Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-16
AMBROSIA THAT WAS
SPURLOS VERSENKT
Hun U-Boat Makes Dead Sea
Fruit of Dennie McGowan's
Terrapin

ment under many an epauleted jacket IN
France.
stored in the hold of one OF the ships
sunk in a late drive OF the Kaiser's U-boats
were several dozen cans of ambroslal Chow
intended for American officers over there
Terrapln. no less, from Dennie McGowan's
famous kitchen!
And now those dlsmcmbered and clabo-
rated turtles, going back to their native eie-
ment, have suffered sea change that trans
mutes them into so much dead sea irur
Weep, all ye gourmands! and try to picture
the disgust ranking in the bosom Of Dennie
MCGOWAN, who. despite his eighty-odd years,
daily presides over the steaming Kettles anu
skillets that bubble and splutter for tho de-
light OF his patrons.
A quarter of a century ago there was
a smart saying among men-about-town which
ran like this: IF you are taking lady 10
dinner let 1t be the - Hotel; II she
n perfeck lady go to ---'s: II shes
n 'lady-an' don't -youse- -furgit-it,' take her
to ------'s" And one of these blanks was
McC;owan's restaurant, which occupied the
southeast corner of Fifteenth and Sansom
streets until the building was torn down 10
make way for the Union League extension.
McGowans has always been famous TOT
terrapln. and in it's new habitat, when Is
not well known TO the general public IL sun
maintains that reputation. AS long as inc
old man presides over the stoves you may
rest assured that the terrapin la Mary ianu
served to YOU from them Will be as right as
YOU can get IL In Philadelphia. and that
means everything Notwithstanding the supe-
rior airs of Baltimore.
King of the Sea-Cooks
pcnnio McGowan will never bow down his
silver crown before rival sea-cook. Hes as
good as the best and he knows it; and it's
well for Arnold Bennett. the British noveift,
that the dish of terrapln he contemptuousiy
spurned at dinner In his honor in New YORK
was not prepared by Denne's kitchen nor
spurned in his presence. For Dennle wou'o
have Drained him with skillet, ana the
jury-if selected from among his patrons
would have acquitted the old man.
There are other dependable lsouses In
Philadelphia where this ambrosia may ne
had. but they needn't be mentioned here be-
sides it's pretty we'll conceded that McGow-
ans is. one might say, the terrapinnacie. for
there you may be sure your dish VIII never
be aduterated with the eggs and liver OF the
poor third cousin of the king diamond-back.
which paddles its yellow-striped. loWer-ciasS
legs in the waters of the Juniata.
Many unscrupulous restauratcurs resort
to this trick of mixing Juniata with diamond
back and utterly spoil tho dish Tor men OF
discerning taste; indeed even the most cas-
ual gourmand can easily detect the desecra-
ton.
There are constantly recurring rumors OF
the passing of the diamond-back. and though
they have been current for many years they
have never had any foundation In fact. Ter
rapin is staple and 1t Is not n whit
scarcer now than II was. say twenty years
ago. Nor has the price greatly advanced or
nuctuated in that time. The best OF these
little fellow. the full counts'--that Is, those
that measure FIVE inches or more across tho
bottom shel-bring from SIS to $50 dozen
In today's markets. Much depends upon their
birthplace.
Many imagine that all real terrapn come
from Chesapeake Bay. That's not only faise,
but It's also true that the very best are
caught In Delaware Bay and III the ittle
coves of Barnegut. Terrapin of a sort are
found In the estuaries of the sea from Con-
necticut TO Louis ana. the Gulf of Mexico, and
even in South America but the true salt
water diamond-back never gets below Florida
nor further north than Long Island Sound.
The colder the waters from which they come
the better the birds" so that while near
bys" may bring as high as Sc apiece, the
Texas or Florida species may be had FOR as
little a single dollar.
This for Your Recipe Book
Long before Dennie MCGOWAN came to be
recognized as the good sea-cook he is there
was In this town a colored man named James
Prosser. who had no equal in preparing this
delectable dish His secret didn't quite die
with him, for one of his assistants thus held
forth upon his methods:
"You can't enjoy terrapin unless the day
Is nlppin', and as to the terrapln himself,
there's all the difference in the world in
them Tho moro northerly the torrapin
ground the better Warm water kind o
washes the delicate flavor out of them.
Don't let the Prevention OF Cruelty to AMI
mails folks know It. but your tcrrapn must
be boiled alive Have n good big pot with
a hot fire under it. so that he sha'nt Ian
gush, and when It's got on a full head of
steam, pop him In. What am going to give
Is a receipt for a single one. II YOU are
awfully rich and so In for gross of terra
pin, just use your multiplication table. Just
as soon as he caves in, watch him and try his
flippers; when they part when you try 'em
with your fingers. he is good. Open him
nicely with a knife: billing of him disocates
his snuff-boX. Pick out every scrap of his
meat there amt overmuch of 1t, more's the
pity the most Is In the j'ints Of the legs
and side lockers, but IL you want to commit
murder just you smash his gall Then your
terrapin is gone forever. Watch close for
eggs and handle them gingerly. Now. having
got him or her all into shape, put the meat
aside. Take three fresh eggs you must have
them fresh. Bile em hard and mash 'em
smooth. Add to that tablespoonful of sifted
-four three tablespoonfuls of cream, salt and
pepper (red pepper TO terrapin is just de-
prayity) and two wineglasscs Of sherry wine
wine that cost $3.50 bottle amt bit too
good. There never was drop of grape
Juice from Jerez de Frontera that wouldn't
think itself honored to have itself mixed up
with a terrapin. Now, you want quite a
quarter of a pound Of the very best fresh
butter and put that In a porcelain-covered
pan and melt it flrst-mustn't be Drowned
When It comes to be oily put in your terra
min, yolks of eggs, wine and ALL Let II
simmer gently. gently. Billing up two or
three times does the business. What you
are after is TO make it blend. There amt
nothing that must he too pinted In terra
pin stew. 1t wants TO be "a quiet thing; a
suaye dish. just pervaded with a most deli
cate and natural terrapin aroma. You must
serve II TO the people that eat it on a. hot
plate, but the real thing Is to have it ON a
chafing dish. and though a man oughtener be
selfish there Is kind OF divine satisfaction
In eating 1t all yourself"
And 1t was terrapin prepared as well as
that sounds that the German U-boat sank.
and that now lies untasted on the bottom of
the sea. TAD.
ORIGIN 0E CTACcyC