Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-28
KITCHEN MARKETING.
Features Observed Around the Pitts
burg Diamond Market.
THE CHINAMAN AND HIS WAYS
Of Supplying His Larder---He Wants the
Best, but is Close Dealer.
FEAST Or FAMINE FOB SOME MELIcANs

Aolu cares, OF lS uOb ODllHeu 10 COUNT ult
change at intervals to ascertain whether be
can afford the juicy beef-steak and roast, OF
must content himself with a plain boil, OF
can indulge in fresh succulent celery at 10
cents per bunch or taking counsel with his
pocket must choose paralyzed bunch
spent at the Diamond Market now
and then is profitable way to study
human character and good place to learn
how ''the other half of the world live" !"
Yesterday morning was a good one for this
/ purpose. The market was full of people,
and though most of them were in the usual
American hurry, they were forced for a
time to stay and exhibit their commercial
idiosyncrasies.
AS rule dealers like men best for Gus
toners. Most of them look upon attending
market for table supplies as disagreeable
task, to be slurred over as soon as possible,
and they are apt to take what is offered and
| pay for it without question, but skilled
| housekeeper of the other sex generally has
| time to make her choice and Is as tiresome
and exacting as though she were making
stopping tour with intent eventually to buy
aquarter yard of ribbon or spool of thread.
Ii she can save 25 or 80 cents of the weekly
table allowance it often means wealth to her
in addition to the pleasure her sex takes in
hackstering.
CHINESE CoNNoIssEURs.
There is class of people now in Ameri-
Interesting to ''barbarians," and that is
composed of the Chinese. They do not have
in this city wives to do their marketing, nor
do they need them, not apparently at least,
for if John does not get what he wants and
at the lowest possible outlay 1t is because he
IS laboring under narcotism, and doubtless
his native shrewdness would not desert him
even then. He cheapens everything, if
possible, that he buys, but he insists on
having just what he wants, and will pay
full price for it if it cannot be had for less.
The Celestial's particular weakness is for
poultry, especially for ducks, and he re-
fuses to buy slaughtered fowls. Some sup
pose this refusal to be based on some relig-
ious ground, butsuch does not seem to be the
case, as when he is forced to eat at restau-
rant he calls for "fied chicken and
eats it with gusto. In pouI-
you canuot put 30-year-old gander on him
for green goose. No matter what he buys,
he examines all the stock the dealer may
have of that kind, returning and re-return-
ing before he makes his choice, but first he
sounds all the dealers for bedrock figures,
and unless there is pre-concert finds the one
who is stuck with heavy stock on hand
and nervous to dispose of it.
JOHN WANTS THE TRIMMINGS.
A poultry, egg and butter dealer who has
borne the burden and heat of the day, and
the cold and wet thereof also, for many
years, and who deals almost daily
with the Chinese, states that the reason
they will not buy slaughtered poul-
try is that they eat almost the
entire fowl, barring the feathers, cleansing
the entrails and preparing them something
after the manner We do tripe. This dealer
thinks it possible they find favor in fowl
that we miss by our methods of preparation.
Their cookery is certainly elaborate, and
the fowl is served with a dressing partly |
made of a species of rat-tailed cucumber |
described in these columns some weeks ago. |
1t is an ollapodrida, and possibly would re-
quire precedent apprenticeship in Chinese |
gastronomy to relish. It is certain it is Just |
what John wants, for he never goes to a /
Melican eating house for hash if he possess |
the time and facilities for cookery at home.
There is also a class of native residents
we'll known by their peculiarities to food |
purveyors. They make good wages, and
when times are brisk fare sumptuously every
day, whether or not they are arrayed in
purple and fine linen. As they neither ask
nor expect tick, and thus save bookkeeping
and are better customers than the rich, they
receive courteous treatment from food deal
ers, though some butchers smile when tax
ing retrospect of 10 or 20 years. dealing
with them. This has been as rule
AN IMPRovIDENT CLASS
since the days of initiation until lately, and
when strike occurs it has usually been
limited in reserve to the last pay.
Then begins study in domestic
returns from market after the expenditure of
} dollar with as much bulk in her basket as
,he formerly got for $5. She goes in then
or extension, not consolidation. Slightly
Tithered vegetables can be made to expand
md water made to take the place of natural
uices, and very palatable, if not overly nu-
ritious soups can be compounded out of
hem and piece of plate boiling beefat6cents
pound apd a soup bone for nickel. Liver
It cents pound takes the place of steak
md roast at 25 cents, and as the bread win
Ter has not his usual occupation requiring
issue waste his distended food obviates the
ike horse when he is relieved from hard
york, SO there may be some compensation
or prodigal expenditure in the days of
prosperity. A strong man taken suddenly
rom hard. physical work is likely to over
at himself for some days after his labor
eases, and this fact ought to make rigid !
abbatarians charitable in their estimate of ,
be sons of toll who demand some relaxation
n Sunday to work off the effects of heavy |
unday dinner, which their appetites de- {
land as strongly as on week days, and con-
niue to demand after a cessation of work i
ntil dyspepsia attacks the citadel. I