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A capon (from Spanish ''capón'') is a cockerel or rooster that has been castrated to improve the quality of its flesh for food and, in some countries like Spain, fattened by forced feeding. In the United Kingdom, birds sold as capons are chemically or physically castrated cocks. ==History== The origins of caponised chickens are contested. Such culinary practices existed far-east within ancient China as well as Europe from Greek and Roman empires. One of the earliest records of caponisation occurred during the time of the Roman Republic. The Lex Faunia of 162 BC forbade fattening hens to conserve grain rations. To get around this the Romans castrated roosters, which resulted in a doubling of size. It was also practiced later throughout medieval times with gastronomic texts describing capons as preferred poultry since the ordinary fowl of the farmyard was regarded as peasant fare and "popular malice crediting monks with a weakness for capons."〔 The practice of caponisation found its way in modern-day America through the east of Philadelphia where the industry is predominant. Today the nation of France is internationally renowned for maintaining a strong caponisation tradition with widespread and established industries throughout the country.〔 William Shakespeare mentioned capon in the famous "All the world's a stage" monologue from his play ''As You Like It'' (written c.1600). He similarly describes capon as a food of the wealthy. The monologue describes human life as consisting of seven stages, and the fifth stage is a middle-aged man who has reached the point where he has acquired wisdom and wealth. The monologue describes the fifth stage as: "The Justice, In fair round belly, with a good capon lin'd". 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「capon」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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