Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-10-08
Daily Aennebee sournal.
HINTS TO HOUSEKEEPERS.

Mrs. Henry Ward Beecher, who, like
her husband, knows how to WELD fluent
pen, gives these practical bits of advice
to young housekeepers:
"In buying beef remember that ox-beef
is the best. The animal should be five or
six years old before il is killed if you
would have the best beef. If well TED 1t
will be fine grained; the lean should be
bright red color, and well mingled with
fat. If there is not a good quantity OF
fat RUNNING through it the beef will be
tough. and not well favored. The lat
should be rich clear white, just tinged
with yellow. and firm and the suet also.
Heifer or COW beef is paler than OK beef,
firmer grained. the fat a clear white. and
the bones smaller, but it is not as rich or
iuicv When the animal is too old, or
badly fed. it is of dark red, the fat skim
nv and tough, and in very old beef horny
substance will be found running through
the ribs. When it is pressed if the meat
rises quickly from the finger it is good;
but if the finger dent rises slowly, or not
at all, do not buy it. 1t is poor meat. The
sirloin and the middle RIBS are the best for
roasting. If you buy sirloin have it cut
from the ''chump end" which has good
undercut or fillet. The rump is often pre-
ferred by epicures, but being too large to
roast whole, roast is usually cut from
what is called the "chump end" Porter
house steak is the best for brolling, but
not the most economical. One rib is too
small for baking; it dries in cooking, and
is not good economy unless you take out
the bone, roll the meat and stuff it, when
it makes nice dish for small family.
Lamb should be small, pale red and
fat Best roasted. The leg, when the
lamb attains good size, is excellent
boiled.
Pork should never be bought except from
butcher whose honesty you are sure OF,
and who knows where the pork was fatten-
ed. 1t is not o very healthful meat at the |
best, and none should be used unless corn
fed. There is much bad or diseased pork
sold and it is very dangerous food. If the
flesh feels fabby or clammy to the touch it
is not good, and should not on any account
be used. If there are kernels in the fat
let it alone The fat should be hard, the
lean white and fine in the grain, and the
rind thin and smooth.
As soon as your meat of any kind is
brought home from the butchers wipe it
with a clean dry cloth If in summer you
find any 'hy-blows, which is very com
mon, cut them out at once, and no harm
will be done In the loins q long pipe
runs by the bone; that should be taken
out Immediately, or in a few hours it will
faint and spoil the whole joint If the
meat is not to be used at once, dredge it
with pepper. Powdered charcoal busted
over the meat will help to keep it sweet,
or will remove any faint already begun.
1t is wise to keep charcoal on hand during
warm weather; it is wonderfully eificaci-
Gus in preserving meat, and if busted
over it, while hanging. it can be washed
off when you are ready to cook it. Most
meat is more tender and easily digested if
kept hanging some time, and charcoal is
a great and reliable aid in preserving it.
Lamb and veal cannot be kept rs safely
as beef and mutton.
In choosing turkies and fowls bear in
mind that the male bird, if young, will
have smooth leg and short spur, eyes
bright and full, feet supple. The hen
may be juged by the same signs, and i'll
these are not found be sure the birds are
stale and old.
Ducks, geese, and pigeons should have
pliable feet; if stiff they are old. In all,
the vent should be firm; if discolored or
flabby they are stale This last sign should
be remembered in judging of all poultry
or game.
The eyes of fish should be bright, the
gills clear red, body stiff and smell not
unpleasant, or rather, not stale, for we
imagine that fish can never be of a pleas
ant smell, however palatable they may be
to the taste.
As far as possible buy all stores by the
quantity; if nothing else, you save the
weight of paper, no small item in the
course of a year; but there isalways some
reduction when an article is purchased at
wholesale. You save the retail commits
sion, if nothing more"