The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1900-11-28
FEAS TONG I'm
PORTO RICO.

thanksgiving Gay nau us origin II
New England is because that section is
prolific in turkeys and pumpkins. There
are also many others who hold that
they cannot enjoy dinner on that day
without good, sharp frost to put an
edge on their appetites. Cold weather,
Thanksgiving. turkeys, pumpkins. CT
der. apple sass" and other concom-
itants of the festal banquet consti-
tute combination that cannot be sep
arated in the minds Of those people.
But now that we have taken In sew
eral tropical dependencies where frost
is unknown and where hitherto the
Thanksgiving feature has been con-
spicuous by its absence the opinion ex-
pressed above will have to be modified,
for down in Porto Rico. at least. there
is decided impression that, whether
the inhabitants of that island were or
were not blanketed in under the con-
stitution when we took over their terri
tory, they fell heir to all the American
institutions like Washington's birth
day, the glorious Fourth and especially
Thanksgiving.
The burning question with them
about this time is how to observe the
day properly after the Yankee fashion.
"a la Americana" Though not gener
ally known. the island possesses in its
native fauna the requisite resources
for the festal viands, and if the writer
were there he would not ask for a
better bill Of fare than he could pro-
vide if he were allowed free range of
forest and shore. To begin with. al
though there is very little game in
Porto Rico (such has been the sharp
competition for mere living among
the wretched inhabitants), there is
enough to satisfy the ordinary sports
man who knows where to look for it.
There are no wild turkeys. to be sure.
but there are some that have run wild
from the farm and are what are known
as ''pavos del monte Or domestic
fowls that have flown the coop and
turned Injun." They are not SO large
as our native turkeys and arc rather
disposed to be skinny. but their flavor
is good, and. if they have been feeding
on the seeds of certain palms and
shrubs, constitute food fit for any one
to eat.
Then there are the wild guinea fowl
occasionally found in the jungles along
the rivers, where they have left the
farms and taken to the bush There
is nothing on earth more delicious Of
ho 1.in1 1,or mir tnnIor n! lat
that has raised itself on what it could
pick up in the woods and pastures
without having been made tough and
rank from being overllunted.
So there are two kinds of meat ;udig
enous to the island which if we were
there we could have for our Thanks
giving dinner. If lou want another,
why there is the armadillo, which is
not SO very bad if cooked in its shell
and served up in its own sauce. 1t
takes 4 native cook, though, to proper
ly prepare the armadillo and remove
from the flesh that distinctly earthly
smell it has acquired through life
time of digging in the ground.
Then. again. if one is not too fastid-
lOuS, Tx CdA uuu IL AClIOlOuS lluOlL III
the quaillike flesh of the iguana. This
is sort of land lizard. which attains
to the length of five or six feet and
looks SO much like good old fashioned
dragon. such as the Chinese are wont
to depict in their arts. that one might
have qualms about eating it. The
meat is tender, like young chickens.
,,C1-N 01o tho
that of the alligator. it might be taken
for chicken If properly served. If used.
however, have it stewed and as much
as possible disguised by the addition
Of vegetables. otherwise it might be
taken for what Sir Walter Raleigh
called it Once-''a verie uglie serpent"
Now and then among the sea grapes
on shore or in the hill copses may be
found a species of pigeon and wood
dove. the former quite abundant in
adjacent islands and the latter resem.
bling partridge. Either or both these
would be very nice broiled on toast
and served as side dishes. provided
they can be obtained. The old recipe
of first catch your hare of course
y
are no hares or even rabbits wild in
Porto Rico the application may be
made to the doves and pigeons.
But. assuming that one of them be
found, there will be four kinds Of meat,
including the iguana, or three without
it. Betaking ourselves to the rivers we
shall find most delicious crayfish there
by turning over the stones and rocks,
which are called ''camarones." By
whatever name they are called they
will 60 well either in salad or served
up by their own sweet selves, with a
dash Of lime juice. pinch Of pepper
and just breath Of redhot Chilli"
There are fish in the rivers also. and
better in the sea, such as red snapper,
grouper, etc. But the natives rely
more upon the "bacalao," or "Cape
Cod turkey" brought to their shores
in Yankee schooners, than upon the
catches Of their friends at Ponce and
Aguadilla.
But the above will comprise the vi