the hand and dipping the finger or a piece of linen rag in warm water to apply it to the fastened parts until they are loosened by the gluey substance becoming dissolved and separated from the feathers the chick then being returned to the nest will extricate itself a mode generally to be observed since if violence were used it would prove fatal nevertheless breaking the shell may sometimes be necessary and separating with the fingers as gently as may be the membrane from the feathers which are still to be moistened as mentioned above to facilitate the operation the points of small scissors may be useful and when there is much resistance as also apparent pain to the bird the process must be conducted in the gentlest manner and the shell separated into a number of small pieces the signs of a need of assistance are the egg being partly pecked and chipped and the clock discontinuing its efforts for five or six hours weakness from cold may disable the chicken from commencing the operation of pecking the shell which must then be artificially performed with a circular fracture such as is made by the bird itself chicken or foul pie 929 ingredients two small fouls or one large one white pepper and salt to taste half a teaspoon full of grated nutmeg half a teaspoon full of pounded mace force meat number 417 a few slices of ham three hard boiled eggs half a pint of water puff crust mode skin and cut up the fouls and joints and put the neck leg and backbones in a stew pan with a little water and onion a bunch of savory herbs and a blade of mace let these stew for about an hour and when done strain off the liquor this is for gravy put a layer of foul at the bottom of a pie dish then a layer of ham then one of force meat and hard boiled eggs cut into rings between the layers put a seasoning of pounded mace nutmeg pepper and salt proceed in this manner until the dish is full and pour in about half a pint of water border the edge of the dish with puff crust put on the cover ornament the top and glaze it by brushing over the yolk of an egg bake from one and a quarter to one and a half hours should the pie be very large and when done pour in at the very top the gravy made from the bones if to be eaten cold and wished particularly nice the joints of the foul should be boned and placed in the dish with alternate layers of force meat sausage meat may also be substituted for the force meat and is now very much used when the chickens are boned and mixed with sausage meat the pie will take about two hours to bake it should be covered with a piece of paper when about half done to prevent the paste from being dried up or scorched time for a pie with unboned meat one and a quarter to one and a half hours with boned meat and sausage or force meat one and a half to two hours average cost with two fouls six shilling six pence sufficient for six or seven persons seasonable at any time the young chicks the chicks that are hatched first should be taken from underneath the hen lest she might think her task at an end and leave the remaining eggs to spoil as soon as the young birds are taken from their mother they must be placed in a basket lined with soft wool flannel or hay and stood in the sunlight if it be summertime or by the fire if the weather be cold it is a common practice to cram young chicks with food as soon as they are born this is quite unnecessary they will so long as they are kept warm come to no harm if they should take no food for twenty four hours following their birth should the whole of the brood not be hatched by that time those that are born may be fed with bread soaked in milk and the yolk of a hard boiled egg potted chicken or foul a luncheon or breakfast dish nine thirty ingredients the remains of cold roast chicken to every pound of meat allow one quarter pound of fresh butter salt and cayenne to taste one teaspoon full of pounded mace one quarter small nutmeg mode strip the meat from the bones of cold roast fowl when it is freed from gristle and skin weigh it and to every pound of meat allow the above proportion of butter seasoning and spices cut the meat into small pieces pound it well with the fresh butter sprinkle in the spices gradually and keep pounding until reduced to a perfectly smooth paste put it into potting pots for use and cover it with clarified butter about one quarter inch and and if it be kept for some time tie over a bladder two or three slices of ham minced and pounded with the above ingredients will be found in improvement it should be kept in a dry place seasonable at any time feeding and coping the chicks when all the chicks are hatched they should be placed along with the mother under a coop in a warm dry spot if two hens happen to have their broods at the same time their respective chicks should be carefully kept separate as if they get mixed and so go under the wrong coop the hens will probably maim and destroy those who have mistaken their dwelling after being kept snug beneath the coop for a week the coop should be placed under cover at nightfall the chicks may be returned loose for an hour or so in the warmest part of the day they should be gradually weaned from the soaked bread and chopped egg instead of which grits or boiled barley should be given in eight or ten days their stomachs will be strong enough to receive bruised barley and at the end of three weeks if your chicks be healthy they will be able to take care of themselves it will be well however to keep your eye on them a week or so longer as the elder chickens may drive them from their food great care should be taken that the very young chicks do not run about the wet ground or on damp grass as this is the most prominent and fatal cause of disease while under the coop with their mother a shallow pan or plate of water should be supplied to the chicks as in a deeper vessel they are liable to drench themselves and take cold or possibly to get drowned chicken or foul salad 931 ingredients the remains of cold roast or boiled chicken two lettuces a little endive one cucumber a few slices of boiled beetroot salad dressing number 506 mode trim neatly the remains of the chicken wash dry and slice the lettuces and place in the middle of a dish put the pieces of foul on the top and pour the salad dressing over them garnish the edge of the salad with hard boiled eggs cut in rings sliced cucumber and boiled beetroot cut in slices instead of cutting the eggs and rings the yolks may be rubbed through a hair sieve and the whites chopped very finely and arranged on the salad in small bunches yellow and white alternately this should not be made long before it is wanted for table average cost exclusive of the cold chicken eight pence sufficient for four or five persons seasonable at any time age and flavor of chickens it has been the opinion of the medical faculty of all ages and all countries that the flesh of the young chicken is the most delicate and easy to digest of all animal food it is less alkaless than the flesh of any other animal and its entire freedom from any irritating quality renders it a fit dish for the ailing or those whose stomachs are naturally weak in no animal however does age work such a change in regard to the quality of its flesh as it does in domestic fouls in their infancy cocks and hens are equally tender and toothsome but as time overtakes them it is the cock whose flesh toughens first a year old cock indeed is fit for little else than to be converted into soup while a hen at the same age although sufficiently substantial is not callous to the insinuations of a carving knife as regards cappins however the rule respecting age does not hold good there is scarcely to be found a more delicious animal than a well fed well dressed cappin age does not dry up his juices indeed like wine he seems but to mellow at three years old even he is as tender as a chick with the additional advantage of his proper chicken flavor being fully developed the above remarks however concerning the cappin only apply to such as our naturally fed and not crammed the latter process may produce a handsome looking bird and it may weigh enough to satisfy the whim or avarice of its stuffer but when before the fire it will reveal the cruel treatment to which it has been subjected and will weep a dripping pan full of fat tears you will never find heart enough to place such a grief-worn guest at the head of your table it should be borne in mind as a rule that small boned and short-legged poultry are likely to excel the contrary sort in delicacy of color flavor and fineness of flesh hashed duck cold meat cookery 932 ingredients the remains of cold roast duck rather more than one pint of weak stock or water one onion one ounce of butter thickening of butter and flour salt and cayenne to taste half a teaspoon full of minced lemon peel