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Show VARYING THE FLAVOR OF MEATS. Mr. Moncler, a noted agriculturalist in France, has suggested a singular plan for varying the flavor of meat. He imagines that by feeding cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry in a particular way, or rather by flavoring their foods in various ways, their flesh may be rendered more agreeable to the palate than it often is: and there can be no doubt that he is substantially right. Thus, for instance, it is well known that poultry which have been fattened up on food containing a slight mixture of chopped truffles are far better eating than those chickens which have been stuffed or larded with truffles after they were killed. It is only natural that such should be the case, for the flavor of truffles that is consumed by the chicken permeates the whole system, which it cannot do when simply placed in the carcass. M. (Monsieur) Moncler instances cases in which hares killed in a wormwood field, larks shot in a cabbage field, and eggs laid by hens which had eaten diseased silkworms had such a noxious taste that no one could touch them; while on the other hand, some ducks and field-fares which had fed upon some sprigs of juniper had a delicious flavor. He has made several experiments, among others there, upon tame rabbits, which he fed with the waste of anise seed, with barley and bran containing a little essence of thyme. In each can be found that the flesh of these animals was far better eating than that of rabbits fattened in the ordinary way, and yet there was no trace of anise seed or juniper in the taste. His conclusion is that cattle, sheep and pigs might be fed in the same way, and that by varying the flavoring matter the beef, mutton and pork might be made to have several different tastes. - Chicago Times. |