Composition.—
| Fresh. | Dry. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water, | 72.78 | percent | ||
| Protein, | 18.65 | „ | 72.37 | percent |
| Fat, | 7.57 | „ | 24.46 | „ |
| Ash, | 1.00 | „ | 3.82 | „ |
These data show that the edible portion of the pompano is valued both for its protein and its fat. The latter exists in quantities of approximately one-third of the former. It is not so much its nutritive value which makes the pompano desirable as a food fish but the extreme delicacy of flavor and the richness of its taste. It does not bear shipping well, and therefore is found in its greatest perfection only near the place where it is taken.
In New Orleans and in Florida the pompano is one of the principal food fishes furnished by the high-class hotels and restaurants to their guests.
Red Snapper.
—The red snapper (Lutianus aya) is the most noted fish of all the snapper family (Lutianidæ), although there are others which are highly prized, such as the gray snapper. It sometimes reaches a length of two or three feet and a weight of from 10 to 35 pounds. It is particularly abundant in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico and off the west coast of Florida. The red snapper bears shipping better than most of the Gulf fish, and Pensacola is one of the principal points where the fish are packed in ice as soon as possible after capture and dispatched to northern markets.
Composition.—
| Fresh. | Dry. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water, | 78.46 | percent | ||
| Protein, | 19.20 | „ | 91.75 | percent |
| Fat, | 1.03 | „ | 4.70 | „ |
| Ash, | 1.31 | „ | 6.05 | „ |
This is another one of the fishes in which the edible portion is almost exclusively protein, the fat appearing only in small quantities.