The sturgeon grows and lives a great part of its life in the sea — the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, and the Caspian. It ascends the rivers for spawning at certain seasons, and is then taken and used for food. From the Caspian it ascends the Volga ; from the Black Sea it travels up the Danube to near Vienna ; from the Mediter- ranean it visits the Proven9e by the Rhone ; and here it was taken in such numbers in the sixteenth century that it was paid for only at the rate of a sous a pound. The fish is killed by blows on the head with heavy clubs, and subse- quent removal of the spinal marrow ; this is made into pates. The roe is preserved in salt, and becomes caviar. The sturgeon, German Stoehr or Hausen, the accipenscr of the Romans, is now a rare fish in England. It is a so-called royal fish, every such fish swimming in any river in England belonging to the Sovereign, and when taken having to be delivered to him ; the only exception to this law are sturgeons taken in the Thames, which belong to the Lord Mayor of London. The sturgeon attains a length of 20 feet, and in weight may exceed 300 lb. Sturgeon may be broiled, after having been cut in slices and freed from skin and fat, which latter, when heated, produces a disagreeable flavour. The broiling may take place in an oiled paper envelope. It may be stujfcd and roasted, larded, or spitted with strips of eel or anchovies, much like veal; it may be plain-boiled, or baked and braised; tlie latter form requires a previous marinading, removal of skin, and several flavouring herbs ; the braised form may I>e STURGEON AND CAVIAR 529 covered with forcemeat, or be glaced and garnished ; it may be curried, or prepared au gratin with fine herbs ; or a inujf of sturgeon (inanchon) may be prepared as fricandeau, like grenadins of veal. Other preparations, such as blanguettcs, kebobs, scollops, cutlets, pdt^s, glacis, and even a soup, offer no specific features. Caviar. — The eggs of the sturgeon, taken from the freshly- caught fish, are packed in barrels after having been prepared in three forms. The first form remains as they leave the fish, without any addition ; the second form is called half salted, or mild ; and the third fully salted. The barrels hold from 15 lb. to 20 lb. each. The most important time for the production of caviar is the winter fishing, which takes place in January. Caviar is a hors d’ oeuvre accord- ing to French classification of edibles* ; we have never heard of any preparation made from it ; it is eaten with bread and butter or toast and butter, and is a great whetter of the appetite. It is made principally in two localities, on the Elbe and on the Volga. Caviar made on the latter river, passing under the name of caviar of Astrachan, is con- sidered the best. This dainty, according to A. Payen, con- tains in 100 parts, water, 37 '50; nitrogenized substance, 28-04 ; fat, 16-26 ; other matters free from nitrogen, 7‘82 ; salts, 9-25. An analysis by J. Konig and C. Brimmer gave: Water, 45-05 ; nitrogenized matter, 31-90 ; fat, 14-14 ; salts, 8'91 ; of these salts 6-38 were common salt. These analyses, the best on record, are of doubtful value ; the amount of water we may accept, but there being no distinction between nitrogenized albuminous and nitrogenized phosphorized, and, thirdly, nitrogenized cerebrin substances, we cannot accept the rubric of so-called fat either ; probably i

AI-modernized reading of the original text

The sturgeon grows and lives a great part of its life in the sea — the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, and the Caspian. It ascends the rivers for spawning at certain seasons, and is then taken and used for food. From the Caspian it ascends the Volga ; from the Black Sea it travels up the Danube to near Vienna ; from the Mediterranean it visits the Provence by the Rhone ; and here it was taken in such numbers in the sixteenth century that it was paid for only at the rate of a sous a pound. The fish is killed by blows on the head with heavy clubs, and subsequent removal of the spinal marrow ; this is made into pates. The roe is preserved in salt, and becomes caviar. The sturgeon, German Stoehr or Hausen, the accipenscr of the Romans, is now a rare fish in England. It is a so-called royal fish, every such fish swimming in any river in England belonging to the Sovereign, and when taken having to be delivered to him ; the only exception to this law are sturgeons taken in the Thames, which belong to the Lord Mayor of London. The sturgeon attains a length of 20 feet, and in weight may exceed 300 lb. Sturgeon may be broiled, after having been cut in slices and freed from skin and fat, which latter, when heated, produces a disagreeable flavour. The broiling may take place in an oiled paper envelope. It may be stuffed and roasted, larded, or spitted with strips of eel or anchovies, much like veal; it may be plain-boiled, or baked and braised; the latter form requires a previous marinading, removal of skin, and several flavouring herbs ; the braised form may be STURGEON AND CAVIAR covered with forcemeat, or be glaced and garnished ; it may be curried, or prepared au gratin with fine herbs ; or a muff of sturgeon (inanchon) may be prepared as fricandeau, like grenadins of veal. Other preparations, such as blanquettes, kebobs, scollops, cutlets, patés, glacis, and even a soup, offer no specific features. Caviar. — The eggs of the sturgeon, taken from the freshly caught fish, are packed in barrels after having been prepared in three forms. The first form remains as they leave the fish, without any addition ; the second form is called half salted, or mild ; and the third fully salted. The barrels hold from 15 lb. to 20 lb. each. The most important time for the production of caviar is the winter fishing, which takes place in January. Caviar is a hors d’ oeuvre according to French classification of edibles; we have never heard of any preparation made from it ; it is eaten with bread and butter or toast and butter, and is a great whetter of the appetite. It is made principally in two localities, on the Elbe and on the Volga. Caviar made on the latter river, passing under the name of caviar of Astrachan, is considered the best. This dainty, according to A. Payen, contains in 100 parts, water, 37 '50; nitrogenized substance, 28-04 ; fat, 16-26 ; other matters free from nitrogen, 7‘82 ; salts, 9-25. An analysis by J. Konig and C. Brimmer gave: Water, 45-05 ; nitrogenized matter, 31-90 ; fat, 14-14 ; salts, 8'91 ; of these salts 6-38 were common salt. These analyses, the best on record, are of doubtful value ; the amount of water we may accept, but there being no distinction between nitrogenized albuminous and nitrogenized phosphorized, and, thirdly, nitrogenized cerebrin substances, we cannot accept the rubric of so-called fat either ; probably i

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