The New York herald., 1922-12-31

'Blue Devil" mode, red SaSheS around the1l
waists and enormous wooden sabots at
tached to leggings of brown plaid
The fishermen were dealing out theil
catch from the decks of the gay painted
boats like cards. We picked our way
through piles of immense funny fish that
would make Mississippi catfish blush
for its puny growth, caught by the big
tartanes in the meshes of nets like chair
mail quarter of mile long.
But these are not bouillabaisse game, an6
inside the market house proper the Pere
Chabas edged our steps through swarms
If fishwomen in broad red and white striped
calico and flapping straw hats. bargaining
for all sorts of finny treasures of the blue
waters of the Mediterranean.
My lesson on bouillabaisse began at the
shellfish counter. This is to be bouilla-
baisse de luxe since you are here to see il
DONE" said Chabas with a twinkle in his
eye, $50 we will have a sample of every
thing which ought to go into it." So into
his basket went lon0oustes, a mild man
nered form of lobster without the big
nippers.
1--WE class all fish into two groups sait
the Pere Chabas savantly proceeding with
the lessons, Fish with firm flesh anc
fish with tender flesh. Now the principa
fish for bouillabaisse is the firm fleshed
fish, ldn0Oustes, Holsters - all shellfish
and the rock fish. such as these" Out oi
the depth of big baskets dripping with
brine and seaweed he brought up an arm.
ful of prismatic, squirming, spiny salt
water deniZens. Some wore their fins ir
fringes while others had high rearing
headdresses, not to mention long Chinese
whiskers. To eat one of these would bt
like swallowing a barbed wire intrench-
ment.
They are rdscdsSe. one of the finest
most highly meaty favored of all the fish
of the sea, and another is the grondin.'
why are they called rock fish?"
asked, thinking they did look rather that
way.
Because they hug the shore and breed
in the rock crevices. And here are the
,polypeS, almost as good as lobsters good
firm fish, continued my mentor, caressine
a bunch of wiggly feelers, and I almost
baby octopuses.
Then / was piloted to the counter of the
tender fish, the counters being the paved
floor on which the merchandise flopped
about uneasily Now for the best of our
Mediterranean fish," said Chabas. Here
is fine loup-the wolf of the sea-fo,
you. And why? Because he eats the
frxy h; l.
but he shows up well in the saffron sauce
let me tell you" I did like his looks. sc
much so that l later painted him full size
all green and silver with a rosy pair OF
gills; the picture hangs to-day, or did un-
til recently, in that same intimate" cuisine
of the inn
Then the Pere Chabas added to his bas.
ket of fish merlans that we all knew in
Alice in Wonderland' as the whiting who
carried its tail in it's mouth; then there was
the poisson de Saint Pierre so called from
the fact that his bones show plainly the
signs of the crucifixon; rouoets. too. OIL
red mullet, and Chabas rolled off the Pro-
vencal names of half dozen other breeds
the boudroies, roUcdOHS, cdnddel mug
'ioHs and uiUeS until my head swan around
in sea of unfamiliar names like a fish
itself.
Lastly were added few little Holsters
or ldn0ouStines, and some small crabs, with
a few cloUisses and mussels, and we made
for the hotel, tossing greetings to sundry
of our artist friends who had planted their
easels among the boats and the long loops
of brown nets on our way.
I'VE are late!" l exclaimed as again in
the kitchen 1 saw that the hour was near