The Curiosities of Food: Or the Dainties and Delicacies of Different Nations Obtained from the Animal Kin gdomOriginally published in London in 1859, this rare treasure of culinary history was recently brought to light in the award-winning Oxford Companion to Food, whose author, Alan Davidson, used it as a primary reference in researching some of the more obscure foodstuffs consumed across the globe. Davidson writes that "[CURIOSITIES] is in all probability the first attempt to write a general worldwide survey of animal products." Long out of print and scarce even in the antiquarian market, this lost classic of wit, erudition, and grand storytelling is now made available in a facsimile edition, with an introduction by Davidson. As Simmonds reveals in his charming culinary travelogue, just about everything that walks, swims, crawls, slithers, or flies has been eaten at one time or another, and the eminent Victorian scholar has the tasting notes. On lizards: "In Guatemala, there is a popular belief, that lizards eaten alive cure cancer. . . . The man who first eat a live oyster or clam, was certainly a venturous fellow, but the eccentric individual who allowed a live lizard to run down his throat was infinitely more so." • One of the most important works of culinary history from the nineteenth century, and a significant primary source for Alan Davidson's award-winning Oxford Companion to Food. |
Contents
John Bulls partiality for Beef 2 Comparative quantities | 10 |
gines of various Countries 88 Rawflesh eaten in Green | 45 |
Monkeys eaten in South America Africa and the Eastern | 58 |
Camels Flesh 111 Axis DeerMoose DeerCaribbo0Ven | 113 |
BIRDS | 122 |
GRALLATO | 148 |
FISH | 207 |
of Cummlmums used to rasp over Rice 223 Sharks | 229 |
Anecdotes of Sharks 231 The Sturgeon a Royal Fish | 266 |
INSECTS | 292 |
Insects furnish many good DelicaciesFairy Cates 292 Co | 304 |
Flesh of Crustaceans Diflicult of DigestionVarieties of | 316 |
Oysters Natives and ScuttlemouthsRacoon or Parasitic | 342 |
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Common terms and phrases
alligator America anchovies animal article of food Australia barrels beef birds boat boiled bones called Cape Colony caught chiefly China Chinese coast colour considered consumption cooked crabs cured dainty delicacy delicate dish dogs dried ducks eaten eels eggs epicures esteemed excellent fattened feed feet field filled find fine fins fire firm first fish fishermen fishery fishes fishing five flat flavour flesh fowl fresh frogs ground head horse horse-flesh inches Indians inhabitants insects islands Jamaica killed kind Lake liver lizards lobsters locusts luxury Mauritius meat monkeys natives negroes nests oysters palatable pemmican piculs pigeons pork pound prawns quantity rats relish resembles rivers roasted salmon salt says season shark shell shores shrimps skin snails snakes sold soup species stewed tail taken taste tortoise tribes turtle venison weighing young