The new practical housekeeping

or sea-bass are boiled with egg sauce, and garnished with parsley. Salmon are baked or boiled, and smelts are cooked by dropping into boiling fat. The sheep's-head, which requires most cooking of all fish, is always stuflfed and baked. The cod is undoubtedly the best fish for all purposes that comes to eastern markets, and are packed in ice and sent over the country, but because so plentiful and cheap and always to be had are not so much appreciated as other fish not so easily obtained. While all delicate fish lose flavor soon after they are caught, the cod not only retains but improves in flavor if kept a day or two, with the addition of a little salt to give it firmness. The "shoulder" is most highly esteemed. As food for invalids, white-fish, such as the ling, cod, haddock, coal fish and whiting, are the best, while flat fish, as soles, skate, turbot and flounder, are also good. In garnishing fish great nicety is required. The principal garnishes used are slices or quarters of lemon, fried or raw parsley, fresh fennel, pickles, scraped horse-radish, small pieces of toast, the liver of the fish, lobster coral, tomatoes quartered, sliced cucumber, sliced orange, fried oysters, fried gudgeons or smelts, etc. The latter when served as a garnish for a large fish should be fried in the shape of rings. This is easily done by putting tail of fish in its mouth, and holding it with a wooden toothpick. After it is fried, the pin is withdrawn, as the fried fish will hold its shape. Place these rings around the fish, with an additional garnish of parsley and lemon slices ; or the rings may be served alone in a circle around the side of a platter, with a tomato or a tartare sauce in t^e center. If Fried Parsley be used it must be washed, and picked and thrown into fresh water; then when the lard or dripping is boilinging throw in the parsley right from the water and instantly it will be green and crisp and must be taken up at once. Fish with very good sauce is more appreciated than almost any other dish. The liver and roe, in some instances, should be placed on the dish, in order that they may be distributed in the course of serving ; but to each recipe is appended the proper mode of serving and garnishing. One of the most essential things in serving fish is to have everything hot, and quickly dished, so that all may go to the table at once. Serve fresh fish with squash and green peas, salt fish with beets and carrots, salt pork and potatoes and parsnips with either. If a fish is to be served whole do not cut off the head and tail. It also presents a better appearance to stand the fish on its belly rather than lay it on its side. Always serve fish, if possible, with its appropriate sauce, which is an almost marvelous improvement to some kinds, reminding one of the old gentleman who used to remark that **the egg sauce was the best of the fish." Eels must be dressed as soon as possible, or they lose their sweetness ; cut off the head, skin them, cut them open, and scrape them free from every string, rubbing them with salt, or dipping into hot water to remove the slime adhering to them. They are good except in the hottest summer months, the fat ones being best.