The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-09
RECEIPTS OF PRODUCE.
FOR THE TABLE.

1t is a comfort after making the rounds of the
markets nowadays to reflect that there still
good fish in the sea as ever caught, because it
would seem from the quantities offered for sale
that our portion of the sea had yielded up its bur-
den forever. Sturgeon is always conspicuous. Great
CORY headless bodies line even the sidewalks near
the wholesale markets and cumber the markets
themselves. Salmon is less plentiful but sells for
or lO cents a pound. Shad brings from to 8
cents, according as it is purchased in fashionable
or an questionable locality Halibut is 8 cents
also, and smells are the same price, but those
offered now are Of a surprising size, being
really quite large enough to bake and serve for a
family of three or four. Shrimps, crabs and the
small fresh water Holsters crawl snap about if
conscious OF their impending fate and resolved
TO make one last dash for liberty. Queer large
headed, slippery, MISUNDERSTANDING fish palpi-
tate feebly in pals of shallow water. They are
small cod from the Sacramento River, and their
cousins, larger-grown and brighter in color are
plentifully represented on the counters.
Carp sell from 2 to cents pound. They are
not unlike shad in shape and in general appear
ance, though they differ in color, being beautiful
shaded golden brown. One dealer will ask cents
per pound for this fish and his neighbor but 2, and
If you ask the of this discrepancy the Accent
man will tell you that his fish came from Sacra-
mento River and are quite different thing from
the 2-cent variety which was caught in Oakland
waters; the third mans fish then presumably,
come from some intermediate point between the
two.
Carp very much liked in Germany, where
they are caught and fattened for table use, being
kept in ponds during the ordeal. Those which live
in fresh-water streams are the only fit TO eat
those caught in muddy stagnant pools taking flavor
from their environment.
A fish weighing from four to six pounds is the
most desirable to purchase, and then arises the
question of how to cook it. There are some who
will tell you to cook it any way you like but it
won't be ut TO eat; turn deaf ear to them aud
make YOUR preparations to bake vour earn with a
nice dry crumply stuffng, highly seasoned and
favored with some acid pickles You must have
some slices of salt pork also, and should allow
irfX n T0rf
oven. Have the dealer take OFF the scales and
clean the fish, then when it comes home take it at
once from the paper wrappings, lay it upon board
or pan kept for fish and with knife make sure
that every scale has been taken OF; begin at the
tail and work toward the head, working carefully
around the fins. The scale OF the carp is large and
easily removed, but if there should be any diff
Guilty dip the fish for moment into some warm
water, but do not leave q scale on as there is
nothing much more disagreeable thanto get one Of
those external decorations in ones mouth.
The next thing after scaling the fish is to wipe
1t carefully with a soft cloth and plenty OF warm
water inside and out; then rub salt into it and set
it away until it is needed. The dressing is made
from either bread or cracker crumbs-about cup
full for the sized fish bought, and moisten these
with two tablespoonfnIs OF butter add a teaspoon
full of finely chopped onion, and an equal quantity
OF parsley salt pepper and chopped pickles of any
Kind to taste They may be the small cucumbers,
olives, or anything that VIII give acdity to the
stuffing.
Sew the slit on the fish together and fill the crea-
ture through his mouth, then make incsions two
inches apart in each side and have ready some lar
doons OF fat salt pork and lay one in each incsion,
ply strips of pork about three inches long, and as
large as the little finger. Line the pan in which
the fish is to be baked with few slices of pork, to
prevent the skin from adhering, and set the fish
upon this with its back up, that the heat may affect
1t evenly the thinnest part being down every por-
ton of the fish Will be done at the same time.
Where the fish is laid upon its side half is gen.
orally better cooked than the other and it is more
difficult TO serve. The fish can easily be kept in
place in the pan by putting potatoes around it or
by twisting il into a semcircular shape. Just be-
fore putting the fish into the oven dredge it well
with flour, and while it is cooking haste well with
When the carp is done serve It in the same po-
sition in which it was baked, upon hot platter,
and send it to the table with either Hollandase
Tartare sauce. The latter is cold sauce,
really form of mayonnaise which is in fact used
as a foundation. To the mayonnaise, which is
rather more acid than that used for salads, are
added equal quantities of chopped green onions,
parsley and picked cucumbers or capers
The easiest way of choppng these has already
been told, but may bear repeating: Instead of
bowl and chopping- knife hardwood board and
heavy-bladed carver used The articles to be
chopped are placed on the board and the point of
right works the handle up and down upon the little
mound, which is soon ground exceeding small, and
with less waste of material and of favor than would
result from using the bowl.
A drawn butter sauce may be served with the
f1sh-but that seems much more suitable for a
boiled carp-or q brown sauce may be made by
turning nearly all the fat from the pan after baking
the fish and thickenng what remains with Drowned
flower. Add hot water to make the proper con-
siStency and flavor with lemon Juice and some OF
the grated rind, spice well and serve hot.