Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1904-10-06
All Sorts of Creatures Good for Food.

is incompreheusible when the flavor OF
oysters, periwinkles, mussels and cock
les is considered. In many London res
taurants, particularly in Soho, snails
now figure on the daily menu. This
is an imported taste from France, but
in the West Country snails are highly
esteemed by the lower classes.
year or two ago a clergyman cited
as an illustration of poverty in Bristol
that he had seen working girls pick
snails off wall ant eat them. As
matter OF fact, the snail is extensively
eaten in Somerset and Gloucestershlre
both as a dainty and a medicine.
There are men who make a living
by collecting snails and sell them under
the name Of wall fish. Boiled in
their shells, they are picked out and
eaten with bread and butter, being ac-
counted a great luxury and very nour-
ishing. In pulmonary diseases they
popularity rank as a specific.
Frogs are another dainty which pre-
judice denies to the Englishman, though
in the United States and Canada they
are esteemed as highly as in France.
Spasmodically sturgeon is offered
for sale in London, and the accident
ofits capture affords novel dish which
should not be passed by, for it is gen.
orally sold at Sd. a pound. Cut and
cooked as a outlet it tastes rather like
veal, without suspicion Of fish about
it.
In Germany bears flesh is greatly
favored, and smoked bear tongues,
hams aud sausage are both appetizing
and expensive. Ever since Paris, in
the siege Of l87O-7l, was driven to
eating mp the animals at the zoo camel's
flesh has been demanded by French
gourmands. Remarkably like beef
in appearance, it is as tender as veal
and there are Parisians who import
it regularly from Algeria. On the
same testimony, lion steaks are reported
to be only moderate eating, while tiger
is both tough and sinewy. Jaguar
flesh, however, is delightfully."- white
and toothsome, and alligators and
crocodiles provide meal Of the most
delightful flavor midway between
that OF veal and pork.
Beef and mutton, with pork, so en-
tirely make up the menu that we act
ually regard lamb and veal as distinct
dishes. Why should not goat flesh be
introduced into the bill of fare? 1t
is good eating, as Robson Crusoe and
Don Juan testify. In France it is
largely eaten, Paris alone requiring
100000 goats annually for the table.
Our neighbours also enjoy the bon
key, whose flesh, when killed young
resembles that of the turkey, though
of much finer favor.
Though hipPophagic banquet ar
ranged by the late Sir Henry Thomp-
son was held in London some years
ago, it is still almost dangerous to
suggest horse flesh to an Englishman
as food. In reality it is very excel
lent eating, and only prejudice can
gainsay the fact. Old and worn. out
horses cannot afford either nourishing
or palatable meat, but that Of horse
reared ike an OK, for the table, has
finer fibre and flavor than beef, though
darker in color. 1t is served in the
best French restaurants, as well being
largely eaten by the people.
ut was in Paris, wrote Mr.. Van
dam. the author Of "An Englishman
in Paris, that l learned how the cat
had been misjudged. Call the dog the
friend of man if you like, but don't
eat him. Fry him, stew, boil or bake
him, do what you will, bis flesh is
and remains oily and aabby, with a
strong flavor Of castor oil. But I de-
clare that stewed cat is far finer than
stewed rabbit" Another neglected
article of food is the guinea pig.
Were the edible virtues the hedge
hog known it would rival ortolans in
epicurean favor. As cooked in rural
England, it is delicious. The correct
way is to encase the edgebog, bristles
and all, with thick coat Of soft clay
and place it in the glowing embers
Of FIRE to bake. The bristles and
skin come off with the hardened clay,
leaving the tenderest and most deli
cate meat imaginable.
Gan You Eat1