Bohemian San Francisco — Clams and Abalones/3 recipes, Where Fish Abound

Clams and Abalone's We cannot dispose of the shell fish of San Francisco without a word or two about clams, for certainly there is no place where they are in greater variety and better flavor.

In fact the clam is the only bivalve of this part of the coast that has a distinctive and good flavor.

Several varieties are to be found in the markets, the best and rarest being the little rock clams that come from around Drake's Bay, just above the entrance to Golden Gate.

These are most delicious in flavor and should never be eaten otherwise than raw.

The sand, or hard shell, or as they are sometimes called little necks, are next in choiceness, and then come the Pismo beach clams, noted for their flavor and enormous size.

The mud clam is good for chowder but not so good as either of the other varieties mentioned.

The Bohemian way to have your clams is to go to the shore of Bolinas Bay or some other equally retired spot, and have a clam bake, or else take a pot along with the other ingredients and have a good clam chowder.

This, however, may be prepared at any time and is always a good meal.

Clam fritters when prepared according to the recipe given herein, is one of the best methods of preparing the clam, and it has the peculiarity of being so tasty that one feels that there is never enough cooked.

Of all the ways of cooking clams chowder takes precedence as a rule, and it is good when made properly.

By that we do not mean the thin, watery stuff that is served in most of the restaurants and called clam chowder just because it happens to be made every Friday.

That is fairly good as a clam soup but it is no more chowder than a Mexican soup approaches a crawfish bisque.

There is but one right way to make clam chowder, and that is either to make it yourself or closely superintend the making, and this is the way to make it: Clam Chowder Take one quart of shelled sand clams, two large potatoes, two large onions, one clove of garlic, one sweet pepper, one thick slice of salt pork, one-half pound small oyster crackers, one-half glass sherry, one tablespoonful Worcestershire sauce, one tomato, salt, and pepper.

In a large stewpan place the salt pork cut into small dice, and let this fry slightly over a slow fire until the bottom of the stewpan is well greased.

Take this off the fire and put in a layer of potatoes sliced thin, on top of the salt pork, then a layer of onions sliced thin, and a layer of clams.

Put on this salt and pepper and sprinkle with a little flour and then a layer of crackers.

Chop the sweet pepper and tomato fine and mix with them the bruised and mashed garlic.

On top of each succession of layers put a little of the mixture.

Continue making these layers until all the ingredients are placed in the stewpan, and then pour on the top sufficient water to just show.

Cover tightly and let cook gently for half an hour.

Pour on the Worcestershire sauce and sherry just before serving.

Do not stir this while cooking, and in order to prevent its burning it should be cooked over an asbestos cover.

When done this should be thick enough to be eaten with a fork.

Among the good Bohemians who lived in San Francisco as a child when it was in the post-pioneer days, and who has enjoyed the good things of all the famous restaurants is Mrs. Emma Sterett, who has given us the following recipe for clam fritters which we consider the most delicious of all we have ever eaten, and when you try them you will agree with us: Clam Fritters Take two dozen clams, washed thoroughly and drained.

Put in chopping bowl and chop, not too fine.

Add to these one clove of garlic mashed, one medium-sized onion chopped fine, add bread crumbs sufficient to stiffen the mass, chopped parsley, celery and herbs to taste.

Beat two eggs separately and add to the clams.

If too stiff to drop from a spoon add the strained liquor of clams.

Drop tablespoonfuls of this mixture into hot fat, turn and cook for sufficient time to cook through, then drain on brown paper and serve.

Abalone's are a univalve that has been much in vogue among the Chinese but has seldom found place on the tables of restaurants owing to the difficulty in preparing them, as they are tough and insipid under ordinary circumstances.

When made tender either by the Chinese method of pounding, or by steeping in vinegar, they serve the purpose of clams but have not the fine flavor.

The Hof Brau restaurant is now making a specialty of abalone's, but it takes sentiment to say that one really finds anything extra good in them.

Another shell fish much in vogue among the Italian restaurants is mussels, which are found to perfection along the coast.

These are usually served Bordelaise, and make quite a pleasant change when one is surfeited with other shell fish, but the best recipe is: Mussels Mariniere 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.

First we went through the market from end to end and all the side aisles, "spying out the land."

It is not possible to enumerate what we saw.

If you want to know go there and see for yourselves.

Having seen we were told to go and select what we wished to have for our dinner, and then the selection began and there was a feast of buying fish, meats, vegetables and delicacies of all sorts, even to French pastry.

Our purchases were ordered sent to the restaurant in the corner of the market where the chef had already been duly "seen," and then came each particular idea as to how the food was to be cooked.

We had sand-dabs munier, chateaubriand with mushrooms, Italian squash, fried in oil with a flavor of garlic, French pastry, and coffee, together with some good California Tipo Chianti, all flavored with such a stream of reminiscence that we forgot that such things as clocks existed.

It was the first time our theatrical friends had tasted sand-dabs, for this fish has come to San Francisco markets only in recent years, and they declared that it was the "only" fish fit to be eaten.

It is possible that they were prejudiced by the sentiment of the surroundings and consequently not exactly in position to be good judges.

All Italian restaurants serve fish well.

At the New Buon Gusto you will find a most excellent cippino with polenti, and if you have not experienced this we advise you to try it as soon as possible.

At the Gianduja you will find sand-dabs au gratin to be very fine.

At Jack's, striped bass cooked in wine is what we think the best of the fish to be found in the market, or at the restaurants, cooked that way.

Jule's is famous for his Rex sole.

At all of the French and Italian restaurants small fry is cooked to perfection.

If you wish fish in any way or of any kind you will make no mistake in asking for it at any of the French or Italian restaurants, or at the Shell Fish Grotto, and if you are in doubt regarding what to order just take the proprietor into your confidence, tell him you are a stranger in the city and ask him to serve you fish the best way he prepares it.

You will not be disappointed.