The pike, in its younger state also called jack, French hrochet, German Hecht, Esox Indus, is the shark of sweet waters ; it lives on fish, and swallows them entire. It is proliferous, and attains a considerable age and great size. Its flesh is shorter than that of cod, but is similarly destitute of flavour. A pike eats in six years 252 kilograms of living fish ; taking the value of this at a franc per kilo, we have 252 francs, without considering how much this devoured fish would have increased in six years. Supx^osing a pike to weigh 10 kilos in the sixth year, it would cost the rearer 25 francs 2 centimes per kilo ; but probably it would not weigh 5 kilos in the sixth year, and cost more than 50 francs per kilo, while it would fetch in the market only 2 francs per kilo. The rearing of pike in closed ponds is therefore not a profitable business. In rivers it is destroyed as much as possible, and the size of pike taken over most x>arts of Europe has during the present century decreased considerably. The largest xfike of which we have authentic record was 46 inches long and 36 lb. in weight. Pike may be boiled blue or in court bouillon ; it improves by being hung for a few days in cold weather ; it may be crimped and boiled ; or braised; roasted; marinaded, crumbed, and grilled. Jack has a similar variety of recipes adapted to it : en fricandean ; larded and braised with ragout ; as fillets and cutlets fried and grilled, etc, ; stuffed and baked ; NKE, PERCH-PIKE, AND OTHER RIVER FISH 557 studded and braised. The French culinary writer M. de Courchamps gives a recipe for a heaiitiful releve (of pike) to be served as a large dish in the first service. He terms it one of the most expensive dishes of the modern kitchen. The recipe is perfectly philistine by the vulgarity of its plethora, and only fit for the rustic geld-brotz dining in a Paris restaurant regardless of expense ; the complicated materials must needs spoil either the pike or the digestion. Perch, German Barsch, Perea fiuviatilis, is a river fish, but thrives also in lakes of sweet water. It is a voracious destroyer. It may be boiled with savoury and aromatic herbs, and this form goes in French culinarism by the comical name of d la xuatter-fish, with much variety of spelling, e.g., loastrefische. It may be prepared much like pike, but is a hard and tasteless dish. Perch-pike, German Zander, is much esteemed in North and Central Germany. Some German culinary treatises give as many as fifteen special recipes for its preparation. It is best prepared hke pike. Gudgeon, the gobio of the Eomans, French goujon, German Griindling, is a small fish, seldom reaching a pound in weight. At Paris it is a great favourite, and prepared like smelt. Poach, German Poche, like dace and chub, is a fish of little value as food. Barbel, French bar, German Par&c, should never be eaten, as it is liable to exhibit poisonous qualities. Gwinniad, from \Ne\sh. gweii, ivhite, German Wcissfisch, is a silvery-looking small fish, almost uneatable from its many spinous bones. At Niirnberg the paste of its scales is used for lining the inside of hollow glass beads, whereby they are made to look like real pearls. 55S THE SPIRIT OF COOKERY CHAPTEE XLIX. PREPARATIONS OF CRUSTACEANS AND MOLLUSCS, AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

The pike, in its younger state also called jack, French brochet, German Hecht, Esox Indus, is the shark of sweet waters ; it lives on fish, and swallows them entire. It is proliferous, and attains a considerable age and great size. Its flesh is shorter than that of cod, but is similarly destitute of flavour. A pike eats in six years 252 kilograms of living fish ; taking the value of this at a franc per kilo, we have 252 francs, without considering how much this devoured fish would have increased in six years. Supposing a pike to weigh 10 kilos in the sixth year, it would cost the rearer 25 francs 2 centimes per kilo ; but probably it would not weigh 5 kilos in the sixth year, and cost more than 50 francs per kilo, while it would fetch in the market only 2 francs per kilo. The rearing of pike in closed ponds is therefore not a profitable business. In rivers it is destroyed as much as possible, and the size of pike taken over most parts of Europe has during the present century decreased considerably. The largest pike of which we have authentic record was 46 inches long and 36 lb. in weight. Pike may be boiled blue or in court bouillon ; it improves by being hung for a few days in cold weather ; it may be crimped and boiled ; or braised; roasted; marinaded, crumbed, and grilled. Jack has a similar variety of recipes adapted to it : en fricandean ; larded and braised with ragout ; as fillets and cutlets fried and grilled, etc, ; stuffed and baked ; PIKE, PERCH-PIKE, AND OTHER RIVER FISH 557 studded and braised. The French culinary writer M. de Courchamps gives a recipe for a heaiitiful releve (of pike) to be served as a large dish in the first service. He terms it one of the most expensive dishes of the modern kitchen. The recipe is perfectly philistine by the vulgarity of its plethora, and only fit for the rustic gold-broker dining in a Paris restaurant regardless of expense ; the complicated materials must needs spoil either the pike or the digestion. Perch, German Barsch, Perea fiuviatilis, is a river fish, but thrives also in lakes of sweet water. It is a voracious destroyer. It may be boiled with savoury and aromatic herbs, and this form goes in French culinarism by the comical name of à la quatter-fish, with much variety of spelling, e.g., poastrefische. It may be prepared much like pike, but is a hard and tasteless dish. Perch-pike, German Zander, is much esteemed in North and Central Germany. Some German culinary treatises give as many as fifteen special recipes for its preparation. It is best prepared hke pike. Gudgeon, the gobio of the Romans, French goujon, German Gründling, is a small fish, seldom reaching a pound in weight. At Paris it is a great favourite, and prepared like smelt. Poach, German Rotch, like dace and chub, is a fish of little value as food. Barbel, French bar, German Barbe, should never be eaten, as it is liable to exhibit poisonous qualities. Gwinniad, from Welsh gwyn, ivhite, German Weissfisch, is a silvery-looking small fish, almost uneatable from its many spinous bones. At Nürnberg the paste of its scales is used for lining the inside of hollow glass beads, whereby they are made to look like real pearls. 55S CHAPTEE XLIX. PREPARATIONS OF CRUSTACEANS AND MOLLUSCS, AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES.

The spirit of cookery