one dessert spoonful of lemon juice half a glass of port wine mode cut the duck into nice joints and put the trimmings into a stew pan slice and fry the onion in a little butter add these to the trimmings pour in the above proportion of weak stock or water and stew gently for one hour strain the liquor thicken it with butter and flour season with salt and cayenne and add the remaining ingredients boil it up and skim well lay in the pieces of duck and let them get thoroughly hot through by the side of the fire but do not allow them to boil they should soak in the gravy for about half an hour garnish with snippets of toasted bread the hash may be made richer by using a stronger and more highly flavored gravy a little spice or pounded mace may also be added when their flavor is liked time one and a half hours average cost exclusive of the cold duck four pence seasonable from November to February ducklings from May to August the duck this bird belongs to the order of natatores or swimmers the most familiar tribes of which are ducks swans geese ox penguins petrals pelicans geomots gulls and terns they mostly live in the water feeding on fish worms and aquatic plants they are generally polygamous and make their nests among reeds or in moist places the flesh of many of the species is eatable but that of some is extremely rank and oily the duck is a native of britain but is found on the margins of most of the european lakes it is excessively greedy and by no means a nice feeder it requires a mixture of vegetable and animal food but aquatic insects corn and vegetables are its proper food its flesh however is savory being not so gross as that of the goose and have easier digestion in the green pea season is usually found on an english table but according to yude november is its proper season when it is plump and fat to ragu a duck whole 933 ingredients one large duck pepper and salt to taste good beef gravy two onions sliced four sage leaves a few leaves of lemon thyme thickening of butter and flour after having emptied and singed the duck season it inside with pepper and salt and truss it roast it before a clear fire for about 20 minutes and let it acquire a nice brown color put it into a stew pan with sufficient well-seasoned beef gravy to cover it slice and fry the onions and add these with the sage leaves and lemon thyme both of which should be finely minced to the stock simmer gently until the duck is tender strain skim and thicken the gravy with a little butter and flour boil it up pour over the duck and serve when in season about one and a half pints of young green peas boiled separately and put in the ragu very much improved this dish time 20 minutes to roast the duck 20 minutes to stew it average cost from two shilling three pence to two shilling six pence each sufficient for four or five persons seasonable from november to february ducklings from april to august illustration Buenos Aires duck the Buenos Aires duck the Buenos Aires duck is of east indian birth and is chiefly valuable as an ornament for we suppose one would assume think of picking a chinese teal for luncheon or a goldfish for breakfast as to consign the handsome Buenos Aires to the spit the prevailing color of this bird is black with a metallic luster and a gleaming of blue steel about its breast and wings varieties of ducks naturalists count nearly a hundred different species of ducks and there is no doubt that the intending keeper of these harmless and profitable birds may easily take his choice from amongst 20 different sorts there is however so little difference in the various members of the family either as regards hardiness laying or hatching that the most incompetent fancier or breeder may indulge his taste without danger of making a bad bargain in connection with their value for the table light colored ducks are always of milder flavor than those that are dark colored the white alesburys being general favorites ducks reared exclusively on vegetable diet will have a whiter and more delicate flesh than those allowed to feed on animal awful while the flesh of birds fattened on the latter food will be firmer than that of those which have only partake in a food of a vegetable nature roast ducks 934 ingredients a couple of ducks sage and onion stuffing number 504 a little flour choosing and trusting choose ducks with plump bellies and with thick and yellowish feet they should be trust with the feet on which should be scalded and the skin peeled off and then turned up close to the legs run a skewer through the middle of each leg after having drawn them as close as possible to the body to plump up the breast passing the same quite through the body cut off the heads and necks and the pinions of the first joint bring these close to the sides twist the feet round and trust them at the back of the bird after the duck is stuffed both ends should be secured with string so as to keep in the seasoning illustration roast duck mode to ensure ducks being tender never dress them the same day they are killed and if the weather permits they should hang a day or two make a stuffing of sage and onion sufficient for one duck and leave the other unseasoned as the flavor is not liked by everybody put them down to a brisk clear fire and keep them well basted the whole of the time they are cooking a few minutes before serving dredge them lightly with flour to make them froth and look plump and when the steam draws toward the fire send them to the table hot and quickly with a good brown gravy poured but not over the ducks and a little of the same in a terrain when in season green peas should invariably accompany this dish time full grown ducks from three quarters of an hour to an hour ducklings from 25 to 35 minutes average cost from two shillings three pence to two shillings six pence each sufficient a couple of ducks for six or seven persons seasonable ducklings from April to August ducks from November to February note ducklings are trusted and roasted in the same manner and served with the same sauces and accompaniments when in season serve apple sauce illustration ruant ducks the ruant duck the ruant or rhone duck is a large and handsome variety of french extraction the plumage of the rhone duck is somewhat somber its flesh is also much darker and though of higher flavor not nearly so delicate as that of our own ailsbury it is with this ladder breed that the ruant duck is generally made it and the result is said to be the increase of size and strength in normandy and britney these ducks as well as other sorts greatly abound and the duck liver patties are there almost as popular as the paté de foie gras of strassburg in order to bring the livers of the wretched duck to the fashionable and unnatural size the same diabolical cruelty is resorted to as in the case of the strassburg goose the poor birds are nailed by the feet to a board placed close to the fire and in that position plentifully supplied with food and water in a few days the carcass is reduced to a mere shadow while the liver has grown monstrously we would rather abstain from the acquaintance of a man who ate paté de foie gras knowing its component parts ducks eggs the ancient notion that ducks whose beaks have a tendency to curve upwards are better layers than those who speak do not thus point is we need hardly say simply absurd all ducks are good layers if they are carefully fed intended ducks generally lay at night or early in the morning while they are in perfect health they will do this and one of the surest signs of indisposition among birds of this class is irregularity in laying the eggs laid will approach nearly the color of the layer light colored ducks laying white eggs and brown ducks greenish blue eggs dark colored birds laying the largest eggs one time of day the notion was prevalent that a duck would hatch no other eggs than her own and although this is not true it will be nevertheless as well to match the ducks own eggs as closely as possible for we have known instances wherein the duck has turned out of the nest and destroyed eggs differing from her own in size and color ducks the mallard or wild duck from which is derived the domestic species is prevalent throughout europe asia and america the mallards most remarkable characteristic is one which sets a defiance the speculations of the most profound ornithologist the female bird is extremely plain but the male's plumage is a splendor of greens and browns and browns and blues in the spring however the plumage of the male begins to fade and in two months every vestige of his finery is departed and he is not to be distinguished from his soberly garbed wife then the greens and the blues and the browns begin to bud out again and by october he is once more a gorgeous drake it is to be regretted that domestication has