Many have confounded them with the salmon-fry or smelt of one year old, whereas the smelt has roe and the fry none; it ascends rivers to deposit its spawn in November, December, and January, and the rest of the year they are considered in season, but they vary like the salmon, according to the river. This fish, when fresh, has a beautiful smell of violets or cucumbers, but the Germans call it stinck fish, I know not why; they lose tins perfume in about twelve hours after being taken; they should be very stiff and firm, bright eyes, and transparent skin. This fish is very delicate, and requires very great attention in cleaning, merely pulling out the gills, the inside will come with them; they should be wiped lightly. When split and dried, they are called sparlings.

236. How To Fry Smelts

Dry them in a cloth, and dip them in flour; then have half an ounce of butter of clear fat melted in a basin, into which break the yolk of two eggs, with which rub the smelts over with a brush, dip them in bread-crumbs, fry in very hot lard, dress them on a napkin, garnish with parsley, and serve with shrimp sauce in a boat.

Smelts

116. Smelts are very delicate fish, but ought never to be plain boiled; being confident of the good use they may be turned to as a diet for the sick, I shall here give two receipts for dressing them very plainly, yet still very palatable. Choose them rather large, - if so, two would be sufficient for a meal,- having previously drawn and cleansed them, put a gill of water into a small stewpan, with a little salt, a saltspoonful of powdered sugar, and four small sprigs of parsley; when boiling lay in your smelts, which let simmer five minutes, or more, if larger than usual, keeping the stewpan well covered; then take them out carefully, lay them upon a dish, and pour the broth over; both fish and broth are excellent. They may be cooked the same way in the oven.

Another way is to add a little arrow-root, mixed with a drop of cold water, to the above, when half cooked; it makes it very soothing to the chest. Be extremely careful not to let the fish or liquor burn at the bottom of the stewpan ; there should be about three parts of the quantity of liquor when cooked as you first put in water, allowing one quarter to evaporate whilst boiling.

117. Broiled Smelts

When cleansed and wiped dry with a cloth, dip them lightly into flour, and put them upon a gridiron over a slow fire, for five or six minutes, turning them carefully when half done; serve plain, or with a little sauce, if allowed, as many patients are forbidden moist food. I can highly recommend any kind of white fish cooked in this manner ; and it is well known that nothing in the way of food is more digestible than fish.

Water souchet of flounders, soles, and slips may also be served to invalids, by proceeding the same as above.