The Pantropheon; Or, History of Food, Its Preparation, from the Earliest Ages of the World

by Alexis Soyer

THE ORTOLAN.

Florence and Bologna sent to Rome cases of ortolans, the enormous price of which irritated instead of discouraging gluttony.[XX_76] They arrived in the metropolis of the world, picked and separated one from the other by layers of flour to prevent decomposition.[XX_77] Each of these little birds furnished only a mouthful; but this incomparable mouthful eclipsed everything else, and produced a sort of epicurean extacy which may be called the transcendantalism of gastronomy.

Ortolans were submitted to the same treatment as fig-peckers in their preparation.

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