NOTES ON THE COOKING OF BASS 



iwhile here bass are reasonable in price and com- 

 paratively plentiful the greater part of the year, 

 though striped bass soars up to forty or fifty cents 

 a pound in March and April. This noble fish, with 

 its striped coat, is beautiful to the eye, a bold and 

 defiant fighter, and, when fresh and weU cooked, 

 a delicate and dainty dish for the table. Like the 

 salmon it is a clean feeder and grows to an im- 

 mense size at times; yet it always retains the deli- 

 cacy of flavor it had when a youngster of but twelve 

 inches long. 



The fish should be ready for the kettle within 

 an hour of his demise. To cook a ten-pound fish 

 proceed as foUows: 



Scale and clean it; then cut off the fins, leaving 

 the tail and the head intact. Cut it into three parts, 

 to allow of its being placed in the kettle. Take a 

 piece of cord and wrap around the head under and 

 above the middle piece and round the tail piece, so 

 that the fish will be together when cooked. Lay it 

 back in its natural position, with gamishings over 

 the cuts. Use sufiicient water to cover the fish, a 

 tablespoonful of vinegar, a teaspoonful of salt to 

 every two quarts of water, some bay leaves, and 

 soup-vegetables for flavor. Lower the fish gradu- 

 ally into warm water. Boil it quickly, then draw 

 it aside to simmer tiU done. Lift up the strainer 

 carefuUy from the kettle and drain it well. Place 

 it on a dish with a napkin well trimmed with pars- 



149 



