The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-01-12
MARKETING IN THE UNITED
STATES OF COLUMBIA.

The markets in South American cities
are situated in the largest pldzdS, Beef
IS sometimes good. but as the average
South American does not scruple to
use n animal that has met an acciental
death, families sojourning there prefer
90 buy their beef of resident who has
killed q steer for his own use. Owing
TO the scanty supply of ice and the in
tense heat all meat soon spoils. and the
natives depend largely upon tdsGjO or
ierked beef This Is beef sailed and
nung in the intense heat of the tropical
sun, where il soon dries, but acquires
very disagreeable odor, 1t is, however,
preferred TO fresh beef by native South
Americans and certain quantity Of
tdsdjo is Imported to New York markets
-very season to supply South Americans
who are residing in that city. In Bogota
taSdjo is fried and boiled, the favorite
modes of cooking with native cooks.
Mutton and lamb are found in market.
but they are stringy and poor. Chickens
vary in quality. No care is given fowls
N South America. They are left to
run wild and are apt to be tough. The
native cooks remedy this toughness by
boiling the chicken till it is in shreds
and nearly flAvorless. My adventure
some little friend, who attempted to go
to church without mantilla, visited
the market with an escort. Her face
was closely swathed in the detestable
head-covering and she could not exactly
see where she was stepping. Suddenly
she found under her feet the most
nideous green lizard, shorter than a
small alligator, but fully three feet long.
An iguana,' explained her husband
when she had recovered from her fright.
That ends marketing here she said.
but / was afterward amused to hear she
had become quite fond of iguana's eggs,
This lizard is favorite article of food
ITS flesh is similar to frog legs in flavor.
IL is kept in the cottages of the poor, as
domestic animal, chiefly for the sake
of the eggs, 1t is harmless little crea
ure which plays with the children and
runs abount the Tafters of the cottage
with the pet monkey. The natives never
allow its eggs used for food to be de
posted. but ut certain times they cut a
SLIT in the side of the creature and re-
move the string of eggs. The animal
crawls away and in day or two the
wound heals and iU seems to suffer nc
inconvenience. confess these eggs
seem very.unpalatable but they are re-
garded as a great deIicacy and are eaten
with avidity by everyone. Even the
monkeys devour them with relish. They
are quite similar in flavor to turtles
Eggs.
There is plenty of good fish in South
America. The dorado fish is very abun
dant aud so unwary of the fisherman
that the natives simply tie a piece ol
plantain to a string and it swims ashore
and is easily taken with a hand-net
Shell fish are poor in quality. The shelli
of South American oysters are so sof
that they crumble at the touch and arr
hopelessly mixed with the oyster
There are soft shell crabs in marke
about the size Of dollar. There is M
vinegar; the juice of the lime, delicious
substitute, takes the place of vinegar
The only butter in market is canned
Danish butter, which retails as 81 20 I
pound. 1t is excellent IN flavor, bu
where il is too expensive for ordinary
use, olive oil takes its place. The mar
kets at Christmas time present very
festive appearance and are gaily dressed
with branches OF Mandarin orange treeI
in fruit and hower.-f Amy Q. Shanks
in Good Housekeeping.