The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-04-05
By MRS. W. A. GILBERT.

'.There are two times TO serve a fish,
saws one who knows; ''as it comes out
of the water before the rigor Of death
has stiffened IT, and after that rigor has
passed away"
The subject of the proper cooking of
fish has always deeply engaged the at
tention of the best cooks. The process
has ever seemed an important step IN
the advancement of gastronomic
science. Even the so-called "fanaticism
of honor" has approached rather closely
to this particular branch of cookery, Tor
You will doubtless recall the fact tnat
Vatel. the cook of the great Cohde,
stabbed himself to the heart because
ner. the sea fish failed to arrive the
proper number OF hours before IL was
to be served
Fish Favorite Food Of Ancients.
find no record of such extravagant
demonstrations in the history OF the
earliest use of fish as food, but there is
abundant evidence to show that it has
long been highly esteemed In some
narts Of the world il is even now the
stanIe article of diet. Among the
arcient Rabylonians there were three
tribes who ate only fish. and the huge
she'll heaps in Europe and Amerlca-tne
remains of tribal feasts in remote perlods
show how greatly shell fish must nave
entered into the diet of aboriginal races
To inc thorough student the delving
into these ancient food customs is any
thing but a dull occupation he mas
IN cornnarfng different authorities many
Inaccuracies, which, while lney can
hardly be classed with the modern hsh
sterv." need certainly to be swalloWeo
with a grain of salt. one narrator ap
nareutly becomes lost in maze Vi elo-
6ne,,cf. regarding the prodig1ous strength
ACQUIRED through an exclusive HSn olet'
and names in support OF ms theoI!
eral half savage tribes renowned Ior
their skill in managing the eIup; ,r,, lIe
wooden spear. and the stone ak Ihen
fhe next historian whom we consulI
gives ii as his opinion that me use OF
a-l tends undoubtedly TO elleI IN ~,
And so the merry war goes on. FOR
nv mart I should think the way many
of the ancients prepared their fsh Would
have tended to conditions even worse
than effeminacy.
~ clearly 20 us that the sooner fish
can be cooked after II Is taken from me
water the better. and that hsh exposed
to the RAYS of the hot sun for great
length of time is wholly unfit Tor food
And vet these ancient races dricd their
fish or allowed IL 10 ferment under
Ecorching sun and then pounded II IN
and afterward made what they called
bread Of the product! 1t is not TO be
wondered at that affections of the skin
are said to have been widely prevalent
among these people and that a CONDITION
closely resembling idiocy was all too
common in many of the early fish eat
ing races. There IS no doubt that While
fish carefully prepared is one of the
most valuable foods we have, II is also
a nlItrinent the abuse of which presents
some dangers. One point there is in
connection with the general history Of
fish upon which there is no disagree
ment 1t is a most prolific ailment. II
tho lakes. and the rivers are always
more populous than the interior of coun-
tries and Montesqulen attributes the
great population of China to the fire.
ouent use of fish. Nature has stored in
each fish an extraordinary quantity OF
reproductive germs; thus. single cod
contains more than 100000 eggs.
Fish Contains Valuable Properties.
How reasonable and how sensible is
the modern view taken of the use OF
various foods Looking at the proper
ties of fish we know that It is nour-
fishing food. much Iess stimulating than
meat and in the season when 1t is at
its best II constitutes a most healthfui
change of diet IT is generally now con-
ceded that the use OF fish has no spe--
cial part in the process or brain and
nerve development, but 1t is easily d.
gested and therefore a food well suited
to those leading sedentary lives. f1sh
is highly heterogeneous, and calls for apun-
dant use of starchy food In comDlna-
ton with It, This is why slice OF well