The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-10-23
THE HAS KIN LITTLE
CAVIAR AND WINES
b Fredericlk J. Haskin.

In answer to the proposition that
America can produce wines and ca
War of equal, or greater. excellence
as compared with such articles I'M
ported from Europe, most of our peo-
pie would shrug an unimpressed
What OF it?" for wine and caviar
famine would cause far less spiritual
depression amoung us than among
Europeans. Caviar, as far as the
average American is concerned, does
not exist. while most of US who
drink, and most Of us do not. can
bear the loss OF almost any other
alcoholic beverage as long as beer.
| gin and whiskey remain. There are
a few, however, who would grteve to
miss their sauterne and sturgeon
Americans have become noted
Through the world for directness OF
method. 1t is a quality praised as
efficiency by those who like us. and
condemned as crudity by those who
like us not. Now, whiskey is the
most direct of all alcoholic exhilara-
ton, an en1ivenfng. Joyous contradic-
ton of all that is burdesome. There
fore, notwithstanding the fact that
this direct way is said to be the
toughest in the end, whiskey is our
national reckless drink.
The case has been another one IN
western Europe. There, means for
luxurious sensation have been re-
fined and refined; made more and
more complex and indirect. Often
this refinement consists mostly OF
the lustre and tradition which sur
round a name. The young German
student becomes filled with the in
SEPARATION of Ruedesheimerberg Aus
less while singing a college song all
about cetrain romantic count whose
losses of sweetheart. friends, position
and ancestral castle were compen-
stated by his enjoyment of this most
velvety of wines. The liquid sum
grapes perpetuates its fame in the
folklore. folksongs. the sketches and
romances of the people.
1t cannot but add to the Zest OF
the reflective guest to known that'
when he is slipping mellow, prickly
Liebfraumilch, he is drinking wine
made from the grapes of vineyard
which the Virgin Mary blessed years
ago. or that. over the glinting yellow
acknowledging a state similar TO
Goethe's greatest of poets.
Many Of the names upon European
wine cards have typed some hun
dreds of giddy years, and beams or
light that fit and dance in the depths
of the transparent ruby-red or the
faky, golden. sunset glow In the
drinkers glass are alive with menu
cries of past conquerors. poets,
thinkers, artists and all of the gem
erations Of abandoned roysterers-
One becomes familiar with his an
cestors, with all his past, over the
sparkling wine-sort Of lineage as
ancient as his own.
In Europe, wines and caviar, to-
gether with long list of table lux
urfas, tricked out in the glamour of
rarity. as with scarabs, Grecfan mar
bles, Etruscan tea-jugs, or so invest
ed by etiquette. as is the case with
the diamond. come nearer to more of
the people than these things do with
us. Their 1uxurieS are more nee
essary, or were before the wreck OF
this war. and champagne and caviar
mark the excursion luncheons Of
French and German artisans as reg
ularly as out picnics are marked by
olives and sardines- The French
serve wine with every meal and the
Germans beer and wine, and, in both
countries. caviar sandwich is dear
at ten cents. Thus a dearth in
caviar and wines would be felt from
prince to day 1aborer in Europe,
while with US 1t would cause de-
spondency to very few. But to take
up the American source OF caviar:
In the beginning, 1t may be men
toned that, while American caviar
is not sturgeon roe, it. nevertheless.
according to expert gastronomic
opinion, is a delicacy that stands In
no way second to the Russian article.
It is produced largely from the eggs
of the paddle-fish or the spoon-biif
catfish. the range of which is said to
be along the Mississippi Valley from
Texas to Louisiana on the south to
Minnesota and Wisconsin on the
north. Larger individuals of this
species often weigh considerably
more than 100 pounds, and yield ten
or more pounds of eggs The eggs
are sold for the manufacture OF
caviar at SO a pound.
The SPOONFUL cat roe has supplied
most of our caviar in times of peace
as it has since the European source
was isolated. The species, however,
is becoming scarce. 1t has yielded
several hundreds OF thousands of dol
lars a year to the fishermen. and
now. according to an expert of the
Bureau OF Fisheries, protective meas
YroS m1,cf no od0pfad mr. the sn0on-l