The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-05-14
MARKETING.
Facts of Interest to Housekeepers and
Purchasers of Family Supplies.

Facts of Interest to Housekeepers and
Purchasers of Family Supplies.
1t is surprising, when one thinks oft,
how few persons there are who have
proper knowledge about marketing. es-
pecially in choosing meats. Even women
who consider themselves houSekeepers
are woefully deficient in this important
branch of domestic economy. Meats of
poor quality are not nutritious, and it
is cheaper in the end to pay more for
better meat. Great waste in this re-
spect could be easily avoided if only q
little time and trouble were taken to
learn the outward and visible signs of
prime and nutritiye beef. Housekeep-
ers who really possess this knowledge
should impart it to their children. In
this country, at least, it is often the
province of the husband to purvey for
his family; and in a great many cases,
if he depends upon the butcher to choose
for him. instead of being himself the
Judge of his own beef or mutton, as he
ought to be, he is certain to pay the
penalty of his ignorance by being put
off with inferior cuts and joints. By
way of suggestion on this subject. we
give few hintS.as TO what should be
kept in view in making a choice at the
butchers stall.
Good beef, when fresh, has a fine
grain and is of vermilliOn color, with
slight tint of purple on the cut sur
face. 1t is firm, but tender to the touch,
and is so elastic that no mark is left
after pressure from the finger. The fat
is vellowish white, like fresh butter. and
firm. Sometimes the lean is slightly
veined with fat, but it must have
no flavor of suet. The surface
must be quite dry when cut. scarcely
moiStening the finger. If clean knife
be pushed up to the handle into the
raw meat. the resistance will be uniform
if it be fresh, but if some parts are
softer than others it has begun to
decompose. When beef is lean.
coarse and sinewy looking it is old and
tough. Cow beef is coarse looking and
has white fat Mutton and lamb should
have a fine grain; the lean should be
bright and evenly tinted and the fat
perfectly white. In mutton the lean is
pale red. In hanging mutton, if it be
hung with the cut part up instead of
down, as usual, the juices will be far
better preserved. Veal should have
firm white fat and the lean have q
pinkish tinge. If the barbarism of
bleeding has been practiced the flesh
Will be quite white. Veal should be
six or eight weeks old before it is killed,
else it is unwhOlesOme. Too Young veal
may be detected by BLUSH tint. The
vigilance of the meat inspectors should,
however, prevent the immature veal
from entering the markets. In choosing
mutton or veal from the carcass the
quality may be determined from the fat
inside the thigh. If there be plenty of
clear, firm fat there, the meat is good.
Pork. when fresh and young. is smooth
and firm and the rind is thin. The lean
must be of uniform color and the fat
white and not at all streakcd. Sailed
cOrn-fcd pork has pinkish fat. A good
test of ham is to run knife under the
bone; if it comes out clean and smells
pleasantly the ham is good.
In choosing fish, see that the gills
are bright pink, the fins stiff and the
eyes clear and full; the scales and skin
must be bright. HOLSTERS and crabs
must be chosen by their weight as COM
pared with their size. When fresh, the
tail of Il lobster will quickly spring back
into pos:.ion after it is Strengthened. A
medium-sized lobster, with narrow tail
and heavy for its size, will be found to
be choice. In buying part of a large
fish, its freshness may be known by the
blueish tinge of the flesh and the rides
cence of the cut part. Il is not fresh if
the flesh be yellow. Flat fish. as Il rule,
keep better than round; they should be
chosen for their thickness rather than
for their size. Vegetables. when fresh,
are crisp. Cucumbers must be perfect
" firm and stiff. Celery breaks off
clean when fresh; if it be stringy, it has
been kept too long. Brussels sprouts,
asparagus and Savoy cabbage must be
green. while cauliiiower and sea kale
ought to be as white as possible. As 4
general rule, all goods are best when
cheapest, for they are then taken in full
season and most wholesome.-BOS
BUdgct.