St. Hubertus, the patron saint of hunters, mathematicians, opticians and metalworkers, was also the namesake for a traditional European rabies cure that involved pressing a heated piece of metal to the infected area. St. Hubert’s Key actually worked when used in time; when heated to the right temperature, the key sterilized the wound.
Ol’ Hubert was also an advocate for humane hunting practices in his time, and his work is still taught in German and Austrian hunter education courses. One of his mostly widely spread axioms banned hunting mothers accompanied by their young because the practice effectively starves the dependent animal. Had his teachings made it big in the United States, we’d certainly have fewer motherless Disney movies.
A guy who cured rabies, advocated for animal welfare more than a millennium before it was mainstream and became the patron saint of four different professions ought to be celebrated in style. On December 16, Frankies Spuntino will be hosting a Hunters Dinner in honor of St. Hubertus. The spread will include wild hare and pheasant, and beer and wine pairings are included.
They’ll also be hosting some more traditional holiday dinners including a Feast of the Seven Fishes and a New Year’s Eve meal. For reservations for the Hunters Dinner, e-mail pmreservations@frankspm.com.
