"Now good digestion, wait on appet.i.te, And health on both."

--MACBETH.

ACCOMPANIMENTS OF FISH. MRS. DELL WEBSTER DE WOLFE.

With boiled fresh mackerel, gooseberries, stewed.

With boiled blue fish, white cream sauce and lemon sauce.

With boiled shad, mushroom, parsley and egg sauce.

Lemon makes a very grateful addition to nearly all the insipid members of the fish tribe. Slices of lemon cut into very small dice, stirred into drawn b.u.t.ter and allowed to come to a boiling point, is a very fine accompaniment.

RULE FOR SELECTING FISH.

If the gills are red, the eyes full, and the whole fish firm and stiff, they are fresh and good; if, on the contrary, the gills are pale, the eyes sunken, the flesh flabby, they are stale.

BAKED FISH.

Take large white fish or pickerel, make a dressing as for turkey, with the addition of one egg and a little onion; fill the fish, wrap close with twine, lay in baking pan; put in one-half pint of water, small lumps of b.u.t.ter and dredge with flour. Bake from three-fourths to one hour, basting carefully.

CODFISH WITH EGG. MRS. E. P. TRUE.

Wash codfish; shred fine with fingers (never cut or chop it); pour cold water over it. Place the dish on the stove and bring the water to a boil. Throw the fish in a colander and drain. Stir a teaspoonful of flour smoothly with water; add two tablespoonfuls of b.u.t.ter and a little pepper; bring to a boil; then throw in the codfish, with a well-beaten egg. When it boils up it is ready for table.

CODFISH WITH CREAM. MRS. E. P. TRUE.

Take a piece of codfish six inches square; soak twelve hours in soft, cold water; shred fine with the fingers; boil a few moments in fresh water. Take one-half pint cream and a little b.u.t.ter; stir into this two large tablespoonfuls flour, smoothly blended in a little cold water; pour over the fish; add one egg, well beaten. Let come to a boil; season with black pepper.

SLIVERED CODFISH.

Sliver the codfish fine; pour on boiling water; drain it off; add b.u.t.ter and a little pepper. Heat three or four minutes, but do not let fry.

CODFISH b.a.l.l.s. MRS. T. H. LINSLEY.

One pint shredded codfish, two quarts mashed potatoes, well seasoned with b.u.t.ter and pepper--salt, if necessary. Make this mixture into b.a.l.l.s. After dipping them into a mixture of two eggs beaten with one-half cup milk, place them in a dripping pan into which you have put a little b.u.t.ter; place them in the oven; baste frequently with eggs and milk; bake till a golden brown.

FRIED FISH. MRS. J. S. REED.

Wash the fish and dry well. Take one-half pint of flour and one teaspoon salt; sift together, and roll the fish in it. Have lard very hot, and fry quickly. When done roll in a cloth to absorb all grease.

OYSTERS ON TOAST. MRS. JOHN KISHLER.

Toast and b.u.t.ter a few slices of bread; lay them in a shallow dish.

Put the liquor from the oysters on to heat; add salt, pepper, and thicken with a little flour. Just before this boils add the oysters.

Let it all boil up once, and pour over the toast.

ESCALOPED OYSTERS. EVELYN GAILEY.

Two quarts of oysters; wash them and drain off the liquor; roll some crackers (not too fine). Put in a pan a layer of crumbs, some bits of b.u.t.ter, a little pepper and salt; then a layer of oysters, and repeat until the dish is full. Have cracker crumbs on top; turn a cup of oyster liquor over it; add good sweet milk sufficient to thoroughly saturate it, and bake three-fourths of an hour.

STEAMED OYSTERS. S. E. G.

Select large oysters; drain; put on a plate; place in the steamer over a kettle of boiling water. About twenty minutes will cook them.

Season with pepper and salt; serve on soft b.u.t.tered toast.

OYSTER GUMBO. ALICE TURNEY THOMPSON.

Cut up a chicken; roll in flour and brown well in a soup-pot, with a spoonful of lard, two slices of ham, one large onion (chopped fine), and a good-sized red pepper. When browned, cover the whole with water and stew until the chicken is perfectly tender. Then add the liquor of four or five dozen oysters, with water enough to make four quarts.

When it has again come to a good boil, add the oysters and stir while sifting in one large spoonful of fresh file. Salt to taste. Serve immediately, placing a large spoonful of boiled rice in each soup plate.

"Gumbo File" is made of the red sa.s.safras leaves, dried and ground into a powder.

OYSTER PIE. MRS. ECKHART.

Make a rich pie crust, and proceed as you would to make any pie with top crust. Have nice fat oysters and put on a thick layer, with plenty of lumps of b.u.t.ter; salt and pepper, and sprinkle over cracker crumbs. Put in the least bit of water, and cover with crust. Bake, and serve with turkey.

OYSTER PIE. MRS. EMMA OGIER.

For crust make a dough as for baking powder biscuit. Take one quart of oysters; remove a half dozen good-sized ones into a saucepan; put the rest into bottom of your baking dish. Add four spoons of milk; salt to taste, and dot closely with small lumps of b.u.t.ter. Over this put your crust, about as thick as for chicken pie, and place in oven to bake until crust is well done. Take the oyster left, add one-half cup water, some b.u.t.ter, salt and pepper; let this come to a boil; thicken with flour and milk, and serve as gravy with the pie.