Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-19
CURING GOLDFISH IN FRANCE
some Interesting Points About Big Indu
try In Bordeaux.

some Interesting Points About Big Indus-
try In Bordeaux.
United States Consul Knowles at Bordeau,
has transmitted TO the Department OF State an
interesting report regarding the curing Of cod
fish in France. Fresh Goldfish is q commodity
unknown in that country. Green Goldfish" 1,
the name given to the fish prepared aboard
Newfoundland fishing smaeks and barreled
and shipped in bulk to the port Of
Bordeaux. II is cooked and eaten after hav
ing been immersed for several hours in water
Green Goldfish, however. gets stale after
while, and SO II il usually recured. salted and
dried before being placed upon the market
After having undergone such additional prep
arations, It is exported in great Quantities to
Spain, Italy, Belgium, Russia aud other couu-
tries.
THE CoDFIsH-DRyISG INDUSTRY
is very important one in Bordeaux, where arr
annually prepared for general European and
home consumption more than l., 600, 600 cod
equivalent to 20. 600 tons and representing in
value S2.000. 00o. The establishments for cod
nsh curing are situated in the suburbs
AT Begies, little village a few M es distant,
there are twcnty-four factories of the sort. A
distant view OF these curing establishments, OF
rather the fields surrounding them. is like tina,
OF Vast vineyard. Line upon line, row upon
row OF wooden and wire trellises from three "a
Tour ieet IN height extend along the undulating
pam as Tar as the eye can reach, and upon
these rudely constructed frames are hung in
Vulnerable fish, their split and divided sur
faces exposed to the warm sunlight Of early
spring or the dry breezes Of autumn.
HOW THE FISH ARE TREATED.
Upon receiving at the factories the crudely
prepared green Goldfish, half moist and covered
merely with light layer OF salt the first pro-
cess necessary Is to remove this incrustation
with au ordinary scrubbing brush aud cold
water, the cod being placed and firmly held
upon rough pine table for the purpose. Cn-
III quite recently it has been customary in the
various flsh-drying establishments throughout
the southwest or iowlands Of France to cleanse
the cochsh by soaking the same in water bar
reis for protracted period. the method being
more economical than beneficial. In the fat,
rolling country, the prairie lands and marshes
OF this district water is far from abundant,
brooks and stagnant pools serving a. best they
may Tor washing purposes, while wine alone Is
tho beverage. But In tire city of Bordeaux
and its enyirons water ia comparatively
plentiful, and, few years since, municipal
investigation into the fsh-curing industry
proving the unhealthy results that might pos
sibly accrue from the repeated cleansing Of
salt fish in the same water, every person en-
gagged IN the pursuit was obliged to lay mains
or water conduits from the nearest or most
convenient source of supply in order that
fresh water alone might be employed.
In conformance to the established regula-
tons there have now been constructed within
the greater number of these factories long,
narrow tanks, or sluices, built of stone or
marble, about Ave feet in width and two in
depth. A continuous stream of water is forced
through these TANKS. At the sides are inclined
dashboard tables, at which kneei those engaged
In washing the fish.
After vigorous and thorough scrubbing the
cod are laid aside in great piles to await a
day favorable to open-air exposure. Bright,
clear weather. moderate temperature and a
slight northeasterly breeze are the most desi--
able conditions for drying. Two days exposure
to the sun is counted sufficient Almost all of
the smaller cod, those from twelve TO sixteen
inches in length, are bought by and shipped
to the Italian market.