And there was another kind, which Alexis calls raw pickle, in his Apeglaucomenos. And the same poet, in his Wicked Woman, introduces a cook talking about the preparation of salt-fish and pickled fish, in the following verses:—
I wish now, sitting quiet by myself,And, in his Apeglaucomenos, a man being asked for his contribution to the feast, says—
To ponder in my mind some dainty dishes;
And also to arrange what may be best
For the first course, and how I best may flavour
Each separate dish, and make it eatable.
Now first of all the pickled horæum comes;
This will but cost one penny; wash it well,
Then strew a large flat dish with seasoning,
And put in that the fish. Pour in white wine
And oil, then add some boil'd beef marrow-bones,
And take it from the fire, when the last zest
Shall be by assafœtida imparted.
A. Indeed you shall not half a farthing draw
From me, unless you name each separate dish.
B. That reasonable is.
A. Well, bring a slate
And pencil; now your items.
B. First, there is
Raw pickled fish, and that will fivepence cost.
A. What next
B. Some mussels, sevenpence for them.
A. Well, there's no harm in that. What follows next
B. A pennyworth of urchins of the sea.
A. Still I can find no fault.
B. The next in order
Is a fine dish of cabbage, which you said . . .
A. Well, that will do.
B. For that I paid just twopence.
A. What was't I said. . .
B. A cybium for threepence.
A. But are you sure you've nought embezzled here?
B. My friend, you've no experience of the market;
You know not how the grubs devour the greens.
A. But how is that a reason for your charging
A double price for salt-fish?
B. The greengrocer}
Is also a salt-fishmonger; go and ask him.
[p. 195] A conger, tenpence.
A. That is not too much.
What next?
B. I bought a roast fish for a drachma.
A. Bah! how he runs on now towards the end,
As if a fever had o'ertaken him.
B. Then add the wine, of which I bought three gallons
When you were drunk, ten obols for each gallon.
