Housekeeping in Old Virginia

Seventeen hundred recipes from the housewives of Old Virginia — Sally Lunn and beaten biscuit, brandy peaches and Brunswick stew — gathered in 1879 by Patrick Henry's granddaughter, with tributes from the First Lady down.

HomeCookery › To Dress Reed Birds

To Dress Reed Birds

Pick open and carefully wash one dozen or more birds. Place them between the folds of a towel, and with a rolling-pin mash the bones quite flat. Season with salt and a little cayenne and black pepper. Either fry or broil on a gridiron made for broiling oysters. This must be done over a clear fire. When done, season, put a lump of butter on each bird and serve hot.--Mrs. A. M. D. TO COOK SORA, ORTOLANS, AND OTHER SMALL BIRDS.

Prepare as you would a chicken for roasting. Lay in a pan and pour boiling water over them or, if convenient, steam them. Scaled a few large fresh oysters till just plump, season them with cayenne pepper, salt and butter. Pour into the cavity of each bird a few drops of pepper sauce and then put a large oyster in each. Broil a short time, frequently turning that they may not become dry. If not ready to serve them as soon as they are done, lay in a tin bucket, butter them and sprinkle them again with black pepper, cover the bucket and set it over boiling water till wanted. When laid in the dish, sift browned cracker over the birds, and pour gravy into the dish.--Mrs. T. To Cook Sora, Ortolans, and Other Small Birds.

After they are split open in the back and dressed, lay them in weak salt and water for a short time. Then lay them on a board and roll with a rolling-pin to flatten the breastbone. Put butter, pepper, and salt on them. Lay them on a gridiron and broil slowly. When just done, add more butter and pepper, lay in a flat tin bucket, which set over a vessel of boiling water to keep the birds hot, juicy, and tender till wanted.--Mrs. T.

SORA, ORTOLANS, ROBINS, AND OTHER SMALL BIRDS.

They should be carefully cleaned, buttered, sprinkled with pepper and salt, and broiled. When they are served, butter them again. If you like, serve each bird on a piece of toast, and pour over them a sauce of red wine, mushroom catsup, salt, cayenne pepper, and celery.

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