80 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



III. 

 A CULINAEY FISH-DIXN^EE WITH INTERNATIONAL DISHES, 



Some time after the jury of tlie exhibition had given its award upon 

 the fish-products from every quarter of the globe, the weU-known society, 

 the American Fish Culturists' Association, gave a fish-dinner, at which 

 the choicest international delicacies and rarities of fish-preparations were 

 served at a meeting of connoisseurs. This was in reality a higher jury, 

 which was here to pronounce judgment upon the fish-food of all nations. 

 The whole selection was made by the associations' most capable fish- 

 experts, and as special caterer was engaged "that culinary artist," Mr. 

 M. Sudreau, which was the highest of6.cial guaranteee upon the bill of 

 fare. 



It is naturally not my purpose to give anything in reference to the 

 feast ; I shaU concern myself only with the ofiicial portion of the affair — 

 the biU of fare. This gives through its contents a clear statement of 

 what this " higher jury " considered specially worthy to be served. And 

 in this statement lies an award which shows more clearly than the jury 

 itself what belongs to the choicer fish-preparations, as the fish-products 

 of every country securing premiums were brought into a single collec- 

 tion. To the whole was given a humorous coloring, as an example of 

 which, to a portion of the current American fish-preparations was given 

 a special name after this or that scientific man or matador or functionary 

 in fishery branches ; not, however, preventing the attentive specialist 

 from studying the serious side of the affair. No Norwegian fish-dealer 

 can read that bill of fare without observing what a part the Norwegian 

 fish-products were assigned at this fish-dinner. And if he intend to 

 speculate in the American market with fine products, the bill of fare will 

 doubtless give him many useful hints. I shaU therefore give an epitome 

 of it. 



The repast was begun with gen^^ine turjtle-soup or green turtle a la 

 Blackford. This is not a costly article in America (a plate costs, as a 

 rule, in the restaurants, 80 ore; while in England one must pay 82 

 cents to $1.09). After soup, was served lobster salad, " Seth Green's 

 style." Among the extra selected warm entries were crayfish salad, 

 roast oysters, and roast crawfish {Cambaru&). After these, in small part 

 savory preliminaries, came the pith of the affair — the international dishes 

 in selection. 



Of American fish-products were served : Striped bass {Roccus lineatus, 

 a perch); pompano [Tracliynotus carolinus, belonging to the mackerel- 

 family — a costly delicacy, which brings as high as a doUar a pound in 

 the fish-market); bowls of terrapin {MaJacoclemmyspcclustris); deviled crabs 

 (whole small crabs, which are eaten sheU and all ; in shedding, the fact 

 is that the shell is quite soft) ; turbot, filet of sole, and frog or toad salad. 



Baked American fish-dishes were represented by sheepshead {Archo- 



