To prepare terrapin for cooking, plunge into boiling water and boil five minutes. Lift out of water with skimmer, and remove skin from feet and tail by rubbing with a towel. Draw out head with a skewer, and rub off skin.

To Cook Terrapin. Put in a kettle, cover with boiling salted water, add two slices each of carrot and onion, and a stalk of celery. Cook until meat is tender, which may be determined by pressing feet-meat between thumb and finger. The time required will be from thirty-five to forty minutes. Remove from water, cool, draw out nails from feet, cut under shell close to upper shell and remove. Empty upper shell and carefully remove and discard gall-bladder, sandbags, and thick, heavy part of intestines. Any of the gallbladder would give a bitter flavor to the dish. The liver, small intestines, and eggs are used with the meat.

Terrapin A La Baltimore

1 terrapin

3/4 cup White Stock

1 1/2 tablespoons wine

Cayenne

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper

Yolks 2 eggs

To stock and wine add terrapin meat, with bones cut in pieces and entrails cut in smaller pieces; then cook slowly until liquor is reduced one-half. Add liver separated in pieces, eggs, butter, salt, pepper, and cayenne.

Terrapin La Maryland

Add to Terrapin à la Baltimore one tablespoon each butter and flour creamed together, one-half cup cream, yolks two eggs slightly beaten, and one teaspoon lemon juice; then add, just before serving, one tablespoon Sherry wine. Pour in a deep dish and garnish with toast or puff-paste points.

Washington Terrapin

1 terrapin

1 1/2 tablespoons butter 1 1/2 tablespoons flour 1 cup cream

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

Salt

Few grains cayenne

2 eggs

2 tablespoons Sherry wine

Melt the butter, add flour, and pour on slowly the cream. Add terrapin meat with bones cut in pieces, entrails cut smaller, liver separated in pieces, eggs of terrapin, and mushrooms. Season with salt and cayenne. Just before serving, add eggs slightly beaten and two tablespoons Sherry wine.