If the Lamb is white, the head and tail are to be
preserved, stripped of their wool, washed in soda-water,
and left to dry in a warm spot. The Lamb is trussed
whole, the legs being folded upon the belly ; the inside is
then filled with roasted stuffed pigeons, glazed chest-
nuts, little grilled sausages, and cooked white Pied-
montese truffles. When the Lamb is full of this farce,
the holes through which it was inserted are closed, and
the Lamb set down to roast on a spit. When done, it
is set upon a very large dish, ornamented with attelettes,
and then garnished with truffles instead of potatoes.
This commanding dish is placed in the middle of the
table, and the host, armed with a large knife, sacrifices
the Pascal Lamb by piercing its flanks and cutting large
openings in them. Out rolls a flood of pigeons, truffles,
and chestnuts, spreading around a perfume that would
seduce the most austere vegetarian and delights the
guests with a most delicious foretaste. A pigeon, three
truffles, a few chestnuts, and a little sausage are allotted
to each guest, each portion being moistened with the
gravy running from the victim. A slice of the Lamb,
For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, &c., refe>~red to, see under their special heads.
THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.
805
Lamb — continued.
served with salad, closes the short course. Eggs in
surprise, filled with ices or vanilla creams, terminate
the sacred meal.
There are two kinds of Lamb used in cookery — the
one called house-Lamb, being reared sometimes as a pet,
under protection of a roof, and killed about December;
and the other is grass- or out-of-door-Lamb, which is
in season at Easter. They are considered in primest
condition when two months old, retaining much of
their prime quality until six months have passed over
their heads, when they are better reserved for mutton.
The earliest Lamb in the market conies usually from
Dorsetshire, the Southdown following later on. Both are
excellent meat.
The butcher cuts up Lamb into joints similar to the
sheep ( see Mutton), and the fore-quarter is considered
the primest, being closely followed by the loin and leg.
The freshness of Lamb can be ascertained by ex-
amining the veins of the fore-quarter, which should be
blue, and not turning at all green. The kidney fat should
also be very fresh and white. When this has turned
colour a little, and gives off a faint smell, the Lamb is
not freshly killed. But the fulness, brightness, and
glassiness of the eyes is the best guide of all.
From the following receipts, contributed by the most
famous modern chefs, it will be seen that Lamb is
capable of being cooked in an indefinite number of
ways, and that almost every part of the animal is good
for food.
Page 203
Presented as published in 1892. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
If the Lamb is white, the head and tail are to be preserved, stripped of their wool, washed in soda-water, and left to dry in a warm spot. The Lamb is trussed whole, the legs being folded upon the belly ; the inside is then filled with roasted stuffed pigeons, glazed chestnuts, little grilled sausages, and cooked white Piedmontese truffles. When the Lamb is full of this farce, the holes through which it was inserted are closed, and the Lamb set down to roast on a spit. When done, it is set upon a very large dish, ornamented with attelettes, and then garnished with truffles instead of potatoes. This commanding dish is placed in the middle of the table, and the host, armed with a large knife, sacrifices the Pascal Lamb by piercing its flanks and cutting large openings in them. Out rolls a flood of pigeons, truffles, and chestnuts, spreading around a perfume that would seduce the most austere vegetarian and delights the guests with a most delicious foretaste. A pigeon, three truffles, a few chestnuts, and a little sausage are allotted to each guest, each portion being moistened with the gravy running from the victim. A slice of the Lamb,
For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, &c., referred to, see under their special heads.
Lamb — continued.
served with salad, closes the short course. Eggs in surprise, filled with ices or vanilla creams, terminate the sacred meal.
There are two kinds of Lamb used in cookery — the one called house-Lamb, being reared sometimes as a pet, under protection of a roof, and killed about December; and the other is grass- or out-of-door-Lamb, which is in season at Easter. They are considered in primest condition when two months old, retaining much of their prime quality until six months have passed over their heads, when they are better reserved for mutton. The earliest Lamb in the market conies usually from Dorsetshire, the Southdown following later on. Both are excellent meat.
The butcher cuts up Lamb into joints similar to the sheep ( see Mutton), and the fore-quarter is considered the primest, being closely followed by the loin and leg.
The freshness of Lamb can be ascertained by examining the veins of the fore-quarter, which should be blue, and not turning at all green. The kidney fat should also be very fresh and white. When this has turned colour a little, and gives off a faint smell, the Lamb is not freshly killed. But the fulness, brightness, and glassiness of the eyes is the best guide of all.
From the following receipts, contributed by the most famous modern chefs, it will be seen that Lamb is capable of being cooked in an indefinite number of ways, and that almost every part of the animal is good for food.