122 How to prepare Salmon Roe. 



flavour ; then place another layer of roe and another of 

 salt till the jar is full ; then cover the jar, air-tight, with 

 bladder or leather. Some run mutton suet on the top, 

 as in securing preserves, and it will perhaps keep longer 

 in this way, as the ova in the jar are then certainly made 

 more perfectly air-tight. It should also be kept in a dry 

 situation, but not too warm. When you wish to prepare 

 roe for a day's fishing take as much as you think neces- 

 sary from the jar and close it up securely and air-tight 

 immediately. This you must put upon a plate and chop 

 or bruise every berry, then set it either in the oven or 

 before the fire, but not too near, and keep turning and 

 mixing it as it dries. You may add a little more salt, 

 for salt attracts fishes as well as other animals. This 

 operation must be carried on until it is of the consistence 

 of stiff clay, and can be made into pellets with the finger 

 and thumb without its adhering to them. 



Of, when you have taken out sufficient for your day's 

 sport, bruise it in a jar perfectly with a pestle, or the like, 

 till it is of a creamy paste, adding from time to time some 

 salt. When all is properly bruised and incorporated, pour 

 boiling water upon the mass, and it will instantly harden 

 and form into a solid paste, capable of being removed by 

 the hand ; observe that the water must be boiling and 

 poured into the jar containing the roe, and not applied 

 externally. 



If you wish to preserve the ova for use in their natural 

 form, after salting them for a time sufficient to cure them, 

 dry and separate the pellets by submitting them to the 

 air and heat till sufficiently hard and tough, then store 

 away in jars, &c. protected securely, as before, from the air. 

 So much depends upon the quality of the roe in this 

 fishing that great care ought to be taken in its curing, 

 so that it retain its pristine or natural fishy smell ; if it 

 possesses this it can hardly be too salt. Mr. Stoddart, 



