Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-02-18
Animal Food and its Preservation

Animal Food and its preservatiOn.
AS general thing, we eat double
the animal food that we ought. A
certain portion is undoubtedly needed
to secure a proper physical develop
ment and to sustain bodily and metal
strength but the excessive use of
flesh diet, stimulates the passions,
stupcfies the brain, and fills the whole
system with disease.
For persons of sedentary habits,
end for children, a moderate supply
of animal food once day-and that
as near the middle of the day as posi-
ble-is sufficient. Besides reason
able amount at the MONDAY meal,
for those who lead active lives-la
boring much in the open air, or with
III doors, at occupations which make
great demands upon the bodily ener-
gies-a small quantity of meat at
breakfast is necessary. More than
this is intempcrance, as deleterious,
if not quite so disgusting, as intern,
perance in the use of ardent spirits.
1t is true, the season has something
to do with this matter, the appetite
craving larger quantities of meat, on
account of its heat imparting proper
ties, in cold than III warm weather.
But less hearty nourishmcnt when
we'll cooked and furnished in abund-
ance, is to be preferred for three
quarters of our diet W ere plenty of
heat is obtained by means of com
Portable rooms and warm clothing.
The expense of animal food is also
no small consideration in the manage
ment of family. No housekeeper
need be told, in these days of high
prices, that the very most should be
made of everything that comes under
that name, still the best of cooks,
and the most prudent, waste 1--WE will
call it lose) much that, with little
ingenuity, may furnish many pala-
table and nutritious dish.
A great deal depends, too, upon a
thoughtful, obscrvant care for the
preservation as well as best use OF
meat and fish-even more than for
fruits and vegetables, because, by
neglect, what is really, healthtul and
wholesome, becomes frequently a
noAious poison-is, indeed, often
unwittinglv served at table when in
that condition.
In order to preserve animal food
from decay, it shold lose its natural
heat as soon as possible after killing,
and then be kept cold until it is cook
ed. Fresh meat and fish may be kept
in good condition great while when
frozen, but at the first 81 gns of 1haw-
ing they must be cooked, rs decay
then follows rapidly. During the
winter, closets, boxes or tubs whel e
these articles of food can be placed
and snow or ice retained without
melting, are a great convenience for
housekeepers.
Ice-houses and refrigerators are
desirable where they can be had for
summer use. Even the simple ar
rangements just mentioned can be
made available, however, in warm
weather-the ice being kept from
melting rapidly by wrapping it in
wooden cloth; but there must be
great pains taken to cleanse and ven
tilate often both these reccptacles
and the ice cloths. The shelves and
walls of ice-houses and refrigerators
also need to be frequently attended
to for the same pu, pose, lest the flavor
ofsome articles of food becomes in
jurcd by the concentrated exhalations
of different dishes, or from contact
with the crumbs sometimes carelessly
suffered to lie around. Most persons
who rejoice in the luxury of a aceN
know how convenient a close closing
bucket-better still tier Of tightly
fitting hoxes-is for atfording this
desired GOODNESS, that is ii a windass
or some similar continuance is employ
ed to raise it easily.
Ifnone of these conveniences are
available the housekeeper will wipe
all moisture from the meat that is to
be kept fresh, shake a little fine salt
over tie bare flesh and into all its
crevices, and then, screening it from
the flies, set it in the cellar or in the
coolest Aries, place she can command,
until it can be cooked. Use the same
care and precaution with all sorts of
fresh meat. If it sloulI get slightly
tainted, cover it with fine charcoal.
for few hours before cooking.
Salt is considered the best preser-
vative for meats and fish, as, while
preventing decay, it retains their
tibres in natural state. Dessication
-drying-causing an evaporation,
or concentration of the juices, and
consequent hardening of the fibres,
is at times a desirable process OF
preservation; but unless such food is
properly cooked it is exceedingly
indigestible. The antiseptic proper
ties of smoke are also called in for
keeping flesh and fish from decay
the flavor which it imparts being
agreeable to some palates; and
though smoked meats are not SO
healthtul as the fresh, they can be
used sraringly with no i'll effects.
Spices, too, sometimes serve in the
same capacity; but not much of such
preserved food is to be commended.
all these methods, sailing or corn
ing it the least Objectionable. When
properly performed, and the salt food
well cooked, its occasional use makes
variety in diet, and it is scarcely
less nutritious and salutary than
when in its fresh state; while, for
obvious reasons, it must be the chief
dependence for an economical man
agemeDt Of much Of our animal food.
Cor. ". Il. Eit1n.er.
How TO Clear Our Lands Of Weeds.
There is prom;scuons mixing up OF
seeds in moist soils. These will not