In its awful Ignorance mankind has ong associated the shrimp with per sons of dwarfish stature, but investlgation shows that It has a brain and in a country like China, where nothing wasted, it actually represents a tasty dish, In view of' reader's recent query, from a "boy" at a local Chinese restaurant the secret of this dish has been discovered. There Is a very short season for shrimps, namely May and June, with May as the beale month when the shrimp's brain is at its most delicious heights. Although this shell fish is obtainable from ditferent parts of China the Soochow (Tahu Lake) vanely, as is the case of the crab, Is mostly favoured by the gourmet, The preparation of shrimp's brain is within the limits of cookery, The brain is fried usually in lard although peanut or any other kind of oll—barring, it is presumed, castor oll—may be'used. One portion, consisting of "100 brains, would be enough to satisfy the fastidious taste of two Bourmets. The cost of this intaking of 100 seats of thought would be $2, In the bill of fare of this restaurant there appear other tit-bits which are obviously intended for the ultra gourmet, Under the heading of "Fish" there are three other delectable en-ries, These ari Chicken Starch Fish's Lips... Big $320
Small Roast Fish's Lips Bl Smal Pish's Lips with Cream...:.4.BIE
Small $1.50 Enquiry produced the information that these delicacies are obtained from particular species of fish imported from the Phillipines.
For those with other tastes the opportunity is provided to gnaw on 1 bear's foot, The entry covering this Particular dainty reads: Feet of Boar (made to order) Lett $30 Right, $20 'The "boy" volunteered the informa~ tion that in his ten years' service with the restaurant no-one has ever order a bent's foot right or left.
For those who like to spice their cuisine with a touch of the bizarre there are:
'Tadpoles with Cream. sesssseseses $180 'Tadpoles with Miseed trails 1200) $1.00 Tadnales With SAGO srvverecwssoes 'The lst of soups provides' for the imaginative "Fine Fairy Soup." while those who have felt the pangs of boarding-house hunger willie brought back to earth by "Three Thread Meat Soup" which ts. billed at 85 conte,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.