if you will have it so. The cooking, in unskilled hands, is also a lottery, but, by following the appended recipes, becomes an art to which scientific principles have been faithfully applied.

Having caught your fish, you may cook him in a thousand ways, but it is doubtful whether, even with the finest sauce, a pompano will taste half as good as the infantile muskellunge, several pounds under the legal weight, fried unskilfully in pork fat by a horny-handed woodsman, kneeling before an open fire, eighteen minutes after you had given up all hope of having fish for dinner, and had resigned yourself to the dubious prospect of salt pork, eggs, and coffee which any self-respecting coffee-mill would fail to recognize.

All of which is respectfully submitted by

  O.G.

FISH IN SEASON

Bass—All the year.
Blackfish—April 1 to November 1.
Bluefish—May 1 to November 1.
Butterfish—October 1 to May 1.
Carp—July 15 to November 1.
Codfish—All the year.
Eels—All the year.
Flounder—All the year.
Haddock—All the year.
Halibut—All the year.
Herring—October 1 to May 1.
Kingfish—May 1 to November 1.
Mackerel—April 1 to October 1.
Mullet—June 1 to November 1.
Perch—September 1 to June 1.
Pickerel—June 1 to January 1.
Pike—June 1 to January 1.
Pompano—May 1 to August 1 and November 15 to January 1.
Red Snapper—October 1 to April 1.
Salmon—All the year.
Salmon Trout—October 1 to April 1.
Shad—January 1 to June 1.
Sheepshead—June 15 to November 15.
Skate—September 1 to July 1.
Smelts—August 15 to April 15.
Sole—November 1 to May 1.
Sturgeon—June 1 to October 15.
Trout—April 1 to September 1.
Turbot—January 1 to July 15.
Weakfish—May 15 to October 15.
Whitebait—May 1 to April 1.
Whitefish—November 1 to March 1.

Salt, smoked, and canned fish are never out of season.

ELEVEN COURT BOUILLONS

I

Put into the bottom of the fish-kettle a thick layer of sliced carrots and onion, and a sliced lemon. Season with parsley, thyme, a bay-leaf, half a dozen whole peppers, and three or four whole cloves. Lay the fish on top of this and cover with equal parts of cold water and white wine, or with water and a little lemon-juice or vinegar. Put the kettle over the fire and let it heat slowly. The fish must always be put into it while cold and after boiling allowed to cool in the water.

II

Cut fine a stalk of celery, a carrot, an onion, and a small sweet pepper. Fry in butter, and add eight cupfuls of water, one cupful of vinegar, and the trimmings of fish. Season with salt and pepper, add half a bay-leaf, four cloves, and two sprigs of parsley. Boil for ten minutes and let cool thoroughly before cooking the fish in it.

III

One pint of water, one quart of white wine, one tablespoonful of butter, a bunch of parsley, four young onions, a clove of garlic, a bunch of thyme, a bay-leaf, a carrot, and a blade of mace. Bring to the boil and let cool thoroughly before cooking the fish in it.

IV

Fry a large onion in two tablespoonfuls of butter. Add half a can of tomatoes, salt, pepper, allspice, and minced parsley to season, and half a cupful of tomato catsup. Add also one cupful of sliced carrot and sufficient water to cover the fish.

V

One onion, two bay-leaves, four whole cloves, a stalk of celery, two sprigs of parsley and three quarts of cold water. Add any trimmings of fish at hand, simmer for two hours, season with salt and pepper, and strain. Cool before using.

VI

Chop fine one onion, one stalk of celery, and two or three sprigs of parsley. Fry in butter, add two tablespoonfuls of salt, six pepper-corns, a bay-leaf, three cloves, two quarts of boiling water, and two cupfuls of vinegar or sour wine. Boil for fifteen minutes, strain, and cool. Rub the fish with salt and lemon-juice before cooking.

VII

Chop fine a large onion and a carrot. Add three bay-leaves, a few sprigs of parsley, a pinch of powdered thyme, and three tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar. Add enough water to cover the fish. The vinegar may be omitted and equal parts of water and white wine used for liquid.

VIII

Chop fine a quarter of a pound of bacon and an onion. Fry, add a can of tomatoes, a chopped clove of garlic, and cayenne, salt, and pepper to season. Add sufficient boiling water and cook for fifteen minutes. Cool before putting in the fish.

IX

Half a carrot, half an onion, two cloves, three sprigs of parsley, three pepper-corns, two tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice or vinegar, a teaspoonful of salt, a blade of mace, half a bay-leaf, half a teaspoonful of paprika, a dash of celery salt, and two quarts of cold water. Bring to the boil and cool before using.

X

Fry an onion in butter. Add half a teaspoonful of beef extract, a pinch of celery seed, a few drops of Worcestershire, a tablespoonful of tomato catsup, half a cupful of vinegar, and salt and pepper to season. Add two quarts of cold water, bring to the boil, and cool before using.

XI

Four quarts of water, one onion, one slice of carrot, two tablespoonfuls of salt, one tablespoonful of pepper, two cloves, one tablespoonful of vinegar, the juice of half a lemon, and a bouquet of sweet herbs. Boil for an hour before putting in the fish.

ONE HUNDRED SIMPLE FISH SAUCES

ADMIRAL SAUCE

Add two pounded anchovies, four chopped shallots, a teaspoonful of chopped capers, and a little grated lemon-peel to one cupful of Drawn-Butter Sauce. Reheat, season with salt and pepper and lemon-juice. Serve hot.

ALBERT SAUCE

Boil three chopped shallots with a tablespoonful of butter and one-fourth cupful of vinegar. Add one cupful of freshly grated horseradish, half a cupful of white stock and one cupful of Veloute Sauce. Boil until thick, rub through a sieve, reheat, add the yolks of three eggs beaten with a cupful of cream, two tablespoonfuls of butter in small bits, and a little minced parsley.

ALLEMANDE SAUCE—I

Put two cupfuls of white stock into a saucepan with half a dozen mushrooms, chopped fine, a two-inch strip of lemon-peel, salt and pepper to season, and a teaspoonful of minced parsley. Simmer for an hour and strain. Thicken with a teaspoonful of flour, rubbed smooth in a little cold stock or water, take from the fire, and add the yolks of three eggs beaten with the juice of half a lemon. Reheat, but do not boil. Take from the fire and add a tablespoonful of butter.

ALLEMANDE SAUCE—II

Cook together two tablespoonfuls of butter and three of flour. Add two cupfuls