seriously deteriorated the moral character of the duck in a wild state he is a faithful husband desiring but one wife and devoting himself to her but no sooner is he domesticated than he becomes polygamous and makes nothing of owning 10 or a dozen wives at a time as regards the females they are much more solicitous for the welfare of their progeny in a wild state than a tame should a tame duck's duckling get into mortal trouble its mother will just signify her sorrow by an extra quack or so and a flapping of her wings but touch a wild duck's little one if you dare she will buffet you with her broad wings and dash boldly at your face with her stout beak if you search for her nest among the long grass she will try no end of maneuvers to lure you from it her favorite ruse being to pretend lameness to delude you into the notion that you have only to pursue her vigorously and her capture is certain so you persevere for half a mile or so and then she is up and away leaving you to find your way back to the nest if you can among the ancients opinion was at a variance respecting the wholesomeness and digestibility of goose flesh but concerning the excellence of the duck all parties were agreed indeed they not only assigned to duck meet the palm for exquisite flavor and delicacy they even attribute to it medicinal powers of the highest order not only the roman medical writers of the time make mention of it but likewise the philosophers of the period plutarch assures us that kato preserved his whole household in health in a season when plague and disease were rife through dieting them on roast duck stewed duck and peas cold meat cookery 935 ingredients the remains of cold roast duck two ounces of butter three or four slices of lean ham or bacon one tablespoon full of flour two pints of thin gravy one or a small bunch of green onions three sprigs of parsley three cloves one pint of young green peas cayenne and salt to taste one teaspoon full of pounded sugar mode put the butter into a stew pan cut up the duck into joints lay them in with the slices of lean ham or bacon make it brown then dredge in a tablespoon full of flour and stir this well in before adding the gravy put in the onion parsley cloves and gravy and when it is simmered for a quarter of an hour add a pint of young green peas and stew gently for about half an hour season with cayenne salt and sugar take out the duck place it round the dish and the peas in the middle time three quarters of an hour average cost exclusive of the cold duck one shilling seasonable from june to august duck's hatching concerning incubation by ducks a practiced writer says the duck requires a secret and safe place rather than any attendance and will at nature's call cover her eggs and seek her food on hatching there is not often a necessity for taking away any of the brood and having hatched let the mother retain her young ones upon the nest her own time on her moving with her brood let a coop be prepared upon the short grass if the weather be fine and under shelter if otherwise coping and feeding ducklings brood ducks should be cooped at some distance from any other a wide and flat dish of water to be often renewed should stand just outside the coop and barley or any other meal be the first food of the ducklings it will be needful if it be wet weather to clip their tails lest these draggle and so weaken the bird the period of the duck's confinement to the coop will depend on the weather and on the strength of the ducklings a fortnight is usually the extent of time necessary and they may even be sometimes permitted to enjoy the luxury of a swim at the end of a week they should not however be allowed to stay too long in the water at first for they will then become ill their feathers get rough and looseness of the bowels and sue in the latter case let them be closely cooped for a few days and bean meal or oatmeal be mixed with their ordinary food illustration ailsbury ducks the ailsbury duck the white ailsbury duck is and deservedly a universal favorite its snowy plumage and comfortable comportment make it a credit to the poultry yard while its broad and deep breast and its ample back convey the assurance that your satisfaction will not cease at its in parts of buckinghamshire this member of the duck family is bred on an extensive scale not on planes and commons however as might be naturally imagined but in the abodes of the cottagers round the walls of the living room and of the bedroom even are fixed rows of wooden boxes lined with hay and it is the business of the wife and children to nurse and comfort the feathered lodgers to feed the little ducklings and to take the old ones out for an airing sometimes the stock ducks are the cottagers own property but it more frequently happens that they are entrusted to his care by a whole sale breeder who pays him so much per score for all ducklings properly raised to be perfect the ailsbury duck should be plump pure white with yellow feet and a flesh colored beak stewed duck and peas cold meat cookery 936 ingredients the remains of cold roast duck half a pint of good gravy cayenne and salt to taste half a teaspoon full of minced lemon peel one teaspoon full of pounded sugar two ounces of butter rolled in flour one and a half pints of green peas mode cut up the duck into joints laid in the gravy and add a seasoning of cayenne salt and minced lemon peel let this gradually warm through but not boil throw the peas into boiling water slightly salted and boil them rapidly until tender drain them stir in the pounded sugar and the butter rolled in flour shake them over the fire for two or three minutes and serve in the center of the dish with the duck laid round time 15 minutes to boil the peas when they are full grown average cost exclusive of the cold duck 10 pence seasonable from june to august fattening ducks many duck keepers give their birds nothing in the shape of food letting them wander about and pick up a living for themselves and they will seem to get fat even upon this precarious feeding unless however ducks are supplied with besides chance food a liberal feed of solid corn or grain morning and evening their flesh will become flabby and insipid the simple way to fatten ducks is to let them have as much substantial food as they will eat bruised oats and pea meal being the standard fattening food for them no cramming is required as with the turkey and some other poultry they will cram themselves to the very verge of suffocation at the same time plenty of exercising clean water should be at their service american mode of capturing ducks on the american rivers the modes of capture are various sometimes half a dozen artificial birds are fastened to a little raft and which is so weighted that the sham birds squat naturally on the water this is quite sufficient to attract the notice of a passing flock who descend to cultivate the acquaintance of the isolated few when the concealed hunter with his fouling piece scatters a deadly leaden shower amongst them in the winter when the water is covered with rubble ice the fowler of the Delaware paints his canoe entirely white lies flat in the bottom of it and floats with the broken ice from which the aquatic inhabitants fail to distinguish it so floats the canoe until he within it understands by the quacking and fluttering and whirring of wings that he is in the midst of a flock when he is up in a moment with the murderous piece and dying quacks and lamentations rend the still air illustration bow build ducks bow build ducks etc everyone knows how awkward are the Anna today waddling along in their unelastic webbed toes and their short legs which being placed considerably backward make the four part of the body preponder it some however are formed more adapted to terrestrial habits than others and notably among these may be named dendronessa sponsor the summer duck of America this beautiful bird rears her young in the holes of trees generally overhanging the water when strong enough the young scrambled to the mouth of the hole launch into the air with their little wings and feet spread out and drop into their favorite element whenever their birthplace is at some distance from the water the mother carries them to it one by one in her bill holding them so as not to injure their tender frame on several occasions however when the hole was 30 40 or more yards from a piece of water Audubon observed that the mother suffered the young to fall in the grass and dried leaves beneath the tree and afterwards led them directly to the nearest edge of the next pool or creek there are some curious varieties of the domestic duck which only appear interesting from their singularity for there does not seem to be anything of use or value in the unusual characteristics which distinguish them thus the bowbill