PIKE and JACK are taken in rivers; they are very dry eating, and
require much seasoning and sauce.
CARP, TENCH, and PERCH, are best eaten as soon as caught; the latter is
not so much esteemed as the two former.
SMELTS, when fresh, have a fine bright appearance, firm flesh, and a
fragrant smell, like a cucumber.
GUDGEONS, ROACH, and DACE, and most other river fish, must be chosen by
the rules already given.
BUTTER, CHEESE, and EGGS.
BUTTER should be chosen by the taste and smell.—The best fresh butter
is the Epping, and next the Cambridge; sometimes the potted weekly
Dorset is very good. Of tub butter, the Welch is best, the Dutch next,
and the Irish worst. In examining tub-butter, and particularly the
Irish, look at and smell to the outside next the cask, which is often
white in appearance like tallow, and quite rank in smell.
CHEESE. Of the common kinds, Cheshire, North Wiltshire and double
Gloucester, are the best. Cheese of the first making, in May, is
usually brought to Market in August. Factors have a pernicious practice
of sticking brass pins into cheese, which gives it the appearance of
blue mould and old age. That cheese which has a smooth, moist coat,
is generally good. Spanish arnatto is often used to give the rind a
beautiful red colour.
EGGS.—If fresh, will feel warm when the tongue is applied to the
biggest end; but if stale, it will be cold. An egg, when quite fresh,
will sink at once when put into cold water; but if rotten, it will swim.