Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1900-12-14
ITALIANS BUY PORPOISE MEAT
Flesh Of the Sea Swine Rare Deli
cacy That Ia Eagerly
Sought.

That playful mammal, the porpoise,
which gives so much joy to children on
steamers, is not much sought by fish
ermen, but occasionally one is found
drowned in net. The creature swan
into the net and was not able to get
out. Being mammal or warmIblood-
ed animal it is compelled to rise for the
purpose of breathing, which it does
through it's blowhole just behind the
neck. But when entangled in net it is
unable to rise to the surface, and Is
consequently drowned in its own ele-
ment.
The huge carcass, often weighing
from 200 TO 400 pounds, is dressed by
the fishermen and sent to market. 1t
is kept in a refrigerating tank until q
Friday morning, when it is sold to
Italians by auction. The successful
bidder always subdivides his fish. He
keeps half for himself and the rest 10
shared out among truck peddlers
where the Italians congregate.
Then there is joy in Little Italy, says
the New York Sun. The news is spread
all over the colony. Very early in the
morning a crowd gathers around the
store of the padrone, who has the half
porpoise displayed in all its hugeness
. upon slab Of wood. Fins, head, tail
and insides had been removed by the
fishing folk, and there is nothing ex-
cept the solid meat and the great back
bone. The color is deep red, except
the belly streaks, which are lighter and
are streaked with fat, and resemble
pork very closely indeed. This is the
meaning of the name, for porpoise is
corruption of the old London Latin,
nOre-pisce. In Roman Latin this would
have been called porcas piscis. The
men of the north called these animals
sea swine, and this is preserved in the
French Marsouin, which they undoubt-
eddy learned from the Normans.
The Italian padrone begins business
about seven o'clock in the morning.
His price is four cents pound for all
quantities, large or small. His custom
ers surround him in an anxious ring,
each provided with wrapping paper.
His watchful and affectionate family
take the money and bring from time to
time freshly sharpened knife. The
padrone first cuts off chunk of about
40 pounds and then proceeds rapidly to
subdivide 1t according to the wants of
the buyers. Slice after slice of the
deep red flesh falls before his knife and
passes into the paper of his customers.
The belly parts are put on one side;
they are not for sale, having been or
dered in advance by the restaurants OF
the quarters.
/ The women of the colony fry the
porpoise usually in rancid olive oil,
which somewhat more than offsets any
fishy favor that may exist, which is
J doubtful. For while an ancient and
tish-like smell most undoubtedly does
salute the nostrils in front of fish
stores in this quarter there is no odor
arising from the immense mass Of
flesh at which the padrone tolls. In
( fact there can be no doubt that the
meat of the porpoise is flesh and not
fish. And it may be added that this
meat is wholesome and very savory
when properly cooked. The porpoise
is not subject to the many diseases to
which land swine are liable. Porpofse
was indeed once royal dainty and
was served at all state banquets. Some
times it was boiled in vinegar or thin
white wine-about the same thing
and sometimes great slices were COW
cred with paste and baked and eaten
with a sauce of prunes and spice.