Each dish made during this past Sunday’s hearth cooking workshop
was quite intriguing. As you recall, the class was held in conjunction
with Deb Peterson’s Historic Foodways Symposium at Pennsbury Manor.
Again, our instructors were Past Masters members Clarissa Dillon and
Mercy Ingraham.
My favorite, however, of the six items prepared Sunday was the “Pullets,
Capons, or Chickens in Bladders.” I was just fascinated with the entire
process, and I can’t wait to try it myself. The trick, of course, will be
hunting down those cow bladders! I think I have a few ideas, though.
In the meantime, here are more photos from the workshop.
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Clarissa with the cow bladders:
First, the bladders had to be trimmed of extraneous “stuff” and stretched.
Next, finely minced veal and suet forcemeat was placed between the skin
and the meat of two chickens (in this case, Cornish game hens). A mixture
of oysters, chestnuts, bone marrow, herbs, spices, and more, was then
stuffed into their bellies. Finally, each bird was squeezed into a bladder:
HUZZAH!
Now, to tie off the bladders, first one:
Then the other:
Into the pot they go:
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Up next: plating the chickens in bladders
Historic Cookery 