318 COOKING OF SALMON, &c. 



embers of your fire. When the paper presents a well- 

 charred appearance, the trout is properly done, and 

 will prove a savoury and acceptable morsel. The fish 

 I may observe must not be cut open and cleaned. 

 During the firing process, the intestines and other 

 impurities will draw together, and not in the slightest 

 degree injure the flavour of the trout. 



THE FRYING OF TROUT. Preparatory to frying trout, 

 it is common in Scotland to enwrap the fish in a 

 coating of oatmeal. I am not national enough in my 

 tastes to approve of this mode of concealing its flavour, 

 and I certainly prefer, if the fish is to be encrusted at 

 all, the adoption of bread-crumbs and the yolk of an 

 egg. Good red-fleshed trout, however, require no dis- 

 guise, on being fried, and simple lard or butter is 

 sufficient for the purpose. Trout upwards of half a 

 pound in weight ought to be split open by the back 

 bone, and placed flat in the pan, which should pre- 

 viously be well heated, over a clear fire, and elevated, 

 when the fish are laid on. Small trout and parr make 

 a delicious dish, if properly fried. 



BOILED AND BAKED PIKE. Pike and eels are fish 

 not much relished in Scotland, at least on Tweedside. 

 I hold both, however, in high esteem, as articles of 

 food. The former, if intended for boiling, ought to be 

 crimped when caught, and treated in the same manner 

 as I have described the salmon to be by Tweed fisher- 

 men. A baked pike with bread stuffing is excellent, 

 and oysters form a great improvement. The scales, or 

 even the skin of this fish ought always to be removed ; 

 the flavour resulting therefrom not being the most 

 agreeable. This is done by plotting the pike in hot 

 water and thoroughly scraping or flaying him. Pike 

 associated with trout, whether taken from a river or 



