Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-01-05
HumBue ABOUT TERRAPlN.
Preparing the Dish Not . Dificult Art,
According to q Caterer.


There is n good deal of polite hum
bug about terrapin stew, " said caterer
The Maryland style is generally ac-
cepted 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 the difference by the taste
OF it, and, further. the Virginia style Il
preparing terrapin, as followed by the
incompatible negro nanny cooks Of
the Old Dominion. is the only true way
10 cook it and by far the simplest. The
cooking of terrapin seems 10 be nat
ural gift with the Virginia negress II
is an art that the professional cook has
to acquire.
The preparing for the table of ter
rapin in the approved Maryland style is
quite a tedious proceeding. and the per-
son who does it never fails TO impress
you with the fact that ne believes. or
thinks he believes. that he is and of ne
cessity must be being of exceptional
accomplishments as n culinary artist,
but If you are not susceptible TO the
glamour which tradition has cast around
the terrapin cook you can do the bust
ness just exactly rs we'll yourself You
will never be able TO get a recipe for
cooking a terrapin from any of these
glorified concoctors Of a stew. They will
always give you wise shake Of the
head and declare that such thing
would be impossible, save as to the mode
in n general way, because they have GER
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 q 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
or il has gene into its winter quarters
does not need TO be cleaned before il is
cooked. There is no food in its stomach,
J and its interior is as clean as il can be
made. In the Maryland or Philadelphia
way of preparing terrapin it is thrown
alive into a pot OF hot water. This is
/ cruel enough, but it is humanity com
pared with the way the terrapin is treat
ed III the old Virginia style. In begin
ming its preparation in this style the
1 unfortunate reptile is thrust alive among
hot Goals or shut in a avery hot oven and
left there until it is cooked When this
result is reached, the under shell of the
terrapin is easily removed with a knife.
exposing the meat resting in the natural
dish formed by the upper she'll. Moth
ing but the gall sack is removed, and,
with the addition of butter, seasoning
and glass of sherry or Madeira wine,
the terrapin is eaten from the shell.
But il is not terrapin stew.
after the terrapin is cast into the
kettle Of hot water, as in the Maryland
and Philadelphia styles. it is left there
until il is dead. II is then taken ont and
the upper shell removed. The terrapin
is returned 10 the hot water, left a short
time, removed and its under shell taken
off. Now comes very delicate opera
ton and the one ON which failure or
success depends. This is the removal Of
the liver and the gall sack II so much
OF the gall as wouii cover the point Of
pin should remain. it would faint the
entire stew and make the eating of it
an impossibility. This necessary disscc-
ton done, tho meat is put back into the
kettle and stewed until it is ready for
the final touch This is the addition of
the very finest butter the yolks of raw
eggs. the whites of hard boiled eggs,
thick cream and spices. The addition OF
sherry or Madeira must be made only q
very short time before the stew is served.
or tho effect Of that flavor will be lost,
the wine evaporating quickly. New
York Sun.