Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-12-06
THE HUMAN APPETITE.

it is full Of good ideas imperleclly
worked out. say the London SATURDAY,
ReUtew. Who can say, for example.
what mostarda might become If its
fruits were treated with a little moro
care and personal consideration before
they were placed in the mustardP As
it is. there s q hiai O. new flavor
about II which human ingenuity has
not hitherto brought fully out. Rpo
grapes picked in vinegar, though
their merits are we'll known IN South
ern Russia have never received Il nc
recognition in England. But these are
delicacies rather than food. The fish
ermen all along the coast from Gaota
10 Naples have various ways of cook
ing fish which are unknown in tho
great hotels. Many of them are in
teresting, and might b. attract We, but
for the predominating flivor of garlic.
Fresh sardineS. crisply Ia cd IN OIL are
quite admirable eating, but the fisher
men have discovered more excellent
way CT deal NJ with them. They place
them in shallow Tin. embed them in
bread crumbs. add a few savory herbs,
pour II little good olive oil, squeeze a
lemon or two over them, and then
bake them over "A sharp fire. The re-
suit is unexpected bit not sagreeable.
La sOne towns and villages of North.
ern Italy small birds are treated with
the same appreciatiyc Kindness. They
are roasted on spit before sharp
lire, and then laid in a pickle for day
or two and served cold. OF course it
1t Is wicked to ii little birds, but the
man who sends such dish away when
he IS hungry, and it is the Ol'y animal
food that can be procured, must DO
gifted either with 4 conscience that is
extremely sensitive or palate that is
rather dull.
No one will suggest that there is any
thing common or uncIean in such food
as has been ment Oned; it does not
even border on improperly. but may
be freely cnjo, ed by men of all sects
and nations. As sOon us one turns TO
unusual materials, national prejudice
asserts itself, and the ground becomes
unsafe In central and "A considerable
part Of northern Germany the man
who eats II rabbit becomes social out
cast; in England many respectable cit.
zens indulge shamelessly in this mild
form of diss patton. The Neapol tan
poor are not as Il rule dainty. but,
while delighting in sea-urchin. they
look down with scorn upon the Gala
brese. because they eat sea.slugs,
which, if properly cooked are not very
nastr. Nay even in our own country
there was n time when persons scolled
at frogs; now most Englshmcn who
have been to Paris know that, if pro-
perly treated. they add a new zest TO
dinner if not to life. The old preiu-
dice against snails still continues. yet
there are at least two edible kinds
which are worthy of al respect. They
must be kept and fed cleanly, prefer
ably on vine leaves for some time, be-
fore being used, but when this has
been done both sorts add a peculiar
and agreeable flavor TO several clear
soups, and one of them when boiled,
chopped small and allowed TO cool,
greatly improves any green salad. Do
not let the hasty reader imagine that
they have any esemDlance to the COM
. mon. we dare not say familiar, peri
. Wrinkle, for nobody with any sense of
, sef-respect could ever become familiar
with so coarse a creature. The edible
, lands nails are-at least. IN gastron-
omlc respects-the aristocracy of their
' race.
> Hedgehog is good, at least for
change, and IL used TO be well cooked
: in small tavern in the Ghetto Of
Rome, to which artists frequently re-
sorted when their spirits were high
and their funds low. According TO an
: aged South Italian sportsman, they
, should be killed in the woods and i'm
mediately skinned. and then be allowed
10 hang for few hours. and, after
being truSsed with Their own quilts, be
roasted before sharp fire. The stuff.
inc should be made of their own fat,
finely chopped with bread crumbs and
such seasoning as suits the cook taste.
, OF course no one with sense of de-
cency would think of eating n hedge
hog which had been employed for
months in hunting black beetles in n
cellar and was only slaughtered be-
cause he showed signs of ling
strength. Snakes are a difficult ques-
ion. The force of civilization is against
, them in every way. though in q few
Italian towns they are considered del
icaces and those who have eaten of
| ln0U ueCldIb luub lHby arc bupCIIOI 10
sels. as they are less rich and have u
more del cate flavor Ono would not
like 10 give an opinion without some
practical experience, and no one can
he expected to travel in the neighbor.
hood of Genoa in the early autumn for
The mere purpose of eating stewed
serpent.
Many other animals occupy a Gin
larry dubious position. Jays and
crows are said to make excellent soup,
,vcn when they are well stricken in
years, though their flesh is otherwise
worthless. But why do we accept the
calf and reject the foal? Why do wo re-
gard bears paws as dainty and roast
,d cat as q crimep Tastes. of course.
liffer; but this is not matter of taste.
out Imagination. There are persons who
cannot eat duck and green peas, and
here are others who are unfortun ate
enough to find no charms in oysters
or caviare-they arc to be pitied, not
blamed.