Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1875-11-27
EATING HORSE.

the most complete and important, dinner Civ
en- by the Paris Society of Hippophasi, About
seventy people sat down. There were four
ladies', of whom one was Nine. Blatin,
widow Of Dr. Blatin who founded the So
ciety. The chair was taken by Mr.. A. 5.
Bicknel, a jealous English hippophagist.
| have never to my knowledge tasted
horsefcsh before this day. Isay advisedly
TO my knowledge, because he must be g
Aad man who would pretend to know what
is the composition of Lyons, Aries. or Lille
sausages. / certify at once that every
dish was very good. In no one was there
anything disagreeable in the slightest de-
gree, either in taste or smell. The ono
thing contrary to anticipation was the alb
sence of anything like new flavor. Had
not known beforehand, ! should have
supposed throughout the dinner that was
eating various preparations of beef don't
saw mutton, because neither horse, ass,
nor mule are at all like mutton. Several
changes were made in the bill of fare pub
lished by anticipation. Instead of soup
Of the "three discreditcd oaes"-horse,
mule, and donkey-ihere was served
consoname made from boiled horse alone.
1t was simply as good soup as l ever
tasted, without any characteristic differing
from an ordinary irstTate pot au fen.
Following the bill of fare we had next, as
hors-G puuye. ass-rnilk butter, good enough,
but rather insipid, and horse sausage from
Beaucaire, which nobody could distinguish
from the ordinary sriced pork sausage
from the neighboring town of Aries. In
stead of "sea horse" which would have
been more appropriate dish of fsh,we had
some excellent turbot, upon which the
weak brethren, if there were any. might
regale themselves. There was then horse
fillet roasted. 1t was toothsome and ten
der; not so good "a the very best sirlon l
have tasted but far better than the aver
age beef served in restaurants. l did not
much like the donkeys liver, which seemed
to me rather strong. The tongues of
horse, ass, and mule, served with different
sauces, could not be distinguished from
tongues of beeves, muttons. or goats. 1t
is dsparagement to the "Filets de mulets
pques au truffes" to say that l thought
the truffles the best part of the dish.
Again, there was dish for faint-hearted
guests, to insure good dinner for every
body. There were truffled carons. There
was salad said to be prepared with horse
oil, which, notwithstanding the surround
ings calculated to overcome all prejudice,
1 could not bring myself to try. The
Chairman, Mr.. Bicknel, delivered in Eng
lish most able speech, under the disad-
vantage CT not being understood by the
greater part of his audience, who were
Frenchmen. In answer to the ques-
ton, which he said was often asked. How
long has horsenesh been thought fit for
food he said "from the earliest history"
Hippocrates. whose name, he observed,
seemed made to patronize hippophagic
society, had certified that the flesh of
horse was more nourishing than that of
the OK. In the early ages Of Christendom
horsalesh was common. st. Boniface had
written against it on account of certain
horse feasts. which he looked upon as i'm
pediments to the conversion of barbarians
TO Christianity, and thereupon the Pope in
terdicted the use Of it. Hence the notion
food. The society desired now to react
against this prejudi'e, not to furnish nm
additional luxurious dish to the rich, who
did not want one, but seriously to augm ent
the necessary diet of the poor. There
were hundreds of families in deterioratcd
state of health for want of animal f,od,
while there were thousands of horses left
10 ret or given to dogs, which, but for
prejudice, might benefit humanity, In an
swer to the objection that the horse was
more valuable 10 keep than to kill, he said
there was Il very large average number of
healthy horses disabled by accidents which
would be good eating; that as to horses
worn ont with labor, although t'.eir flesh
might be too tough for the spit, it would
make excellent soup; and that medical
science had ascertained that even if horse
were attacked with CHAMBERS, farcy, or
greasy heels, his flesh, when cooked, would
not be unwholsome. The ldrre which in
pigs engendered the dangerous disease
called trichinosis, were never found in
horses. Mr.. Bicknell, in conclusion, ex-
pressed the opinion that, although the
society might make great progress in
France, the prejudice was so strong in Eng
land that he did not see his way to the
proximate setting up in London of so much
as single horse butchers stall. On COM
ing away l was presented with a hand
some photograph Of the horse. mule, and
ass which had been slaughtered to furnish
the banquet. I lam glad did not see this
picture sooner. 1t is no doubt sentimental
ism not justifable by reason; but should
have resisted from tearing with my teeth
the flesh Of such pretty creatures. No
doubt an OK munching grass is sympa-
thetic; but somehow the horse has ai1ini-
ties nearer to our human hearts--Franh
Buckland
The Independence Beige gives some
curious statistics relative TO the consump-
4;on of wood in Eranra A lorra ouapt;t,,