Evening star., 1901-10-29
Table ana Kitchen.
POSSIBILITIES 0BlIHAM AS A CHIEF
OR A siDE DISH.


In some householdsthis meat is the stand
by, but this is generally the case only
when the housewifefds' so far removed from
the market she cannon at short notice OBJ
tain fresh meat. sssna
In some households the appearance of
cold boiled or fried ham indicates a de-
pleted larder. Ham isT not cheap meat,
as many seem to edf1iagine. Neither is it
easily digested on account of its close, dry
fiber and large amount Of fat. All fat
meats contain proportionately less water,
and with the greater,eamount of waste, as
in ham, are more liable to clog the system
unless sufficient water is taken in to elimi-
nate this waste.
As a Force Producer.
Ham is force producer; as are all fat
meats, while pound of boiled him will
not set free through digestion and exida.
tfon within the body the same amount of
force a pound of beef fat, 1t gives about
the same proportion available for external
work
Ham is meat better suited for those en-
gagged in outdoor and manual labor than
the merchant clerk or literary worker.
With this class it should be only an occa-
sional indulgence in the form of an ap-
petizer and accompanied with such other
foods as will aid in it's complete digestion.
The principal danger to the average in
QlVlQudl, III eating PORK ana nam especially,
lies in the fact that 1t is a meat too liable
to be infected with the most loathsome
disease germs. Thorough cooking will de-
stroy these no doubt, but ham, which is
seldom if ever too well done, is generally
the meat selected for hurried meal, ''be-
cause SO easily and quickly CD cooked"
While most informed persons condemn the
hog from their knowledge of the dangers
which lurk in his anatomy, environment
has something to do with the quality and
| wholesomeness of the meat. This is a
point which is well to be considered by
those who relish pork and will indulge in
spite Of risks and admonitions
The southern hog that is allowed the
freedom of forest and brake lives on roots
and nuts principally and is comparatively
clean and healthy animal and his meat
more digestible and sweeter in flavor with
fat and lean more evenly distributed.
The Ham Fair.
This is not, as might suppose, held
! in Limerick or Cork Ireland, or even in
an English shire, but in Paris, the home
of culinary artists who excel in dainty
and more ethereal creations than "boiled
ham" But if in Paris in the spring go
to the Boulevard Richard Lenor, if you
are lover of ham and pork, and you will
| find the ''ham fair In all it's glory and the
! air filled with the sweet brown odor of ba-
| con. Not only do you find different dis
| tricts of France represented by some par
| ticular kind of sausage, pork cakes or
| cured pork, but Switzerland and Italy send
| choice products. t.s
| Cook Shop Ham.
One of the catering features of London
| has been introduced very successfully in
| this country. This 7iss the bakeshop ham,
| ready cooked and sold, entire or sliced and
by the pound like bacon. The latter is
very extravagant way to buy it. for those
who desire the lean part must pay for the
waste Of fat that must be trimmed of. The
| American cookshop ham is not to be COM
pared to that obtained in London shops.
| Our method is too hurried and careless, and
| instead of the tender, Juicy meat, as dainty
as beef tongue, we have hard, dry and
| half-cooked meat. r..
London Boiled Ham.
With a stiff, dry brush clean off every
particle of mold or dust from the ham; put
to soak in cold water for half an hour and
then wash it thoroughly. Take a sharp
pointed knife and trim off the hard surface
from the butt of the ham; then cover with
cold water and place over very slow fire
tthe English use a COPPER boiler). The wa
ter must heat very, slowly to boiling point.
The moment this point IS reached the fire is
raked away and. leaving the bolIer closely
| covered, the ham Is allowed to cool In the
| liquor. This makes the meat tender and
| juicy and there Is no loss of weight. 1t
must be borne In mind that the ham Is
! placed over an open fire in a very large cop
| per boiler, which heats slowly, but retains
the heat a much greater length Of time than
| vessels made of other metal; thus the ham
has sufficient length of time to cook thor
| oughly while heating to the boiling point
| and after the fire Is removed. Our mode Of
| cooking obliges US to keep the ham at gen.
| tie simmering point after the boiling point
has been reached, in order to have the ham
| well done and tender.
Allow at least twenty minutes for every
| pound, never less. Give a twelve-pound
ham four hours. and 1t is safe to allow lit
tie over, unless you find the meat leaving
| the bone. A small ham requires a little
| more time in proportion.
Yorkshire Boiled Ham.
After the ham has been cooked as above
if it is to be served cold, cover it with but
tered paper and put IN moderately hot
| oven and bake one hour.
Roast Ham.
Brush the ham and soak for twelve hours
in cold water; then place in deep earthen-
ware pan and soak for twenty-four hours
| in white wine or rather sharp apple cider.
Add to the wine or cider a large onion
| Sliced several carrots sliced: small bunch
of parsley and thyme and half dozen bay
| leaves. Cover very closely SO the air will
not get to the ham. When soaked, put 1t
| in pan and roast in not too hot an oven.
| Allow twenty minutes to each pound. BaSte
frequently with the liquor in which it was
soaked and use same, strained, for max
ing clear, brown sauce. Serve with a
| border of spinach green's.
Fried Ham for Breakfast.
Slice the ham the night before; trim
neatly, leaving narrow border of fat.
Cover each slice with cup Of cold water
in which tablespoonful of sugar has been
| dissolved. This softens and freshens the
meat and gives 1t a fine flavor. Wipe the
slices dry before putting them into the fry
| ing pan.
| CrOutOns of Ham.
Chop cold boiled ham very fine, season
with chives, cayenne, minced parsley and
little melted butter to moisten. To each
cup of ham add yolks of two eggs. beaten
slightly. Stir over the fire until heated, but