Reading old books: The Compleat Angler

The lives of past people –and fish -are always fascinating, and it is something that history being taught in schools, in Romania at least, often misses. It is often taught as a parade of kings and battles and dates to be memorized. This is why most children don’t like it. And it is why I try to read old books. Well, not old books per se, I do not have ancient tomes lying around, but you know… /Guttenberg project eBooks on my kindle/. Same thing really. Case in point:
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/683

Many old books are scholarly philosophical investigations or great epics containing the myths of people. The book I speak of today is not one of those books. It is a quitter, calmer book, more reduced in scope but not in value. It is a book on fishing and the good life, not necessarily in that order. A slice of life in Merry Olde England, circa 1653. Myself, I do not fish, but that is not the point, as the book is more of a meditation.

Izaak Walton was the son of an innkeeper by origin, an ironmonger by trade and a writer by vocation. He lived through the hectic and troubled times of the English Civil War, and this may have influenced him in his views. He retired from London to the countryside, and spoke about the slow life, calm, quiet, contemplative. Fly fishing was an art and a form of quiet meditation. Also, you could eat the fish.

The book can be considered a pastoral fantasy, a walk through the countryside of the time. It is made great by Walton’s exposition of natural history and the particular ecosystems of the rivers and forests and his general thoughts on a multitude of subjects.

Also, there is fishing. Which time of year each fish bites, what bait to use, how to make artificial lures (apparently, duck feathers work differently from pheasant feathers.) He talks of the problems of over-fishing and not maintaining the environment, touches upon the tragedy of the commons – a problem, he states, with rivers being that which belongs to all belongs to none. He speaks of the difference between making and enforcing legislation– there were types of fishing nets that were illegal to fish with since 1400s, but still were sold in the markets.

The book is in the form of a conversation, and not necessarily the easiest to read, but not difficult either. It starts as one between fisher – Piscator - and hunter –Venator- and becomes between master and apprentice, as Piscator teaches Venator the subtle art of angling. The hunter is skeptical at first, considering his passion more noble and interesting, but is quickly won over by the angler, who begins teaching his art, and talking about life (and about the importance of hunting otters, they eat fish you see, a nuisance really).

Throughout the book they travel the countryside along wood and river, staying in the meantime in good clean houses, with honest landladies. This was an important part of the experience. A good house should have clean rooms with clean bed-sheets smelling of lavender, and most importantly the landlady must dress your fish and make good ale. Ale was essential back then and not made industrially. Each hose made its own ale. These houses in the country were not large inns, like in fantasy literature, but more cozy affairs with a few rooms, but there were plenty of them and each traveler knew a few good ones.

In the book mister Walton speak of his morning drink being ale, but also on the importance of moderation, as he will drink no more until dinner (midday meal), and maybe one or two more in the evening, with good company and good conversation, to lighten the spirits. In the beginning of the journey, there is a plan to stop for the morning pint at a good, honest house before heading to the fishing grounds, the night being spent in a different one, where Piscator’s brother will meet them to make merry.

The host could cook, or as Mister Walton said, dress your fish as you liked, as you had a pint and talked at the end of the day. It is important to dress the fish just so, as it can make the difference between inedible and a great meal. Not all fish are created equal in 1600s England, the trout and eel being considered the best. At the bottom of the list was the chub, considered a bad fish, but which could be great if dressed as Mister Walton knew how. The key, as far as I see it, was lots of butter and some fragrant herbs. But mostly butter.

A chub

There are recipes for each fish, chub and perch, trout and carp, eel and pike. Some are braised in wine, baked in ovens or roasted over the fire, stuffed with herbs and mushrooms and oysters and, oh yeah, butter.

The European carp was an interesting fish for me, as it is very widely eaten in present day Romania, and many of the things said in the book still apply. The fish caught in running water are considered, in the book, much better than the ones from still water. Even today at Romanian fish mongers, there is a clear ranking in carp by quality and off course price. Wild caught is better than farmed, river caught is better than lake/pond fish. The best is Danube Carp, usually at least twice more expensive the farmed one.

Anyway I shouldn’t go on about it too much, as you can discover yourselves many more things. I highly recommend the book, it is free and available, and so give it a read if it sounds good to you, might be an interesting view of 350 years ago, give or take.