Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-20


recent rumor that sharks are being
SOFA In the New York fish markets un-
der the name OF sword fish has created
great deal Of alarm among hsh-eaters
vi course, there is no particular rca-
son why people should not eat sharks
since the meat is good AS that OF
other hsh and, therefore. is never rec
oHnized when served under a different
name on the menu. Besides, the shark
has always shown Il polite desire 10
eat us. which deserves the reward o,
Ike appreciation. But In the matter OF
tood we Americans are a conservative
people we nave certain preConceived
IDEAS about our diet, which remains
practically the same in spite Of the
ccaSeless endeavors on III. mar, Of
scientists TO introduce curious foreign
vegetables, new teas and species OF
marine fish Into the market.
One radical innovation was success
lu!iN instituted after many Years OF
persuasion by the Bureau Of Fisheries
and this was the adoption Of the Amer
lcah Tie hsh as "A permanent addition
TO the fish menu. From this first cx-
perience, the bureau has learned TO h.
cautious, and now should IL recommend
the marketing OF sharks and doghsh
to fishermen II would recommend also
the wisdom OF irreproachable names
~ is TO be noted. however. that our
foreign population is not so fnstidious
TO them the rumors that meat is get
ing scarce have long appeared as
'acts' ana doshsh and catfish are con-
sidered very desirable substitutes.
NOT only does the popularity OF a
certain species OF Ash depend upon the
custom OF the country--accordinE 10
what our ancestors ate--but i, varies
With different sections OF the country
The founder, for example Is highly
priced IN some FISH markets and abso-
lutely rejected by others: and the same
nj hl fsst =
the Atlantic coast no FISH is valued
quite so highly as the shad After
some trouble. the Bureau OF Fisheries
succeeded IN introducing the shad into
the waters OF the Pacific Coast, and
then people would not eat IL because
II had too many bones. Now this ash
is becoming extremely scarce on the
Atlantic coast, the Hudson. the Con-
necticut and the Mcrrimac Rivers.
which were formerly prolific sources.
yielding none whatever, and the Del
aware and the Potomac showing great
reductions. Already great quantities
ar" being received annually by the way
or refrigerator cars from the paciNc
Coast. and il is estimated by experts
that II will not he many years before
mis- will he the entire source of the
supply.
Halihut In Grent Demand.
Halibut is another fish which has
been almost completely wiped out on
the Atlantic coast, Yet is in great de-
man, because Of it's long established
popularity. The main supply Of hall
but now comes from British Columbia
and Alaska. and also from Washington
and Oregon, where large numbers have
recently been discovered. Yet every
year hundreds OF edible fish known as
sea robins are recovered In the hauls
of the Atlantic coast fishermen and
thrown back or destroyed. because, un-
fortunately, II is not the custom 10 eat
| them. On the Pacific Coast the same
| thing is done with the so-called black
| cod, which is not a cod at ALL great
| numbers being thrown away annually
| for the reason that there Is no market
| for them The Bureau OF Fisheries
| eventually hopes to do with the black
| cod whaf II has done with the tile fish.
| which has reached consumption of
| 300 tons month in New York alone
There is also another fish that might
| be used more extensively in the Ameri-
| can markets with very good results
| This is n rose-colored fish, known as
| the red cod on the Pacific Coast and
| as the red perch and rose fish on the
| Atlantic coast, both coasts Astounding
| in them. In other words. the United
| States possesses big supply Of un-
| usual marine fishes that would offer a
means of escape from the high price
of beef if people would only eat them
| In Europe, on the contrary, there
| is much more economy in fish, in
| everything else II the people refuse
| TO eat certain variety of fish fresh, IL
| is promptly sailed and vinegared and
! sold under various allurinG cognomens
! The English themselves are aware that
| they have long been deceived into eat
| ing fried doetish and in Japan the
| jellyfish is very popular. 1t is dried
| and sailed and reduced to the con-
| sistency Of eelatine. which with saki
| vinegar is greatly relished as a sauce
| Caviar to the General.
While some Americans assert that
they like caviar, the great majority
! refuse to believe II: but in Europe
| there is no question as 10 it's tremeu-
dous popularity. The original caviar
| was the roe Of the sturgeon. sailed
and dried but now the roe Of other
| large fish is used in order to supply
the great demand The pike perch.
for example, is now the source Of
much caviar. AZ arc also the Caspian
| roach and bream-sold as scalefish
! caviar. Russia. of course is the great
| producer Of this commodity. having an
| unlimited supply of sturgeon in it's
waters. and annually great quantities
of roe are shipped To Greece and
| Turkey. where it Is prepared by Usher
| men of those countries. Tho usual
| method is to salt the roe in layers,
| which are then pressed between boards
heavily weighted with big stones. and
| allowed to stand for month 1t Is
| then ready to he shipped In casks, and
| when opened in the city market liz cut
| into DISLIKE slices, eagerly bought by
| the cpicure.
| Besides caviar. the sturgeon yields a
| big supply OF isinglass. and its back
| bone Is boiled and cut into small pieces
| and made into fish pies. IN Russia
| the sailed fish Is most popular. includ-
ing salted roundhsh, klipash. yellow