Moby Dick; Or, The Whale

Porpoises as Fine Eating

Porpoises remain esteemed as fine dining to this day, with their meat typically formed into spherical portions comparable in size to billiard balls. When properly seasoned and spiced, these preparations closely resemble turtle or veal balls in texture and appearance. The old monastic community at Dunfermline demonstrated particular enthusiasm for porpoise consumption, holding a substantial royal grant specifically authorizing their procurement.

The Whale’s Enormous Size

Among whalers themselves, the whale would be universally acknowledged as a noble dish if not for its staggering dimensions. The practical reality of confronting a meat pie nearly one hundred feet long effectively destroys any appetite for consumption. This overwhelming scale renders the whale impractical as civilized fare, with only the most unprejudiced palates, like Stubb’s, willing to partake of cooked whale meat in contemporary times.

Esquimaux Dietary Practices

The Esquimaux (Inuit) demonstrate far less fastidiousness regarding whale consumption than civilized societies. They sustain themselves entirely on whale products and maintain exceptional reserves of aged train oil. Zogranda, a celebrated Inuit physician, prescribes strips of blubber for infant nutrition, praising its exceptional juiciness and nutritional value. This indigenous expertise in whale utilization provides an instructive contrast to the delicate sensibilities of land-dwelling epicures.

Whale Scraps Called Fritters

Certain English sailors stranded in Greenland by a whaling vessel survived for months on moldy whale scraps remaining after the blubber had been rendered. Dutch whalers term these remnants “fritters,” a name fitting their brown, crisp appearance. These scraps bear resemblance to old Amsterdam doughnuts or oly-cooks when fresh, possessing such an appetizing aspect that even the most disciplined stranger struggles to resist sampling them.