Poultry, Game, Rabbit, and Venison

The atmosphere of economy is temporarily suspended in this section on poultry, game, and venison. Butter, cream - fresh and sour - small measures of brandy and Marsala, gills, half pints, and bottles of wine, are specified - not in a spirit of extravagance, but because a farmyard chicken, a young duck, pheasant, or hare are really worthy of them. These dishes represent a concentration of good things, a sheaf of gastronomical experiences put together from the recollections of feasts divided in real life by considerable lapses of time. The occasions are infrequent but splendid. It is because of this that one can afford from time to time to pour a pint of sour cream over a hare or a bottle of good burgundy over a pigeon. But it is only fair to say that particularly in the case of chicken and rabbit, draught or vintage cider can be substituted for wine without a drastic loss of character: for instance, in lapin sauté au gratin, lapin au riz au safran, poulet sauté à la paysanne, and poulet en capilotade. At the other extreme it should not be forgotten that a platter of oysters is the best prelude to roast goose.