The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-12-27
'PoSsUM AND 'TATER.
Georgia Gourmets Now Revelling In the
Chief Delight of the Year.

Georgia Gourmets Now ReveIlIng In the
Chief Delight Of the Year.
Did you see that suspicious-iooking
animal hanging out in front of Mar
ietta street restaurant yesterday OF
course you saw it if you passed that
way. of course you knew, even il it
didn't have any hair on it, and even If it
was butehered and ready for the oven.
that it was 'possum. But did you
know that the 'possum market in At
lanta was not to be ''sneezen" atp Did
you know that "'possum and 'taters"
was one of the swell dishes at the res
taurants nowadaysP
Well, if YOU didn't, read along a
little further and I'll give you some
facts about the 'possum crop which
will astonish you as they did me.
This file-tailed country animal has
been a part of the South as long as
there has been any South. and, like the
rabbit he is very prolific, and seems to
increased instead of diminish as the years
roll on. He is very fond of persim-
mons, from which the name Of opos-
sum is derived. He was nearly always
caught up persimmOn tree, and years
ago was known as the animal of the
| persimmon. which was gradually con-
tracted into o'possum.
1t is useless to say that the 'possum
is nocturnal animal, and IS caught
by means of dogs who tree him in
some small tree which is easily cut
down.
Strange as it may sound old pos
sum hunters will tell you that the bigger
| possum is the smaller the tree in
which he is caught, and it is only the
young 'pOssums, that climb q very
large tree when pursued by the dogs.
Three or four years ago our commits
sion merchants began buying q few
'possums from the country aud selling
them to few select customers in At
lanta. Before that time q 'possum
now and then found its way into the
city through the agency of Howard
Horton or some other great 'possum
warrior. who always found . ready
sale for this tOothsome animal.
Everything has changed since then,
and the possum has, through no efforts
of his own, arisen to a very important
place in che commercial world. One
commission merchant informed me
that he handled 800 'possums a month.
and at Folsom's restaurant 100 of
these animals are butchered every
month and served out to those who
are fond of them, and that means nearly
every Southern raised man.
The majority of the 'possums sold in
Atlanta come from the country mer-
chants, and large percentage of this
number come from up on the Marietta
and North Georgia Railroad, a section
of the country which is regarded as the
finest in the world for grapes, rye,
'possums, and corn liquor.
A number of countrymen living in
Fulton county catch many 'possums
during the season and sometimes they
bring them in by the wagon load. as
they would bring in load of chick
ems.
Howard Horton, the well-kuown
politician, is the middleman through
whose hands most of the 'possums
caught by the colored hunters pass.
Howard. although he is a great be-
lever In protection and Republican
ism, showed his magnanimity when
President Cleveland visited Atlanta
by baking fine 'possum with taters
and presented it to him. He was very
much pleased with the gift.
'Possums are sold at various prices,
governed according to the size Of the
| animal.
The kittens bring from 20 to 20
cents: while the full grown range from
| 40 cents to 81.
The 'possum is ripe by the ist Of
September, and heis pulled until sths
1st of March.
The average sum paid for 'possums
a month during the season will amount
to something over $500. making the
'possum crop worth about $4,000 to
| Atlanta.
| A dish of 'possum and taters at the
restaurant will cost you 80 cents, but
/ If you want 'pOssum supper it will
cost You from 800 to 81.
| A 'pOssum supper consists of whole
'possun. baked with sweet potatoes,
and d,then there's corn bread and coffee
thrown in as extras. for 'possum and
taters to be enjoyed, must be eaten
with corn bread.
f. There's a very remarkable thing
about 'possum meat. 1t is as greasy
as the meat of a hog; but, unlike that,
it can be eaten with safety by persons
with d weak digestion.
1t won't fill yon up like pork or other
meat. but You can eat a very large
quantity Of it and feel no bad effects
from SO doing.
'Possums are caught in mile and
half of Atlanta, and as said before,
they are as numerous and prolific as
rabbits.
My brother in coming home very
late one bright, noonshiny night last
winter met a very large and very fat
old 'possum on Wheat street, and after
little persuasion the 'possum was in
dueed to accompany him home.
The next day that 'possum was the
leading attraction at the dinner table.
If you have never tasted 'possun
meat you have lived in vain; il you
have never inhaled the delicious fra
GRANGE arising from a dish of 'possum
and 'taters, life has been but a mock
cry to you, and if you do not get you u
possum and bake him with sweet pO-
tatoes for your dinner tomorrow you'll
regret it even to the end Of your life.-
Atlanta Journal.