duck as shown in the engraving called by some writers the hook bill is remarkable for the peculiarly strange distortion of its beak and the tuft on top of its head the penguin duck again waddles in an upright position like the penguin on account of the unnatural situation of its legs these odd peculiarities add nothing of value to the various breeds and may be set down as only the result of accidental malformation transmitted from generation to generation stew duck and turnips cold meat cookery 937 ingredients the remains of cold roast duck half a pint of good gravy four shallots a few slices of carrot a small bunch of savory herbs one blade of pounded mace a pound of turnips weighed after being peeled two ounces of butter pepper and salt to taste mode cut up the duck into joints fry the shallots carrots and herbs and put them with the duck into the gravy add the pounded mace and stew gently for 20 minutes or half an hour cut about one pound of turnips weighed after being peeled into one half inch squares put the butter into a stew pan and stew them till quite tender which will be in about half an hour or rather more season with pepper and salt and serve in the center of the dish with the duck etc laid round time rather more than half an hour to stew the turnips average cost exclusive of the cold duck one shilling seasonable from november to february the wild duck in many parts of england the wild duck is to be found especially in those desolate fanny parts where water abounds in lincolnshire they are plentiful and are annually taken in the decoys which consist of ponds situate in the marshes and surrounded with wood or reeds to prevent the birds which frequent them from being disturbed in these the birds sleep during the day and as soon as evening sets in the decoy rises and the wild fowl feed during the night now is the time for the decoy ducks to entrap the others from the ponds diverge in different directions certain canals at the end of which funnel nets are placed along these the decoy ducks trained for the purpose lead the others in search of food after they have got a certain length a decoy man appears and drives them further on until they are finally taken in the nets it is from these decoys in lincolnshire that the london market is mostly supplied the chinese have a singular mode of catching these ducks a person wades in the water up to the chin and having his head covered with an empty calabash approaches the place where the ducks are as the birds have no suspicion of the nature of the object which is concealed under the calabash they suffer its approach and allow it to move at will among their flock the man accordingly walks about in the midst of his game and whenever he pleases pulls them by the legs under the water and fixes them to his belt until he is secured as many as he requires and then moves off as he went amongst them without exciting the slightest suspicion of the trick he's been playing them this singular mode of duck hunting is also practiced on the ganges the earthen vessels of the hindus being used instead of calabashes these vessels being those in which the inhabitants boil their rice are considered after once being used as defiled and are accordingly thrown into the river the duck takers finding them suitable for their purpose put them on their heads and as the ducks from seeing them constantly floating down the stream are familiar with their appearance they regard them as objects from which no danger is to be expected illustration call ducks duck snares in the Lincolnshire fens the following interesting account of how duck snaring used to be managed in the Lincolnshire fens was published some years ago in a work entitled the feathered tribes in the lakes to which they resorted their favorite haunts were observed and in the most sequestered part of a haunt a pipe or ditch was cut across the entrance decreasing gradually in width from the entrance to the further end which was not more than two feet wide the ditch was of a circular form but did not bend much for the first ten yards the banks of the lake on each side of the ditch were kept clear of weeds and close herbage in order that the ducks might get on them to sit and dress themselves along the ditch poles were driven into the ground close to the edge on each side and the tops were bent over across the ditch and tied together the poles then bent forward as the entrance to the ditch and formed an arch the top of which was ten feet distant from the surface of the water the arch was made to decrease in height as the ditch decreased in width so that the remote end was not more than 18 inches in height the poles were placed about six feet from each other and connected by poles laid lengthwise across the arch and tied down over the hole was thrown a net which was made fast to a reed fence at the entrance and nine or ten yards up the ditch and afterwards strongly pegged to the ground at the end of the ditch furthest from the entrance was fixed what was called a tunnel net of about four yards in length of a round form and kept open by a number of hoops about 18 inches in diameter placed at a small distance from each other to keep it distended supposing the circular bend of the ditch to be to the right when one stands with his back to the lake then on the left hand side a number of reed fences were constructed called shootings for the purpose of screening the decoy man from observation and in such a manner that the fowl in the decoy would not be alarmed while he was driving those that were in the pipe those shootings which were 10 in number were about four yards in length and about six feet high from the end of the last shooting a person could not see the lake owing to the bend of the ditch and there was then no further occasion for shelter were it not for these shootings the fowl that remained about the mouth of the ditch would have been alarmed if the person driving the fowl already under the net should have been exposed and would have become so shy as entirely to forsake the place the decoy man dog and ducks the first thing that decoy man did on approaching the ditch was to take a piece of lighted peat or turf and to hold it near his mouth to prevent the birds from smelling him he was attended by a dog trained to render him assistance he walked very silently about halfway up the shootings where a small piece of wood was thrust through the reed fence which made an aperture just large enough to enable him to see if there were any fowl within if not he walked to see if there were any about the entrance to the ditch if there were he stopped made a motion to his dog and gave him a piece of cheese to eat when the dog went directly to a hole through the reed fence and the birds immediately flew off back into the water the dog returned along the bank between the reed fences and came out to his master at another hole the man then gave the dog something more to encourage him and the dog repeated his rounds till the birds were attracted by his motions and followed him into the mouth of the ditch an operation which was called working them the man now retreated further back working the dog at different holes until the ducks were sufficiently under the net he then commanded his dog to lie down under the fence and going himself forward to the end of the ditch next to the lake he took off his hat and gave it a wave between the shootings all the birds that were under the net could then see him but none that were in the lake could the former flew forward and the man then ran to the next shooting and waved his hat and so on driving them along until they came into the tunnel net into which they crept when they were all in the man gave the net a twist so as to prevent them getting back he then took the net off from the end of the ditch and taking out one by one the ducks that were in it dislocated their necks end of section 44 recording by kalinda in raymond new Hampshire section 45 of the book of household management this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the book of household management by Isabella Beaton recipes chapter 21 part 2 boiled fowls or chickens 938 ingredients a pair of fowls water choosing and trossing in choosing fowls for boiling it should be born in mind that those that are not black leg they're generally much whiter when dressed pick jaw singe wash and trust them in the following manner without the livers in the wings and in drawing be careful not to break the gallbladder cut off the neck leaving sufficient skin to skewer back cut the feet off to the first joint tuck the stumps into a slit made on each side of the belly twist the wings over the back of the fowl and secure the top of the leg and the bottom of the wing together by running a skewer through them in the body the other side must be