Exotic Food: Leaving a Bad Taste

Ever since I've been back from London, I have been so very busy at work, that I haven't had time to do any research and blogging, but I have found a spare moment today.
And, Ahhhh.....how about some information on Peacock and Swan Pie!? We all have heard about the exotic, excessive feasts of the Renaissance courts, but even by the 18th Century, these indulgent banquets were still taking place.
Today I saw some information on Swan and Peacock pie recipes from the 1700's from the book called Art of Cookery, 1757.

Both call to plucking the feathers, cutting off the neck, leaving the feathers on the neck, setting it aside for later. Then, put a stick up into the neck to the head, and place in low oven to dry. Also, the legs and large wings shall be dried and saved for later as well.
Of course, the body cavity shall be cleaned out, and cooked like any other bird, with or without stuffing.
Then, the finished bird will have the neck re-attached, and feathers put back in place for the presentation. Another way to have the pie is to cook the bird, carve it up into pieces, and put into a pie shell as a stew or a casserole. Then, the decorative parts will be stuck into the pie crust, the swan or peacock sitting atop the pastry.

The thought of having the proverbial boar's head with apple in its mouth, is almost a required dish for the flamboyant feast, but nobody really cares about the boar. There are plenty of them, and they are rather ugly, too.

But, the swan or peacock is an exceptional animal, and it is hard to imagine actually killing it, let alone stuffing it, and serving it. I'm sure it is tasty, like duck, with a lovely sweet glaze or chutney to go with, but it is also very sad, pitiful to say the least.

Of course, we can be outraged if we go by today's standards, but life was cheap in the 18th Century, and before. It was only until much later that human rights and dignity were considered, or even thought to be secured in the political or governmental forum. Before then, women and children were chattel, and some men were considered beasts of burden. So, if a person's life was worth so very little, how much more disregarded were the animals. To please a king or nobleman, these lovely creatures represented a delightful culinary fantasy come true, with no regard to the loss of one of Nature's most beautiful creatures.