The household cook book

Overcoming the Wild Flavor. — It is sometimes desired to overcome the wild flavor in the large birds, as it is disliked by some people. There are various ways to do this: (1) Take a lemon, take off the peel, and lay it inside; renew it every 10 or 12 hours, and continue for 1 or 2 days. From most game this will absorb the unpleasant flavors. (Probably the best plan.) (2) Ducks, geese, prairie chickens, pheasants, etc., may lie for 10 or 12 hours in salt and water. (3) They may be put in soda and water for 2 or 3 hours, (4) Parboil in water containing 1 or 2 onions. Restoring Tainted Game. — If game becomes slightly tainted, it should at once be picked clean and put into milk for a full day (24 hours) keeping it entirely covered; this will sweeten it, and it should be cooked at once. Most game is kept as long as it can be without becoming tainted, as it is thought the flavor is thereby developed. Game is less fat than butcher's meat, and is generally considered very nourishing; it is easy of digestion and is valued in the sickroom. This does not apply to wild fowl, however, which have close, firm and rather oily flesh, and are, therefore, unsuited to weak stomachs. The garnishes for the larger game, like wild ducks, etc., are parsley, slices of orange or lemon, cranberry or apple sauce; while for small game, the most common are parsley, toast, currant jelly, and slices of lemon. Currant, grape, or any acid jelly, is suitable to serve with game. Cranes, Plovers, Snipes, Herons, Prairie Chickens, Quails, Pigeons, Woodcocks, and all small game, are cooked in much the same way as spring or broiler chicken — that is, if the game is young, which will be known by the tenderness of the bones, and the freshness of the feet. They can be broiled, fricasseed, stewed, etc., in the same manner as poultry. Old game should be parboiled before roasting, as that is the better way of cooking old game or poultry. WILD DUCK. BLACKBIRD PIE.— Take 1 doz. blackbirds, reedbirds or other small game; skin and draw them, cutting off the heads and feet. Put a bit of bread, buttered, peppered, and salted, into the body of each bird; place them in a pudding-dish with thin slices of cold, boiled, fat salt pork; add a little cold water, cover them with rich pie crust I inch thick, and bake thoroughly in a moderate oven. Time, 30 to 40 minutes. WILD DUCK. — Pick the ducks carefully, and thoroughly singe off the down, then rub them with a coarse cloth. Split them open down the back, wash clean, and dry them with a cloth; pound flat with the potato-masher, or rolling-pin, and broil; turn often on the fire, which must be clear and bright. Have a little wisp, made of a bit of linen, tied on a clean stick, and rub them with melted butter every time you turn them. Serve hot. Canvas-back ducks should be served on hot plates, and eaten as soon as possible after being taken from the fire. Serve with celery mayonnaise. PARTRIDGES.— Stewed.— Bone the birds, and lard with thin slices of salt pork; stuff with oysters, roll up and tie; place in a dripping-pan with a little hot water and butter; bake in a moderately hot oven until well browned, basting often. Serve with mushroom sauce and mashed potatoes and garnish with slices of lemon and parsley. Time, about ^ hour.