done in the same manner should the fowl be very large and old draw the sinews of the legs before tucking them in make a slit in the apron of the fowl large enough to admit the parson's nose and tie a string on the tops of the legs to keep them in their proper place mode when they are firmly trust put them into a stew pan with plenty of hot water bring it to boil and carefully remove all the scum as it rises simmer very gently until the fowl is tender and bear in mind that the slower it boils the plumper and whiter will the fowl be many cooks wrap them in a floured cloth to preserve the color and to prevent the scum from clinging to them in this case a few slices of lemon should be placed on the breasts over these a sheet of buttered paper and then the cloth cooking them in this manner renders the flesh very white boiled ham bacon boiled tongue or pickled pork are the usual accompaniments to boiled fowls and they may be served with bechamel white sauce parsley and butter oyster lemon liver celery or mushroom sauce a little should be poured over the fowls after the skewers are removed and the remainder sent in a tureen to table time large fowl one hour moderate size one three quarters of an hour chicken from 20 minutes to half an hour average cost in full season five shillings the pair sufficient for seven or eight persons seasonable all the year but scarce in early spring the game fell respecting the period at which this well-known member of the gallus family became domesticated history is silent there's little doubt however that like the dog it has been attached to mankind ever since mankind were attached to civilization although the social position of this bird is at the present time highly respectable it is nothing to what it was when rome was mistress of the world writing at that period pliny says respecting the domestic cock the gate of the cock is proud and commanding he walks with head erect and elevated crest alone of all birds he habitually looks up to the sky raising at the same time his curved and scythe-formed tail and inspiring terror in the lion himself that most intrepid of animals they regulate the conduct of our magistrates and open or close to them their own houses they prescribe rest or movement to the roman fascis they command or prohibit battles in a word they lord it over the masters of the world as well among the ancient Greeks as the romans was the cock regarded with respect and even awe the former people practiced diminations by means of this bird supposing there to be a doubt in the campus to defeat a state of fight a battle the letter of every day in the week would be placed face downwards and a grain of corn placed on each then the sacred cock would be loose and according to the letters he pecked his corn from so would the battle time be regulated on one momentous occasion however a person inimical to priestly interest officially examined the grain and found that those lying on the letters not wanted were made of wax and the birds preferring the true grain left these untouched it is needless to add that after this divination through the medium of cocks and grain fell out of fashion whether or not the learned foul above alluded to were of the game breed is unknown but that the birds were bred through the inhuman sport of fighting many hundred years before the christian era there can be no doubt to mystically is the Athenian king who flourished more than two thousand years ago took advantage of the sight of a pitched battle between two cocks to harangue his soldiers on courage observe said he with what intrepid valor they fight inspired by no other motive than law of victory whereas you have to contend for your religion and your liberty for your wives and children and for the tombs of your ancestors and to this day his courage has not degenerated he still preserves his bold and elegant gait his sparkling eye while his wedge-shaped beak and cruel spurs are ever ready to support his defiant crow is no wonder that the breed is not plentiful first on account of the few eggs laid by the hen and secondly from the incurable pugnacity of the chicks half-fledged broods may be found blind as bats from fighting and only waiting for the least glimmer of sight to be added again without doubt the flesh of game flowers is every way superior to that of every chicken of the family broiled fowl and mushroom sauce 939 ingredients a large fowl seasoning to taste of pepper and salt two handfuls of button mushrooms one slice of lean ham three quarters of pint of thickened gravy one teaspoon full of lemon juice half a teaspoon full of pounded sugar mode cut the fowl into quarters roast it until three parts done and keep it well basted whilst at the fire take the fowl up broil it for a few minutes over a clear fire and season it with pepper and salt have ready some mushroom sauce made in the following manner put the mushrooms into a stew pan with a small piece of butter the ham a seasoning of pepper and salt and the gravy simmer these gently for half an hour add the lemon juice and sugar dish the fowl and pour the sauce round them time to roast the fowl 35 minutes to broil it 10 to 15 minutes average cost in full season two shilling six months sufficient for four or five persons seasonable in full season from May to January the bantam no one will dispute that for beauty animation plumage and courage the bantam is entitled to rank next to the gamefile as its name undoubtedly implies the bird is of asiatic origin the choice it's sorts are the buff coloured and those that are entirely black a year old bantam cock of pure breed will not weigh more than 16 ounces despite its small size however it is marvelously bold especially in defense of his progeny a friend of the writers residing at Kensington possessed a pair of thoroughbred bantams that were allowed in a range of a yard where a fierce bull terrier was kenneled the hen had chicks and when about three weeks old one of them strayed into the dog kennel the grim beast within took no notice of the tiny fledgling but when the anxious mother ventured in to fetch out the truant with a growl the dog woke and nearly snapped her asunder in his great jaws the cockbird saw the tragic fate of its partner but nothing daunted flew at the dog with a fierce cry and pecked savagely at its face the odds however were too great and when the terrier had sufficiently recovered from the astonishment caused by the sudden and unexpected attack he seized the audacious bantam and shook him to death and in five minutes the devoted couple were entombed in pinches capacious more boiled fowl and rice 940 ingredients one fowl mutton broth two onions two small blades of pounded mace pepper and salt to taste a quarter of a pint of rice parsley and butter mode trust the fowl is for boiling and put it into a stew pan with sufficiently well skimmed mutton broth to cover it add the onion mace and a seasoning of pepper and salt stew very gently for about one hour should the fowl be large and about half an hour before it is ready put in the rice which should be well washed and soaked when the latter is tender strain it from the liquor and put it on a sieve reverse to dry before the fire and in the meantime keep the fowl hot dish it put the rice round as a border pour a little parsley and butter over the fowl and the remainder send to table in a terrain time a large fowl one hour average cost in full season two shilling sixpence sufficient for three or four persons seasonable all the year but scarce in early spring the dorking this bird takes its name from that of a town in sorry where the breed is to be found in greater numbers and certainly in greater perfection than elsewhere it is generally believed that this particular branch of poultry was found in the town above mentioned as long ago as the roman era the dorking's chief characteristic is that he has five claws on each foot the extra claw however is never of sufficient length to encumber the foot or to cause it to drag its nest or scratch out the eggs the color of the true dorking is pure white long in the body short in the legs and a prolific layer 30 years ago there was much controversy respecting the origin of the dorking the men of sussex declared that the bird belonged to them and brought birds indigenous to their will and possessing all the dorking fine points and peculiarities in proof of the declaration others inclined to the belief that the poland bird was the father of the dorking and not without at least a show of reason as the former bird much resembles the latter in shape and despite its somber hue it is well known that the poland cock will occasionally beget thorough white stalk from white english hens the commotion has however long ago subsided and dorking still retains its fair reputation for foul curried