A Handbook of Fish Cookery: How to buy, dress, cook, and eat fish

force quite unnecessary. All fish suffer more or less, but delicate fish, such as soles, suffer in this way just as a ripe peach or pear does if subjected to the same treatment. The same difference can be detected in the bruised part of fish as in a bruised peach. Also a too liberal pouring-on of water is injurious. No doubt the bright and well-washed fish, surrounded with lumps of ice, look far more tempting than the boat-load all smeared with blood, yet the fish would be much better if they did not see fresh water until they are to be dressed at home. In this matter, however, the fishmonger is to a large extent ruled by popular opinion, and if the latter forbids the purchase of fish in their more natural condition, he is perhaps justified in endeavouring to suit the fancy of his customers. In choosing fish care should be taken not to judge too much by first appearances, although, fortunately, fish, if not fresh, soon tells its tale. If the eyes are dull, or the skin and the scales rub off easily, _avoid that fish_. If the skin is bright, the flesh firm to the touch when pressed between the thumb and finger, you may rely upon its being fresh; stale fish, or that which has been kept long in ice, is always flabby. One safe general direction for choosing fish may be given in few words, viz., _choose the plump ones_. A short fish, thick about the shoulders, is much to be preferred to a long thin one. Thick soles, or thick turbots, are far preferable to thin ones. The same with codfish. Lobsters and crabs should be chosen by weight, and those of medium size are best in flavour. There are one or two kinds of fish which are positively improved by being kept a day or two, notably skate and red mullet. Mackerel, on the contrary, is a fish than which none spoils more rapidly. The sole holds a first position among flat fish, and is deservedly esteemed, as its flesh is firm and