The Physiology of Taste; Or, Transcendental Gastronomy — John Shaqi
The Physiology of Taste; Or, Transcendental GastronomyBrillat-Savarin
Philosophy
The Physiology of Taste; Or, Transcendental Gastronomy
Brillat-Savarin
Gastronomy
The price of every turkey in that condition is at least twenty
francs, and the sum of the whole is not less than 720,000 francs--
a very pretty sum of money. One must add a similar sum for the
fowls, pheasants, pullets and partridges, suffered in the same
way, and which are every day exhibited in the provision shops, as
a punishment for beholders who are too poor to buy them.
EXPLOIT OF THE PROFESSOR.
While I was living at Hartford, in Connecticut, I was lucky enough
to kill a wild turkey. This exploit deserves to be transmitted to
posterity, and I tell it with especial complaisance as I am myself
the hero.
An American farmer had invited me to hunt on his grounds; he lived
in the remotest part of the State, [Footnote: Brillat-Savarin uses
the French words "derrieres de l'etat" and translates them in
English, in parenthesis "Backwoods."] and promised me partridges,
grey squirrels and wild turkeys. [Footnote: He also translates in
the same manner "dindes sauvages" welp cocks.] He also permitted
me to bring a friend or two if I pleased.
One fine day in October, 1794, therefore, with a friend, I set out
with the hope of reaching the farm of Mr. Bulow, five mortal
leagues from Hartford, before night.
Though the road was hardly traced, we arrived there without
accident, and were received with that cordial hospitality
expressed by acts, for before we had been five minutes on the
farm, dogs, horses and men were all suitably taken care of.
About two hours were consumed in the examination of the farm and
its dependencies. I would describe all this if I did not prefer to
display to the reader the four buxom daughters of Mr. Bulow, to
whom our arrival was a great event.
Their ages were from sixteen to twenty-four, and there was so much
simplicity in their persons, so much activity and abandon, that
every motion seemed full of grace.
After our return from walking we sat around a well furnished
table. A superb piece of corned beef, a stewed goose, and a
magnificent leg of mutton, besides an abundance of vegetables and
two large jugs of cider, one at each end of the table, made up our
bill of fare.
When we had proven to our host, that in appetite at least, we were
true huntsmen, we began to make arrangements for our sport. He
told us where we would find game, and gave us land-marks to guide
us on our return, not forgetting farm-houses where we could obtain
refreshments.
During this conversation the ladies had prepared excellent tea, of
which we drank several cups, and were then shown into a room with
two beds, where exercise and fatigue procured us a sound sleep.
On the next day we set out rather late, and having come to the end
of the clearings made by Mr. Bulow, I found myself in a virgin
forest for the first time. The sound of the axe had never been
heard there.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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