A year's cookery

In deciding upon the kind of fish to be procured, the state of the market should always be considered. The supply of fish is so uncertain, and its price so variable, that the housekeeper will find it to be the wisest plan to pay a visit to the fishmonger and see what lies upon his slab before deciding upon the kind of fish to be bought. In drawing up these menus, fish has been fixed upon that is in full season, and therefore likely to be in good condition and reasonable in price at the date given. If, however, it is found that, owing to unforeseen circumstances, the particular variety named is scarce on a certain day, it will be better and more economical to choose a kind that is plenti¬ ful, and leave the other for another time. The whereabouts of the recipes for cooking different varieties of fish may be discovered by looking in the Index. It should be remembered that whiting, mackerel, and fresh herrings must be cooked when fresh, as they very quickly decompose. Nearly all fish is best when fresh ; but there are some kinds, and soles are amongst them, which in cold weather can be kept until the second day without much harm being done ; and, therefore, when soles can be obtained quite fresh on the Saturday (as in towns they usually can be), they may be kept for Sunday. Soles should be firm as well as thick. It is one sign of freshness when the skin is difficult to draw off. Fish is fresh when it feels firm and stiff, when the gills are bright red and the eyes bright. If the eyes are dull and the flesh flabby the fish is good for nothing. A loin of mutton, like a saddle of mutton, is generally considered an expensive dish, and so it is if very fat. The butcher should be asked to supply wellhung mutton, to bone the joint, to trim away as much fat as he can, and to detach the fillet from the under-side. If when it is brought home there is still more fat on it than is likely to be eaten, let it be cut away and rendered for frying purposes. Suet should be firm, hard, and close. Beef kidney suet is the best. Breakfast. — Bloaters. — Cut off the heads of the fish, split them open, and grill them upon a gridiron. It is usual to broil bloaters whole j and if perfect cleanliness could be secured that would be the best way. It is not every cook, however, who possesses the knack of cleansing the fish whole, and therefore it is safest to have them opened. Hub the gridiron with a piece of mutton fat, place the bloaters on it, and broil them over a gentle fire for four or, at most, five minutes. Place them on a hot dish, skin downwards, rub them over with a lump of butter, or, better still, a little maitre di hotel butter (April 15th), and they are ready to serve. If more convenient, they can be baked instead of being broiled. Collared Tongue (Marketing, January 2nd) ; Vienna Bread (August 26th) ; Bread and Milk (January 25tli). Luncheon. — Mutton Pies. — Pick the meat carefully from the scrag end of the neck of mutton that was boiled separately when the Irish stew was made. Free it from skin and fat, mince it not too finely, and put it in a basin. Supposing there is half a pound of