The true northerner., 1875-09-03
Bird's-NeSt Soup.

Bird's.Nest Soup.
OF the delicious birds'-nest soup eaten
in China everybody has heard, but every
body has not been privileged to partake
of that most delectable of all Oriental
dainties. The nests are formed of the
secretions of species of swallow, called
by naturalists Hiyuado esculenta, be-
cause their dwellings are eaten. These
birds are common on most of the islands
of the Indian Archipelagoes, but their
headquarters are Sumatra, Java, and
Borneo. They build their nests over
shelving rocks, in places that would
seem to be inaccessible to man.
But such is the demand for this dainty,
and SO high it's market value, that hun
dreds of men spend their whole lives in
the perilous work of collecting the nests
from deep caverns, by torchlight, and
overhanging rocks, frightful cliffs, and
precipices, such as make the head grow
dizzy even to think of, and whence the
slightest loss of footing must prove fatal
to the adventurer. Multitudes of others
are constantly employed in separating
with delicate tweezers the feathers and
other impurities from the gelatinous por-
ton OF the nests, and in washing and
drying them in preparation for the mar
ket.
The bird makes its first nest of gela-
tine produced from its own body, with
ont any foreign admixture; but when
deprived of this, being unable to secrete
sufficient quantity of the gluten for
another, he mixes in the second a con-
siderable portion of sticks, feathers, and
dried grass, thus rendering the nest far
less desirable for edible purposes.
Again, however, the rapacious hunter,
lying in wait for his prey, turns out the
homeless bird, and bears off the prize
and when, for the third time, the little
architect rears his home, it is composed
almost entirely of stubble, with the
slightest possible admixture of gelatine.
This last nest being comparatively
worthless for food, the poor little builder
is ordinarily allowed to retain possession,
and rears it's family without farther
molestation. The nests are about the
size OF small tea-cup, and an eighth of
an inch III thickness, weighing scarcely
half an ounce each.
The first nests collected are of pure
creamy whiteness, and bring readily
twice their OWL weight in silver dollars.
These require little cleansing, only to
be dried and packed but the second
gathering must be carefully picked over,
and thoroughly washed. The nests thus
losing their original lusciousness,
their market value is proportion
ately diminished, and they sell for about
eighteen or twenty dollars per pound
the poorest as low as six or eight. Even
the Mjrd nests are occasionally taken,
but they bring mere trife, and are only
used by those whose epicurean tastes ex-
ceed the length of their purses.
Whole streets in Canton are occupied
by the preparers and vendors of birds
nests ; and about million and half OF
dollars are annually expended 10y the
Chinese i'll the purchase of this dainty,
which, when rendered into soup or Jelly,
the Celestial regards as the most delect-
able of food.
The nests are first soaked in water,
then boiled to Jelly, and finally, swim
ming i'll rich gravy composed of the
expressed juice of the cocoanut, with
various spices and condiments, they are
placed ON the table-a rich, pulpy mass,
and truly delicious.--,H. Nicholas toy
September.