The Yazoo sentinel. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1878-1916, 1891-04-23
LIVE FISH FOR DINNER.
A Dish not Uncommon at Japanese
Tables.

In Japan when man who is not poor
gives dinner to his friends, what he
considers one OF the greatest of japanese
'delicacies is put on the table. 1t is a
live fish, the Tai, pronounced tie, and
while it lies gasping on bed of cool
seaweed he helps his guests TO slices A
| great deal has been written about this
novelty. and perhaps cruelty, and the
impression has been created that the fish
/ is so cooked that it retains life, because
when dead the flesh becomes exceeding
/ ly unpleasant to the taste.
1 This is entirely wrong, and as far
from the realm of facts as it is possible
for a statement to wander. The truth
is just as interesting even though a pet
illusion is destroyed. The fish is taken
from the salt water and is as much like
the popular red snapper of America as it
is possible to be. Its species is the Ser
ranus maTginalis-even the Japs know
that--and its flesh is red tinted.
japanese dinners, like Chinese dinners,
when formal, are really two dinners
with a convenient rest between. The
live fish is obtained while the first din
ner is serving. 1t is laid out on board,
and tile cook, who must be very expert,
takes sharp knife, and, after laying
back the skin, cuts a long thick strip of
homeless flesh from that portion next to
the backbone, between the vitals and
the dorsal fins. Both the gills and the
tail are untouched. When the two strips
are cat, one from each side, the fish
what is left of it's laid in bed of
cool, damp seaweed so as to prolong life
as long as possible.
The stripes of flesh are cooked
broiling is the favorite method-and |
then put back where they belong. The
dish is garnished artistically with BAN
boo leaves, and the gasping fish, to all
appearances unframed and untouched,
is taken to the guests
Frequently the fish, just as it was
taken from the water, is kept on the
table until its turn at the second dinner
has been reached Then the stew ard or
cook comes in with his knife and cuts
the strips from the fish in the presence
of the guests. He takes them away,
cooks them and they are returned to
their respective places inside of ten |
minutes.
This is nearly always done when
Americans or foreigners are present, be-
cause the Japanese host takes a great
deal of pleasure in making up surprises
for those whom he entertains.
The koi, fish which is caught in the
rivers of japan, is frequently served in
the same manner. 1t is really very sim
pie to serve fish in this manner. All
that is necessary is to have it lively and
strong. Those caught in nets and kept
in tanks are the best. In cutting, care
should be taken not to disturb the gills,
the vital spots or the back fins. On
seaweed the fish will live a long while
and glare at the guests long after his
best parts have been eaten.
w. Nishimiya, japanese gentleman
who knows enough about carving and
cooking to fill u dozen books, says that
when tai is cooked after it has been /
killed 1t is frequently made up into
fancy shapes. He himself can make a
very fine looking and symmetrical gon-
dola out of dead tai. II makes novel 1
table ornament and is as good as a strip
from the back OF live one.-[New |
York Sun.