Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-06-06
errapin and .I errap,n- Eaters.

ts = 21ssap1al 3nl AsrTaTzn- EiaIer5.
1 Washington Star Star. Z went Z years
ago I bought terrapin for So . dozen, !
said an old caterer to a Star reporter,
as they sat in 81 ggastr on olaieal Discus
sion the other evening Now I#pay
from. so to $50. The diamond back
terrapin stands way ahead of any thing
else ever devised OF created to tickle an
epicurean's palate. 1t is the most deli
cate and the most expensive dish that
appears on 81 American table. No
man vino is q good eater would give Il
dinner party without it. The terrapin
and canyas-back must be on a table
that makes any pretention to correct
ness" .-l ..~
"Wbat is the usual charge for an or
der Of terrapin 2" asked the scribe.
"A single order? Well, one person
ordering terrapin and nothing else
would be very small, though. It would
take about two big terrapin to go 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 $40. The demand is increasing,
and they are getting more expensive
every year It used to be peculiarly
a Southern dish, but now scarcely a
Northern Or Eastern man comes here
that does not call for terrapin. 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, SO that they are 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 is in a stew; but I make them
into patties sometimes, and they are
very much sought by epicureans.
"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 have--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 a dozen, or half dozen, OF
even only one single terrapin. They are
wilder and harder to getin 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 the river and along
the shore for them. At this time they
are fat, and stay SO all winter. if they
are not disturbed. But if 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 all, and
it is more particularly Washington
dish. When people come here they
always want terrapin. It'used to be
more so than it is now. 1t used to be
that people would come here to get ter
rapin, but now they have become better
known in other cities than they We're
years ago. Statesmen and politicians
have often settled their difficulties over
a good terrapin stew. Outside Of Ameri-,,
ca the dish is not known, and foreign
Ministers coming here nearly always
become passionately fond of it. When
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
ley went with him taking several dozen
terrapin with him as presents to the
court dignitaries, and they did good Dip
lomatic service.
Dr1lmmond, when he WAS British Min
lister here, was one of the best eaters I
ever knew" said the carterer, land was
passionately fond of terrapin. NJ. de
Potestad is very fond of terrapin. Sam
Ward, the lobby king. is now in Europe,
could tell terrapin caught in the mouth
of the Potomac, and was tip top liver.
Ex-Secretary Evarts, ex- Secretary Rob
eson, the Hon. Ben Tucker and Walter
Davidge are great epicures. So were
Representative Hooper and Robert Ould,
who was District Attorney after Barton
Key. Charles Summer knew good
dinner, [ guess, as we'll as any man 1iv-
ing, Oh. there are lots of them I could
name. It used to be certain men that
were distinguished for their love Of ter
rapin, but now that taste is becoming
The Potomac diamond backs
bring such good prices that the people
along the Eastern Shore of Maryland
are breeding them"
Congressman Lanha1n's District.
CONGRESSMAN I,anham. of TEXAS has