The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-06-13
rerrapin and rerrapln-Eaters.

-" alNHH
Washington Star" Twenty years
ago 1 bought terrapin for So dozen,'
said an old caterer to o Star reporter,
as they sat in a astronomical discus
sion the other evening. Nov | pay
from $40 to $50. The diamond back
terrapin stands way ahead of any thing
else ever devised or created to tickle an
epicurean's palate. 1t is the most deli
cate and the most expensive dish that
appears on an American table. No
man who is a good eater would give a
dinner party without it. The terrapin
and canvas-back must be on u table
that makes any pretention to correct
ness"
"What is the usual charge for an Or
der of ~terrapin?" asked the scribe.
"a single order? Well, II 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. 1t used to be peculiarly
a Southern dish, but now. scarcely a
Northern OF Eastern man zones here
that does not call for terfapin. 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 a call for
more. There is only one recognized
way of preparing them for the table,
and that is i'll a stew; but ! 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
wor3d-the only kind the real epicurean
will have-are caught right Mt the
month of the Potomac, andnowhere else.
These bring the highest price in the
market and the taste of one brings de-
light to the heart of a good eater.
They are scarce and hardto get, though.
They are caught one at a time, and the
oyster-boats bring to the mar
ket sometimes two dozen, sometimes
only q dozen, or half a dozen, or
even only II single terrapin. Theyare
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 q 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. Butifthey 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 a meditative air, sand
it is more particularly Washington
dish. When people come here they
always want terrapin. 1t used to be
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 were,
years ago. Statesmen and politicians
have often settled their difficulties over
agood terrapin stew. Outside of Aneri-
ca the dish is not known, and foreign
Ministers coming here nearly always
become passionately fond of it. When
Reyerdy 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.
Drummond, when hes,wasBritish Min
lister here, was one of the best eaters 1
ever knew" said the carterer, "and was
passionately fond Of terrapin. M. de
Potestad is very fond Of terrapin. Sam
Ward, the lobby king. isnow in Europe,
could tell a terrapin caught in the mouth
OF the Potomac, and was n tip-topliver.
Ex-Secretary Evarts. ex. Secretary Rob-
eson, the Hon. Ben Tucker and Walter
Davidge are great epicures. so were
Representative Hooperand Robert Ould,
who was District Attorney after Barton
Key. Charles Sumner knew A good
dinner, l guess, as well as any man liv-
ing, Oh. there are lots O fthem I could
name. 1t used to be certain men that
We're distinguished for their love of ter
rapin, but nov that taste is becoming
universal. The Potomac diamond-backs
bring such good prices that the people
along the Eastern Shore of Maryland
are breeding them"