[treetoursh]

the pike of the ocean

The paracuta (Sphyreena Barracuda), the pike of the ocean, has a Arm and palatable flesh, and is esteemed by many people. It proves, however, sometimes poisonous when caught in certain localities.The callipeva (Mugil Uza) is an esteemed river fish of the West Indian seas, which seldom extends further than the embouchures of streams or into the ponds and marshes. Chief Justice Temple, of Honduras, characterizes it as the salmon of the tropics; and indeed, it very much resembles Tory Burch Outlet that prince of the finny tribe in its size, shape, habits, and flavour. The flesh, however, is not red, neither is it so firm as that of the salmon, but it is quite as fat and infinitely more juicy and delicate. When cut in slices, folded in tissue paper, and lightly friedwhich is the only way in my opinion of dressing a fish, the flavour of which is so volatile, so smooth, so ethereal, that it more resembles an odour, or the rich fragrance of a thousand different flowers mixed and mellowed by distance, than an actual taste on the palatenothing can surpass it;to subject it unprotected to the fumiginous iufluence of an iron pan, would be the act of a Hottentot or a Tartar. Dressed in the manner I have mentioned, it would not have disgraced Olympus, nor offended the critical taste of theApicii, the last of whom would have refrained from hanging himself whilst a single callipeva remained in his fish pond. The callipeva is very excellent when cured, and it is often brought in, that state to the Belize market in large quantities. The roe of this fish is very Tory Burch Sale superior and almost equals caviare. This is dried and sold separately. I may incidentally mention that the large strong brilliant scales of this fish now enter into commerce for the manufacture of those pretty fish-scale ornaments, brooches, bracelets, &c., sold at the Crystal Palace and elsewhere.The Mugil curema, another species, is taken about Port Royal Tory Burch Flats harbour, Jamaicaand when large, passed off in the Kingston market for callipeva. The true callipeva or calipever, as it is indifferently spelt, is the white salmon of Jamaica, and weighs from to lbs. It is caught in the brackish waters of the Ferry on the road to Spanish Town.Mullet of various kinds, the salt water species being white, and the mountain or river species red, are one of the three delicacies of Jamaica.