Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-27
Canvas.Back Duck-How to Cook
Them.
Fronl az Am ~ S

Them.
From the Ne,o York Sun.
An esteemed correspondent writes to US
for information upon a subject which
every good citizen should hold very near
iy to his heart:
$40 the Editor of the San: DEAR Sir
| have read with much pleasure your
splendid article on canvas-back ducks.
Now, will you do an old subscriber and
close reader OF your instructive paperaa
favor bv telling him how they should Be
cooked! Should wine be used, and If 30,
how?
''lf you will for a moment turn your
rays upon this subject feel that you will
confer an inestimable benefit upon many
thousands OF readers besides myself.
"BROoKLYN."
There Is always at this season more or
less disturbance in the public mind upon
the problem of cooking a canvas-back
duck. Illusions prevail, eXtravagances
are committed, and considerations OF COM
mon sense are ignored. Gen. Horace Por-
ter was once dining with distinguished
Irish gentleman who had weakness for
cooking his own canvas-backs, and when
the regulation half duck was handed TO
Porter he remarked that 1t looked very
we'll indeed, and, upon the whole, If 1t
were taken out and killed, he sshOuId
be able to eat 1t. This illustrates
very fairly the extremes 10 which some
well-intending enthusiasts proceed 10 the
matter of rawness. They watt q bird
through the kitchen and then try TO per-
suade themselves that they enjoy eating it
uDcooked. The other ex tremity OF affecta-
JIon is That OF the man VINO will stand no
nonsense about raw ducks anyhow, and
has his Diros cooked until the canvass
back quality has been completely elimi-
mated. Both practices deserve stern and
merciless reprobation.
The golden mean is the thing. The
flesh of duck should show the effects OF
the fire through TO the very bone. Ii the
meat that Is innermost does not yield it's
juice to the knife, the duck is not cooked
enough. There is no more conclusive or
uniailing test. The best meth I'd is roast
ing before fire, but as few modern ranges
are adapted to the purpose, large ma
jority OF ducks go into the oven, An oven
can hardly be too quick. The best are
those which scorch bird sharply In six
teen minutes. From sixteen to nineteen
minutes, according TO the Size OF the bird,
is the time required TO properly cook
duck. A EoOd duck Will fill dish with
red gravy when it is carved. 1t should
be carved in two slices, each comprising
the whole aide of the bird, including the
leg. Tue latter is not included, however,
when lady Is helped. olicing a duck
aud serving it in thia slivers is a most
obnoxious and pernicious practice. A
very important principle, and one COM
monty ignored by even well informed peo-
pie, is that in preparing duck for the
oven no water should be used under any
circumstances. The animal should be
simply wiped out dry with a cloth.
The insertion of the head as a sort OF
GolT IN off ri
neither merit nor taste, and it should be
severely discouraged By well-bred people.
We regret to say tbatthis custom prevails
at MIR. Delmonico's, and that they seek
TO explain IL by the avowal that the head
Of the duck furnishes the evidence of It's
being a true canvas-back. The excuse Is
eXecrable, because one ought to know a
canvas-back by other and more important
tokens, and the filling OF an order by Mr..
Delmonico should preclude any need of
an affidavit. Hominy OF large grain
should be served with the duck, and
celery-the latter plain, and on no ac-
count with mayonnaIse sauce. Currant
jelly is an utter abomination and beneath
contempt.
Our Brooklyn friend inquiries if WINE
should be used, and ii so, how. We reply
emphatically yes. And as to hOw-we
should say in moderation. We dismiss
Jle suspicion LuaJ nlb inquiry cOnJtn-
plates the possible use of wine in the
process Of cooking. 1t is not probable;
although we recall q recen article by
some wretched person In the Philadelphia
Times in which the cooking OF canvas
back was deliberately discussed and
stutiing of celery and onions gravely pre-
scribed! IL is impossible to define the linn
its at which error and deprayIty will re-
coil. Our Brooklyn friend, however. IL he
be Of robust permanent, Will find that
a good, sound Burgundy, delicately
warmed, drunk with the duck, viii con-
spire admirably for his welfsfe. And il
be be OF frazier mould, there 10 nothing
like very dry champagne.
We impart these truths in the spirit OF
broad and catholic beneicence, ard we
trust that they may serve TO correct the
errors OF the lew and confirm the sound
practice OF the many. We have much to
be thankful Tor al this generous and
gracious season, and there 10 no place
upon the civilized surface of our planet
where one can better indulge his passion
Tor the expression Of gratitude than here
in New York. Take our oysters and ter
rapln and our canvas-backs, and where
may the intelligent soul o1tpour In like
cpianior and pilllxpnca