TURTLE

The ‘‘hawksbill,’’? the smallest of marine turtles, is the most highly valued commercially because of the tortoise-shell that it yields, but from a food standpoint the most important is one of the very largest—the famous Green Turtle of sub-tropical and tropical waters (see the color-page opposite). The green turtle has been known to grow to a weight of 800 pounds or more, but these very big specimens are seldom handled commercially. The average market size ranges from fifty to 300 pounds, those between the two extremes being preferred, being considered choicer as well as much easier to handle. The majority of those brought alive to our eastern markets come from Florida, Cuba, and the British West Indies, the large South-American supply going chiefly to Europe. I*or shipment, the turtle’s flippers are tied loosely together and it is placed on its hack. This position is e ential in order to keep it in good condition. If it were not tied, it would speedily exhaust itself by continually thrashing about—and would also be liable to injure its companions—and if it be laid on its stomach on a hard surface, it dies of suffocation. No attempt is made to feed it en route as under ordinary conditions of transportation it will not eat—but this is no hardship—green turtles can easily go for six weeks without food, and for three weeks or longer without suffering any diminution of weight. Tf to be held for any considerable length of time after its receipt, it is loosed and kept in a dark, warm place—preferably, if the weather be warm, with part of the floor covered with a few inches of salt water. Some localities have ‘‘coops’’ built under docks.: The most prized of the edible portions of the green turtle are the outer circumferences of its two heavy shells—the upper known as ‘‘calipash,’’ and the lower as “‘ealipee.’’? That of the upper shell—so solid and tough that it adequately protects the living creature from any enemy save man—becomes on cooking the dull-green, delicate, gelatinous substance which gives character and fame to ‘‘Green Turtle Soup.’’ Calipee is similarly gelatinous but is lighter and yellowish. For fine soup, ouly the calipash and calipee are used (these being added to specially prepared soup-stock) the entire edible carea being otherwise disposed of—as stew, steak, ete. The best steaks are from the lean flesh under the top shell. The color of the raw meat is somewhat like veal. Canned green turtle, put up in cans and jars, may be either ‘‘mixed meat’’— pieces of ealipash, calipee, and steak—or ‘‘clear green’’ (calipash only). Only the ‘‘cow’’ green turtle is generally sought, the shell of the bull not being considered worth the trouble of cooking, and its flesh being coarser. The bull is easily recognized by its long tail. In its horny hardne and great contrast before and after cooking, the edible part of the shell of the green turtle is curiously similar to the dried Trepane (which see). The ordinary observer seeing and testing them uncooked finds it difficult to realize that by proper preparation both become particularly tender and delicate articles of diet. The logger-head, which frequently masquerades as the hero of the turtle soup of the restaurant, is also a large creature, up to 500 pounds or more, and also of warm waters, but its shells are not used and its dark red flesh is much inferior. A third of importance is the (Common) snapper, or ‘‘snapping-turtle’’, a bigheaded, strong-jawed, fresh-water tortoise with a long, alligator-style tail. It is widely distributed, especially in the Upper Mi i ippi Valley. Its average market weight is from ten to fifteen pounds, though sometimes above fifty. Closely related to it is the larger ‘‘alligator snapping-turtle’’ with a maximum weight of more than 100 pounds, a head as big as that of a bull terrier, and jaws that can sever a man’s hand, Green turtle eggs, between those of pigeons and hens in size and enclosed in parchment-like shells, are considered a delicacy. The Encyclopedia of Food — U **U**