Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-18
QUEER MEATS FOR FOOD
NATIoNALITIEs DIFFER AS TO
WHAT rs EDIBLE.
Prejudice Against Snails, Though Es-
teemed in Many Lauds-Bear's
Flesh in Germany.
F.om the London Globe.

incomprehensible when the favor of oys-
tiers, periwinkles, mussels and cookies Is
! considered. In many London restaurants,
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.
A year or two ago clergyman cited as an
illustration of poverty in Bristol that he
had seen working girls pick snails on
wall and eat them.
AS matter OF fact, the snail Is extern
sively eaten in Somerset and Gloucester
shire, both as dainty and medicine.
There are men who make living by col
lecting snails and selling them under the
name of wall fish, Boiled in their shells,
they are picked out and eaten with bread
and butter. being accounted a great luxury
and very nourishing In pulmonary us
eases they probably rank as specific.
Frogs are another dainty which prejudice
denies to the Englishman. though in the
United States and Canada they are esteem
ed as highly as in France. Spasmodically
sturgeon is offered for sale In London.
and the accident of it's capture anords
novel dish which should not be passed by,
for it is generally sold at Sd pound. Cut
and cooked as outlet, 1t tastes rather like
veal without a suspicion of fish about 1t.
Bears Meat.
In Germany bears flesh is greatly favor
ed, and smoked bear tongues, hams and
sausages are both appetizing and expen-
sive. Ever since Paris, in the siege OF
1S7O-'71, was driven to eating up the AMI
mails at the zoo camers flesh has been de-
manded by French gourmets. Remarkably
like beef in appearance, it is as tender as
veal and there are Parisians who import 1t
regularly from Algeria. On the same testi-
mony lion steaks are reported to be only
moderate eating while tiger is both tough
and sinewy. Jaguar flesh, however. is de-
lightfully white and toothsome, and alli-
gators and crocodiles provide meal of the
most delicate flavor, midway between that
of veal and pork.
Beef and mutton, with pork so entirely
make up the menu that we actually regard
lamb and veal as distinct dishes. Why
should not goat flesh be introduced into the
bill of fare? 1t is good eating, as Robin
son Crusoe and Don Juan testify. In
France it is largely eaten, Paris alone re-
quiring 100000 goats annually for the table
Our neighbors also enjoy the donkey, whose
flesh. when killed young. resembles that Of
the turkey, though of much finer flavor.
Horse Flesh.
Though hippophagic banquet arranged
by the late Sir Henry Thompson 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
excellent eating. and only prejudice can
gainsay the fact. Old and wornout horses
cannot afford either nourishing or palata-
Bile meat. but that Of horse reared like
an OK, for the table, has finer fiber and
flavor than beef, though darker in color.
1t is served in the best French restaurants,
as well as being largely eaten by the
people.
'It was in Paris" wrote Mr.. vardam, the
author of IAN 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 him,
boil or bake him, do what you will, his
flesh is and remains oily and fabby. with
that stewed puss is far finer than stewed
rabbit"
This testimony the writer can personally
corroborate, having recently been invited to
dinner given by gourmet of eccentric
tastes. The dish of the evening was Chat
aux Champignons." Soaked in white vine-
gar with aromatic herbs. and cooked in red
wine, the cat made most savory dish, and
after the prejudice of the first mouthful
one was bound to admit its succulence and
flavor. The same verdict must be given for
rat pie by any who have eaten it. At
thrashing time in the north country some
farmers capture and convert the rats from
the ricks into stew or pie. Thus cooked,
the granted rat is as dainty as the pigeon
On this point both the naturalists, Frank
auckland and the Rev. ]. G. Wood, agreed.
The Hedge Hog.
Another neglected article of food Is the
guinea pig. Were the edible virtues of the
hedgehog known it would rival ortolans in
epicurean favor. AS cooked In rural Eng
land it is delicious. The correct way Is to
incase the hedgehog, bristes and all, with
a thick coat of soft clay and place it in the
glowing embers Of fire to bake. The bris-
ties and skin come off with the hardened
clay, leaving the tenderest and most deli
cate meat imaginable.
To make bunny squirrel into a stew may
seem a refinement of selfish cruelty but
such ideas rarely trouble the rustic, and
the dish is as memorable as appetizfng.
Snakes, being rare in England, are almost
unknown as food, but in southern France
there Is a snake which is extensively sold
prepared for cooking under the name Of
hedge eel Indeed those who enjoy cells
can scarcely shudder at stewed snake.
Frank auckland once dined off boa con-
strictor and heartily enjoyed 1t, the flesh
being exceedingly white and firm, not I'M
like veal in taste.