Readbourne Quail

On the suggestion of several friends, I recently watched “Fannie’s Last Supper,” a documentary about Christopher Kimball & company recreating a late 1800’s era meal based on the recipes of Boston Cooking School instructor Fannie Farmer. Although I thought that they could have been a little less rosy – this was an era of adulterated/tainted food and food poisoning – I did enjoy the film.

Most of all, it made me want to put forth a little extra effort with Victorian era dishes. I may not always have company coming, but some of these recipes were published with the purpose of impressing the reader with the sophistication and budget of the cookbook authors. They’re meant to be prepared with some pomp.

I recently spotted some quail in the case at the butcher shop and I was intrigued. I checked my collection for quail recipes. I only have six recipes specifying quail. This may be because the small game birds could be somewhat interchangeable. Still, quail seems like an elegant little fowl befitting the era.

One recipe suggested stuffing the birds with oysters and larding them with bacon. That sounds like a positively elegant idea, but I instead opted for a recipe from a positively elegant place – Readbourne manor. This recipe entailed browning the quails in butter and then cooking them in a gravy made with stock and sherry.

Readbourne, 1937, Frances Benjamin

Johnston, loc.gov

Like many old manors, Readbourne was built in phases, starting in the 1730′s with a final wing added as late as 1948.

It was first occupied by members of the Hollyday family, who you may remember from cookbook author Mrs. Charles H. Gibson’s first marriage.

This quail recipe was contributed to “Maryland’s Way” by the wife of William Fahnstock, Jr., a wealthy New York Banker. The Fahnestocks restored the Readbourne mansion in the 1940′s. The land and surrounding grounds continue to be privately owned today.

Illustrations, Mrs. Beeton’s Household Management

The illustrations from Mrs. Beeton’s Household Management (1861) are ideal inspiration for a dainty presentation. If the photos that accompany most modern restaurant reviews are any indication, we still live in an era of asymmetrical food platings, jaunty stacks of cuisine, and sauce strewn around in squiggles and dots. I bet it won’t be long before Beeton’s showy precision and generous piles of garnish makes a comeback.

Ultimately, all that I did was make two concentric rings with rice and peas, and a dollop of jelly to the side promptly slid down the plate into the peas. Hey, I tried my best. Also, I poured my Budweiser into a goblet.

I think the quail may have tasted better for my effort. The beer, not so much.

Recipe:

4 quail
4 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons flour
2 Cup chicken stock
.5 Cup sherry
salt, black pepper to taste

Wash and truss four quail; place them in a heavy frying pan and brown in about four tablespoons butter.After browning on all sides, place them in a dutch oven or casserole dish with lid. Make gravy by adding 3 tablespoons flour to remaining butter in frying pan and whisk in slowly about 2 cups of chicken stock and ½ cup of sherry. Blend until thickened, add salt and pepper to taste, and pour over the quail. Cover tightly and cook at 350° for about 1 hour. “The birds are good and moist when cooked this way. Wild rice should be served with the quail.”

Recipe adapted from “Maryland’s Way: The Hammond-Harwood House Cookbook”