In summer the jelly melts, and cannot be used as a decoration. A boned bird is then served without jelly. The bird is cut in slices, and some jelly is served with each slice.
Cold.—A turkey, being a large bird, is seldom entirely eaten the day it is served, and very often more than half of it is left for the next day. What is left may be prepared in different ways.
In Vinaigrette.—Cut the flesh in slices and serve them with a vinaigrette. It is not understood here for a boned turkey, which is always eaten cold, but either a roasted, baked, stewed, or stuffed turkey.
In Croquettes.—Proceed in every particular as for chicken croquettes.
In Salad.—A salad of turkey is made also exactly the same as a salad of chicken, with cold meat. It is covered with a Mayonnaise-sauce and decorated in the same way.
Besides the above ways of preparing cold turkey, it may also be prepared as directed for cold chicken in general.
A caponed turkey is prepared as a caponed chicken, boiled or with rice; and also like a turkey, as described in the above receipts. They are generally larger, fatter, and more tender and juicy than others. They are very much appreciated here, and every year more and more are supplied, and, as in Europe, the greater the supply the better the quality. There is a ready market for caponed turkeys in all the large cities of the United States, and they command a high price.
DUCKS.
Ducks and ducklings, tame and wild, are prepared alike. To be good, a duck must be fat, be it a canvasback, gadwell, black-duck, garganey, poachard, wood-duck, pintail, shoveller, spirit-duck, summer-duck, teal, widgeon, shelldrake, or any other.
How to select.—A young duck has the lower part of the legs soft, and the skin between the claws soft also; you will also know if it is young by taking hold of it by the bill (the under bill only), if it breaks or bends, the duck is young.