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    Some receipts from this era attempted to give medicinal advice. Many dangerous, and in some cases, deadly, "cures" were given, reflecting the primitive knowledge of that time period. Don't assume everything you read here is safe to try! Recipes and Receipts posted here are for Historic Research Purposes, enjoy them, learn from them, discuss them!

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Wild Game Roast Guinea Fowl

roast guinea fowl
(from Common Sense in the Household by Marion Harland, 1871)

Ingredients:

2 guinea fowl, young​
stuffing of choice​
butter​
shallot, chopped​
parsley or summer savory​
browned flour​
currant or other tart jelly​

Instructions:

A pair of young Guinea fowls, stuffed and roasted, basting them with butter, until they are half done, deserves an honorable place upon our bill of fare. Season the gravy with a chopped shallot, parsley or summer savory, not omitting the minced giblets, and thicken with browned flour. Send around currant, or other tart jelly, with the fowl. A little ham, minced fine, improves the dressing.​


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I thought an interesting recipe. My Granny who lived in Lexington, Ky. raised Guinea fowl.
 
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Guinea fowl are known as "the Farmer's Watchdog". They got this name from the noise or squawk they make whenever they hear something. My Granny always said if the Guineas are "barking" (squawking) something is amiss.

My Granny raised them for years and showed them at the State Fair and County Fairs. She actually raised all kinds of chickens, turkey, ducks and other fowl. She had an egg business for years and sold to local groceries and markets. She had many prized birds.
 
My great-uncle was a dairy farmer down in the Central Valley - he had all manner of other critters including Guineas. He also had another type of chicken with the same look but not a Guinea - its meat was black! It was very tasty but a little disturbing if you weren't expecting it. The Guineas and these chickens - maybe they were Acona? - crowded the narrow driveway every time we came in. Uncle and aunt sold eggs along with the milk and dairy products. For a long time they made their own butter - and I sure miss their real buttermilk!
 
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2 guinea fowl, young
stuffing of choice
butter
shallot, chopped
parsley or summer savory
browned flour
currant or other tart jelly

A pair of young Guinea fowls, stuffed and roasted, basting them with butter, until they are half done, deserves an honorable place upon our bill of fare. Season the gravy with a chopped shallot, parsley or summer savory, not omitting the minced giblets, and thicken with brownned flour. Send around currant, or other tart jelly, with the fowl. A little ham, minced fine, improves the dressing.

From: "Common Sense in the Household" by Marion Harland, New York, 1871.

I thought an interesting recipe. My Granny who lived in Lexington, Ky. raised Guinea fowl.
This reminds me (just a little) of a favorite medieval recipe for "Savory meat" (roughly translated): "Take an animal from the flock or herd. Smite it. Cut off a fair portion and add it to a pot with wine and herbs. Boil till done. Serve thereto with fruits and bread."
 
This reminds me (just a little) of a favorite medieval recipe for "Savory meat" (roughly translated): "Take an animal from the flock or herd. Smite it. Cut off a fair portion and add it to a pot with wine and herbs. Boil till done. Serve thereto with fruits and bread."

Smite it! Sorry, that just hit my funny bone. Sounds like it would come out reasonably well, though!
 
There isn't anybody or anything gonna sneak up on the house when a flock of guineas is roosting in a tree nearby. There is still a large mequite tree known as the "guinea tree" on the farm. And that "stuff" under it made some pretty good organic fertilizer too.
 
Marion Harland's real name was Mary Virginia Hawes. She was born in Dennisville, Virginia in 1830. At early age she began writing. At 15 she started using male pseudonym. Her first writings were to magazines. Her first novel was in 1854 called "Alone". She went on to publish more than 75 volumes. She also wrote a syndicated newspaper column for women for 18 years. Her works on cooking, housekeeping and etiquette always celebrated the talent of home-making. One of her most famous books was "Common Sense in the Household." Through this book she became an household name.

Her last novel, "The Carringtons of High Hill" was in 1919. She was eighty-eight years old. She died in 1922.

She had married early to Presbyterian minister. She spent her life in the North and died in New York.

She is remembered for being a writer of novels, short stories, biographies, travel narratives, cookbooks and domestic manuals. She was a very knowledgeable lady of this era.
 
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