Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1901-04-24
A DISH OF PORPOISE.
WHOLESOME AND VERY SAvORY
WHEN PROPERLY COOKED.


Landed In New York City. the
Event brings JOY to the Heart. OF
the Population Of Little Italy
That playful mammal the porpoise.
which gives so much JOY TO children on
steamers. is not hunted anywhere m
the vicinity of New York. But occa-
sionally one OF the fisher boats that
bring their fares of fish TO the great
market at the foot OF Fulton street on
the East river finds i'm net n drowned
pOrpoise The creature swan into the
net and was not able to get out. Being
mammal. or warm blooded animal. IL
is compelled TO rise for the purpose OF
breathing. which il does through its
blowhole just behind the neck. But
when entangled i'm net il is unable TO
rise to the surface and is drowned in
Its own element.
The huge carcase often weighing
from 200 to 400 pounds. is dressed by
the fishermen and put into the tank
and brought to the market. where il Is
kept in the refrigerating tank until Fri
day morning. when IL is sold to Italians
by auction. The successful bidder al
ways subdivides his fish. He keeps
half for himself. and the rest is shared
out among truck peddlers Of Mulberry
street. where the Italians congregate.
Then there is joy in Little Italy The
news is spread all over the colony. wO-
men going 10 their friends TO tell the
tidings. Very early i'm the morning a
crowd gathers round the store of the
padrone. who has the half porpoise dis
played in all it's hugeness upon n slab
Of wood. Fins. head. tail and insides
had been removed by the fishing folk.
and there Is nothing save the solid
meat and the great backbone. The col
or Is deep red. except the belly streaks.
which are lighter and are streaked with
fat and resemble pork very closely in
deed. This is the meaning Of the name.
for porpoise is a corruption Of the old
London Latin, porc-pisce In Roman
Latin this would have been porous
piscis. The men OF the north call these
animals sea swine. and this is preserv-
ed In the French marsOuin. which they
undoubtedly learned from the Nor
mans.
The italian padrone begins business
about Z o'clock in the morning. His
price Is 4 cents n pound for all quaint
ties. large or small. His scales are
above his head. His customers sur
round him in an anxious ring. each
provided with wrapping paper. His
watchful and a1fectionate family take
the money and bring from time TO time
a freshly sharpened knife. The pa
droDe first cuts of n chunk OF about 40
pounds and then proceeds rapidly 10
subdivide IL according 10 the wants OF
the buyers. Slice after slice OF the deep
flesh falls before his knife and passes
into the paper of the customers. The
belly parts are put on one side: they
are not for sale, having been ordered
In advance by the restaurants OF the
quarter
Italian cooking is so excellent. es-
pecially as regards fish. that amateurs
OF good living constantly visit them
undeterred 10y their appearance. which
is rather squalid. though some are
neatness itself. Here the porpoise IS
sold as horse mackerel for some reason
or other not on the surface and is
served with various sauces Of the most
palatable character.
The women Of TIE colony fry IL
usually in rancid olive oil. which some
what more than offsets any iShy flavor
that may exist. which is doubtful. For
while an ancient and hshlike smell
most undoubtedly does salute the nos
trils in front of fish stores in this quar-
ter 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 Il 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. and that the flesh is savory is
certain from the affection the Italians
have for it. Even the Siclians admit
cheerfully that IL is as good as the
swordfsh outlet. which is the great
delicacy Of Messina. And Italians
from other parts believe il TO be In
hnitely better. Porpoise was indeed
once n royal dainty and was served
at oil state banquets. Sometimes It
was boiled In vinegar or thin white
wine-about the same thipg-and some
times great slices were covered with
paste and baked and eaten with n
sauce of prunes and spice.-New York
Sun.