The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-02-04
HOG PRODUCTS.
The Bliss of Those Who Dwell In
"HOg and Hominy Land"

The Bliss of Those Who Dwell In
"Hog and HOminy Land"
From the tip Of his flexible snout to
the end Of his twisted tail the hog is
strictly edible animal. Between these
two polar extremities there is rich
profusion of aliment. such as lard, ba-
con, ham. shoulders and side meat, not
to speak of sausage. These major
products Of the hog are rated Of prime
Importance in the commercial world,
and they have been essential factors
in the accumulation of vast wealth
and the stimulation of colossal indus
tries. They reveal the hog In his rela-
tions to the rAalm of business and
finance, but they do not bespeak his
rarer and finer qualities.
1t Is what Is fallaciously denominat-
ed the ''offaP' of the hog that excites
the enthusiasm of the true gourmet.
In the case of the hog, as with a Ger
tain glorious temple Of old, the stone
which was rejected of the builders the
same has become the head Of the cor
ner. To the really discriminating pal
ate ham and bacon and side meat must
give way to ''scrapple," ''souse,"
"wurst" and pudding" These dainty
and alluring CONNECTIONS are made up,
SO to speak. of the odds and ends of the
hog. his jowls, his ears. his feet, his
tail, his liver. his heart and even his
blood. These are In their delicate
flavor strangely Incompatible with the
gross appearance and the coarse habits
Of the hog. Nothing could be at greater
| variance than the feet Of the hog alive
and slain. The epicure revels in the
tender morsels afforded by the pedal
members which carry the hog through
mire and filth. 1t may sound epi-
| grammatic to say that you can't make
a silk purse out of sow's ear, but a
lot Of things are made out of the ears
and feet and jowls Of hog that silk
purse cannot compare with. If there
I, Is any evil or taInt In a pcrker, 1t all
departs with its expiring squeal, and
| everything that is left is sweet and
lovable.
| But the apothesis Of the hog, SO to
| speak. Ia ''scrapple." The Pennsyl-
vania Dutch, who rival the world in
the preparation of this delicacy, call
1t "creppies." Its designation Is a mat
ter of no consequence. 1t would taste
quite as well by any other name. and
it is the highest achievement of home
ly cookery. 1t is a combination of bits
of lean loin, liver, heart and jowls. All
Of these are cooked until they are per
fectly tender. and then they are ground
through mill after the manner of
sausages. This fine hash is then put
back into the original "liQuor," sea.
soned with pepper and salt and sweet
herbs and thickened with cornmeal OF
coarse -four. 1t Is then dipped into
vessels to cool When 1t Is solidified, II
Ii cut into slices and fried like mush
which 1t far surpasses.
"Scrapple." or 'crepples," deteriorate
In direct ratio to the remOteness OF
their production from York and Som
erset and Lancaster counties. in Penn
Isylvania. and the samples obtained
this far west are little more than lmt
tations. AS they come from the hands
Of master they are something which
even to dream Of. whets the edge ot
appetite. and they would lift the most
fastidious eplcure into a realm Of &c
stasy. Well may the people be glad
who dwell in the land Of hog and hom
iny.-Kansas City Star.