The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1895-01-18
AUNs1e Anouf reRRApln.


Preparing the Dish Not Difhcuit Art,
According to Caterer.
'There is good deal of polite hum'
bug about terrapin stew, " said a caterer.
"The Maryland style is generally ac-
eepted as the best way IN which the dish
should be eaten, but as matter of fact
there is so little difference between that
style and the Philadelphia style that no
one can tell tho difference by the taste
of 1t, and, further, the Virginia style of
preparing terrapin, as followed by the
Incompatible negro nanny cooks of
tho Old Dominion, Is tho only true way
to cook it and by far the simplest. The
cooking Of terrapin seems to DO nat
ural gift with the Virginia negress. 1t
is IN art that the professional cook has
to acquire,
"The preparing for the table OF ter
rapin in the approved Maryland style is
quito tedious proceeding, and tho per-
son who does it never fails to impress
You with tho fact that he believes. or
thinks he believes, that he is aud of ne
eessity must be u being Of exceptional
accomplishments as culinary artist,
but if you are not susceptible to the
glamour which tradition has cast around
the torrapin cook you can do the bust
ness just exactly as well yourself. You
will never be able to get recipe for
cooking a terrapin from any Of these
glorified concoctors of a stew. They will
always give you awise shake Of the
head aud declare that such thing
would DO impossible, save as to the mode
in general way, because they have cor
tain artistic secrets about making terra
pin stew which they cannot impart to
any one, the same, of course, being a
very excellent quality of rot. The pre-
pairing of terrapin depends more upon
the knowledge OF how to treat it anatom-
ically than on any artistic touch.
"a terrapin that has been caught aft
err it has gone into its winter quarters
does not need to be cleaned before it is
cooked. There is no food i'll its stomach,
and its interior is as clean as it can be
Emade. In tho Maryland or Philadelphia
Of preparing tcrrapin it is thrown
Alive into a pot of hot water. This is
cruel enough, but it is humanity col-
pared with tho way tho torrapir is troat-
ed in the old Virginia style. II begin
ming its preparation i'll this style the
unfortunate reptile is thrust aiiv ,tmcaa
| hot GOALS Or shut in avery hot oven End
left there until 1t is cooked v hen TIL"
result is reached, the under elell Of The
terrapin is easily removed with u kai e,
exposing the meat resting ii The natural
dish formed by the upper shell. Moth
ing but the gall sack is removed, aud,
with the addition of butter, seasoning
and glass Of sherry or Madeira wine,
the terrapin Is eaten from the shell.
But it is not terrapin stew.
"After tho terrapin is cast into the
kettle of hot water, as in tho Maryland
and Philadelphia styles, it is left there
until it is dead 1t is then taken out and
the upper shell removed. The terrapin
is returned to the hot water, left short
time removed and its under shell taken
| off. Now comes a very delicate opera
| ton and the 6ns On which failure OF
success depends. This Is the removal Of
the liver and the gall sack. If SO much
Of the gall as woul cover the point o.
pin shoald remain, it would faint the
entire stew and make the eating of il
an impossibility. This necessary dissec
ton done, the meat is put back into the
kettle and stewed until it is ready fol
the final touch This is the addition o.
the very finest butter the yolks of raw
eggs, the whites of hard boiled eggs
thick oreanand spices. The addition O
sherry or Madeira must be made only ;
very short time before tie stew is served
or the effect Of that flavor will be lost
the vino evaporating quickly. New
York Sun.