Absurd Texts in American History (VII, c)

Another tasty selection from Alice L. McLean's, Cooking in America, 1840-1945.

This delicious recipe is from Marion Harland's 1871 book, Common Sense in the Household.

It is for a favorite American meat: passenger pigeon!

"Clean and wash very carefully, then lay in salt and water for an hour. Rinse the inside with soda and water, shaking it well about in the cavity; wash out with fair water and stuff with a force-meat made of bread-crumbs and chopped salt pork, seasoned with peppper. Sew up the birds, and put on to stew in enough cold water to cover them, and allow to each a fair slice of fat bacon cut into narrow strips. Season with pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Boil slowly in a covered saucepan until tender; take from the gravy and lay in a covered dish to keep warm. Strain the gravy, add the juice of a lemon and a tablespoonful of currant jelly, thickening with browned flour. Boil up and poor over the pigeons."