The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-04-16
SEEING AMERICA FIRST.
~ FRED c. KELLY
downright, 1915. by Fred c. kellyo
Inited In Diary

Unless a person is constantly on his guard
In California he will wake up some morning and
find himself hopelessly IN the clutches or the
sana dab habit | myself Rave fallen victim
To the tnsidious sand dab struggled AGAINST
| IL, fought the good fight but II was iosins
battle against too great odds, ana to-day the
sand dab has me Just where IL wants me.
The sand dab II may be well 70 explain, Is a
kind OF fish a cunnin little fish about half a
foot long-or at least II seems 70 average ABOUT
that size when II appears on the platter ready
for the ultimate consumer II has the general
outline and conformation OF watermelon seed.
and Is an exceptionally bony variety of fish This
latter feature OF the dab might at first thought
serve 10 keep the dab and the tourist apart and
protect them from one another But IL does not
A homely woman'S face may do picket duty for
her virtue but a sand dabs multiplicity OF bones
are OF scant avau in keeping II from the frying
pan,
hotel table bordering over the menu, uncertain
whAr<to say 20 the water, and half inclined 10
make the usual selection common TO such mo
ments OF INDIGESTION. that Is ham and eggs. a
pleasant Young person named Tom Stout, Wlth
whom | was dining, suggested sand dabs liz
seemed 80 insistent that. between curiosity anu
desire not TO hurt his feelings. l foolishly con
scented.
Prom that moment I have been a changed
man am no longer my own master. Ny viii
power is gone. Each noon At lunch and again
each night at dinner l so into cafe fully re
solved 10 steel myself against the dubious at
plate OF hash. But before l realize what am
doing tell the waiter TO make mine daos-
When the dab comes. rather when the three
dabs come for they are served invariably IN
threes / feel certain that the next time IL viii
be easier TO resist They have a flavor that
makes one feel like repeating tbs true but they
also have more little clandestine bones than
porcupine has quilts. Eating sand dab Is a
FOOD deal like working for ones board
why does one order dabs when he knows all
these little bones come with IT, Why does a
confirmed drunkard order strong liquor that be
knows will cause him to 20 home and beat his
VIE ana children. Simply because the hahit rs
upon him.
shall not be my real self again until go
where the sand dab is not.
NY unfortunate experience with sand dabs re
calls distressing episode with still another ar.
ticle OF California food. II artichokes may proper
" be called such Two or three years ago
handsome matron In Washington was giving
little dinner In order TO round the affair out
ard give the final touch Of tone to the occasion
she invited me. A feature OF the entertainment
was a course consisting OF artichokes, which she
had ordered at considerable expense direct from
California Now. that evening marked the rirst
formal presentation. as you might say of my
self and artichokes TO one another. | had view
ed them a few times from distance, but we
had never been thrown together in the intimate
way that made that dinner memorable.
Artichokes are not eaten quite like anything
else. And there Is no reason Why they should
be- What mean II that there Is no reason why
artichokes should be eaten at all. The average
person viii find II about satisfying just 10
read about something TO eat TO consume an
artichoke. person who Is going 70 take artt
chokes seriously should start in when extremely
young and familiarize himself with the eating
process. Those who take mp artichokes late in
life never acquire that ease OF manner which Is
SO essential 10 the full enjoyment Of expensive
food
I had been tipped off to the fact that arti-
chokes are eaten by breaking off a leaf at
time with ones own Godsgiven fingers No ar
tificial eating implements are necessary or
quired by social usage But there is trick TO
the thing about which had not been fully ad-
yised. Not all of an artichoke Is suitable Tor
eating One nibbles off Just the soft part at the
root OF each petal4ike leaf and losses the rest
of the fragment into the discard. put one or
two OF the fbrous leaves into my mouth and
chewed. while awaiting Developments. After
few minutes Of this I decided to swallow what
I had in my mouth without further chewing, for.
frankly. was not making great Roadway, and
the total volume OF goods In my mouth seemed
to be increasing The fibre Of the leaf would not
dissolve. and felt like man who IL trying 10
eat up a jute bag or strip Of binder Irvine.
| heard some one remarking that the art.
choke was at its best when one got down into
its heart So broke off several more leaves
and went at them with calm resignation, eager
to have the worst with. for ! am not one
who will disappoint a hostess by not appearing
10 relish costly victuals. I chewed and chew.
ed and chewed. was intent on my task
that I did not note the technique OF those about
me. and therefore could not profit by observa
ton
At the close of the meal the hostess asked
me what thought Of the artichokes and told
her they impressed me as being extremely ser
An artichoke looks ornamental and mine had
proved durable
But when IT comes to selecting something TO
eat. incline toward sand dsbs.