Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1905-04-19
QUALITIES OF SAGE.
Savory and Salutary Ali the Year
Round.

Nearly all our vegetables and herbs
appear originally to have passed through
some preliminary stage in the laboratory
Of the medical herbalist before being adj
mitted to the full honors OF the kitchen.
The fact IS not so strange as it might ar
first sight appear, and its results have
certainly been to the general advantage
Of mankind, for, though for the most
part the old herbalists prescriptions
We're Of Il kind neither to kill nor cure.
his investigations of the specific quail
ties Of plants were often useful. The
anclentS seem to have regarded sage as
herb of first Importance to the physl-
clan, and the many traditions concerning
it refer almost entirely to this aspect of
the plant. Why should a man die who
has sage in his garden?'' was one of the
maXlms of the famous school of health
at Salerno. The belief in its virtues sur
vived through the middle ages and was
handed down with unimpaired vitality to
quite modern times. The writer's of the
Sixteenth and Seventeenth centuries
were full of its praises and there was
hardly an ailment of mind Or body for
WHICH sage was not pronounced a cure
or an alienation Thence sprung the
idea that. as it was thus generally whole
some and recommended by the faculty,
the housewife might prudently admit a
drled winter supply to her storeroOm.
And so this sovereign herb" gradually
found its way into the kitchen, of which
it has ever since remained an indispens-
able adjunct. Not that it at once lost
all its medical attributes He that
would live for aye must eat sage in
May" runs the proverb. But the cooks
soon began to take broader views They
pronounced sage to be equally savory
and salutary all the year round and OF
special and peculiar value at the season
Of MichaelmaS.
But this is advancing matters Even
the best of things eatable have had to
overcome prejudice and slowly make
their way; and in the case of more con-
cGmatants some help from the encourage
lhg hand of fashion has generally be, n
necessary. The rather nauseous brew
known as sage tea was so common a do
mesuc medicine to our fOrefatherS that
they could not at once accept the herb
III the character of a savory adjunct But
we live and learn; and the merits of
sage as mOdller of certain rich yi8nds
began to be acknowledged. 1t seemed
to have a kind of natural affinity with
roast pork, goose and duck. and pres
entity became the constant attendant of
these dishes. Early III the Eighteenth
century an acknowledged authority laid
it down that 'as to geese and ducks
cooks should stuff them with some sage
shred fine, and little pepper and salt:
and the same with sucking pig" The
alliance between sage and another high
contracting power seems to have been
adopted gradually, nor were its merits
at once recognized by all parties 1t is
to be. regretted that the active agent in
etfectlng this great partnership is I'M
known to fame; and, indeed the prin-
cipals seem to have drifted into the con-
nectlon by kind of accident. Each of
course, was well acquainted with the
fine qualities of the other. and both
sometimes met in the ordinary course of
business. But these meetings were foI
some time characterized by a certain
aloofness. Each confronted his neigh
Dor politely, but with a distinct cQoness
which denoted the jealousy of rivals
Sage, in fact, had had such a large share
IN ruling the roast successfully that il
might well resent the growing preten-
siOns Of the -Saucy onion. already tread
ing on its heels. One OF the earliest
intimations of their approachment is
found in a subsequent addition TO the
recipe above cited. ''Serve little onion
in boat, if liked And liked it was by
many, if not by all. Even fifty years
later we find this rather tentative direc-
ton: ''Stuff only one Of your ducks with
sage and onions; tastes must be con-
suited" But as to the result of this
consultation there could be no doubt
The stuffed duck was invariably eaten
before his vacuOus brother, and the fame
of the great English firm of Sage &
Onions was thoroughly established
London Globe