MMario: The base of the dressing is stale watercress sandwiches, torn into small pieces. (I usually just leave them on the countertop and all over the garage overnight.) The difficult part is obtaining the Nile water here in the U.S., but an abolute must if the seasoning for the dressing is going to be right. I generally order it in mid-July to have time to deal with import red tape. Other than that, the usual oysters, celery, onions, rice (or cornbread), along with your ordinary holiday herbs and spices, multiplied by 500, will get you a fine Hippodressing -- no sage, though; it clashes with the watercress.

The water chestnuts, you're right, do figure, but they are laid over the hippo, much as one would lay sliced onions over a roast. For the rest, it's just minced garlic and salt and pepper to taste -- usually no more than a gallon of the former and five or six pounds each of the latter.

It's not very difficult, actually, just sort of time-consuming in a small kitchen.

Oh, and four or twelve freezers for the leftovers are useful.

Next month, Leftover Hippo Pot Pie...

Sarah