Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-07-15
FROGS AS FOOD.
TEE HISTORY OF THIS DAINTY Dish
DETAILED.
the Part of the Prog that is Good to Eat
How they Get him at the East
A Table Delcacy.
New York Pres. [

vented tnelI NATIONAL spieeu III applying IhS
term d" frog. eating Frenchmen to their
hereditary enemies, and when the intensest
disgust for the creature was manifested by
them, not only when it was viewed as an
edible article, but even as 1t was seen set
ting unconsciously comfortable IN the dark
shadow Of a morass or in the tall grass
along the banks of stream that watered
some marshy meadow. The progressive
spirit Of the present, however, mas con-
quered in a large measure the senseless
prejudice of the past, and now the eye OF
the British or American eplcure tails upon
no object with a more notable CLEAN OF
satisfaction than on the big tat batrachlan,
whether he be encased in the homely SKIN
beneath which nature has seen mt to hide
his delicate flesh and fair proportions, or
swimming in the delicious cream gravy with
which the accomplished chef de cuisine an
uoints him preparatory to his appearance
upon the table Of first-class restaurant.
There seems to be a remarkable coincl.
dence between the consumption OF
the frog as an article OF diet and
and the march of civilization. The
polished nations of Southern Europe were
the first to appreciate the delHate dehc-
iousness Of frog meat, and 1t was only
after the lapse of centuries that the ruder
nations of the North learned to prefer this
dainty Wand above their grosser diet OF
roast pork and beef Probably nothing has
initiated against the popularity of the frog
more than the harsh resonance OF his
voice. From the earliest times he has
been regarded with aversion on account OF
his vocal peculiarities. Even Horace
whose epicurean tastes and love OF good
wine and good things generally, have rem
dered him the poet laureate of gourmets,
complains of the frogs OF the marshes
who turn away slumber," and the French
themselves, under the feudal regime, com
pelled their villains to beat the waters OF
their castle bitches, night and morning, to
drive away
THE DUTCH NIGHTTNGALEs,
As the frogs are sometimes called on the
Continent Of Europe. Then again the per-
sonal appearance OF the frog is against him,
and the SHINY recessss OF his accustomed
haunts cause the fastidious to shudder even
when he is transported to the kitchen and
relieved OF his uncleanness. Despite these
disadvantages from dietary point of view,
the frog has distinguished place in the
literature and history of the world, having
among other honors that of being men,
toned in the scriptures. Holy Writ tells
that he was regarded as plague by the
Egyptians, who evidently had not been
educated up to the point of eating him. and
therefore did not know what to do with
him. He was also favorite of the fable
writers OF olden time, who represented him
In various lights, sometimes wise, some
times foolish, but even when he is at the
worst it is weakness rather than wicked
ness that ne is accused OF. In one instance,
with weakness almost human, he signs
for king, and when the good-natured gods
threw him one Of the modern sort, King
Log. he kept on signing until he got thor
oughgoing king of the stork kind, who ate
him up as an instance of his paternal re-
gard. Later on in the course of time the
frog appears in the nursery ditty, where the
story of his persistence in wooing, despite
his mothers prohibition, and the disastrous
consequences which ensued, are pathetic
ally told.
SCIENCE AND FROGS.
1t was not, however, until science took
hold of him that the frog tasted the essence
of true glory lit is presumed that they did
not like the taste). When science began
to awaken after its long sleep one OF the
first things it did was to tackle the frog,
and it has been engaged with him ever
since. WHAT has not been done to him is
limited to the range of things impossible to
do. He has been dissected, microscoped,
electrified, fayed alive and otherwise IN
vestigated until he has become recog-
nized essential to scientific stock in trade.
In the biological laboratory of the Johns
Hopkins University short frog crop occs-
sions as much dismay as failure OF the
wheat crop would on Change. Several
years ago the intensely cold weather COM
PEELED the university to send to Florida for
its frogs, and one of the fellows was heard
to lament the scarcity of the supply, SEEM
ing to regard this as the main evil conse-
qnent upon the severity of the winter. 1t
is but lust to the scientist to state that he
always divides the sensory nerve Of the
spinal cord, leaving the motor nerve in
tact, before commencing the operations,
thereby, as it is claimed, relieving the frog
from any suffering while having his skin
taken of or his heart exposed to view.
TIE FROG on THE TABLE.
After such varied history as this, it is
but natural that the frog SHOULD make his
appearance upon the table as an article OF
food. The demand for frogs has already
increased at the restaurants and hotels In
American cities during the past ten years.
The season for them extends from about
the middle of May to the middle Of July,
and during that time from Is, 900 to 20, 900
are consumed in the City OF Baltimore
alone. They are principally obtained from
professional hunters, who visit their haunts
with shot-guns and game bjgs, XII l. skin
and dress them and bring them to the
hotels and restaurants for sale. Only the
rger size is brought In by the hunters.
The early supply is obtained from Phila-
delphia, where the gunners shoot the small
frogs as well as the large. The fact is due
TO the custom in Philadelphia OF serving
frogs fricasseed, in which case size Is of
no Importance, while in Baltimore it is
usual to serve them by the plate, fried,
either plain or dressed with cream
gravy. The frogs sell at from 20 to 80
cents apiece at the restaurants, with bread
and butter, etc. The demand is sometimes
80 great that there is much difficulty in
meeting it. The fair sex are generally
strongest in their prejudices against frog
eating. Their lords not unfrequently de-
ceivs them into partaking of the frog by
the old joke of pretending that it is chick
en-. After having eaten them and perceived
the daintiness OF the meat, their prejudices
vanish, and if, as is sometimes the case, the
small boy who hunts the frog with the
stick and basket, and sells them with their
Skins on in all their natural responsiveness
of appearance, rings the door.bell and
offers frogs for sale, the housewife not I'M
frequently consents to purchase, but when
the basket lid is lifted and the contents
displayed, the old horror returns with its
old force, and the shudder that follows
closes the clasp of the purse that was half
opened, and the disappointed boy is turned
away to seek another customer.
EASILY DIGEsTED.
The meat of the frog is delicate, nutri-
tious and readily digested its food Is COM
posed principally Of insects, although the
mammoth bullfrog is said to show its ap-
probation for the good things of life by
swallowing Young ducks and goslings