The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-10-11
HINTS For CARVING

A thing that strikes a visitor in many
household unfavordbly is the fact that
the roast, be it joint or bird, comes on to
the table carved (cut up would be
better term) instead of being carved by
the head of the house when all are seated
at the table.
Carving Is an art!" you eXclaim
Very well, then practice the art till you
have mastered It, 1t will not take
life time to learn the anatomy of tur-
key or the general formation of a roast
of beef. Practice and few hints ought
to make you a reasonable carver In a
few weeks and enable you to serve your
Christmas dinner as 1t should be DONE
In this respect.
First and an essential thing to carving
is good knife, fork and steel. No blade
of an inferior quality should be accepted
even as gift. Get the best and keep it
sharp. The steel will aid you in this and
its use should be studied to get the best
results. Now there are many different
ways of cutting up a roast but in fact
but few correct ways, generally speak
ing but one. This correct method is the
one you should aim to master and /
Will try and point out in general terms
what l consider it to be.
AS first lesson we choose turkey as
a subject and assume that it is before
you on the dining table. Your seat to be
best adapted to the work before you
should be a little higher than the or
binary chair as it is not good form to
stand when carving and in a low seat
you are at a disadvantage. Carving
depends upon skill and not upon strength
So the conditions should be of the best.
Place the dish so the head of the tur
key is fartherest from you and begin
the attack by sticking your fork into
the wing and drawing it back toward the
leg, pass yoNr knife underneath and you
will easily remove it at the joint. Next
slip your knife between the leg and the
body to cut through the joint and with
the fork turn the leg back and the joint
will give way. Separate the drumstck
from the second joint as it is often dried
In cooking and not desirable while the
second joint is esteemed by many as the
choice cut of the turkey
The wing and leg from one side being
removed you cut slices from the breast
securing the white meat so much es
teemed by many. Turn the turkey over
and repeat the operation on the other
side and then enter your knife into the
breast over the lucky bone and loosen it
lifting it with your fork, cut off the neck
and side strips of meat and you have left
before you the skeleton of bird which of
course you will put aside to serve later
as an aid in the preparation of soup
stock for a later meal These rules in
general apply to the carving of all fowl
and If followed will enable you in a short
time to carve with neatneSs and dis
patch.
In carving leg of pork, mutton or
ham begin across the middle cutting the
slices quite down to the bone. The ham
especially should be cut thin as it's flavor
is not so marked when cut thick.
Rib or siroin beef should also be cut
thin. 1t is a rule never to serve the
first or outside slice unless your guest
request a cut of that kind. In fact this
applies to all kinds of roasts, All meats
should be carved across the grain is
the general rule for carving
Game birds like woodcock, quail and
small grouse are simply split down the
back giving each person one-half a
bird with fair proportion of the stuff
hng,
In carving steaks of all kinds be care
full and never serve any bone to your
guests This it is your duty as carver to
remove, leaving it on the platter.
Practice is what will be needed to
make you proficient in all the essentials
of carving. The head of family should
not neglect this part of his duty and he
will not if he regards the favor Of those
who share his hospitality.
LOUIS ROLE.