peppercorns, 1 blade of mace, 1/4 pint of port wine, the juice of 1/2
lemon, cayenne and salt to taste, a faggot of savoury herbs.
_Mode_.--Scale the fish, clean it nicely, and, if very large, divide it;
lay it in the stewpan, after having rubbed a little salt on it, and put
in sufficient stock to cover it; add the herbs, onions, and spices, and
stew gently for 1 hour, or rather more, should it be very large. Dish up
the fish with great care, strain the liquor, and add to it the port
wine, lemon-juice, and cayenne; give one boil, pour it over the fish,
and serve.
_Time_.--1-1/4 hour. _Average cost_. Seldom bought.
_Seasonable_ from March to October.
_Sufficient_ for 1 or 2 persons.
_Note_.--This fish can be boiled plain, and served with parsley and
butter. Chub and Char may be cooked in the same manner as the above, as
also Dace and Roach.
THE AGE OF CARP.--This fish has been found to live 150 years.
The pond in the garden of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, contained
one that had lived there 70 years, and Gesner mentions an
instance of one 100 years old. They are, besides, capable of
being tamed. Dr. Smith, in his "Tour on the Continent," says, in
reference to the prince of Condé's seat at Chantilly, "The most
pleasing things about it were the immense shoals of very large
carp, silvered over with age, like silver-fish, and perfectly
tame; so that, when any passengers approached their watery
habitation, they used to come to the shore in such numbers as to
heave each other out of the water, begging for bread, of which a
quantity was always kept at hand, on purpose to feed them. They
would even allow themselves to be handled."
[Illustration: THE CHUB.]
[Illustration: THE CHAR.]
THE CHUB.--This fish takes its name from its head, not only in
England, but in other countries. It is a river-fish, and
resembles the carp, but is somewhat longer. Its flesh is not in
much esteem, being coarse, and, when out of season, full of
small hairy bones. The head and throat are the best parts. The
roe is also good.
THE CHAR.--This is one of the most delicious of fish, being
esteemed by some superior to the salmon. It is an inhabitant of
the deep lakes of mountainous countries. Its flesh is rich and
red, and full of fat. The largest and best kind is found in the
lakes of Westmoreland, and, as it is considered a rarity, it is
often potted and preserved.
THE DACE, OR DARE.--This fish is gregarious, and is seldom above
ten inches long; although, according to Linnaeus, it grows a
foot and a half in length. Its haunts are in deep water, near
piles of bridges, where the stream is gentle, over gravelly,
sandy, or clayey bottoms; deep holes that are shaded, water-lily
leaves, and under the foam caused by an eddy. In the warm months
they are to be found in shoals on the shallows near to streams.
They are in season about the end of April, and gradually improve
till February, when they attain their highest condition. In that
month, when just taken, scotched (crimped), and broiled, they
are said to be more palatable than a fresh herring.
THE ROACH.--This fish is found throughout Europe, and the
western parts of Asia, in deep still rivers, of which it is an
inhabitant. It is rarely more than a pound and a half in weight,
and is in season from September till March. It is plentiful in
England, and the finest are caught in the Thames. The proverb,
"as sound as a roach," is derived from the French name of this
fish being _roche_, which also means rock.
[Illustration: THE DACE.]
[Illustration: THE ROACH.]
TO DRESS CRAB.