12 DAYS AMONG THE PIKE AND PERCH 



Personally I look upon a jack from a good running river 

 as being a very fair fish for the table ; second only to the 

 perch, as far as coarse fishes are concerned. One from a 

 muddy, stagnant pond would not be a success, neither 

 would one caught before October. During the summer 

 and early autumn they are flabby and in the worst possible 

 condition, and give any one a poor idea of what the same 

 fish is like at Christmas. They are cooked in various ways, 

 and really no particular method can with advantage be 

 recommended ; but whatever you do, always see that the 

 cooking is thorough ; half -cooked pike is detestable ; the 

 flesh ought to leave the bones with the utmost freedom. 



A fish of six or seven pounds, which would be best 

 steamed, will be improved by placing two handfuls of salt 

 in its open mouth, and hanging it tail downwards for six 

 or seven hours before cleaning or washing. For my own 

 part I prefer a small one from three to four pounds, cleaned 

 and split, and then divided into four parts and fried crisp, 

 in sufficient boiling lard to cover them. 



A very old writer writing of this fish and the esteem in 

 which it was held during his time said 



" Lo ! the rich pike, to entertain your guest, 

 Smokes on the board, and decks a royal feast." 



While, on the other hand, the ancient poet Ausonius says 



" Unknown at friendship's hospitable board, 

 Smokes 'midst the smoky tavern's coarsest food." 



With these two very contradictory quotations I will 

 close this chapter. 



