The curiosities of food

by P. L. Simmonds

It is in the form of red-herrings and bloaters that the largest consumption of this fish takes place in the metropolis. The sale of bloaters at Billingsgate is about 265,000 baskets of 160 each annually, and about 50,000,000 of red-herrings.

There was a pleasant tradition current in Yarmouth not many years since, that the ‘red’ herring was the result of accident. According to the story, a fisherman had hung up some salted herrings in his hut and forgotten them. They hung where they were exposed to the smoke from the wood fire of the hut; and, some days afterwards, his attention was attracted to them, when, being struck by their appearance, he determined to see how one of them tasted. The result was so satisfactory that he hastened to King John, who was then lying near Norwich, to make a present of the remainder; when the herrings were esteemed such a delicacy by the monarch that he then and there expressed his determination to grant a charter of incorporation to the town from which they were brought. The only certain portion of this story is, that the first charter of Yarmouth was granted by King John.

There is a curious item in this town charter of Yarmouth, long famous for its herring fair. The burgesses are obliged to send to the sheriffs of Norwich 100 herrings, to be made into 24 pies; and these pies are to be delivered to the Lord of the manor of East Carleton, who is to convey them to the king.

The receipt for making herring pie would be a curious, though perhaps not a valuable, addition to our modern cookery books. It is probably lost, unless Her Majesty continues to receive these once prized patties.[24]

The stromming, or herring of the North seas, is only about the size of a sprat, but a much more delicate fish; when salted and mixed with potatoes it is the staple food of the people, being washed down with a bowl of milk, or a glass of corn-brandy.

The conger is found in the seas of Europe, of Northern Asia, and in those of America, as far as the Antilles. It is very abundant on the coasts of England and France, in the Mediterranean Sea, where it was much sought after by the ancients, and in the Propontis, where it was not long ago in considerable estimation. Those of Sicyon were more especially esteemed. The flesh of this fish is white and well flavoured; but as it is very fat, it does not agree with all stomachs. In many places the conger eels are dried for exportation. For this purpose, they are cut open in their under part, through their entire length, the intestines are removed, deep scarifications are made upon the back, the parts are kept separate by means of small sticks, and they are suspended by the tail to poles, on the branches of trees. When they are perfectly dry, they are collected in packets, each weighing about 200 lbs.

The voracious conger eel (Conger vulgaris, of Cuvier; the Muræna conger, of Linnæus,) although a coarse fish, forms a considerable article of commerce in Cornwall and Devonshire. I only notice it here from the fact, that it is sometimes dried and shipped to Spain and other Catholic countries, where fish of any kind is acceptable. When dried in a particular manner, the flesh used formerly to be ground or grated to powder, and in this state was employed to thicken soup.

The Murænæ conger, were carefully reared in vivaria by the Romans. As early as the time of Cæsar, the multiplication of the domestic Murænæ was so great, that on the occasion of one of his triumphs, that great general presented 6000 of them to his friends; Licinius Crassus reared them so as to be obedient to his voice, and to come and receive their food from his hands; while the celebrated orator, Quintus Hortensius, wept over the loss of those of which death had deprived him.

Such is the testimony to the quality and estimation of the conger eel, which Griffiths has collected in his Supplement to Malacopterygii apodes in Cuvier’s Animal Kingdom. Its flesh does not agree with all stomachs; but it is yet a matter of dispute what renders it so frequently deadly. The condition of the liver of the fish in most cases has a great deal to do with danger attending fish-poisons.

The sand eel (Ammodytes tobianus) and the sandlaunce (A. lancea), though of small size, are very delicate eating, and vast numbers are consumed in summer by the natives of the Hebrides. They are also much sought after by the fishermen for bait.