From the side of economy, fish also holds its own. Chart
III shows the amount of proteid which one dollar will
buy in various forms of food. It will be seen that fresh fish
falls between the expensive and the cheaper meats, the
salted and canned fish approaching more nearly the latter.
Note. — The teacher is strongly recommended to copy and enlarge
these charts, that the i^upils may discover these points for themselves.
Digestibility of Fish. — The question of digestibility is
always important in estimating the food value of any
article. An analysis may show that a food is rich in
proteid, and yet, if a considerable portion of that proteid
pass through the alimentary canal undigested, its value
is very much impaired. As far as can be ascertained, fish
and lean meat seem to be about equally digestible. Just as
leaner meats are more easily digested than the fatter kinds,
probably the white or dry fishes are more easily digested
than the oily, as shad, mackerel, and salmon.
Dangers from eating Fish. — Probably these are no greater
than for meat. Like meat, the flesh of the fish may contain
parasites ; and if not perfectly fresh, it may, like meat, con-
tain the resulting compounds of bacterial decomposition,
the ptomaines. If thoroughly cooked, the danger from
parasites is eliminated ; and if only fresh fish is used, the
danger from bacterial poisoning disappears. To insure the
latter condition, great care should be used in preparing fish
for the market, and it should be eaten as soon after capture
as possible. Canned fish should always be used at once
after opening.
Selection of Fish at the Market. — A fresh fish always
has the eyes clear, the scales brilliant, the gills a vivid
red color, and the body stiff, leaving no mark when pressed
by the finger.
To scale the Fish. — After rinsing in cold salted water.
184 HANDBOOK OF DOMESTIC SCIENCE
lay the fish on the side, firmly grasp the tail, and with a
sharp knife remove the scales by scraping from the tail
towards the head. Rinse the knife frequently in cold
water to remove the scales.
Cleaning the Fish. — This should be done as soon as pos-
sible. Rest it on the back and cut on the ventral side
from the anus forward to a point between the gills. This
exposes the whole body cavity, containing the internal
organs. Remove all of these, taking great care not to
break the gall sac (see drawing). The kidneys lying
directly under the backbone must be scraped away. Wash
quickly, not allowing it to soak, wipe out with a clean
towel, and if not to be used at once, sprinkle a little salt on,
and put away in a cool place.
Methods of Cooking. — The rules for the cooking of meat
apply here for the fish. During the process of cooking,
fish, while retaining probably most of its oil and proteid,
loses a large amount of water, thus becoming much drier.
For this reason a sauce generally accompanies the fish
when served.
Boiling. — (See chapter on Methods of Cooking.) Salt
and an acid, such as vinegar or lemon, coagulate albumen,
and are therefore frequently added to the water. Besides
this, salt also raises the temperature of the water slightly.
Since the fish is so easily broken, the water should never
actively boil after the fish has been added to it.
Page 87
Presented as published in 1900. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
From the side of economy, fish also holds its own. Chart III shows the amount of proteid which one dollar will buy in various forms of food. It will be seen that fresh fish falls between the expensive and the cheaper meats, the salted and canned fish approaching more nearly the latter.
Note. — The teacher is strongly recommended to copy and enlarge these charts, that the i^upils may discover these points for themselves.
Digestibility of Fish. — The question of digestibility is always important in estimating the food value of any article. An analysis may show that a food is rich in proteid, and yet, if a considerable portion of that proteid pass through the alimentary canal undigested, its value is very much impaired. As far as can be ascertained, fish and lean meat seem to be about equally digestible. Just as leaner meats are more easily digested than the fatter kinds, probably the white or dry fishes are more easily digested than the oily, as shad, mackerel, and salmon.
Dangers from eating Fish. — Probably these are no greater than for meat. Like meat, the flesh of the fish may contain parasites ; and if not perfectly fresh, it may, like meat, contain the resulting compounds of bacterial decomposition, the ptomaines. If thoroughly cooked, the danger from parasites is eliminated ; and if only fresh fish is used, the danger from bacterial poisoning disappears. To insure the latter condition, great care should be used in preparing fish for the market, and it should be eaten as soon after capture as possible. Canned fish should always be used at once after opening.
Selection of Fish at the Market. — A fresh fish always has the eyes clear, the scales brilliant, the gills a vivid red color, and the body stiff, leaving no mark when pressed by the finger.
To scale the Fish. — After rinsing in cold salted water.
lay the fish on the side, firmly grasp the tail, and with a sharp knife remove the scales by scraping from the tail towards the head. Rinse the knife frequently in cold water to remove the scales.
Cleaning the Fish. — This should be done as soon as possible. Rest it on the back and cut on the ventral side from the anus forward to a point between the gills. This exposes the whole body cavity, containing the internal organs. Remove all of these, taking great care not to break the gall sac (see drawing). The kidneys lying directly under the backbone must be scraped away. Wash quickly, not allowing it to soak, wipe out with a clean towel, and if not to be used at once, sprinkle a little salt on, and put away in a cool place.
Methods of Cooking. — The rules for the cooking of meat apply here for the fish. During the process of cooking, fish, while retaining probably most of its oil and proteid, loses a large amount of water, thus becoming much drier. For this reason a sauce generally accompanies the fish when served.
Boiling. — (See chapter on Methods of Cooking.) Salt and an acid, such as vinegar or lemon, coagulate albumen, and are therefore frequently added to the water. Besides this, salt also raises the temperature of the water slightly. Since the fish is so easily broken, the water should never actively boil after the fish has been added to it.