MISCELLANEOUS PROCESSES OF PRESERVING FISH 463 



end of this period the fish are drained and loosely packed in a barrel with the 

 following ingredients, which have been previously finely crushed and well mixed: 

 4 pounds of Luneburg salt, 6 units of pepper, 6 units of sugar, 6 units of English 

 spices, 1 unit of nutmeg, and 1 unit of Spanish pepper. After 2 weeks the anchovies 

 are repacked tightly in barrels or kegs by being carefully arranged in layers with 

 backs downward. A quantity of the ingredients mentioned and a few bay or cherry 

 leaves are sprinkled over each layer. The barrels or kegs are filled with brine and 

 then coopered; they are turned daily for the first few days and then every other 

 day for 2 or 3 weeks. 



German Delicatessen (Anchovies). In Sweden, Finland, and Germany many 

 anchovies and small herring are preserved by packing in salt and sweetened and 

 flavored with sugar, saltpeter, pepper, cloves, mace, cinnamon, ginger, sandalwood, 

 Spanish hops, bay leaves, etc. In Finland the sprats or anchovies are thoroughly 

 washed and packed in the round, but in Sweden the fish are eviscerated, beheaded, 

 and thoroughly cleaned. 



The procedure in packing the fish is usually about as follows: Salt, sugar, and 

 saltpeter are first weighed out and thoroughly mixed together, then the other in- 

 gredients are weighed and mixed accordingly with the salt and sugar. Some of 

 the spice mixture is strewn on the bottom of the 1-liter tin. A layer of herring is 

 then placed, backs downward and in rows, in the tin, and the spice mixture is 

 strewn over it. Another layer of herring is laid down in the same way, the rows 

 being placed obliquely across the rows in the layer below, and so on until there 

 are 4 layers in the tin. One bay leaf is placed at the bottom, 1 between each layer, 

 and 1 on the top. The lid is then put on and, for local use, made airtight with 

 paraflBn. The closed tins are stored in a cool place, preferably in a refrigerator. 



A few preservative and spicing mixtures recommended for use in preparing 

 German anchovies are given in Table 99. 



Table 99. Salt, Spice, Sugak Mixtures Used in Preparing German Anchovies. 



Anchovies are usually packed in kegs, but cans are highly recommended. Only 

 the fatter fish are used as lean fish yield an inferior product. 



