These are very favourite little shell-fish, and much used in France, but
seldom served as a dish in this country (they are not good when in
spawn); for a dish have two dozen of them and wash in several waters
(choose them as near as possible of equal sizes), then put them in a
stewpan, with two onions, one carrot, one turnip, one head of celery,
six bay-leaves, a bunch of parsley, six cloves, twelve peppercorns, half
an ounce of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, a quarter ditto of
cayenne, two glasses of vinegar, four of sherry, and half a pint of
broth; place them over a very brisk fire for twenty-five minutes,
stirring them occasionally, take them off the fire and let them cool in
their stock, put them in a basin, cover them with the stock, but strain
the vegetables away from them, and use for garnishing where directed; to
make a dish dress them on butter in the form of a bush, mingling very
green double parsley with them.
There are some few other sorts of fresh-water fish not very frequently
used, which may be fried, boiled, or stewed, in some of the ways as
described in the foregoing list.