foul 941 ingredients one foul two ounces of butter three onions sliced one pint of white veal gravy one tablespoon full of curry powder one tablespoon full of flour one apple four tablespoons of cream one tablespoon full of lemon juice mode put the butter into a stew pan with the onion sliced the foul cut into small joints and the apple peeled called and minced fry over pale brown add the stock and stew gently for 20 minutes rub down the curry powder and flour with a little of the gravy quite smoothly and stir this to the other ingredients simmer for rather more than half an hour and just before serving add the above proportion of hot cream and lemon juice serve with boiled rice which may either be heaped lightly on a dish by itself or put around the curry as a border time 50 minutes average cost three shillings strippants sufficient for three or four persons seasonable in the winter note this curry may be made of cold chicken but undressed meat will be found far superior the poland this bird a native of holland is a great favorite of foul keepers especially those you have an eye to profit rather than to amusement those right is known as the silver spangled and the gold spangled are handsome enough to please the most fastidious but the common black breed with the bushy crown of white feathers is but a plain bird the chief failure of the common poland lies in a great number of eggs they produce indeed in many parts they are as well known as everlasting layers is why their proper name however the experienced breeder would take good care to send the eggs of his everlasting layers to market and not use them for home consumption as although they may be as large as those laid by other hens the amount of nutriment contained in them is not nearly so great mr. mowbray once kept an account of the number of eggs produced by this prolific bird with the following result from the 25th of october to the 25th of the following september five hens laid 503 eggs the average weight of each egg was one ounce five jams and the total weight of the whole exclusive of the shells 50 and a quarter pounds taking the weight of the birds at the fair average of five pounds each we thus see them producing within a year double their weight of egg alone and supposing every egg to contain a chick and allowing the chick to grow in less than 18 months from the laying of the first egg 2,500 pounds of chicken meat would be the result the polland is easily fattened and its flesh is generally considered juicier and of richer flavours than most others curried fowl or chicken cold meat cookery 942 ingredients the remains of cold roast fowls two large onions one apple two ounces of butter one dessert spoonful of curry powder one teaspoon full of flour half a pint of gravy one tablespoon full of lemon juice mode slice the onions peel core and top the apple and cut the fowl into neat joints fry these in the butter of a nice brown then add the curry powder flour and gravy and stew for about 20 minutes put in the lemon juice and serve with boiled rice either placed in a ridge around the dish or separately two or three shallots or a little garlic may be added if approved time all together half an hour average cost exclusive of the cold fowl sixpence seasonable in the winter the quotient china about 15 years ago the arrival of this distinguished asiatic created in england has great a sensation as might be expected from the landing of an invading host the first pair that ever made their appearance here were natives of shanghai and were presented to the queen who exhibited them at the Dublin poultry show of 1818 then began the quotient furore as soon as it was discovered despite the most genuine endeavors to keep the tremendous secret that a certain dealer was possessed of a pair of these birds straightway the avenues to that dealer shop were blocked by brothams and chariots and hat calves until the shy poultry had been tempted by a sufficiently high sum to part with his treasure banknotes were exchanged for quotient chicks and quotient eggs were in as great demand as though they had been laid by the fabled golden goose the reign of the quotient china was however of inconsiderable duration the bird that in 1847 would fetch 30 guineas is now counted but ordinary chicken meat and its price is regulated according to its weight when ready for the spit as for the precious buff eggs against which one time of day guineas were weighed send for six penny worth at the cheese mungers and you will get at least five which is just as it should be for elegance of shape or quality of flesh the quotient cannot for a moment stand comparison with our handsome dung hill neither can the indescribable mixture of growling and braing peculiar to the former via with the musical chomping of our own mourning herald yet our poultry breeders have been immense gainers by the introduction of the ungainly celestial in as much as new blood has been infused into the english chicken family of this incalculable advantage we may be sure while as to the quotient's defects they are certain to be lost in the process of cross and cross breeding boiled fouls a la bechamel 943 ingredients a pair of fouls one pint of bechamel number 367 a few bunches of boiled broccoli or cauliflower mode trust and boil the fouls by recipe number 938 make a pint of bechamel sauce by recipe number 367 pour some of this over the fouls and the remainder send to table in a churrin garnish the dish with bunches of boiled cauliflower as a broccoli and serve very hot the sauce should be made sufficiently thick to adhere to the fouls that for the churrin should be thinned by adding a spoonful or two of stock time from half to one hour according to size average cost in full season five shillings a pair sufficient for six or seven persons seasonable all the year but scarce in early spring space for fouls we are no advocates for converting the domestic foul into a cage bird we have known amateur foul keepers worthy souls who would butter the very barley they gave their pets if they thought they would the more enjoy it coop up a male bird and three or four hands in an ordinary egg chest placed on its side and with the front closely barred with iron hooping this system will not do every animal from man himself to the guinea pig must have what is vulgarly but truly known as elbow room and it must be self-evident how emphatically this rule applies to winged animals it may be urged in the case of domestic fouls that from constant disuse and from clipping and plucking and other sorts of maltreatment their wings can hardly be regarded as instruments of flight we maintain however that you may pluck a foul's wing joints as bare as a pumpkin but you will not erase from his memory that he is a foul and that his proper sphere is the open air if he likewise reflects that he is an ill-used foul a prison bird he will then come to the conclusion that there is not the least use under such circumstances for his existence and you must admit that the decision is only logical and natural boiled foul with oysters excellent 944 ingredients one young foul three dozen oysters the yolks of two eggs a quarter of a pint of cream mode truss a young foul is for boiling fill the inside with oysters which have been bearded and washed in their own liquor secure the ends of the foul put it into a jar and plunge the jar into a saucepan of boiling water keep it boiling for one and a half hours or rather longer then take the gravy that has flowed from the oysters and foul of which there will be a good quantity stir in the cream and yolks of eggs add a few oysters scalded in their liquor let the sauce get quite hot but do not allow it to boil pour some of it over the foul and the remainder send to table in a terrine a blade of pounded mace added to the sauce with the cream and eggs will be found in improvement time one and a half hours average cost four ceiling sixpence sufficient for three or four persons seasonable from september to april the foul house in building a foul house take care that it be if possible built against the wall or fence that faces the south and thus ensures its inmates against many cold winds driving rains and sleets that will otherwise suffer let the floor of the house slope half an inch to the foot from back to front so as to ensure drainage let it also be close hard and perfectly smooth so that it may be cleanly swept out a capital plan is to mix a few bushes of chalk and dry earth spread it over the floor and pay a paverior's labour a trifle to hammer it level with his rammer the foul house should be seven feet higher and furnished with perches at least two feet apart the perches must be level and not one above the other or unpleasant consequences may ensue to the undermost row the purchase should be ledged not fixed