Evening journal., 1897-06-22
oLD-FAsHIoNeD FISH DINNER.
When Properly Prepared II II Ex-
ceedineIy PalntabIe.

ceedinEly Halntabic.
A fish dinner in New England farming
lands meant in the old times a dinner
where salt Goldfish was the chief dish
There are many places even near the
coast where the preserved cod is gem
orally preferred to the fresh fish. An
amusing story to this effect was told
by two New York gentlemen. who
traced their descent proudly from the
Mayfower. They visited Cape Cod to
look up ancestral matters. Finding the
hotel fare rather monotonous. they
asked the landlord of the primitive lit
tie inn if he could not give them little
variety. you must have delicious
fish" one of the guests suggested glanc-
ing at the sea near by. "Oh. yes" re-
piled the landlord. 81 will give you
fish for breakfast" and he did. 1t was
salt Goldfish "piclsed up" with eggs and
milk.
The salt fish dinner calls for con-
siderable care. The materials must be
of the best A dark, rich fish is pre-
ferred to one of the clear white curing.
The only way to secure good salt cod
fish now is to buy it by the entire fish.
1t is then much nicer and cheaper,
though it is little more difficult to pre-
pare in some ways than the "boneless"
cod that comes packed in boxes. An en-
tire fish was usually cooked at once for
dinner in old England. Wash the fish
carefully, remove any dark spots and
let it soak over night. If winter root
vegetables are served with it, wash them
and put them in soak the night before
in a pan by themselves. Potatoes, beets
and onions were usually served with
a Goldfish dinner and sometimes carrots.
Take care that the fish is put to soak
in plenty of water, the skin side up;
otherwise the salt will not soak out OF
it. The next day lift the fish out of the
water and wash it well and lay it in a
large kettle Of cold water, still placing
the skin side up. Let the water heat
slowly until bubbles rise on the side oil
the kettle. Keep the fish at this tenn
perature without once boiling. Boil
ing has the same effect on the albumer
of the fish that it has on eggs-whicf
we know are always toughened by long
boiling. Cooking the fish slowly at &
low temperature renders it tender, anC
the flesh then breaks into deliciou:
flakes when touched with the fork.
The old-fashioned sauce served uni
versally with this dinner was one o.
rich drawn butter, in which hard-boileC
eggs chopped fine were stirred. Stir
heaping tablespoonful of flour in hal
cupful of butter. Add slowly cupfu
of boiling water. Put the sauce in
saucepan on the stove and bring it slow
" to the point where it SINNERS, thel
add little pepper. If the butter i
sufficiently salted the sauce will no
need salt. Have ready two fresh egg
that have been boiled for 20 minutes
Chop them fine and stir them into tn
drawn butter.
Sometimes pork scraps made of sal
larding pork, cut in thin slices and frie'
brown in crisp little rolls, are servei
with a Goldfish dinner. Skin the fish be
fore putting it on the table. See tha
it is served as soon as it is cooked. lie
all the vegetables, as well as the fish, b
served in perfection, and you viii thei
understand why old New England farm
wives took genuine pride in serving
this dinner at its best.-N. Y. Tribune