Many years ago, I came across an old recipe called "Caille en Cendres", French for quail in ashes. As I recall, one first gutted and beheaded the quail, shoving a big marble of butter into the cavity, plus a grape, then sewed or pinned it shut. One then packed clean, wet, natural clay (not modeling clay!) around the still feathered bird, and buried the package in ashes, with a decent layer of coals atop of the ash. When done (30-40 min.?), one cracks open the clay and the feathers, supposedly, go with it. I kept meaning to try this in the fireplace sometime, but never did. In S. China, where I am often, something similar is done with chicken, though without the grape or feathers. Called "beggars chicken", it comes out invariably rich and juicy.
