Truss them rather roughly, roast them before a brisk fire rather
underdone, if young a quarter of an hour will be sufficient, and serve
them upon toast, crisp and well-buttered, made from brown bread, and
serve with a rather thick and boiled melted butter (No. 71) over.
Grouse may likewise be served for a change with a thin sauce à l’essence
de gibier, with which you may add a few truffles or mushrooms, but this
will of course much depend upon the first course, or, at least, of what
the first course consists, although, as I have before stated, they are
better plain roasted; yet in some parts of the country where they are
plentiful a change may be desired.
_Ptarmigans_
Are Swedish birds, but many are found in Scotland, much of the same
species as grouse, and are very plentiful about the month of February;
they are dressed precisely in the same way as the grouse. A curious
anecdote of the celebrated Charles the Twelfth, relating to what he used
to call a fête, or repas champêtre, gave me the idea of inventing the
following roast, and calling it
_Ptarmigan à la Charles the Twelfth._
Kill them by accident, pluck them immediately, draw them, and save the
feathers and interior, put three guns in bivouac, and hang the
ptarmigans on one side with string or green twigs, light a wood fire
beneath, upon which put the feathers and interior, let remain, turning
them the whole time, till done, and serve them au naturel, with a good
bit of salt sprinkled over them; many people would object to this
method, but the flavour is excellent to a scientific palate, and more so
to a hungry stomach.
The anecdote is as follows: crossing a mountain in Sweden with a small
part of his army, the King was unexpectedly attacked by a numerous body
of Russians, and a skirmish took place, but the King was as usual
victorious; having lost several of his _braves_, a search was made for
them in the heather, where they found one hundred and fifty-one killed
and thirty wounded, being fifteen of the enemy, two Swedish officers,
one lieutenant, seven privates, one hundred and thirty ptarmigans, and
twenty-five black cocks, all killed by accident, the birds were, by
command of his Majesty, plucked and roasted, to the no small
satisfaction of his troops, who were short of provisions at the time; so
great was the treat that they hoped his Majesty would often repeat the
fête champêtre.