We should have failed in one of our clearest duties in not giving a place in Treasures Old and New, to a select number of those ornamental and exquisite specimens of 20I 202 Artistic Cookery what ought to be called Artistic Cookery ; and, although it is going somewhat out of our original plan of treating only of simple and home-made dishes, we insert in this volume forty-seven descriptions (with steel plate illustrations), of some of the best examples of foreign cook- ery, such as is daily presented upon the tables of Europe's grandees. We may add that both descriptions and designs are the work of the famous Chef of the court of Germany, Monsieur Urbain Dubois. • In these descriptions will be found a few, a very few technical words, but any hotel cook of average experience knows their meaning, and may be easily consulted concern- ing it. Our purpose, we may add, is to furnish, in this depart- ment, some first class information for professional cooks, always in quest of something new and unique. FISH See Plate No. i Blue Fish. In form the blue fish resembles the salmon, or rather the houchen of Bavaria. Its lower jaw protrudes like that of the be'car. The head is very big, its skin bluish, and to this tint it owes its name. It is one of the prettiest fish in the New World. Its flesh, when cooked, assumes a slightly dull blue color, and remains soft. This fish usually weighs as much as ten pounds; from its size it therefore con- stitutes a remove, which can be served at a large dinner. If cooked whole, the blue fish is usually served broiled; if cooked in a court bouillon., it ought to be divided into slices. Filets of the blue fish are often served, cut, sautes with but- ter, and garnished either a la Norniande or a la Joinville. Artistic Cookery 203 The Shad is very good, broiled '*a la maitre-d' hotel;" but is also excellent, braised in wine, with little liquid, dished up with a "matelote" or a "genoise"-sauce; if the shad is to be broiled, it ought previously to be crimped. With broiled shad, butter "a la maitre-d'hotel," and a garnish of sorrel, are usually served; the latter ought to be served sep- arately. If braised, it may be surrounded with any garnish applicable to removes of fish. Black Fish. The physiognomy of the black fish is indeed remarkable. If in the drawing, the body of the fish be covered, as far as the lateral fin, with a piece of paper, it will be found, that the expression of the head is somewhat similar to that of the tiger. Its jaws are very strong, fur- nished inside with large teeth, and the surfaces of the pal- ate are provided with very hard asperities; which confirms the opinion that this fish feeds more particularly on Crustacea. The skin of the black fish is black, and very much like that of the tench. Its cooked flesh is white and firm, and much esteemed by epicures. It possesses a gelatinous principle, which renders it suitable to concentrated cooking, that is braising. This fish attains a weight of from five to six pounds; if served whole, it may be surrounded with a fine garnish, and accompanied with a brown sauce, Matelote^ Bordelaise, or Gawise.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

We should have failed in one of our clearest duties in not giving a place in Treasures Old and New, to a select number of those ornamental and exquisite specimens of 202 Artistic Cookery what ought to be called Artistic Cookery ; and, although it is going somewhat out of our original plan of treating only of simple and home-made dishes, we insert in this volume forty-seven descriptions (with steel plate illustrations), of some of the best examples of foreign cookery, such as is daily presented upon the tables of Europe's grandees. We may add that both descriptions and designs are the work of the famous Chef of the court of Germany, Monsieur Urbain Dubois. • In these descriptions will be found a few, a very few technical words, but any hotel cook of average experience knows their meaning, and may be easily consulted concerning it. Our purpose, we may add, is to furnish, in this department, some first class information for professional cooks, always in quest of something new and unique. FISH See Plate No. i Blue Fish. In form the blue fish resembles the salmon, or rather the hausen of Bavaria. Its lower jaw protrudes like that of the beluga. The head is very big, its skin bluish, and to this tint it owes its name. It is one of the prettiest fish in the New World. Its flesh, when cooked, assumes a slightly dull blue color, and remains soft. This fish usually weighs as much as ten pounds; from its size it therefore constitutes a remove, which can be served at a large dinner. If cooked whole, the blue fish is usually served broiled; if cooked in a court bouillon., it ought to be divided into slices. Filets of the blue fish are often served, cut, sautes with butter, and garnished either a la Norniande or a la Joinville. Artistic Cookery 203 The Shad is very good, broiled '*a la maitre-d' hotel;" but is also excellent, braised in wine, with little liquid, dished up with a "matelote" or a "genoise"-sauce; if the shad is to be broiled, it ought previously to be crimped. With broiled shad, butter "a la maitre-d'hotel," and a garnish of sorrel, are usually served; the latter ought to be served separately. If braised, it may be surrounded with any garnish applicable to removes of fish. Black Fish. The physiognomy of the black fish is indeed remarkable. If in the drawing, the body of the fish be covered, as far as the lateral fin, with a piece of paper, it will be found, that the expression of the head is somewhat similar to that of the tiger. Its jaws are very strong, furnished inside with large teeth, and the surfaces of the palate are provided with very hard asperities; which confirms the opinion that this fish feeds more particularly on Crustacea. The skin of the black fish is black, and very much like that of the tench. Its cooked flesh is white and firm, and much esteemed by epicures. It possesses a gelatinous principle, which renders it suitable to concentrated cooking, that is braising. This fish attains a weight of from five to six pounds; if served whole, it may be surrounded with a fine garnish, and accompanied with a brown sauce, Matelote^ Bordelaise, or Gawise.

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