The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-02-28
Household.

In order to facilitate the choice of the best
provisions the following signs OF good quality
should be attended to:
AS q general rule the best meat is that
which is moderately fat. Lean meat will be
| found to be tough and tasteless. Very fat
meat may be good but is not economical,
aud the butcher ought to be required TO cut
off the SUPERB nous suet before weighing il.
| BEEF.-rhe flesh should feel tender, have
fine grain and clear, red color. The fat
should be moderate in quality, and lie in
streaks through the lean. Its color should
be white or very light yellow. OK beef is
the best; heifer very good, il well fed; COW
and pull decidedly inferior.
| MUTToN.-The flesh, like that of beef,
should be of a good red color, perhaps a
shade darker. 1t should be fine grained
and well mixed with fat, which ought to be
| white and fira. Wether mutton is superior
to either ram or eve, and may be distin-
guished by having prominent lump of fat
on the inside of the leg at the bioadest 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.
| yEAL.-lts color should be light, with q
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
covered with fat. The proper age is about
young it is soft, dsbby 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.-This should be light colored and
fat and have delicate appearance. The
kidneys shosld be small and imbeded in
Il fat, the quarters short and thick and thu
i knuckle stiff. When fresh, the vein in the
forequarter will have u blush tint. If the
vein looks green or yellow it is sure sigr
of staleness, which may also be detected By
smelling the kidneys
PoR.K-Boil the flesh ,and the fat may b,
i white, firm, smooth and dry. When younl
and fresh, the lean ought to break wheI
Pinched with the fingers, and the skin
which should be thin, yield to the nails
The breed having short legs, thick neck anC
small head is the best. Six months is tn,
right age for killing, when the leg should
not weigh more than six or seven pounds
Messly pork is known by the fat beinl
notified with little Jumps and kernels anC
should be religiously avoided.
Generally ali meat, when not fresh, has
tainted smell about the kidneys, and tn,
eyes are sunk and shriyeled instead of being
plump and full.
| Bacon and ham may be considered COCO
when the rind is thin, the fat white and firm
and when the flesh adheres 70 the bone anC
has clear, darkish red color, not streaked
. with yellow. To test the perfect FRESHNESS
of ham, run knife into it close to the bone
and ii. when drawn out, it has no uhpleas
ant sERell and the knife is not smeared, tn,
ham Is fresh and good. IL either bacon O
ham have the slightest tinee of yellow il
the fat it will soon become rancid and unfl
for use.
Butter and cheese should be judged of b,
tasting them.
It is difficult to discover If an egg be fresh
The best plan is to hold it between the ey,
and lighted candle, close o the light
when, If il appear equally Transparent
throughout, at may be pronounced good
but If there are any cloudy spots apparent i
may be rejected as stale.
POULTRY.
Birds of all kinds are best when young
The thin bone projecting over the belly viii
4 then feel soft and gristly; il it be stiff ant
hard the bird is old. All poultry should b.
firm and heshy.
Fowls are best when short and nIump
with broad breast aud thick rump, the leg
smooth and the spurs short and blunt Tn,
biaek-legged kind are the most Juicy. II
capons the comb should be short and pale
in cocks, short and bright red. II fresh, tn,
vent will be closed and dark, yher
stale, 1t will be tainted and the eyes SUM
TURKEYs.-The same remarks apply Il
them as to fowls. When young the toes anC
bills are soft. Some persons prefer the ton