The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-03-22
SHAD TN ITS PERFECTION.
DIRECTIONS ron THE PROPER
COOKING or 4 ROrIL IISH.

II is not so many years since ''sha,l CATERS
was u term of reproech in this country. and
within forty wears It was flung as an opprr-
brious epithet nj The Connecticut Legislature.
To-Day the Slad Is the fish uf cpicures; q rural
Ash. which, when properly cuokcd. IL not TO bo
cVualled by any fish that swims, In the opinion
of many people.
Years agr the shad ~ Tire delaware. North
River, and Potomac we're considered the cream.
hut time and civilization have changed thai,
factories have polluted the once pure waters.
and these iolluto the Ash. There used to hos
theory that the almi, going far out " sea for
the winter, turned eastward whciNh spring
was about to set In. and striking the fresh
water ghusc the purcst untrun and assembled
IL to spawn and breed In pure water for their
youig ones sake. As u riattcr of fact shad
rather like pollution. IL they are allowed 10
choose their own brand. What they prefer u
kerosene refuse. When the Delaware shad
were at the zenith ~ their fame, some twenty
five or thirty years ago, the great shsd fishing
grounds were at Gloucester rolaJ, and up on
the blur lived. in u large tumble. down sbaaty,
an old coiured man, tall, gaunt, and why,
whose name was Uncle Duck. lie lived there
all through the winner. and as soUn as the
Nance brothers, tho great shGd ~fisherrnen,
brought their team down TO work DO used TO
cook for and hook aftor them. He also made
quito u good deal Of money by cooking shad for
visitors from New York and Philadelphia. the
visitors fetching the shad fresh from the nets.
This was u popular picnic IN those days. and .
very enjoyable one, the hauling in OF the shad
nets on IL bright day being n sight to remem-
her. Nj the back Of Uncle Ducks was a club
house whose members used to cOngregate and
eat shad. Ono wear the shad season was ush-
cred In with rain, aud when the waters cleared
1t was found that the shad bad a queer taste.
investigation proved 1t to be due to the shad
feeding on the refuse fron the big petroleum.
works at Point Breeze. and that settled Della
ware shad with epiCures. So by degrees faith
was lost in Delaware shad. North River shad
also fell under the sewage faint, and only the
Potomac shad remained in what may be termed
Northern waters. Then the North Carolina
shad began to reach the market earlier. rail-
road transportation facilities having been de-
yelupcd. and to-day they are the shad par ex-
cellence of the gourmet.
1t should Ire remcmbered that there are shad
and.slad. To get one in perfection 1t Is neces-
sary to resort to a competent and honest fish
dealer. Impress upon him that YOU want q
shad netted before II rain, not afterward, and
pay him "A good price for 1t. Then, also. use per-
sonal Judgment; choose a thick fish, and II you
want one of the finest flavor, choose a milt fish
in preference to a roe. II you want The roes. buy
them separate. This advice will be combated
By many people, but not by those who give the
subject proper thought. The malc of almost
Is the best eating. from Capohs saa
tom turkeys both young, of Counsel to pheas-
ants and reed birds; and especially does this
apply to shad when the female or ro, shad 10
caught ascending the fresh waters to spawn
Having secured the fish, take IL the night before
IL is to be used and wipe it mot wash 1t, mind
with a damp cloth. and rub 1t lightly over with
IA mixture or FOUR parts salt. Onu mart Dpnn9r.
and one part brown sugar. The next, day wash
i IT, li Slniiy w sssIN ~ it + NTH NTH ps sDS ia and d. salt ALT rub oS
It over n very clear and hot fire. Have on tho
range II plate OF melted butter. and as the shad
broils. from time to time dab IL with q rag
dinpcd In the butter in other words, haste Ii.
although that, scarcely expresses the idea.
fore, take the yolk OF an egg. u little cayenne
pepper, a tcaspovnful of extremely fine chopped
squeezed out with u lemon sqneezer,. and the
JUICE of about half a lemon, enough to. give an
Boat. SWSti,c,%"' the S.f iish IS cooked. butter t% lightly
aud serve piping hot. Eat quickly. and let COM
pany maruers be at II discount for fifteen min
Now for til" ro"s' The modern way Of cook
ing shad roes "a generally the cooking of van
m%Httters.- n dish Of sbad roes, Is a nishtmsrs
should be a culinary dream, and this Is how to
catch the dream: Take the roes and place
e"S% x ''' With % three "% rtnss ' of onion T,l e swe
sprigs of fresh. parsley, and a little pepper
AM; salt, and boil all together until the roes are
the Are, add one teaspoonful of genuine Wor-
cestershire sauce 1.-THE imitation is worse than
room catsup. and then cover with a plate untn
cold. Remove the iroes when cold and dry
under 1t. Place a little butter in the pan, dip
s saick tHei in IN hot sf Cutter, s I s S1d' Wien a they t ase t d"ns
put, them ON - very hot dish. Quickly dust
z bo iistI hsa -four I into The ,,o pan tis Which All! .n should s,ilv not
constantly stirring until II is Of the proper
sugar, and pour in a little Madeira TO taste.
Pour this over the roes on q hot dish, serve
the fingers. This ia n magnlfcent channg dish
production, and one which will cover the suo-
r rSss.u es pSSH W's Smoked T'oiN bacd na' IS an w abom ihsa
ion and a device OF the heather, something
like the Ere ich dish Of shad with sorrel!
mentioned as n change, but II will not COM
pare With that given above, and is much more
bones and scraps, and salt, and to every two
hints add two carrots. one turnip, one root
,side to cool; Melt two ounces Of butter ina
o %thlcken, and when well Drowned pour In a
half pint Of the veal stock and boil for ten
Dr9p three yoIks OF eggs into .
hem ii little Mt a tine. stirring diligently
and add half an ounce OF good butter
md the juice OF half IA lemon. Now take the
had, q small thick one for preference, scale
, ,nt,c sSlh NJ IND PG s.n y m M a Ies : nincb 81 ai saTt % Sea
lalf a pinch Of pepper,, adding two very. finely
'hopped shallots and half q wineglassful OF
wine. Cover with "A piece Of buttered
laper and cool. N u moderate oven for twenty
Ave minutes. When done, turn the juice into
. saucepan, add to il tho half pint Of sauce
'oup and II pinch Of chopped chervil; cook
.hrCc minutes; strain "A little over the fish,,
'erve The remainder in II sauce dish, and serve
he fish In the baking dish, with a napkin
.wlned round II. That is n magnificent fish
fish, and Is the seGson's novelty at q swell
Iutel, but with all due respect to the French
'p,,lo,l hi,u, It Is not -had u sl'ncle sam likes 1t,
II IL strange that so delicious a fish should
rave been neglected. until tho last half cen-
nry. Colonial htstors mentions shad with
'0niempt. The New England rivers were null
hem, ate large quantities, and smoked them
or winter use, the settlers would not look
II them, ~ such an extent aid this prejudice
% that Hired men stipulated In their contracts
hat only u certain quantity Of shad should
Je fed to them each week, and In AL interest,"
paper read a few years ago by Charles
Iullp,k Inc fore tha american EIslprieG En-