Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-11-08
the CANVASB1CR DUCK.
when Ia Season. How TO Select aud How 20
took the King Of wild Fowl. &c.
ifrom the Caicrr.i

A great many persons. at least three
fouribs Of those who Use them. in select
ing choose the largest and heaviest they
can find in dealers stock. They are apt.
also. TO fall into another errOr-that OF
picking out the brakes. The real cpicurc.
OF couIsc, knows better. And the old
families. too, who have been in the
habit Of eating them on their native
shores that border on the waters
CT Chesapeake bay and its tributaries,
will tell YOU that il you want the canvas
back in perfection. where quality. and not
quantity, is the desidcratum. you must Sc
lcCt the Young duck. with brown, notified
breast ltistrue that pair of large brakes.
when fat, will weigh from six and half to
seven pounds, while the weight OF a pair
Of young ones, equally fat. will be only
from five TO six; yet they will reward you
i'm delicacy for wha; they lack In weight.
Therefore. choose tine latter. for there is aS
much difference in favor between the old
duck and the young one as there Is between
woodcock and mn old pheasant.
There is another point in the selection Of
ducks which it Is well to remember. After
seeing that they are young. plump, and
fat, see, also, that they are sound and have
been carefully handled. There is maav a
pau Of tiuc ducks utterly spoiled by the
rough handling either OF the gunner or
dealer, or both: their flesh by such tre,t-
mcHt hecoming bruised and soft. The
urover season for the canyaS-back is from
November 10th TO January 18th. Between
these dates they are in their prime, and he
Who Csts them then should bless his Oppor-
tuuty.
Tie most celebrated places for canvas
backs OF the finest quality are lIayre de
Grace and the adjoining towns. The gum
rers from the surrounding country make
fails opposite Hsyre de Grace their gun
ming ground. Here the water is fresh and
abounds with wild celery, OF which the
dicks are c&tTayagantIy fond: and it IS
TO this they owe their peculiar and deli
cIOus flavor. II you care to have feast
III 10 set not only before king but before
the gods themselves, we will. with little
rccspitulation. tell you how 10 90 about 1t.
Take pair OF fine. fat. young. and sound
canyas.backs. aud lei them be females, "
pOssible. In choosing them observe well
their plumage. A brOWnIsh cast on the
hr.aSt. or where the latter j. mOttled with
hrowulsh feathers. indicates that the bird
/, not over two wears old. aud that you
NAV safely and profitably invest. Have the
birds nicely picked. thea draw the trail,
being careful not to cut The entraiIs. Wipe
them ont with a clean, dry cloth. Use ne
water. for if YOU are careful III drawing
the trail the ducks will need no wash
ing, and are far better without. Now,
take stalk Of celery. using the white part
only. Chop 1t up very fine and sprinkle II
within the ducks. Place them in y hoi
oven and let them renal. for from iitteen
I TO twenty minutes. Then take them out
serve them up and eat.
Yet while you eat. far more prepare 70 crave.
/ And thank the gods f ali the good Ieey gave
/ Some like = little currsnt jelly with thu
/ canvas-bsck. but. fOr,OurselVes, let us have
/ if with none other than IT, swn native fla
4 VOring.
We have said above. "place the ducks il
, hot oven" which is upon the supposi
lion that YOU are not the fortunate 20.
SCISSOR OF an old-iashion tin kitchen. will
lis attendant wood fire. Should you b.
sole to bring both to your aid in the cook
ing of the csnyas-back. you will know VIA
Is to have the bird in all its perfection