Supplies (Approvisionnements)
Description
This section is from the book "The Epicurean", by Charles Ranhofer. Also available from Amazon: The Epicurean, a Complete Treatise of Analytical and Practical Studies on the Culinary Art.
Supplies (Approvisionnements)
Good cooking is only obtained by having all the ingredients healthy, appetizing and nutritious; the stomach must not be fatigued, and yet the eye and the palate have to be somewhat flattered. A dish may be more or less simple, more or less difficult, but it must satisfy the taste and to obtain this result a cook should only use the best materials and those of the very freshest.
All the supplies should be of the very first choice; the best cook in the world can fail to work properly unless the provisions are of the best. A cook anxious to perform his duty must pay the strictest attention to the selection of the food; this alone constitutes a science based on a deep knowledge and long practice.
Beef must have light red, marbled meat, the fat being firm to the touch.
Veal meat to be white and firm, also its fat.
Mutton has red meat firm and marbled, the fat to be white.
Pork must be carefully selected from pigs raised on acorns or corn, having firm, white meat, and firm, white, brittle fat.
Chickens to be plump, the breast bone flexible, the ribs easily cracked. Pinch the pinion bones to see whether they are tender; the same of turkeys, other poultry and game. Old fowls can never replace young chickens, therefore use them as little as possible. A fish is to have a clear, fresh eye and must be firm to the touch; mistrust it as soon as the belly flesh becomes soft; the smell will indicate whether it be fresh or stale; the same of crustaceans.
Vegetables to be selected of the very freshest.
Fruits by their appearance and taste.
Table Of Supplies. Fish And Shell Fish
Index for American Fish and when they are in Season. S indicates when in season.
Fish. | Poissons. | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
Angel or moon . . | S | S | |||||||||||
Bass, lake or black... . | Bass de Lac | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | |||||
" sea . . . . | " de Mer | 15 | S | S | S | S | S | ||||||
" striped . . . . | " Bar . . . . . | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
Blackfish or tautog.. . . . | Tautog . . . . . | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | |||||
Bluefish . . . . . . | . . . . | S | S | S | S | S | S |
Fish. | POISSONS | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
Bonito . . . . | Bonite . . . . | . . | . . | S | S | S | S | S | ... | ... | |||
Butterfish..... | . . . . . | S | S | S | S | .. | .. | ... | S | S | S | ||
Carp, common & Buffalo | Carpe ordinaire . . | . . | .. | . . | .. | .. | .. | 15 | S | S | S | ... | ... |
" German...... | " miroir . . . . | S | S | S | S | .. | .. | .. | .. | ... | S | S | S |
Codfish..... | Morue . . . . | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
Eels. | Anguilles . . . | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
Flounders or flukes.. . | Plie, Limande . . . . | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
Frost fish..... | Tacaud..... | S | S | S | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | ... | 15 | S | S |
Grouper..... | ......... | S | S | S | . . | . . | .. | .. | .. | ... | ... | 15 | S |
Haddock........ | Aiglefin... | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
Halibut.............. | Fletan . . . . . | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
Herring....... | Hareng........ | S | S | S | S | . . | .. | .. | .. | ... | S | S | S |
Kingfish....... | Umbrine...... | . . | . . | . . | . . | S | S | S | S | S | S | ... | ... |
Lafayette..... | .... | . . | . . | .. | . . | . . | .. | .. | 15 | S | S | 15 | ... |
Lamprey...... | Lamproie...... | .. | .. | .. | S | S | .. | .. | .. | ... | ... | ... | ... |
Mackerel...... | Maquereau...... | . . | . . | . . | S | S | S | S | S | S | ... | ... | ... |
" Spanish. . . . | " Espagnol. | . . | . . | . . | 15 | S | S | S | S | S | 15 | ... | ... |
Mullet | Mulet . . . . . | . . | .. | . . | .. | . . | S | S | S | S | S | ... | ... |
Muscelonge..... | Masque allonge... | . . | . . | . . | . . | . . | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
Perch..... | Perche...... | S | S | S | S | S | .. | .. | .. | ... | S | S | S |
Pike perch...... | Sandre...... | S | S | S | S | . . | .. | .. | .. | S | S | S | S |
" or Pickerel...... | Brochet ou brocheton. | . . | . . | . . | .. | . . | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
Pompano...... | ........ | . . | . . | .. | . . | S | S | S | .. | ... | ... | 15 | S |
Porgy................ | Sargus..... | . . | . . | . . | . . | . . | 15 | S | S | S | 15 | ... | ... |
