The Osceola times., 1882-03-11
FOR THE HOUSEHOLD.
Selecting Meats-Tea and CofYee-Health
Hints-Recipes for Cooking.
SELECTING MEATS.

There are not many house keepers who
have any thorough knowledge about
meats. the condition in which it ought
TO be bought its appearance when 1t is
unfit for use, and the most desirable cuts
to purchase. This sort OF knowledge is
most essential, especially when there
exists so little conscience on the part OF
the butchers. One fact should be re-
membered and that is that in the pur-
chase of meats, as in everything else,
the best is the cheapest. Cheap joints
always include large bones and sinews;
such joints should be used for soup and
gravies For roasting and boiling choose
the better cuts, such as legs Of mutton
and veal, ribs, sirloin and round OF beef
Ok beef, when good and young. has a
fine open grain and good red color; the
fat is firm and white. The grain OF COW
beef is closerand the color darker. When
the fat Of beef is hard Iand skinny, and
the lean of deep red, it is very inferior
Old meats may be known by line Of
horny texture running through the meat
Of the ribs The cuts known as chuck,
brisket and round, are the least desir-
able. Sirloin and middle ribs are best
for roast ting.
In choosing mutton, look for frmness
and fineness of grain, good color and
firm, white fat. Lamb should be fresh
The vein in the neck of lamb is blue
when the meat s fresh, but turns green
when kept too long. In buying hind
quarters, examine the kidney; there will
he slight smell if the meat is not as
fresh as il should be. Veal is generally
preferred when the meat is delicately
white, but it is better favored and more
Juicy when the color is little deeper.
70 test veal look at the loin: If the kid
ney, which will be found on the under side
of one end Of the loin, is enveloped in
firm and white fit, the meat is certainly
recently killed and undoubtedly good.
The kidney always changes first, and
then the meat is nabby and spotted, and
the suet SOFT Neg Y9rk Tribune.
COFFEE AND TEA.
In a lecturc at Dearborn Seminary,
Chicago, Mrs. Emma 7. Ewing remarked
that millions of pounds of coffee are used
annually rs beverage, yet it is well
known fact that large proportion of the
liquid infused from this fayori,e berry is
such execrable slop that the complaint OF
its vileness is almost universal. This re-
ceipt viii always insure excellent coffee:
Mix the ground coffee with the white of
an egg and little cold water, stirring
them well together; add one-third of the
amolnt required Of cold water, and set
the pot on the stove where it will heat
gradually. As soon as it comes to a boil
add another portion Of toe water, and in
like manner the third portion. After
the whole quantity of water has been
added, let it boil at once, pour little
cold water into the pot, remove from the
stove, and after standing few minutes
to settle, it will be ready for use. This
method, which is still simple, is also
good: Mix the ground coffee with a
small quantity Of cold water to paste,
and let il steep for an hour or longer.
When needed add as much boiling water
as desired, and let it stand for ten sr
fifteen minutes where il will keep hot
bat not boil. Cold water makes 2 strong
er infusion, and extracts the aroma of
coffee better than hot water-and allow
ing il to reach the boiling point destroys
the taste of rawness Incident to most
coflees stepped in or filtered with boiling
water. A little cold water poured into
the pot Immediately after coffee boils
SETTLES 1t nicely without the use of egg
or isingly, and makes it much clearer
than the article usually concocted by the
average cook But it does not clarity
perfectly. The lecturer believed the
proportions that best suited the average
taste were two large tablespoonfuls of
ground coffee 10 each pint of water, and
said the most delicious coffee she had
ever drank was made Of mixture of
one part Mocha, two parts Java, and two
parts Rio, and prepared according to the
first receipt given above. The flavor of
coffee, she continued, is very materially
improved for most persons by the ad-
dition of good cream, but when cream
cannot be obtained, nice boiled milk is
an excellent substitute, aud is even bet
ter than poor quality of cream. Tea to
he good, must be made with boiling wa
ter, but should not be boiled. Put the
tea in the pot-a teaspoonful to each cup
of water is about the proper quantity II
the tea is of good quality; let the pot re-
main on the corner of the stove or rance
till well warmed, then pour enough OF
boiling water in the tea TO thoroughly
saturate it. Let it steep ten or fifteen
aainutes, then pour on all the boiling
water needed, and the tea is ready for
use. Unless the pot is perfectly clean
and the water fresh boiled, the tea will
be apt to taste flat and smoky. The
gases absorbed by water give it brisk,
agreeable flavor, and when water is boil
ed for length of time these gasses are
drawn off, and will not make tea of the
best quality. When coffee is made with
boiling water the same is true in regard
to it, although the difference between
fresh and stale boiled water is not SO ap-
parent 10 the taste in coffee as in tea
Reboiled water is subject to the same OBJ
lection, and sh uld not be used in mka-
ing either tea or coffee.
HEALTH HINTS.
Don't toast your feet by the fire, but
try sunlight friction instead.
Don't neglect to have at least one
movement Of the bowels each day.
Don't drink ice water by the glass;
take it in sips, a swallow at time.
Don't est snow to quench thirst; il
brings on inflammation of the throat.
Don't try to keen up on coffee and
alcoholics when you ought to 90 to bed.
Don't strain your eyes by reading or
working with insufficient or a flickering
light.
Don't use the eyes for reading or fine
work in the twilight of evening or early
morn.
Don't try to lengthen your days by
cutting short your nights rest; it is poor
economy.
Don't wear close, heavy fur or rubber
caps or hats, il your hair is thin or falls
out easily.
4. L.