The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1881-11-17
HOUSEHOLD L
CARRYING OR PREPARING MEATS.

OARvING OR PREPARING MEATS.
A caterer in New York City furnishes
the following interesting article to the
Household IN the carving or preparing
of meats for the table:
In preparing meat for the table,
and in laying out the table, refer
ence ought to be had to the carving
department, a very onerous n to all
and to some a very disagreeable one.
The first requisite is a sharp knife, and
if to be used by a lady, light and handy;
dexterity and address in the manner of
using it being more acquired than
strength, either in the knife or the carver.
First a napkin should be spread under
the platter so that the edges are hardly
discernable, and yet large enough to pro-
tect the cloth, 81 that it may be clean
when the platter is removed. The seat
should be sufficiently high for the carver
to have a complete command over the
joints, and the dish should be sufficiently
deep and capacious so as not to endan-
ger the splashing of the gravy. Itshould
also be placed as near to the carver as
possible, leaving for his or her
plate. A knife with a long blade is re-
quired for a long feshy joint; for ham or
bacon, q middling sized, sharp-pointed
one is preferable, and for poultry or
game a short knife and sharp-pointed is
the best. Some like this knife q little
curved.
As fish is the first thing to be carved
or served, it has first place. In helping
fish, take care not to break the flakes,
which in cod and fine fresh salmon aud
some other sorts are large. A fish trowel
is necessary. not to say indispensable in
serving many kinds of fish, particularly
the larger sort.
In carving salmon cut slices along the
backbone and also along the flank. The
flank or thin rartis the best and richest,
and preferred by all ~gourmands. The
back Is the most solid and thick. The
tail of salmon is not so fine as other
parts. The head is seldom used. The
liver, milt or roe, are generally served,
but seldom eaten.
In carving mackerel the troweI should
be carried under the meat, horizontally
over the backbone, so as to raise one
side of the meat from the bone. Remove
the bone and serve the other side of the
fish. When fresh, well cleaned and
well done, the upper end is considered
the best. The roes are much liked.
In carving fowls, as the legs are always
bent inwards and tucked into the belly
before it is put on the table, the skewers
by which they are secured ought to be
removed. The fowl should be laid on
the carver's plate, and the joints, as they
are cut of, placed on the dish. In taking
off the wing, the joint only must be
divided with the knife, for, by lifting up
the pinion of the wing with the fork, and
then drawing it towards the legs, the
muscles will separate in q much better
form than you can effect by cutting with
n knife. Next place the knife between
the leg and body and cut to the bone :;
turn the leg back with the fork and the
joint will give way if the fowl be young
and well done; the neck bones are taken
off by putting in the knife and pressing
it under the long, hard part of the bone;
then lift the neck-bone up and break it
off from the part that sticks to the breast.
The breast itself has now to be divided
from the body by cutting through the
tender ribs close to the breast quite
down to the tail, then lay the back up
wards, put the knife into the bone Ealf
way from the neck to the rump. and on
raising 1t the lower end will readily
separate. The first thing to be done is
to turn the rump from you and neatly
W IN Oh II V"O oAiCo GFtO11 pau
should be neatly arranged on the dish,
or served out as desired by the guests.
A turkey should not be divided until
the breast is disposed of. Begin cutting
close to the breast bone. ~scooping round
so as TO leave the mere pinions. Each
slice s-ould carry with it a portion of the
stuffing or force meat, with which the
craw is stuffed,
cartridges are carved like fowls, but
the breast and wings are not often
divided, the bird being small. Pigeons
may be cut in two, either from n end
to the other of the bird or across. A
goose or duck should be cut with as
many slices from the breast as possible,
and served with q portion of the dressing
to each plate. When the meat is all
carved, and not till then, cut off the
joints; but, observe the joints of water
fowls are wide spread and go further
back than those of land fowls.
A roast pig is generally slit down the
middle in the kitchen, and the cook gar
nishes the dish with the jaws and ears.
Separate q shoulder from the carcass on
one side, and then do the same thing
with the leg. Divide the ribs, which
are frequently considered the most
choice part, into two or three helpings,
presenting an ear or jaw as far as they
will go, and plenty of sauce. Some per
sons prefer the leg, because not SO rich
or lucious as the ribs. The neck end,
between the shoulders is also sometimes
preferred. The joints may be divided
into two each, or pieces may be cut from
them.
In carving beef, mutton, lamb and
veal, thin, smooth and neat slices are de-
sirable cut across the grain, taking care
to pass the knife through to the bones of
the meat.
A ham may be carved in several ways.
First, by cutting long delicate slices,
through the thick fat, in the center,
down to the bone: or by running the
point of the knife in the circle of the
middle and cutting thin, circular slices,
thus keeping the ham moist, and last,
and most economically, by beginning at
the knuckle and slicing upward.
A tongue should be carved as thin as a
wafer, its delicacy depending a great
deal on this, and a well-cut tongue will
tempt the most fastidious. A beef's
heart should also be cut in the same
way.