The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-11-29
THE cAsyis.BAcK BuCK.


lIow TO COOK THE KING OF WILD
FOWL. E'r
/ y great many persons, nj least .
threc-fourths of those who use them
I in selecting choose the largest and I
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 course, 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 Of the Chesapeake Bay and |
its tributaries, will tell you that if
you want the canvas back in per-
lection, where quality, and not
quantity, is the desideratum. YOU
must select the young duck, with
brown, notified breast. 1t is true
that pair Of large brakes, when
fat, weigh from six and Il half to |
seven pounds, while the weight of |
n pair of Young ones, equally fat, |
be only from five to six; vet they
will reward you in delicacy for what
they lack in weight. Therefore,
choose the latter for there is as
much difference in flavor between
the old duck and the young ones as
there is between a woodcock and an
old pheasant,
There is another point in the Sc
lection 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 many
a pair of the fine ducks utterly spoil
ed the rough handling either of the
gunner or dealer, or both; their
flesh by such treatment becoming
bruised and soft. The proper sea-
son for the canvas-back is from Nov
ember 10 to January 25. Between
these dates they are in their prime,
and he who eats them then should
bless his opportunity.
The most celebrated places for
canvas-backs of the finest quality are
Havre de Grace and the adjoining
towns. The gunners from the sur
rounding country make the flats OPP
posite Havre de Grace their cunning
ground. Here the water is fresh
, and abounds with wild celery, of
| which the ducks are extravagantly
fond and it is to this they owetheir
peculiar and delicious flavor. If
, YOU care to have feast fit to set not
: only before II king but before the
n gods themselves, we will, with lit
= tie recapitulation, tell you how to
d go about it: Take Il pair of fine, fat
u young and sound canvas-backs-
and let them be females if possible.
4 In choosing them observe well their
v plumage. A brownish cast on the
e breast, or where the latter is mottled
r with brownish feathers, indicates
l. that the bird is not over 2 years old,
y and that you may safely and profit
= ably invest. Have the birds nicely
Of picked then draw the trail, beinp
lie careful not to cut the entrails. Wipe
lie them out with IL clean, dry cloth.
n Use no water, for if you are careful
u in drawing the trail the ducks will
10 need no washing, and are far better
of without. Now take a stalk of cele-
al ry, using the white part only. Chop
d. it up very fine and sprinkle it with.
We in the ducks. Place them in a hof
eI oven and let them remain for from
= fifteen to twenty minutes. Then take
Id them out, serve them up and eat
Yet while you eat, far more prepare t.
crave,
"And thank the gods for all the good the,
OF gave"
Some like little currant jell,
with the canvas-back, but, for our
selves, let us have it with none othe
err, than its own native flavoring
ur, We have said above, "place tn
ar ducks in hot oven, which is upo
'e' the supposition that you are not tn
nm fortunate possessor of an old-fashio
or tin kitchen, with its attendant WOO
EN- fire. Should you be able to brin
ok; both to your aid in the cooking
'de the canvas-back you will know whi
are it is to have that bird in all its pc
lection.