The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-06-06

xssxaIia and 1sezapia-1sssrs.
Warrington Star" Twenty ysazs
ego I bought terrspin for 4e . dozen"
said an old caterer TO . Star reporter,
as they sat in . astronomical discus
sion the other evening. "Now I pay
from 40 to go. The diamond back
terrapin stands way ahead Of any thing
else ever devised or created to tickle an
epicureans palate. II is the most deli
cate and the most expensive dish that
appears on an American table. No
man who is good eater would give q
dinner party without it. The terrapin
and canvas-back must be ON table
that makes any pretention to correct
ness"
"What is the usual charge for an Or
der of terrspin ?" asked the scribe.
"a single order? Well, one person
ordering terrapin and nothing else
would be very small, though. Il would
take about two big terrapin to 20 on
with the rest Of the bill of fare for q
dinner Of from ten to twelve covers,
which would make an extra item of
about SO. The demand is increasing,
and they are getting more expensive
every year. It used to he peculiarly
Southern dish, but now scarcely
Northern or Eastern man comes here
that does not call for terrspin. The
best market in the world for them now
is in New York. The only trouble is
there can't be enough had to supply the
demand. The appetite for them is In.
creasing, 30 that they ore being all
beaten up, and there's always = call for
more. There is only one recognized
way Of preparing them for the table,
and that ia In a stew; but I make them
into patties sometimes, and they are
very much sought by epioureaps,"
"Where do they come from?" asked
the Star.
"Many of those sold in New York
markets are caught in the Delaware
Bay. Numbers are caught around that
locality, and most persons could not tell
them from those caught in the Chesa-
peake. But the best terrapin found in the
world-the only kind the real epicurean
will haye-are caught right at the
month of the Potomac, and nowhere else.
These bring the highest price in the
market and the taste of one brings de-
light to the heart of good eater.
They are scarce and hard to get, though.
They are caught one at time, and the
oyster-bOats bring to the mar.
ket sometimes two dozen, sometimes
only o dozen, or half dozen, or
even only one single terrapin. They are
wilder and harder to get in the summer.
They are caught then only by fishermen
while seining for fish: Every time they
get one it is prize, and they put him
in pound until they get more. In the
fall they are fat and are easier to catch.
In September they stop feeding and
sink into the mud. The fishers then
rake for them with tongs, digging deep
into the bottom Of tho river and along
the shore for them. At this time they
are fat, and stay SD all winter il thoy
are not disturbed. But they get fright
ened out of their beds and crawl about
much they scratch their bellies, which
worries them and makes them thin.
"The .terrapin is entirely an Ameri-
can dish," he continued, leaning back
in his chair with meditative air, "and
it is more particularly o Washington
dish. When people come here they
always want terrapip. At Agsl to he
more SO than it is now. It used to he
that people would come here to get ter
rapin, but now they have become better
kaown in other cities than they were
years ago. Statesmen and politicians
have often settled their difficulties over
good terrapin stew. Outside of Alneri-
CO the dish is not known, and foreign
Ministers coming here nearly always
become passionately fond oft. When
Reverdy johnson was sent as minister
to England, shortly after the war, up
ON the very delicate mission of settling
the difficulties arising from England's
sympathies with the South, Mr.. Worm
lty went with him taking several dozen
teryspin with him as presents to the
cour. dignitaries, and they did good dip
lomatit, service.
Drumlpond, when he.wasB British Min
lister here, was one of the best eaters ]
ever knew, I" said the carteser, "and was
passionately tond of terrapii. NJ. dc
Potestad is very fond of terrapin.N sam
Ward, the lobby king, isnow in Eur,o ape
could tell a terrapin. caught in the moul.
of the Potomac, and twas q tip-top liver.
Ex-Secretary Evarts, ex- Secretary Rob-
eson, the Hon. Ben Tucker and Walter
Dayidge are great epicures. So were
Representative Hooper and Robert Ould,
who was District Attorney after Barton
Key. Charles Sumner knew o good
dinner, I guess, as we'll as any man liv-
ing, Oh, there are lots of them I could
name. II used to he certain men that
were distinguished for their love of ter
rapin, but now that taste is becoming
universal. The Potomac diamond backs
bring such COED prices that the people
along the Eastern Shore Of Maryland
are breeding them"