Red Snapper..... | ...... | S | S | S | S | . . | .. | .. | ..___ | ... | S | S | S |
Salmon, Kennebec and Oregon | Saumondu Kennebec et de l'Oregon . . . | S | S | S | S | S | Ken | Ken | Ken | Ken | S | S | S |
" trout......... | Triute saumonee . | S | S | S | . . | . . | .. | .. | .. | ... | S | S | S |
Shad and roe...... | Alose et oeufs.. | S | S | S | S | S | 15 | .. | .. | ... | ... | ... | ... |
Sheepshead...... | ........ | . . | .. | . . | . . | . . | 15 | S | S | S | S | 15 | ... |
Skate................ | Raie.... | S | S | S | S | S | S | .. | ... | 8 | S | S | S |
Smelts..... | Esturgeon..... | S | S | S | 15 | . . | .. | .. | 15 | S | S | S | S |
Sole, English..... | Sole Anglaise..... | S | S | . . | . . | .. | .. | .. | ... | ... | ... | S | S |
Spot fish..... | ........ | S | S | S | S | S | .. | .. | 8 | S | S | S | S |
Sturgeon..... | Estuegeon.... | . . | . . | . . | . . | .. | S | S | S | S | 15 | ... | ... |
Trout, brook.... | Ttuite de ruisseau.. | ... | . . | . . | S | S | S | S | S | ... | ... | ... | ... |
Turbot, American... | Turbot Americain .... | S | S | S | S | S | S | 15 | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
" English...... | " Anglals...... | S | S | S | . . | ... | .. | .. | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
Weakfish..... | ........ | . . | .. | . . | . . | 15 | S | S | S | S | 15 | ... | ... |
Whitebait............ | Blanchaille . . . . | S | S | S | . . | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
Whitefish............. | Lavaret...... | S | S | . . | .. | .. | .. | .. | ... | ... | ... | S | S |
Shell Fish : | CRUSTACES ET COQUILLAGES: | ||||||||||||
Clams, hard.... | Lucines orangees.. | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
" soft . . . | " papillons.. | S | S | S | S | S | S | ... | ... | ... | S | S | S |
Crabs, hard . . . | Crabs durs...... | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
" soft . . . | " moux | ... | ... | ... | ... | S | S | S | S | S | 15 | ... | ... |
Crawfish.......... | Ecrevisses......... | S | S | S | S | ... | ... | ... | ... | S | S | S | S |
Lobsters...... | Homards . . . . . | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
Mussels........ | Moules......... | ... | ... | ... | ... | S | S | S | S | S | ... | ... | |
Oysters......... | Huitres......... | S | S | S | S | ... | ... | ... | ... | S | S | S | S |
Scallops...... | Petoncles . . . . . | S | S | S | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 15 | S | S | S |
Shrimps, small . . . . | Crevettes petites..... | ... | ... | 15 | S | S | ... | ... | ... | 15 | 15 | ... | ... |
Miscellaneous | Divers | ||||||||||||
Codfish tongues.... | Langues de morue.... | S | S | S | S | S | ... | ... | ... | ... | S | S | S |
Crabs, oyster . . . . | Crabes d'huitres | S | S | S | S | S | ... | ... | ... | ... | S | S | S |
Frogs....... | Grenouilles..... | S | S | S | S | S | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | S | S |
Milts......... | Laitance..... | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | 8 | S |
Terrapin........ | Terrapene . . . . | S | S | S | S | S | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | S | S |
Turtile, green..... | Tortue verte...... | S | ... | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
Prawns, large........ | Chevrettes.... | .... | ..... | ..... | .... | ... | S | S | S | S | S | ... | ... |
Salt Fish. | POISSONS Sales. | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
Anchovies | Anchois | S | S | S | S | s | S | S | S | S | S | s | s |
Codfish, dried | Morue seche | S | s | s | S | s | s | s | S | S | s | S | s |
Herring | Hareugs ........... | s | s | s | S | s | s | s | S | S | s | S | s |
" Pickled | " marines .. | s | s | s | S | s | s | s | S | S | s | S | s |
Mackerel | Maquereau | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | S | s |
Prawns .:............ | Crevettes............ | s | s | s | s | s | S | s | |||||
Salmon | Saumon | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | S | s |
Smoked Fish | Poissoss fumes: | ||||||||||||
Haddock, smoked, or | Aiglefin | S | s | s | s | s | s | ||||||
Halibut | Fletan | s | s | s | s | s | s | ||||||
Herring | Hareng | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s |
" bloaters | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | ||||||
" kippered | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | ||||||
Mackerel | Maquereau | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | |||||
Salmon | Saumon | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | s |
Shad................. | Alose | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | |||||
Sturgeon............ | Esturgeon | s | s | s | s | s | s | s | |||||
Whitefish............ | Lavaret | s | s | s | s | s | s | s |
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