The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1883-04-26
SELECTING PROVISIONS.

InfnIHibIc Rules for Telling Good NIents,
Poultry. EGGS, Fish and Vegetables.
In order to facilitate the choice OF
the best provisions, the following
signs Of good quality should be at
tended to:
s MEATS.
AS a general rule, the best meat i3
that which is moderately fat. Lean
meat will be found to be. tough and
tasteless. Very fat meat may be good,
but it is not economical, and the
butcher ought to be required to cut off
the superduous suet before weigh
ing it.
Beef-The flesh should feel tender,
have fine grain and clear red color.
The fat should be moderate in quanti-
ty and lie in streaks through the lean.
Its color should be white, or very light
yellow. Ok beef is the best; heifer
very good, if we'll fed; cow and bull
decidedly inferior.
Mutton The flesh, like that of beef,
should be of a good red color, perhaps
a shade darker. It should be fine
grained and well mixed with fat, which
ought to be white and firm. Wether
mutton is superior to either ram or
eve, and may be distinguished by hav-
ing prominent lump Of fat on the
inside Of the leg; at the broadest part.
The flesh of the ram has very dark
color, and is of a coarse texture; that
of the eve is pale, and the fat yellow
and spongy.
Veal-Its color should be light,
with tinge of pink. 1t ought to be
rather fat and feel firm to the touch.
The flesh should have a fine delicate
texture. The leg bone should be
small, the kidney small and well cov-
cred with Fat. The proper age is
about two or three months. When
killed too young it is soft, habby and
dark colored. The bull calf makes
the best veal, though the cow calf is
preferred for some dishes on account
of the udder.
Lamb--Jhis should be light-colored
and fat, and have delicate appear
ance. The kidneys should be small
and imbedded in fat, the quarters
short and thick, and the knuckle stiff.
When fresh, the vein in the fore quar-
ter will have blush tint. If the
vein looks green or yellow it is sure
sign of staleness, which may also be
detected by smelling the kidneys.
Pork-Both the flesh and the fat
must be white, iirm, smooth and dry.
When young and fresh, the lean ought
to break when pinched with the fin
gers, and the skin, which should be
thin, yield to the nails. The breed
having short legs, thick neck and
small head is the best. Six months is
the right age for killing, when the leg
should not weigh more than six or
seven pounds. Measly pork is known
by the fat being mottled with little
Jumps and kernels. and should be re-
ligiously avoided.
Generally all meat, when not fresh,
has tainted smell about this kidneys,
and the eyes are shrunk End shriveled
instead of being plump and full.
Bacon and ham may be considered
good when the rind is thin, the fat
white and firm, and when the flesh
adheres to the bore, and has clear,
darkish red color not streaked with
yellow. Tc test the perfect freshness
Of ham, run knife into it close to the
hone, and if, when drawn out, it has
no unpleasant smell, and the knife is
not smeared, the ham is fresh and
good. If either bacon or han have
the slightest tinge Of yellow in the
fat, it will soon become rancid and
unfit for use.
BUTTER, CHEESE AND EGGS.
Butter and cheese should be judged
of by tasting them.
- Eggs--It is difficult to discover if an
egg be fresh. The best plan is to hold
it between the eye and a lighted c;ln-
die, close to the light, when, if it ap-
pears equally 7esrent throughout.
thereSsye any ~ spots apparent it
MAY Ue ItjeGIeu dS ottile.
POULTRY.
Birds of all kinds are best when
young. The thinsbone projecting over
the belly will then feel soft and grist-
"; if it is stiff and hard the bird is
old. All poultry should be firm and
tleshy.
Fowls are best when short and
plump, with broad breast and thick
ru1np, the legs smooth and the spurs
short and blunt. The black-legged
kind are the most juicy. In capons the
comb should be short and pale-in
cocks, short. and bright red. If fresh,
the vent will be close and dark when
stale, it will, be tainted and the eyes
sunk.
Turkeys-AThe same remarks appl
to these as to fowls. When young thy
toes aud bills. are soft. Some persons
prefer the tom turkey to the hen. 1
will here remark that, to my notion, the
flesh of the hen is whittier, tenderer and
sweeter eating than that of the tom.
For my use prefer a hen turkey of
ten or twelve pounds, though for
"show-piece'' your iive-and-twenty
FOUNDER is q grander spectacle to the
eye; and as to sweetness and flavor in
the turkey, / could never see that size
La anything to do with it. The flesh
of the wild turkey is much darker and
more perfumed than that of the domes-
tic turkey.
Geese-The flesh should be Of fine
light pink tint, the liver pale, the fat
white and soft, and the breast full and
plump. T In young goose the fe2t and
bill are yellow; in an old one reddish.
1t ought to have very few or no hairs
on the body.
Ducks Young ducks are dstin-
guished in the same manner as young
geese; the belly should be firm and
thick. The drake is the best eating.
Pigeons breast should be full
and plump, and the feet elastic. When
not fresh they are flabby and the vent
discolored.
4 stale fish furnishes such unmis-
taxable evidences Of it's condition, both
to smell and sight, that the merest
novice who should purchase it would
be inexcusable. When perfectly fresh
the body is stiff and elastic; the glls
close, red, difficult to open; the fins
lying flat to the sides; the eyes bright
and full, the scales glistening and
firmly attached TO the body. When