just dropped into sockets that they may be easily taken out and cleaned not lower than five feet from the ground convenient slips of wood being driven into the wall to render the ascent as easy as possible the front of the foul house should be latticed taking care that the interstices be not wide enough even to tempt the chick to crawl through nesting boxes containing soft hay and fitted against the walls so as to be easily reached by the perch ladder should be supplied it will be as well to keep by you a few portable doors so that you may hang one before the entrance to a nesting box when the hen goes in to sit this will prevent other hens from intruding a habit to which some are much addicted fricasade foul or chicken and entree 945 ingredients two small fouls or one large one three ounces of butter a bunch of parsley and green onions one clove two blades of mace one shallot one bay leaf salt and white pepper to taste a quarter of a pint of cream the yurks of three eggs mode choose a couple of fat plump chickens and after drawing sinching and washing them skin and carve them into joints blanch these in boiling water for two or three minutes take them out and immerse them in cold water to render them white put the trimmings with the necks and legs into a stew pan add the parsley onions clove mace shallot bay leaf and a seasoning of pepper and salt pour to these the water that the chickens were blanched in and simmer gently for rather more than one hour have ready another stew pan put in the joints of foul with the above proportion of butter dredge them with flour let them get hot but do not brand them much then moisten the fricasade with the gravy made from the trimmings and such and stew very gently for half an hour lift the foul into another stew pan skim the sauce reduce it quickly over the fire by letting it boil fast and strain it over them add the cream and a seasoning of pounded mace and cayenne let it boil up and when ready to serve stir to it the well beaten yurks of three eggs these should not be put in till the last moment and the sauce should be made hot but must not boil or it will instantly curdle a few button mushrooms stewed with the foul are by many persons considered an improvement time one hour to make the gravy half an hour to simmer the foul average cost five shillings the pear sufficient one large foul for one entree seasonable at any time stocking the foul house take care that the birds with which you stock your house are young the surest indications of old age are fading of the comb and gills from brilliant red to a dingy brick color general paleness of plumage brutalness of the feathers length and size of the claws and the scales of the legs and feet assuming a ragged and corny appearance your cock and hens should be as near two years old as possible hens will lay at a year old but the eggs are always insignificant in size and the layers giddy and unsteady sitters the hen bird is in her prime for breeding at three years old and will continue so under favorable circumstances for two years longer after which she will decline crowing hens and those that have large combs are generally looked on with mistrust but this is mere silliness and superstition though it is possible that a spruce young cock would as much a jerk to a spouse with such peculiar addictions as a young fellow of our own species would to a damsel who whistled and wore whiskers fowls with yellow legs should be avoided they generally of a tender constitution loose fleshed and of indifferent flavor friccassade fowl cold meat cookery 946 ingredients the remains of cold roast fowl one strip of lemon peel one blade of pounded mace one bunch of savory herbs one onion pepper and salt to taste one pint of water one teaspoon full of flour a quarter of a pint of cream the yolks of two eggs mode carve the fowls into nice joints make gravy of the trimmings and legs by stewing them with a lemon peel mace herbs onion seasoning and water until reduced to half a pint then strain and put in the fowl warm it through and thicken with a teaspoon full of fowl stir the yolks of the eggs into the cream add these to the sauce let it get thoroughly hot but do not allow it to boil or it will curdle time one hour to make the gravy a quarter of an hour to warm the fowl average cost exclusive of the cold chicken eight pints seasonable at any time characteristics of health and power the chief characteristics of health in a fowl are brightness and dryness of eye and nostrils the comb and wattles firm and ruddy to feathers elastic and glossy the most useful cock is generally the greatest tyrant he struts among his hens despotically with his head erect and his eyes ever watchful there is likely to be handsomer and stronger chicks in a house where a bold active even savage bird rains then where the lord of the henhouse is a weak meek creature who bears the abuse and peckings of his wires without a remonstrance i much preferred dark colored cockbirds to those of light plumage a cock to be handsome should be of middling size his bill should be short comb bright red wattles large breast broad and wings strong his head should be rather small than otherwise his legs short and sturdy and his spurs well formed his feathers should be short and close and the more frequently and harsely he crows the better father he is likely to become the common error of choosing hens above the ordinary stature of their respective varieties should be avoided is the best breeding hens those of medium size fried fowls cold meat cookery one 947 ingredients the remains of cold roast fowls vinegar salt and cayenne to taste three or four mint shallots for the batter half a pound of flour half a pint of hot water two ounces of butter the whites of two eggs mode cut the fowl into nice joints steep them for an hour in a little vinegar with salt cayenne and mint shallots make the batter by mixing the flour and water smoothly together melt in it the butter and add the whites of egg beaten to a froth take out the pieces of fowl dip them in the butter and fry in boiling lard a nice brown pile them high in the dish and garnish with fried parsley or rolled bacon when approved a source of gravy may be served with them time 10 minutes to fry the fowl average cost exclusive of the cold fowl eight pints seasonable at any time shanty claire and his companions on bringing the male and female birds together for the first time it will be necessary to watch the former closely as it is a very common occurrence with him to conceive a sudden and violent dislike for one or more of his wives and not allow the obnoxious ones to approach within some distance of the others indeed i know many cases where the capricious tyrant has set upon the innocent cause of his resentment and killed her outright in all such cases the hen objected to should be removed and replaced by another if the cock should by any accident get killed considerable delicacy is required in introducing a new one the hens may mope and refuse to associate with their new husband clustering in corners and making odious comparisons between him and their departed or the cock may have his own peculiar notions as to what a wife should be and be by no means satisfied with those you have provided him the plan is to keep him by himself nearly the whole day supplying him plentifully with exhilarating food then to turn him loose among the hens and to continue this practice allowing him more of the society of his wives each day until you suffer him to abide with them all together two 948 ingredients the remains of cold roast fowl vinegar salt and cayenne to taste four minced shallots yoke of egg to every tea cup full of breadcrumbs allow one blade of pounded mace three teaspoon full of minced lemon pill one salt spoonful of salt a few grains of cayenne mode steep the pieces of foulers in the preceding recipe then dip them into the yoke of an egg or clarified butter sprinkle over breadcrumbs with which have been mixed salt mace cayenne and lemon peel in the above proportion fry a light brown and serve with or without gravy as may be preferred time 10 minutes to fry the fowl average cost exclusive of the cold fowl sixpence seasonable at any time various modes of fattening fowls it would i think be a difficult matter to find among the entire fraternity of fowl keepers a dozen whose mode of fattening stock is the same some say that the grand secret is to give them abundance of saccharine food others say nothing beats heavy corn steeped in milk while another breeder celebrated in his day in the recipient of a gold medal from a learned society says the best method is as follows the chickens are to be taken from the hen the night after they are hatched and fed with eggs hard boiled chopped and mixed with combs of bread as larks and other