Food History

I’m having a very strange weekend. In honour of its surreal quality, I’m giving you more from Hannah Woolley. She was so down to earth that if I post an extract from her book tonight and comment on it tomorrow it might well bring me back down to Earth. Maybe. If it doesn’t, at least you get something good to read.

The Gentlewoman’s Companion: or, A Guide to the Female Sex. Terms for Carving all Sorts of Meat at Table.

In cutting up all manner of small Birds, it is proper to say, Thigh them; as thigh that Woodcock, thigh that Pidgeon; but as to others say, Mince that Plover, Wing that Quail, and Wing that Partridg, Allay that Pheasant, Untach that Curlew, Unjoint that Bittern, Disfigure that Peacock, Display that Crane, Dismember that Hern, Unbrace that Mallard, Frust that Chicken, Spoil that Hen, Saue that Caon, Lift that Swan, Rear that Goose, Tire that Egg. As to the flesh of Beasts, place that Coney, Break that Deer, and Leach that Brawn.

For Fish; Chine that Salmon, String that Lamprey, Splat that Pike, Sauce that Plaice, and Sauce that Tench, Splay that Bream, Side that Haddock, Tusk that Barbel, Culpon that Trout, Transon that Eel, Tranch that Sturgeon, Tame that Crab, Barb that Lobster.

If you will List a Swan, slit her right down in the middle of the Breast, and so clean through the back, from the neck to the rump, and so divide her equally in the middle without tearing the flesh from either part; having laid it in the Dish with the slit-sides downwards, let your sawce be Chaldron a-part in Sawcers.

You must Rear or Break a Goose roasted, by taking off the Legs very fair; then cut off the Bellypiece round close to the lower end of the Breast; lace her down with your knife clean through the Breast on each side, a thumbs breadth from the Breast-bone; then take off the wings on each side, with the flesh which you first laced, raising it up clear from the bone, then cut up the merry-thought, and having cut up anotehr piece of flesh which you formerly laced, then turn your Carcase, and cut it asunder the Back-bone, above the Loyn-bones; then take the rump-end of the Back-bone, and lay it at the fore-end of the merry-thought, with the skinny side upward; then lay your Pinions on each side contrary, set your Legs on each side contrary behind them, that the bone-end of the Legs may stand up cross in the middle of the Dish, and the wing-Pinions on the outside of them; put under the wing- Pinions on each side the long slices of flesh which you did cut from the Breast-bone, and let the ends meet under the Leg-bones.

If you would cut up a Turky or Bustard, raise up the leg very fair, then open the Joint with the point of your sharp Knife, yet take not off the Leg; then lace down the Breast on both sides, and open the Breast-pinion, but take it not off; then raise up the Merry-thought betwixt the Breast-bone and the top of the Merry-thought, lace down the flesh on both sides of the Breast-bone, and raise up the flesh called the Brawn, turn it outwards on both sides, but break it not nor cut it off; then cut off the Wing-pinion at the Joint next the Body, and stick on each side the Pinion in the place where you turned out the Brawn, but cut off the sharp end of the Pinion, take the middle piece and that will just fit the place. You may cut up a Capon or Pheasant the same way; but be sure you cut not off the Pinion of your Capon, but in the place where you put the Pinion of the Tturky, place there your divided Gizard on each side half.

In the dismembring of an Hern, you must take off both the Legs, and lace it down the Breast; then raise up the flesh, and take it clean off, with the Pinion; then stick the head in the Breast, set the Pinion on the contrary side of the Carcase, and the Leg on the other side, so that the bones ends may meet cross over the Carcase, and the other Wing cross over upon the top of the Carcase.

If you will Unbrace a Mallard, raise up the Pinion and the Leg, but take them not off; raise the Merry-thought from the Breast, and lace it down sloppingly, on each side the Breast with your Knife.
Turn the Back downwards, if you unlace a Coney, and cut the Belly-slaps clean off from the Kidneys; then put in the point of your Knife between the Kidneys, and loosen the flesh from each side the bone; then turn up the back of the Rabbat, and cut it cross between the Wings, and lace it down close by the bone on each side; then open the flesh from the bone, against the Kidney, and pull the Leg open softly with your hand, but pluck it not off; then thrust in your Knife betwixt the Ribs and the Kidney, slit it out, then lay the Legs close together.

In the allayin of a Pheasant, and winging a Partridg, you must raise their Wings and Legs as if they were Hens.

If you mince your Partridg, sauce him with Wine, powder of Giner and Salt, and so set him on a Chasing-dish of Coals to keep Warm. Use a Quail after the same manner.

Display a Crane thus: Unfold his Legs, and cut off his Wings by the Joints; then take up his Wings and Legs, and sauce them with powder of Giner, Mustard, Vinegar and Salt: Dismember a Hern in the same manner, and sauce him accordingly; so likewise unjoint a Bitten, but use no sauce but salt.