Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1900-11-15

WHOLESOME AND VERY SAVORY
WHEN PROPERLY COOKED.

whcu ore OF These sea swine Is
Landed In New Nork city, the
Event Brings Joy to che HEARTS OF
the Population of 'IittIc Italy"
That playful mammal the porpolsc,
which gives So much joy to children ON
steamers, is not hunted anywhere in
the vicinity OF New York Rut oCca-
Sionany one OF the fisher boats that
bring their fares OF fish to the great
market nj the foot Of Fulton street on
the East river finds In Il net drowned
porpotSe, The creature swan into the
net and was not able to get out, Rcing
mammal. or warm hloodCd animal, Il
is compelled 10 rise for the purpose or
breathing, which Il does through It's
hlowhole Just behind the neck. Rut
rise 60 the surface and Is drowned In
its own element
The huge carCasC, often weighing
from 200 To 400 pounds, is dressed by
the ttshcrmen and put into the tank
and brought 10 the market, where Il is
kept IN the rcfrigcrottng tank until Fri
day morning when Il is sold to Italians
by auction. The successful bidder al
ways SuhdividcS his ash. lie keeps
half for himself, and the rest Is shared
out among truck pcddlcrs Of Mulberry
street, where the Italians Congrcgatc,
Then there is joy In Little Italy. The
news is spread all over the colony, wo.
men going 10 their friends 10 tell the
tidings. Very early I'm the morning n
crowd gathers round the store of the
padronc, who has the half porpoiso dis
played in all It's hugcucss upon Il slab
Of wood, Fins, head, tail and insdcs
had been removed by the fishing folk,
and there Is nothing save tho solid
meat and the great backbone. The col.
or is n deep red, except the belly strcaks,
which are lighter aud are strcakcd with
fat and resemble pork very closely In.
deed This Is the meaning of the name,
for porpolSc Is n corruption Of tho old
London Latin, porc-plsCc In Roman
Latin this would have been porous
piSCiS The men OF the north call these
animals sen swine, aud this Is prcsory-
ed IN the French mnrsouin, which they
undoubtedly learned from the Nor
mans.
The italian padronc begins business
about I O'Clock in the morning. His
price Is I cents II pound for all quaint
ties, large or small Ills scales are
above his head. His customers sur
round him In an anxious ring. each
provided with wrapping paper, His
wntchful and aftcctiouHtc family take
the money and bring from time to time
n freshly sharpcnCd knife. The pm
dronc first cuts of chunk OF about 40
pounds and then proceeds rapidly 60
suhdIvide II according to the wants OF
the buyers Slice after slice OF the deep
flesh falls before his knife ana passes
into the paper of the customers. The
belly parts are put on one side; they
arc not for sale, having been ordered
In advance by the restaurants OF the
quarter.
Italian cooking Is so excellent, cS-
pccInlly as regards fish, that amateurs
OF good living constantly visit them
umdcterrcd by their appearance, which
is rather squnld, though some are
ncntncss Itself. Here the porpOlsc Is
sold rs horse macbcrel for some reason
or other not on the surface and fl
served with various sauces Of the most
palatablc character.
The women Of the colony fry II
usually in rancid olive oil, which some
what more than offsets any fshy flavor
that may exist, which Is doubtful. For
while an ancient and hshlkC smell
most undoubtedly does salute the nos
tris IN front of fish stores in this quar-
ter there is no odor arising from the
immense mass of flesh at which the
pudronc tolls. In fact there can bo
no doubt that the meat OF the porpoisc
IL flesh and not fish. And II may be
added that this meat IL wholesome and
very sayory when properly cooked.
The porpoIsc is not subject TO the
many diseases TO which land swine are
liable. aud that the flesh IL savory In
certain from the affection the Italians
have for H. Even the Siclllans admit
cbccrfully that IL Is ms good as the
swordGsh outlet, which is the great
dcllcacy of Messina. And Italians
from other parts believe It to be IN.
fintely better. PorpoIsc was indeed
once n royal dainty and was served
at all state banqucts Sometimes II
was boiled In vinegar or thin white
wine about the same thing some.
times great slices were covered with
paste and baked and eaten with
sauce OF prunes and splce.--New York
Sun.