Terrapins, sherry and Prohibition

Quite interesting. Most likely, Prohibition saved the terrapin.

Edit: added this Saveur article for more background on turtle soup, including a recipe

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Turtle soup never disappeared in New Orleans let me tell you. I just had a couple bowls of it last week. Maybe it remained on menus there because New Orleans largely ignored Prohibition and so the sherry still flowed generously.

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I’ve enjoyed turtle soup in various places, including NYC. As I’ve read more history, I’ve been impressed just how popular and ubiquitous it was in US history—a staple or delicacy (depending on context) right alongside our fancy American drinks.

Have you ever read the description of what went into making turtle soup in William Grimes’ “Appetite City”? the amount of labor involved was mind-boggling. People must have really liked the stuff to go through all that.

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Added to my reading list.