Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-12-09
GOOD THINGS TO EAT.
Baked Elephant, Roast Alligator o,
Candied yiOlets n SDlenilfd Meal.

A correspondent to the Times recent
ly mentioned that sparrow pudding was
an excellent dish, and that only igno-
rance or prejudice prevented us from
eating 1t. Perhaps so. In any case,
many things are eaten in foreign coun-
tries which would seem to our readers
much more repellent than the cheeping,
perky sparrow.
Bears flesh is great delicacy in
Germany, and smoked bears tongue and
hams are much In demand. there, but.
consequent on their rarity, they are
among the most expensive luxuries.
Lion flesh is very good eating, and
much in favor among the aboriglnes
and certain classes Of Boer trekkers In
South Africa. In many parts of India
the tiger is eaten, to impart strength
and cunning, as well as nourishment.
In flavor it resembles rather coarse
beef.
In Africa and India the flesh of the
elephant is a fayorite dish, though
some Europeans aver 1t is nothing more
than soft leather and glue. Others de-
clare the flesh of the elephant is as ten
der and delicate as baked elephants
foot, which is dish At for a king.
Crocodile flesh is publicly sold in Up
per Egypt as food, and in Saigon aud
Siam the natives expose the carcasses
for sale just like Sleeps in butchers
store. In San Domingo and the sea-
board states Of Central America the cay
man is eaten, boiled or roasted, and
is as savory as rabbit, while its eggs
are much priced as food. The horned
iguana of San Domingo is also much
appreciated by epicures throughout the
West Indies. 1t is usually served UP
boiled, together with dish Of clarified
isuana fat, into which the meat is dip
ped as you eat 1t.
The common green lizard is eaten
with gusto by many in the south Of
Italy and Spain also, while the Greeks
nonchalantly pop the adder into their
soups and stews. They are also very
fond of the mud tortoise. and drink its
blood and cook its flesh and eggs, espe-
cially during Lent, the tortoise being
looked upon as q fish. ~
OF all the reptiles that are used as
food, the frog is undoubtedly the most
popular throughout Europe, the
French, Germans. Austrians. Italians,
Portuguese and -Belgians all being not
ed for their frog eating propensitles.
The kind in particular favor for table
purposes is the green frog, though the
red frog is just as delicious.
After course of adder soup, follow
ed by an entree of baked elephants
foot, backed by boiled iguana and roast
alligator, there are many kinds Of
freak" dessert to be had Rosebuds
boiled in sugar and made into a pee
serve are eaten by the Arabians, while
in China candied rosebuds and jasmine
flowers are equally popular. The Turks
utilize the common yellow lily that
grows in ponds and marshes as the
main ingredient Of an agreeable con.
serve.
Candied violets are now staple pro-
duct of certain districts In France At
Grasse, for Instance, where immense
quantities of violets are grown, all the
old and stale ones are sold to the con-
fectionery manufacturers, who steam
them, dip them in boiling sugar, ana
Sell them at high price as .'confiture
Of violets." In Roumania and Bulgaria
roses, lime flowers, vlolets, pansies and
fruit blossoms are much used for flay-
oring purposes. Lilies, in China, are
usually plucked just before they open,
and, cooked as fresh vegetable, they
have a very pleasant taste.
The most remarkable of edible flow-
ers, however, is that of the butter tree,
which grows In immense forests
throughout the more billy parts of In
dia. A fair-sized tree yields several
hundred weight of pulpy, bell-shaped
flowers every year. During March and
April-the hot months of the Indian
year-they fall off, and are eagerly
gathered by the natives. They have,
when fresh, peculiar and luscious
flavor, but the odor Of them is unpleas-
ant being rather "mousy." Usually
they are dried in the sun, becoming
like raislns, and then made ready for
consumption by boiling or frying In but
ter.-London Answers.