The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-07-01
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
How to BUY Food.


of advice to young housekeepers:
In buying beef, remember that OK
beef is the best. The animal should he
five or six years old before it is killed,
if you would have the best beef lfwcll
fed it will be fine grained ; the lean
should be a 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 fat should be rich
clear white, just tingcd with yellow, and
firm; and the suet also. Hefer or cow
becfis paler than OK beef, irmer grained,
the fat clear white, and the bones
smaller; but it is not as rich or juicy.
When the animal is too old, or bad fed,
it is of dark red, the fat skinny 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; it is poor meat
The sirloin and the middle ribs are the
best for roasting. you buy sirloin,
have it cut from the "chump end )"
which has a good undercut or fllct.
Tho rump is often preferred by epicures,
but being too large to roast whole, a
roast is usually cut from what is called
the "chump end" Porter-house steak
is the best for broiling, but not the most
economical One rib is too small for bak-
ing; 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 a small family.
Veal should be small and white, the
kidney well covered with fat II the
calf is over ton weeks old, the meat will
be COARSE. The flesh should be dry and
white. II coarse-grained, moist and
clammy. have nothing to do with it.
The fillet, loin, and shoulder are the best
for roasting. The breast, we'll cut and
jointed, makes fine stew or pot-pie,
and is better economy than when baked
or roasted. Veal is excellent to make
stock for soups; the knuckle or the
poorer parts of the neck are just as
good for soup as the more expensive
parts.
Mutton should be dark colored, and
have plenty OF fat. The color deter
mines the age, and age is considered a
mark of excellence in mutton. All the
joints may be roasted-but the saddle,
and next to that the haunch-thc leg
and loin undvided-are the best chops
are cut from the loin, outlets from the
leg, the best end of the neck, or thick
end of the loin. The leg and neck are
often boiled
Lamb should be small, pale rcd, 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 fattened. 1t is not very health
full 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 nabby
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 butcher, wipe it
with clean dry cloth. If in the sum-
mer you find any hy-blows," which is
very common, cut them at once and no
harm will be done In the loins long
pipe runs by the bone; that should be
taken out Immediately, or in few hours
it will faint and spoil the whole joint
If the meat is not to be used at once,
drcdge it with pepper. Powdered char
coal busted over 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 Won
derfully efficacous in preserving meat
and if busted over it, while hanging, it
can all be washed off when you are
ready to cool it. Most meat is more
tender and easily digested if kept hang
ing some time, and charcoal is great
and reliable aid in preserving it. Lamb
and veal cannot be kept as safely as
beef and mutton.
In choosing turkeys 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 judged by the same signs
and if 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; il dis
colored or fabby, they are stale. This
last sign should DO remembered in judg-
ing of all poultry or game.
The eyes of fish should be bright, the
gills clear red, body stiff, and smell not
rather, not stale-for
we imagine that fish can never be of
pleasant 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 the year; but there is
always some reduction when an article
is purchased at wholesale You save
the retail commission, if nothing more