Market men usually scale and draw the fish, but the cook should always scrape around the head and tail, to remove a few scales that will invariably be found there. The blood and dark substance that are found on the backbone must be scraped off. If the fish is to be boiled or baked, leave the head and tail on, but cut the fins from the body. A pair of fish scissors, kept for this purpose, will be found a great convenience. Wash the fish quickly in cold water, and then wipe it carefully. It will then be ready to prepare for cooking. Fish that live a good part of the time at the bottom of lakes or rivers are likely to have a muddy taste, which can be removed by soaking for several hours in salted water. Fish that have a rather strong flavor, like sword- fish and sturgeon, also are made more delicate by soak- ing for a few hours in salted water. In boiling fish the water should always be salted, and, when possible, made acid with lemon juice. The acid whitens the flakes of the fish and makes them firm, be- sides giving the fish a good flavor. Lemon juice can be used to advantage with any kind of fish, no matter how cooked. In boiling fish a few things must be remembered. First, if the fish be put into cold water the juices will be drawn out, thus impoverishing the fish. But many kinds FISH. | 171 of fish have such delicate skin that it contracts and breaks as soon as it is plunged into hot water, thus mar- ring the appearance of the dish. For these kinds of fish the water should be of a temperature not higher than 150°. A good plan is to put into the fish-kettle half as much cold water as will be required ; then put the fish in, and gradually add boiling water enough to cover. By this method the skin will be made to contract slowly, and it will not break. Mackerel, trout, striped bass, etc., should be treated in this manner if they are to be served with the skin on. Fish that have a thick, tough skin can be put into water that is at the boiling-point, though not bubbling. Halibut, sturgeon, or any fish that is not to be served with the skin on is better for being put into boiling water. When boiling fish, the water should never be allowed to do more than bubble. Rapid boiling breaks the fish, thus making it unsightly. Too much cooking makes the fibres dry and woolly; but fish should be cooked enough to have the flakes separate readily. When baking fish, remember that constant basting is essential to the success of the dish. Use plenty of salt when basting. When breading fish for frying, be very generous with salt. Fish that have extremely delicate flesh — like white fish — should be cooked only in the simplest manner. It is almost impossible to fillet a white fish, and indeed it seems almost shameful to attempt to improve any- thing so delicate and fine in itself. The lighter the fish, the greater the variety of modes by which it may be cooked. It also may be served more frequently without one's becoming tired of it. For exam- ple, at the Isles of Shoals visitors are offered broiled scrod every day in the week, yet they do not weary of the dish in a stay of months. At Nantucket broiled 172 MISS PARLOA'S KITCHEN COMPANION.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Market men usually scale and draw the fish, but the cook should always scrape around the head and tail, to remove a few scales that will invariably be found there. The blood and dark substance that are found on the backbone must be scraped off. If the fish is to be boiled or baked, leave the head and tail on, but cut the fins from the body. A pair of fish scissors, kept for this purpose, will be found a great convenience. Wash the fish quickly in cold water, and then wipe it carefully. It will then be ready to prepare for cooking. Fish that live a good part of the time at the bottom of lakes or rivers are likely to have a muddy taste, which can be removed by soaking for several hours in salted water. Fish that have a rather strong flavor, like swordfish and sturgeon, also are made more delicate by soaking for a few hours in salted water. In boiling fish the water should always be salted, and, when possible, made acid with lemon juice. The acid whitens the flakes of the fish and makes them firm, besides giving the fish a good flavor. Lemon juice can be used to advantage with any kind of fish, no matter how cooked. In boiling fish a few things must be remembered. First, if the fish be put into cold water the juices will be drawn out, thus impoverishing the fish. But many kinds of fish have such delicate skin that it contracts and breaks as soon as it is plunged into hot water, thus marring the appearance of the dish. For these kinds of fish the water should be of a temperature not higher than 150°. A good plan is to put into the fish-kettle half as much cold water as will be required ; then put the fish in, and gradually add boiling water enough to cover. By this method the skin will be made to contract slowly, and it will not break. Mackerel, trout, striped bass, etc., should be treated in this manner if they are to be served with the skin on. Fish that have a thick, tough skin can be put into water that is at the boiling-point, though not bubbling. Halibut, sturgeon, or any fish that is not to be served with the skin on is better for being put into boiling water. When boiling fish, the water should never be allowed to do more than bubble. Rapid boiling breaks the fish, thus making it unsightly. Too much cooking makes the fibres dry and woolly; but fish should be cooked enough to have the flakes separate readily. When baking fish, remember that constant basting is essential to the success of the dish. Use plenty of salt when basting. When breading fish for frying, be very generous with salt. Fish that have extremely delicate flesh — like white fish — should be cooked only in the simplest manner. It is almost impossible to fillet a white fish, and indeed it seems almost shameful to attempt to improve anything so delicate and fine in itself. The lighter the fish, the greater the variety of modes by which it may be cooked. It also may be served more frequently without one's becoming tired of it. For example, at the Isles of Shoals visitors are offered broiled scrod every day in the week, yet they do not weary of the dish in a stay of months. At Nantucket broiled

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