Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-26
NEW FACES.
THE RHODE ISLAND TURKEY.
John mberlfn Upon the Charms
of This Famous Fowl.

John Chnmberlin Upon the Charms
of This Famous Fowl.
From the Philadelphia Times
John Chamberlin the Brillat Savarin of
our day, who was in Philadelphia last even
ing, was rejoicing oyer the fact that he had
secured for Thanksgiving day presents
number of Rhode Island turkeys. When
asked why he favored the big birds from
the little down east state beyond all others,
hs answered: Il take some credit to my
self that was one of the very first to rec
ognize the superior merits Of the Rhode
Island turkey. and to discover that he pos
sessed. rank above all his fellows for firm
ness and sweetness of flesh and peculiar
delicacy of flavor. Why he should be thus
favored is matter for discussion. 1t Is
not, however. fully explainable. His pro-
genitors. 1 am reliably informed, were i'm
ported from England more than one hun
bred years ago. Their popularity OF plum
age gave them the name of bronze turkeys,
ard as the bronze turkey of Rhode Island
they are known to epicures today in every
part of the country.
Due to Senator Anthony.
II am of the opinion that much Of their
privately popular vogue in the richer
households of the country is due to the
late Senator Anthony of Rhode Island.
Every year he had fifty of the finest of
these fowls sent to Washington from the
state he represented. and both before
Thanksgiving and Christmas days he dis
tributed them among his friends in the
Senate and in the lower house of Congress,
and, also, never forgetting the presidential
mansion. When, however, he first began
this annual distribution, the birds in many
cases were simply looked upon as very fine
specimens of their kind, and did not re-
ceive any especial or careful treatment be-
fore being placed on the table. had the
teeth into one of these fowls and it is no
eXaggeration to say that 1 was amazed at
the story told to my palate. l will confess
that l had then and do yet hold the ordi-
nary turkey in considerable contempt ON
account of the dry and generally almost
tasteless character of its flesh. But that
Rhode Island bird was revelation. l
knew at once that 1 had made CASTRO
nomic discovery, and from that day to this
not only has no other kind of turkey en-
tered my establishment, but l have even
preached it's charms both in and out of
season. Many and many gastronomic sur
prises has 1t enabled ME to give my friends.
The Mystery of Its Flavor.
Zone explanation given of the peculiar
merit of the Rhode Island fowl is that the
farms of that little state are small, and
that more individual attention can be given
to the birds than they obtain elsewhere.
This may be true in part. Doubtless, some
of the excellence Of the fowl is due to the
fact that some time before its killing, in
stead of being allowed to feed at large, it
is fattened with chestnuts ground up with
meat, and If it does not take kindly to this
fodder force-ballS are made of these ma
terials and crammed down the birds
throat, in much the same manner that the
geese of Strasbourg are fattened, until
they get enlargement of the liver.
But all this continues Chamberln.
docs not alter the fact that when tur-
key ceases to be of Rhode Island it loses
the greatest part of its charm. They feed
the fowls in Connecticut in almost the
same way, yet fail to produce.she same re-
SUITS