Bohemian San Francisco: Its restaurants and their most famous recipes—The elegant art of dining.Edwords, Clarence E. (Clarence Edgar)
History
Bohemian San Francisco: Its restaurants and their most famous recipes—The elegant art of dining.
Edwords, Clarence E. (Clarence Edgar)
Cooking; Hotels -- California -- San Francisco
Thoroughly clean the mussels and then put them in a deep pan and pour
over them half a glass of white wine. Chop an onion, a clove of garlic
and some parsley fine and put in the pan, together with a tablespoonful
of butter. Let these boil very quick for twelve minutes, keeping the pan
tightly covered. Take off half shells and place the mussels in a chafing
dish and pour over them Bechamel sauce and then add sufficient milk
gravy to cover. Serve hot from chafing dish.
Where Fish Abound
According to David Starr Jordan, acknowledged world authority on fish,
there is greater variety of fish in Monterey Bay than anywhere else in
the world. Monterey Bay is one of San Francisco's sources of supply
consequently we have a greater variety of fish in our markets than are
to be found anywhere else. In the markets are fish from all parts of the
Pacific Ocean, from the Tropics to far north in the Arctics, while
denizens of the waters all the way, between add to the variety.
The essential element of goodness in fish is freshness, and it is always
fresh in San Francisco markets, and also in the restaurants. Of all
varieties two rank first in the estimation of gourmets, but, of course,
that is purely a matter of individual taste. According to the
above-mentioned authority, "the finest fish that swims is the sand-dab."
Some gourmets, however, will take issue with him on this and say the
pompano is better. Others will prefer the mountain trout. Be that as it
may they all are good, with many others following close in choice.
Fine striped bass from the ocean, or black bass from the fresh water
takes high place in preference. Then there is sole, both in the fillet
and Rex, as prepared at Jule's under the Monadnock building. Tom cod,
rock cod, fresh mackerel and fresh cod, white bait and boned smelt all
are excellent fish, but were we to attempt to tell of all the fish to be
found here we would have to reproduce a piscatorial directory. There are
two good methods of acquiring knowledge of the fish of San Francisco. Go
to the wharves and see them come and and go to the wholesale markets
down in Clay street, below Montgomery. You will then begin to realize
that we certainly do have a variety of good fish.
Now for a little Bohemianism of a different sort: Recently there came to
San Francisco, with his wife, an actor whose name used to be almost a
household word among theater-goers, and when we say "the villain still
pursued her," all you old timers will know whom we mean. When he was
here in the years long gone by it was his custom to go to the old
California market, select what he desired to eat, then take it to the
restaurant and have it cooked, and the old atmosphere came back to him
on his recent arrival and he revived the old custom.
"Meet us at the California market," was the telephone message that came
to us, and we were there, for we knew that something good was in store
for us.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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