Recipe Recommendation

In preparation for the coming holidays I want to share a special recipe with you. I'm sure you might be interested in preparing this for one of the meals you plan for your guests.

Squab Pie

After the Squabs are picked as for roasting, put them in a Sauce-pan with a close Cover. Cover with boiling Water and boil slowly till tender, with a little Salt and an Onion and Cloves. Then take them out, drain and dry, and put in each Squab a Teaspoonful of Butter, a little Pepper, Salt, minced Parsley and Thyme. Then put into the Cavity of each Squab, a hard-boiled Egg. Lay them in a large, round, earthen Baking-dish, three or four Inches deep. Strain over them the Liquor in which they were simmered. Add a Tablespoonful of Butter and a Teacup of Milk or Cream. Sift in two Tablespoonfuls of Cracker-crumbs not browned, a Tablespoonful of minced Parsley and Thyme, and a little Salt. Put in a few Slips of Pastry. Cover with a rich Crust and bake.

The same Recipe will answer for Robins, except that the Eggs must be chopped, instead of being placed whole in the Bird.

From 'The Williamsburg Art of Cookery or, Accomplish'd Gentlewoman's Companion: Being a Collection of upwards of Five Hundred of the most Ancient & Approv'd Recipes in Virginia Cookery."

Published by Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia

Notation in Preface: 'The Author would add only one Word more before offering this Volume as the Accomplish'd Gentlewoman's Companion -- lest a Failure in Cookery be attributed to any Lack of Management in the Preparation of this Book:

"HEAVEN SENDS GOOD MEAT,

BUT THE DEVIL SENDS COOKS."