During the famines of the 17th century, in Spain, the preparation of little birds was adopted, which were rubbed with bacon and fried in a pan along with garlic, parsley, and bread crumbs.
But the most astonishing and terrifying part was how, in that era, in the French Landas region, they captured sparrows, which were kept in small dark boxes, constantly fed to fatten them until they became a ball of fat, preventing their bones from calcifying. After twenty days, they were drowned in a glass of Armagnac and then roasted whole.
However, the cruellest moment was at the tasting, when the diner would cover their head with a linen napkin to eat the little bird in one bite, followed by a sip of Bordeaux until the bird dissolved in the mouth.
In Spain, that cruelty was not as widespread, but the consumption of fried little birds became popular until very late into the 20th century. They could be enjoyed in small taverns, bars, and cantinas; pyramids of fried little birds were displayed in the showcases of restaurants and taverns.
By the end of the 20th century, the vulgar commercialization of little birds was banned, but today, some bars, small taverns, and pubs still offer fried little birds, although they are now a hybrid of farm-raised quails, complying with legal animal welfare standards. The fried quail is a bird, but with more meat.
