Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-05-23
DIET EOR INvALIDs.
BY JULIET CORSON.
GAME AND POULTRY

Ok JUL1EI CURSON.
GAME AND POULTRY.
While the general rule holds good that fresh
food is the most wholesome, and that actual
decay In animal flesh used for food is apt to pro-
duce symptoms Of irritant poisoning, game is
often eaten In an advanced stage Of decomposi-
ton without any perceptible injury to the epicure
Microscopic examination of meat which has been
exposed to medium summer temperature, from
$50 to 800 F., for three or four days. proves the
development at that stage of minute organism,
termed by Psychologists the death vibrio. This
parasite seems to be present in other meats than
pork, and, like trtchin2, is not destroyed by the
process OF sailing and smoking meat, or Occurring
1t In brine. There Is no reason to suppose that the
flesh Of game Is exempt from the presence of this
natural product of decomposition. When meats
containing 1t are imperfectly cooked, their con-
sumption produces gastric disturbance some
times fatal in its result. As game is generally
broed or roasted, the action Of intense heat
DIR. Christison suggested that habit might have
DIDO with theimpunity with which epicures could
consume high meat, as 1t certainly has with
those savage tribes who eat putrid fish and flesh;
but he also noted the fact that the use of game
only thigh" enough to please gourmand pro-
duced severe intestinal disturbance with persons
unaccustomed to eat It. DR.. Lethby SAYS that
while with some the slightest commencement OF
decay is sufficient to cause disgust, IL not absO-
lutte physical arrangement, with others "a
piquant touch OF decay" such as is present in
ripe cheese and high game. is not Objectionable.
Certainly venison is habitually eaten at point
OF decay at which beef would be rejected, and
long-hung mutton is also favored. Several
eminent medical authorities consider that cook
Ing neutralizes the effect of decomposition in
flesh to CO.. siderable extent, and that the
antseptic .prJ perties of the gastric Juice stin
further counteract it. But even epicures shun
the decayed fish so much enjoyed by those
savages advanced" as DR.. ChristisOn saws. in
the cultivation of this department of gastron-
Omy."
have considered this rather unpleasant sub
ject at length with the hope that when game is
ordered for an invalid the caterer may be induced
TO supply 1t as fresh as possible. AS rule the
flesh of game Is less dense and tough than that
of domestic animals. so that there Is not the
same reason for keeping it in order to let it be-
come tender by the first action OF
decomposition Game is also more diges-
tible than butchers meat, and for that reason
may be eaten fresher. It's comparative freedom
from fat makes it relatively more nutritious.
While its Intense flavor is tempting to the appe-
tite; as the taste of the flesh and blood of game
Is nearly identical. the latter is generally care
fully preserved in cooking.
Venison is the most digestble Of wild meats.
and the best known, although'bear, buffalo and
antelope are highly esteemed in those sections
Of the country where they abound Among the
ible and nutritious; hares have a darker and
denser flesh, are less digestible unless long
hung, and more highly favored and stimulating
to the system, thus more nearly resembling
putchers meat. AS no large game is now In
season. no recipes are given for cooking It,
ALI game birds when prepared for the table
are more digestible than large game, because
their Fat either lies close to the skin and Is lost
In cooking, or Is removed with the intestines of
the larger varieties. The game birds contain
less blood than the animals, and are thus more
delicately favored but they are not for this rea-
son less nutritious.
The large game birds are more highly favored
than domestic fowl. and richer in fesh-forming
elements out the more compact texture of their
flesh makes 1t necessary to keep them longer
before cooking than poultry which NAV be cooked
directly it is killed. While the flesh of both
game birds and poultry is more deficient in red
blood than that Of animals, it abounds in phos-
pilates, and therefore is valuable food for
nervous invalids. The flesh of game birds ia
more digestible than that Of poultry. because
less dense, and also because OF the comparative
absence of fat: 1t is relatively more economical,
because 1t yields more available food In propor,
ton to weight The flesh Of the breast of birds
Is the tenderest, and that of the back and legs
most highly favored. In both game and poui-
try the land birds are tenderer and more digest
Idle than water fowl Of the larger sort unless
the latter are long kept. If only the breast of
wild water fowl is eaten its favor Is best when
fresh.
The flavor of snipe, plover and woodcock Is
richer than that OF quail and partridge, but both
the latter are general favortes on account ofther
abundance of delicate white meat Prairie
chickens or grouse are darker in flesh AlEwhite
f1eshed game birds should be well cooked: the
dark-neshed ones may be served underdone If
80 preferred. This Is notably the preference
with canvas-back ducks, which are sufffcientIy
cooked by roasting from twenty to twenty-five
minutes.
The game birds In season during the summer
are as follows: May-snipe. piover, Canada reed
oirds, and wild squads and pigeons. June af-
pheasants. In July only wild squads and pigeons
are fresh; all other game birds on sale are re-
1rlgerated. In August there are Virginia feed
birds. poyer few snipe. wo0dcock in abun-
dance and blackbirds. wild SQUADS pigeons and
partridges.
The larger game birds are cooked whole If
roasted, the feathers being removed and tho
BIRDS wiped with wet towel they are drawn
but never washed, and are roasted without
any stunning or water in the pan. Tart oranges
sliced, green salad or celery are the usual gar
nshes for game. The smaller birds are either
roasted over slice OF toast without being drawn
or are split down the back and broiled, and then
served on toast.
,,. AL si"a a Of game oiras are suitable food for
escenos and in all except sre'ish conditions Of the
system.
The flesh of poultry, which abounds in nitro
genous or hesh-fOrmtng elements, and is def
Client In fat or heat food, is considered delicate
food on account Of it's digestiblty; it's white
meat Is more easily dlgested than the dark. but
the latter Is more highly favored. While the
flesh Of all poultry is less stimulating than
meat, 1t affords all the nutriment which can be
assimilated by an invalid; chickens and turkeys
are tho best poultry for use in all cases Of i'm
paired digestion; the flesh of ducks and geese ia
less digestible, and should not be used in weak
ensd conditions Of the digestive organs. Poul-
try may be prepared for the use of invalids by
boiling or roasting, care being taken to serve It
free from fat: few good recipes for cooking it
are given below.
CHICKEN JELLY "a nutritious digestibh food
satao1 TOR use IN early oonualesceoe, and IN oe,.
orally deoilitated physical conditions. )-skin a
medium-sized fowl. cut the flesh from the bones
10 small pieces and crush the bones remove an
tat, put the meat and bones into saucepan with
two quarts OF cold water and two tea-spo0nfnIs
OF salt, cover the saucepan 90 that no steam can
escape, and cook the chicken slowly for Ave
hours; then strain the broth through q flne bolt
ing-cioth sieve, or folded towel laid in col
ander. return 1t to the fire in clean saucepan.
and boil 1t uncovered, until 1t 10 reduced abont
one-half, or until little of 1t cooled on q SANGER
forms Jelly. Then season it palatably. and