But I would be willing to wager the price of a whole "catch" of
codfish that I can tell you of a bran new way to bake one. Read and
see for yourself. Have the size that seems to find most favor in your
family and fill it with a forcemeat made by mincing to paste a pound
of raw codfish. Add to it half a pint of cream that has been just
boiled, that's all, and thickened with two eggs. Season with salt, a
chopped onion--chopped so finely that it is of a paste consistency and
fill the fish with the mixture. For pepper let me suggest that you use
paprika in preference to any other brand. Cook till the fish is done
and serve with any rich sauce that appeals to you.
Any or all of the foregoing recipes may be applied to haddock, as you
probably suspect--if you know anything at all about fish.
* * * * *
You don't know, you housekeepers of America what a jolly good
reputation you've got to live up to unless you happen to have read
G. W. Steevens's clever book, "The Land of the Dollar," in which he
says of our national breakfasts: "First you have fruit--wonderful
pears that look like green stones and taste like the Tree of Life.
Then mush, so they call oatmeal porridge, or wheatmeal porridge or
hominy porridge, a noble food with the nectarous American cream. Then
fishes and meats, sausages, and bacon and eggs. Then strange
farinaceous foods which you marvel to find yourself swallowing with
avid gust--graham bread, soda biscuits, buckwheat or griddle cakes
with butter and maple treacle. It is magnificent; but it is
indigestion. All the same, I look forward to the day when America
shall produce an invention that will let me go across the Atlantic
every morning for breakfast. I shall take a season ticket."
Now let my humble pen chip in two or three things that shall help you
to live up to this estimate of you.