The Household

" 'T'aint no use talkin', dar ain't no place in de world like 'Merica for fish," said an okl colored cook reeently. The truth of her asseveration may be conflrmed any day by a visit to one of the great Fulton market fish houses and an inspection of the liinitless variety offered to purchascrs. But while nature has done so much, the -w-roiigheadedness of a man oíten bringa flah upon the table in an unsatisfactory condition. It is the aim oí this article to give a few plain and simple direetions for the preparation of fish for family use, without entering into a recital of elabórate recipes and sauces. For much of the infonnation acknowledgraent should be made to Fish Comuiissioner Eugene C. Blackford, who is an undoubted authority on all piscicultural matters Fishernien themselves harm their own interests and the palates of their customers by allowing lish to strugglo their lives away in gaspiug agony alter they are cauglit. All ñsh shoüld be killed as soon as taken from the water, by making an incisión in the back of the neck with the small blade of a knife and cutting the backbone. Many dealers prefer to have live fish on their stands because the Üapping attracts attention. A flsh slowly dying, howevor, becoraes feverish, and the fleshtends to ready disintegration, becomingsoft and tíabby, and crnmbling readily when boiled. An excellent way of' killing lobsters, which should not be put into the kettle alive, is to bleed theiu. This is done by inaking an incisión ander the last joint of the tail and hanging the lobster up by the head. Abouo half a teacupful of thick semi-transparent tiuid, slightly whitish, drains ofï. Death by this method renders the tlesh oí the lobster harder and sweeter. Freshly caught flsh are slightly rigid, while stille flsh are soft and flexible, with colorless gills and fllmy, opaque eyes. Properly ret'rigerated flsh may be kept trom summer until spring in good eondition, though when the temperature is too low the freezing and thawing destroy tJie character of the flesh. Fish should never be placed in actual contact with ice. The manuur in which Bah should be cooked depends, generally speaking, upon the size. A large flsh should be boiled or baked, a small oiie broiled or f ried. In preparing flsh for cooking as little water as possible should be used, and the flsh caret'ully dried with a oloth. Accormng to MisS Corson, in boiling fish those oí large size sliould be placed in water cold and well salted, while sinall flsh may be put directly into boiling water. Others recommendthat the water be always cold at flrst Salí a teaeupful of vinegar- in Europe elaret is nsed - conecta the oiuddy taste of some iresh water flsh without iniparting any aridity. Siieed lemon and a few cloves and pepper-corns or a " beuquet" of herbs ili add to the Havor of bolled fish. 'l'his "bouquet" of herbs is composed of a little bay leaf, a stalk of eelery, a dozen cloves," and a dozen pepper-eorns tied in a bunch of parsley. [f the of a.fish to be bakedis somewliat dry, au imj)roveinent will be eftected by cutting diagonal slashcs iilong the side and piacing in eaeh a slice of fat. There should be no water in the baking pan, bat olive oñ, fresh butter, or salt pork can lie used. The ordinary brpwn meat gravy warmed will be found excellent with'baked fish. Brown sauce, of ten used with baked fish, is made by putting in a thick saucepan for one pint of sauce a tablespoonful of butter and one of llour stirred over the lire until brown, then adding slovvly one pint of water, stirring all the time that it may be smootli, and seasoning with salt and pepper In broiling iish, the gridiron should be buttered and the flesli side placed next the lire lirst and broiled to a'light brown, while the skin side should be more thoroughly cooked to a dark color. Maitre d'hotel butter is an excellent addition to broiled fish. This consists of one tablespoonful of butter ona ot parsley chopped fine, one teaspoonf ui of lemon juicel one saltspoon of salt, and one quarter oí' a saltspoon of pepper This is mixed cold and spread over the flsh 011 coming from the fire. Fish can be fried to the best advantage in good olive or svveet oil. -"Wlicn this becomes so hot that a light blue vapor arises drop the iish iu and fry to a light brown. If much frying is d"one this oil can be used again and again. Either fresh butter or beef drippings rank next, tliough common sweet lard is usually used. Many' Binall iish are hnproved by being dipped in the beaten yolk of an egg and rolled in cracker crumbs before frying. All fried Iish should, as soon as cooked, be laid upon brown paper, which will absorb the grease. In addition to these usual methods, a iish may be stewed. Miss Juliette Corson's recipe for iish en matelotte is as follows: t'nt up the iisli into Uvo inch piteas and put thein over the iire in cold water containing a tablespoonful Of sall, an onion stuck uitli cloves, and two taljiespoonfuls of vinagar. Boil for fifteen minutas, then Uke up the iisli, dry in a clean clotli, roll in flour, and fry in a saucepan with two ounces of butter Whcn brown. add a bouquet of herbs and pint of boiling water. Season the matelotte witli a teaspoonful of salt and a quarter saltspoonful of pepper. Peel a pint of button onions, toss over the fire until brown. with a teaspoonf ui of butter and of sugar, and add to the matelotte to immer one hour. If the sauce evapórales, add eiiough boiling water to make up the original quantity. "When the matelotte is debe, add a glass of wine and serva with croutong of fried bread.