small birds are fed for the first fortnight after which give them oatmeal and treacle mixed stowers to crumble of which the chickens are very fond and thrive so fast that at the end of two months they will be as large as full-grown fowls others there are who insist that nothing beats oleaginous diet and cram their birds with ground oats and suet but whatever the course of diet favored at one point they seem agreed and that is that while fattening the fowl should be kept in the dark supposing they're ready to be a dealer a breeder of gross chicken meat for the market against which supposition the chances are 10 000 to one and beset with as few scruples as generally trouble the huckster the advice is valuable laugh and grow fat is a good maxim enough but sleep and grow fat is as is well known to folks of poor seen attributes are better the poor birds immured in their dark dungeons ignorant that there is life and sunshine abroad tuck their heads under their wings and make a long night of it while their digestive organs having no harder work than to pile up fat have an easy time enough but unless we are mistaken he who breeds poultry for his own eating bargains for a more substantial reward than the questionable pleasure of bearing his carving knife in chicken grease tender delicate and nutritious flesh is the great aim and these qualities are can affirm without fear of contradiction were never attained by a dungeon-fatted chicken perpetual gloom and darkness is as incompatible with chicken life as it is with human if you wish to be convinced of the absurdity of endeavoring to thwart nature's laws plant tuft of grass or a cabbage plant in the darkest corner of your coal cellar the plant of the tuft may increase in length and breadth but its color will be as worn and pale almost as would be your own face under the circumstances poole ala moengal 949 ingredients one large fowl two tablespoons of salad oil one tablespoon full of flour one pint of stock number 105 or water about 20 mushroom buttons salt and pepper to taste one teaspoon full of powdered sugar a very small piece of garlic mode cut the fowl in eight or ten pieces put them with the oil into a stew pan and brown them over a moderate fire dredge in the above proportion of flour when that is browned pour in the stock or water let it simmer very slowly for rather more than half an hour and skim off the fat as it rises to the top add the mushroom season with salt pepper garlic and sugar take out the fowl which arrange pyramidically on the dish with the inferior joints at the bottom reduce the sauce by boiling it quickly over the fire keeping it stirred until sufficiently thick to adhere to the back of a spoon pour over the fowl and serve time altogether 50 minutes average cost three shilling sixpence sufficient for three or four persons seasonable at any time a fowl ala moengal the following is the origin of the well-known dish poole ala moengal on the evening of the battle the first consul was very hungry after the agitation of the day and a fowl was ordered with all expedition the fowl was procured but there was no butter at hand and unluckily none could be found in the neighborhood there was oil in abundance however and the cook having poured a certain quantity into his skillet put in the fowl with a clove of garlic and other seasoning with a little white wine the best the country afforded he then garnished it with mushrooms and served it up hot this dish proved to be the second conquest of the day as the first consul found it most agreeable to his palate and expressed his satisfaction ever since a fowl ala moengal is a favorite dish with all lovers of good cheer mince fowl ala basamel nine hundred and fifty ingredients the remains of cold roast fowl six tablespoons of basamel sauce number 367 six tablespoons of white stock number 107 the white of one egg breadcrumbs clarified butter mode take the remains of roast fowls mince the white meat very small and put it into a stew pan with the basamel and stock stir it well over the fire and just let it boil up pour the mince into a dish beat up the white of egg spread it over and stew on it a few grated breadcrumbs pour a very little clarified butter on the whole and brown either before the fire or with a salamander this should be served in a silver dish if at hand time two or three minutes to simmer in the sauce seasonable at any time the best way to fatten fowls the barn door fowl is in itself a complete refutation of the cramming and dungeon policy of feeding practiced by some this fowl which has the common run of the farmyard living on dairy scraps and awful from the stable begins to grow fat at threshing time he has his fill of the finest corn he has his fill of fresh air and natural exercise and at last he comes smoking to the table a dish for the gods in the matter of unnaturally stuffing and confining fowls mobré is exactly of our opinion he says the london chicken butchers as they are termed are said to be of all others the most expeditious and dexterous feeders putting up a coop of fowls and making them thoroughly fat within the space for fortnight using much grease and that perhaps not of the most delicate kind in the food in this way i have no boast to make having always found it necessary to allow a considerable number of weeks for the purpose of making fowls fat in coops in the common way this business is often badly managed fowls being huddled together in a small coop tearing each other to pieces instead of enjoying that repose which alone can ensure the wishful object irregularly fed and cleaned until they become so stenched and poisoned in their own excrement that their flesh actually smells and tastes when smoking upon the table sussex produces the fattest and largest poultry of any country in england and the fatting process there most common is to give them a grill made of pot liquor and bruised oats with which are mixed hogs grease sugar and milk the fowls are kept very warm and crammed morning and night they are put into the coop and kept there two or three days before the cramming begins and then it is continued for a fortnight and the birds are sent to market ragu a fell 951 ingredients the remains of cold roast fowls three shallots two blades of mace a faggot of savory herbs two or three slices of lean ham one pint of stalker water pepper and salt to taste one onion one dessert spoonful of flour one tablespoon full of lemon juice half a teaspoon full of pounded sugar one ounce of butter mode cut the fowls up into neat pieces the same as for a fricassee put the chiming into a stew pan with the shallots mace herbs ham onion and stock water may be substituted for this boil it slowly for one hour strain the liquor and put a small piece of butter into a stew pan when melted dredge in sufficient flour to dry up the butter and stir it over the fire put in the strained liquor boil for a few minutes and strain it again over the pieces of fowl squeeze in the lemon juice add the sugar and a seasoning of pepper and salt make it hot but do not allow to boil lay the fowl neatly on the dish and garnish with croutons time altogether one and a half hours average cost exclusive of the cold fowl nine pence seasonable at any time the best fowls to fatten etc the chicks most likely to fatten well are those first hatched in the brood and those with the shortest legs long legged fowls as a rule are by far the most difficult to fatten the most delicate sort are those which are put up to fatten as soon as the hen forsakes them for as says an old writer then they will be in fine condition and full of flesh which flesh is afterwards expended in the exercise of foraging for food and in the increase of stature and it may be a work of some weeks to recover it especially with young corks but whether you take them in hand as chicks or not till they are older the three prime rules to be observed are sound and various food warmth and cleanliness there is nothing that a fatting fowl grows so fastidious about as his water if water any way foul be offered him he will not drink it but soak with his food and pine and you all the while wondering the reason why keep them separate allowing to each bird as much space as you can spare spread the ground with sharp sandy gravel take care that they are not disturbed in addition to their regular diet of good corn make them a cake of ground oats or beans brown sugar milk and mutton suet let the cake lie till it is stale then crumble it and give each bird a gill measure full morning and evening no entire grain should be given to fowls during the time they are fattening indeed the secret of success lies in supplying them with the most nutritious food without stint and in such a form that their digestive meals should find no difficulty in grinding it end of section 45