San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1884-04-17
Meats.

OF late wears the "meat question has
been fraught with deep perplcxity to the
frugal housewife. That vegetarian theo'
ries have not grown in favor with the
American public in the same period is
prcsumptivc evidence against their rea,
sonableness Doctors and health jour
nails, meanwhile, unite in declaring that
as flesh consumers we surpass even our
ancestral beef-eaters. If "thc scarcity
of beasts of meat" is no longer II draw
ing-room topic, even fashionists do not
disdain to discaim against the cXtor.
ton of butchers, while insisting upon
the necessity of having meat in some
form as u part of each tri-daily meal.
remember better than the attack de-
serves to be rcco,lcctcd, the structures
of certain journal upon q mild effort
on my part to lead popular favor
toward simple breakfasts of rolls, boiled
eggs, tea or coffee, or if more substan-
tial food were demanded, toward ONE
lette, fondu and porridgc. "Such
trash" the writer protested; might do
for lazy men and literary women, but
the brawny laborer would not under
take days work after breakfasting
upon spongy composition of cream,
brcad-crumbs and eggs. He must
build up and sustain bone and muscle
with strong meat"
In this persuasion is rooted the rustic
devotion to salt pork, and the rustic
indifference to fruits and other vegeta-
bles than cabbage, onions and potatoes.
Given the pork, the average cook knows
but two ways of preparing it for the
craving stomachs of the ''men-folks. "
When she does not boil, she fries it.
"A bit of butchers meat is II luxury,
and as such, appears on the farmhouse
board but seldom unless when served
for visitors 1t is usually II part OF II
"crittcr" slaughtered in the ncighbor'
hood and pcddled by the slayer from
door to door, and here again the meth.
DDS OF cooking it are primitive and
few. If "a piece it is roasted, fast
and long If steak or chop, it is fried
slowly and until no more fat can be alb
sorbed and no more juice eXude. The
raw material is expensive; after the
second death-by fret is unmanagc.
able alike by dental and digestive appa'
ratus.
we eat too much meat, and pay toe
much for what we buy. What art
known to dealer and initiated purchaser
as the "hcst cuts" form so small pro.
portion of the whole animal that the
cnterprising 1ncat-ycnder is thrown up
on his imagination to supply enough o
these for really good customers. Hence
the phenomenal portcr-housc and ten
derloin, the iillcts and Spring-lamb tina
| disgrace ow houscwifery rs much Il
they eNcruciate our pocket-ncrveS. GU
merchant always fails TO understand il
He paid at wholesale within cont-and
a-half per pound of what he charges us
Mrs Senator Toploft ordered the othe
| JOINT or companion-cut for a grand din
ner-party, and sent word tn Mr.. Clcave
how much del GIFTED she was with it
We are all towards in the face o
sounding statements of this kind, no
one word Of which we believe, and W
avoid the speakers eye while we pa
'sshoice cut prices for chuck rib
round steak and "ram-lamb. "
The lesson Of this talk, which is il
danger Of waxing into i TRADE. is
when you can not afford TO pay for tn
best, ask boldly for the Sccond-bcSt
And out of this honest article, for whic
You pay something like an honest sum
make nourishing. savory food, by cook
Ing it properly and ingeniously. Ncve
buy tainted meat or fowl, but bear /
mind that coarse and choice" ar
comparative terms. and that roast j.
PEI s.. no more elegant q term tina
''sicwcd." Make study of mad
dishes and cleft overs" and do not d,
spisc> scraps always provided tha
these preserve their individuality, an
have not been huddlcd together int
''meSses. Marion Hdrlaad, in " J
Examiner.