Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-07-19
PATE DE FOie Grns,

The fattening of geese for the tureen is now
carried on in Strasburg very extensively. 1t is
chiefly in the hands of women. 1t is almost en-
tirely confined to the winter season. The fatten-
ers or "crammers" buy their birds late in au.
tumn, either lean or haf-iattened. Young, we'll
formed geese are selected in preference Some
examiners, however, will also take older birds.
In some establishments the geese are fed first,
for several weeks, with broad beans, and only
during the last eight or ten days with maize;
but most of the Strasburg geese examiners pre-
fer feeding their birds with maize from the be
ginning. The unhappy birds are confined in
narrow cages, with just sufficient room for a
movement forward or backward to the extent of
few inches, but altogether precluding the pos
sibility of turning around. The cage has mar
row opening in front, through which the bird
can put its head TO drink, a vessel of water be-
ing placed before IL. Most examiners put lump
of charcoal into the water to insure its purity;
others do not deem this precaution necessary,
and rely simply upon frequently changing the
water. Great attention is paid TO the eleanness
of the cage In the actual examining process,
the maize is soaked in warm water with little
salt in it; or it is parboiled in water seasoned
with a little salt The examining is performed
twice or three times a day; the greater or less
frequency Of feeding depends upon the more or
less rapid digestion of the bird.
The poor goose is dragged forth for the pur-
pose from its narrow cage by the feeder, VINO
places it firmly between her knees, opens the beak
with one hand, and Grams the sOltened maize
down the gulet with the other Expert cram
mers simply push the food down with the finger.
The less skillful hands generally use funnel
for the purpose, with a smooth wood or ivory
stick to expedite the descent of the food. Some
give their BIRDS instead of maize, or alternately
with it, balls made of potato flour and barley
meal. When the bird has had enough in the
judgment of the feeder, it is thrust back into its
living tomb, and left to digest in helpless i'm
mobility, its forced gorging, till its turn comes
round again for another repetition OF the sa me
unnatural act in the same sad drama of suffer-
ing. 1t usually takes from fortnight TO three
or four weeks to cram a goose up to the proper
Sticking" or throat-cutting point. In the last
Stage of the process the unhappy goose may be
said literally to sweat fat through all the pores
OF its body; its cellular tissue, its intestnes, Its
blood, nay, even its excavations, are absolutely
loaded with fat Under the unnatural treat
ment, the liver of the bird swels TO an enor.
nous size, attaining weight of one to two, and,
in some rare exceptional cases, even three
pounds. In the last stage Of the iattening pro-
cess the crammer has to be very watchful and
careful in the handling of her birds, as cases of
apoplexy are by no means rare. An unlucky
blow or hard squeeze will often suffice 10
bring the unhappy birds life to an untimely
end.
We were told by a crammer who passes for
one Of the most expert in her business in Stras.
burg, that she has literally to watch the birds
W III thb lbploHls u premature
end. If goose is permitted TO fall victim of
ap)pleXy instead Of the knife, the loss to the
feeder is rather serious, as the liver of the dead
bird, filled with dark cOlOred blood is held to he
Of no use to the pastry cook. We have been
told indeed, that use is found for even these
dark liyers; they are boiled then minced fine,
squeezed through fanny, and mixed with
goose lat, to serve as Il lining for the tureen,
But, Of course, they fetch only a very low price.
When the crammer thinks the time has come
for poor fat goosey, the knife puts an end TO
its miserable life. The dead bird is properly
drawn, the liver being left intact inside, as this
most important part must first acquire the nee
esSary degree of trinness before IL can be taken
out. To this end the carcass is kept hanging
for twenty-lour hours in a cold and airy place;
after which the liver is most carefully removed,
so that no scratch or other bemish may be
found on il. A fine liver must look a nice light
salmon or cream color When the contents of
the turoen have been duly baked, layer of
fresh hogs lard is poured over the mass, TO keep
u from contact with the air II is calculated
that the amount Of money which the Stras-
burg pastry-cooks net annually by the sale of
goose-liycr tureens reaches very nearly one
hundred thousand pounds sterling. 1mslev's
Magazine.