Evening star., 1901-02-23
DELIGHT OF EPICURES
WASHINGTON MARKETS AND WHAT
THEY OFFER AT THIS SEASON.
Fish and Oysters in Abundance-Fine
Vegetables and Fruits-At
Moderate Prices.

Moderate Prices.
To the stranger visiting Washington
, whether he come from the north or the
south, the east or the west, there is NJ
more interesting place to be visited here
than the markets. These markets, by the
way, are not only points of interest to the
stranger, but to every loyal Washingtonar
, institutions of not little pride and con.
slderably more satisfaction. In no other
city of this country is market going more
general and at what is known generally as
the Center market that which occupies
the greater part of the reservation south OF
pennsylvania avenue between 7th and 9th
streets. the steward of the President, the
wives OF members Of the cabinet, of sena-
tors and representatives, Of the foreign
ministers, as well those prominent in
army and navy circles, together with those
OF others we'll known in official and social
lie at the national capital, may be seen
ABOUT every market day, all intent upon
purchases Of the endless good things with
winch this and the other local markets
ABOUND at all seasons of the year.
1t Is the boast of the Washington mar
ketmen that in no other American city can
d market better equipped than the Cen
| yer market be found, and they say no
Stranger coming here to witness the in
augurat1on ceremonies should fail to visit
TINS TINS really wonderful place At no other
ba4. t,aae oi the year does this market appear to
letter advantage, for from now on the
| eora display, one of it's most attractive
ieatures, Will become more beautiful every
oay' and the display of early vegetables
ahund aiu ilu.ts VIII grow larger and more
| aounoant 1t is true that the game which
| carrier IN the season is so rich in variety
ana quantity, is now curtaled by the laws
tPiie1aiilng here for the protection of game
olrds and animals, but there is ouite
| enough to interest the eve and nleasa tho
| taste. The wild duck, for instance. is vet
| y aoundant and attractively displayed
sa1iin pe round the toothsome canvasback
selllng from So to S6 a pair. the redhead
me mallard, and, indeed about every
other species. Most of these wild fo1,y
com come from the waters of the Chesapeake
waters ant th us In ..1rloutaries, and as in these
e ma.eis the Wild celery is abundant If is
bot.tly bbo.iloently claimed that nowhere else can
oe'ler fiaVored wild fowl be obtained.
Fish and Oysters.
another feature of the Washington mar
nets IS nsh, both salt and fresh water
Vaileties' and here they come from about
9Vei y. section of this country and Canada
just now the shad holds first nositio,
coming from the rivers of South and North
oarolina; These fish, however do not an
daaIers 'lle ne fotomac river shad, so our local
ea'els claim, either in size or in flavor
i?, -, 81 tney assert, the Potomac shad is
Hs ol tnem all. The South and North
tarohna ~ s4 shad are selling at from IS cents
TO 81 apiece for roes and from ~ ~ s9
cents for melts, but the Potomac rven |
nsherles will soon open up, perhaps in the |
next week or two according to the state |
oh me weather, and then the very finest
Shad IN the world will be found in orr mar |
kets. But the shad is but one of the very |
many varieties of fish which are now dis |
played here, for there is the red snanner
rom q n fIorlda; selling from 10 to 20 cents |
a pound; rock from North Carolina, from
- 10 ~ cents pound; Potomac river
black bass, from Is to 90 cents: Canada
sfnelt' s from IL 1-2 to 10 cents; perch, cat
Hsh, pike, pickerel, cod, mackerel halihut
ana every other kind you may desire.
oysters, of course, may be had here In
more or less abundance in every month in
miiich ,nt IL ehe ietter r. appears. Indeed, they
may De mad In every month of the wear
put they are. Of course, at their best dur,
ing the colder seasons. Just now they are
a a little scarce and high, due, it is said, to
the recent cold and windy spell Rut tbts
scarcity Will continue but few days and
the inaugural visitor need not fear that he
VIII not be able to satisfy either his taste
or capacity in this line. Here, again, the
local dealers claim that with the eycen
ton of Baltimore, the acknowledged OYSTER
market of the world, more delicious oys-
ters can be found than here Other oys-
lers, they admit, are larger, and others
may be fatter, but none they declare are
better favored. This delicate and delicious
1avor, they explain, can be found only in |
those oysters which are raised in the wa
W |
ers and creeks flowing into it. This flavor |
t Is stated is due to certain mud found |
)nly in these waters and this is also re-
'ponsible for the Incompatible flavor of the
terrapin caught in these wa |
ers. These terrapin occupy another yery |
part in the local markets, and ,,
ell from So to $75 a dozen, according to
ize. Every other variety of shellfsh may
Llso be mad mere, not excepting the crab. {
Vegetables and Fruits. {
he local markets have made wonderful
strides during the recent years, and now, S
10 matter what the season, you can find +
lere about every fruit and vegetable you I
nay wish For instance, lettuce can be +
lad the year around, also tomatoes. and /
hardly have the strawberries disappeared Q
rom the gardens in this and more northern i
attitudes before they are coming in from n
florida. Just now the Strawberries are
oming from Florida, which state, by. the b
way, produces more and more each year C
4 such delicaces. The Strawberries are t
ow selling here from 30 to 90 cents box I
nd they will gradually drop in price until t
hey will be found on the streets at almost .
NY price. Grapes are now on sale here q
'hich come from England, selling at 1925 I
pound. There are also artichokes from ID
England for from 30 to 40 cents apiece. !
hen there is hot house asparagus from. u
Wisconsin, a bunch containing from eight d
D ten pieces selling from 10 to 80 cents -
'ermuda onions and potatoes, Spanish on ~
ms, Boston cucumbers, at % cents apiece | -
nd lettuce from 10 to 10 cents a head: | ~
'lorida and California peas and beans: a
'oston mint, 10 cents bunch young cab a
age, and, indeed about every other vege- IL
able one think of can be found here r.
ow. ~,
Added to all these are of course the ":
leats and poultry, the meats being of the IL
'esh and salted variety, while the poultry h,
lcludes turkeys. chickens, old and spring. | ii
ucks, geese, all in fine condition and sell OF
lg at reasonable prices. From all this It
Ill be seen that the Washingtonian is re- to
arkably well blessed, for his markets are c,
lpplied the year around in abundance. and m
lie prices asked him are as low, and in pa
any instances much lower, than demand -
elsewhere. The marketmen say this FL
nd Wal