Evening star., 1903-09-22
PLENTY VARIETY NOW
WHAT TO "GET FOR A CHANGE" Is
EASY.
Oysters, Game and Vegetables Are
Plentiful-Dishes Suggested
and Described.
Written for The Evening Star.

hasty procession of the seasons when gar
dens. orchards and markets offer a wider
variety to choose from than just now. In
stead of the housewives puzzlng her brains
over what to get for a change the trou-
BILE comes in deciding what to select out of
the abundance offered.
Oysters, those delightful forerunners Of
the feast, are back again. Shrimps are
plenty and the delicate smelt invites close
acquaintance. Rumor has 1t that the catch
of Goldfish on the Newfoundland banks Is
falling off. but 1t will be time enough to
consider that later when the days for
creamed Goldfish and Goldfish balls come
round.
Plump. tender chickens are now at their
best, far cry from the clammy, cold-stor-
age, malodorous birds tnat offend eye, nos
tril and palate farther on. The plentiful
early fall rains have assured a bountful
supply of that dainty fungus the mush-
room. and the epicure Is alive to the fact
that September heralds the coming Of all
varieties of game in plenty.
The green grocer stalls look like an old
time display at the county fair, with squash
celery, eggplant. beans, corn. tomatoes, Gu
cumbers, cauiflower and host of lesser
lights inviting to take. eatT while the
fruiterers Is brilliant and aromatic with
spicy grapes and crab apples, peaches
pears and apples red, green and yellow
All hail-September!
The arrival of the game season does not
appeal to the average housewife as 1t
should. and as the man of the house doubt
less wishes. She does not always know
just how to cook it. and its price, she ar
gues puts 1t out of the reach Of a moderate
income.
On the contrary, an extra expense of this
kind may be easily balanced by curtaflment
in some other direction. while dish of
broiled quail, SQUAD. pair Of the many sort
of game ducks or roast or stew of venlson
admit of a pleasant change in the everlast-
ing routine of beef, mutton, veal and pork.
With game of any sort good currant
jelly is a welcome accompaniment. though
with some varieties orange. grape fruit or
black currant are preferred. Served with
a crisp salad a delightful combination for
a new course Is offered for the September
home table or social function.
In cooking quail there is no better way
than to roast them. Drain with plenty of
salt and red pepper. If something a little
more elaborate Is desired try broiling them
with bacon.
Take a half dozen quail. wipe carefully
with a damp cloth-but do not wash-split
them, break the long bones and season
them with mixture of salt, pepper and the
best olive oil. The oil Is an absolute neces-
sity on account of the absence of fat in the
muscular tissues of game.
Have a red-hot broilng oven-or clear
fire-and broil for six minutes each side.
Arrange six slices Of delicately Drowned
toast on hot platter, place the birds on
them and toast well with mixture made
by creamng one ounce of butter, then fla
voring 1t with half teaspoonful of finely
chopped parsley, the juice of half lemon.
and. If desired, faint suspicion Of nut
meg. Garnish with delicately broiled thin
slices Of bacon and watercress.
Reed Birds.
Reed birds are skinned and cooked whole.
but rarely cleaned The most approved
way Of cooking them Is to put three or
four on skewer and broil; or wrap them
one by one in salt pork or bacon-put on
a skewer and roast seven or eight minutes
in a hot oven and serve on slices Of fried
hominy with water cress or nice white chic
ory. Sometimes they are cleaned and
stuffed with little sweet potato before
wrapping In bacon and broilng. In nearly
all the larger cities the most of the reed
birds found in the markets are sparrows
When these have been fed on grain. IT takes
connoisseur in game to distinguish the
difference
Venison, which is now at its very best
may be roasted. broiled. stewed or served
in hash according to the cut
The saddle Is the choicest morsel and
should be roasted. AS venison is a dry
meat, 1t should be larded with strips of
firm, fat pork. seasoned with salt and pep
per and roasted in a hot oven basting
frequently. Gourmets insist upon having
claret used in the basting 1t should he
served rare and very hot, for venison chilJs
easily and Is not at all palatable when
cold. 10 not wait to make gravy but
use instead the dish gravy or Juice Ac-
company 1t with cranberry. grape. plum
or currant (red or black) Jelly, and serve
with sweet potatoes, caulif1ower or sninacb
simple salad OF cabbage, celery or let
tuce served with a French dressing is mora
suited to venison dinner than a mavon-
naise.
There are many delicious ways OF us,ng
cold Venison, Of which. perhaps. this is the
best: ~ " 'iio
cubes about an inch square. Put the homes
and trimmings of the meat into a saucenan
with one onion sliced. a shopped carrot a
spi,s OF parsley and four cloves. Cover with
boiling water and simmer slowly for an
hour. Strain and put in a cool place Put
two heaping tablespoonfuls of butter over
the fire in a clean saucepan, add two and
ha!f 7, heaping ne tablespoons of flour, and stir
until 1t begins to brown Add the strained
stock to this mixture. season with salt
pepper and teaspoonful Of the housewives
STANDARDIZATION bouquet-and cook for ten
minutes. Then add the cut yenison which
for this amount Of dressing should be about
quart. When thoroughly heated through
add a half pint Of mushrooms and q ptII of
sherry. and cook ten minutes longer. Make
a border of French peas around a hot
platter, pour the prepared venison inside
and serve at once
Among the sauces that go especially we'll
with game Of any sort are the following:
Bread Sauce-Parboil q white onion and
chop fine. Throw cold water over 1t, then
press the water out and throw away Put
the onion into a saucepan with a pint of
boiling milk. two tablespoonfuls Of butter
scant half teaspoonful of salt, pinch Of
red pepper and bread crumbs. fresh or stale
to make a thick sauce. Flavor with half
a gill Of white wine and rub through a col
ander.
This sauce. having so little flavor of its
own does not detract from the flavor of the
game.
Epicurean Sauce.-Put over the fire in a
saucepan a half pint Of good stock and four
cloves. When hot season with salt, cav
enne, a tablespoonful of lemon Juice, a gill
Of sherry and a glass of currant jelly Serve
smoking hot.
Mushrooms.-The best time to gather
mushrooms Is soon as the dew Is Off the
grass in the morning Notwithstanding the
occasional frights about mushroom poison
ing. the lover Of the dainty fungus soon
learns to know the real from the false, and
Is willing to take the chances. Both the
button and fiat varieties are good for food
These may be found in the parks in the
large cities-where the Italians monopolize
IN rub cho