Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-04
HOUSE
HOLD
lINTS

The woman who is a careful, intelligent
buyer of dry goods able to "spot' bar
gain every time, detecting and waving
aside fabrics that will fade, spot, shrink.
cockle, crock" rip and crack, is not fnfre-
cuently lamentably ignorant as to how to
distinguish between ripe and unripe fruits,
perfect and imperfect vegetables. stale and
fresh meats and fish. This especially when
the housewife has not been brought up In
tho country, wherein all pleasant fruits
DO grow" likewise vegetables. to say moth
Ing OF fish. flesh and fowl.
How to Select Potatoes.-When market
ing, at this season, 1t is well to remember
that though old potatoes may be cheaper
than new ones, they are really more ex-
pensive for the reason that the waste is
enormous Nature intended that potato
in perfection should have its jacket filled
almost to the bursting point with good,
wholesome nourishment. An old potato,
after 1t has felt the stirring Of spring and
tried to sprout, contains very little that is
At to eat Avoid potatoes that have wrin-
killed. skins and are soft TO the touch. Don't
be on the lookout for clean potatoes, with
shiny skins for that is a sign that they are
inferior and have been washed and scrub
bed by the vender so that they will look
inviting to the uninitiated. When a re-
tailer's stock of potatoes is in prime order
you will notice that some of the earth still
clings to them. They are dusty and not
furnished up. The earth shows they are
fresh from the field.
Judging Fruit and Vegetables from Their
Color.-Color has much to do with the judg-
ing OF fruits and vegetables. A cucumber,
for instance. If thoroughly ripe is streaked
with yellow The dark green cucumber Is
the doctors best friend. The perfect to-
mato should be a deep, rich red, plump,
round and smooth. A tomato streaked with
white and hard is a favorless morsel.
In buying asparagus select the long, green
thin stalks Of you can find them), for the
short, thick white branches contain but lit
tie that is edible, and that little is deficient
IN the true asparagus flavor. String beans
should be tender and brittle enough to snap
when bent, and are in prime condition when
the beans have just barely developed. Peas
should have plump green pods. Those that
are shriveled or yellow are old.
In buying corn select thick ears, the
shorter the better with husks green and
tender and the silk that hangs over the
top dark and dry. Strip down the husks,
and II freshly gathered and in good con-
dition, the milk will flow freely when
kernel is pressed with the thumb nail.
Caulifiower should be white and unblem-
tshed and cabbage firm and solid.
In buying onions the red ones are the
most economical, but the white ones have
the more delicate flavor.
Summer squash should be small and
heavy, the skin tender enough to pierce
small, lumpy ridges.
To Judge a Watermelon.-It is a specially
difficult matter to judge the quality of q
watermelon from its appearance because
the edible portion is so far from the out
side. Weight is the first consideration, the
heavier the better, indicating that the melon
80 full of juice. Some persons affirm that If
in pressing the sides together a peculiar
crispy sound Is heard the chances are the
melon Is ripe and sweet, while well-known
expert says that his method il to lay
melon on its back with the white part up
then scratch the skin of the llghtest part.
II this seems tender and the melon is yet
nrm to the pressure of the finger so that he
can. with difficulty. pierce 1t with the nail
1t is probably good melon.
The Test OF a Canteloupe-The best test
for a cantaloupe is to break little piece
from the stem end with the nail. II 1t
smells spicy when broken 1t is quite sure to
be good.
In the selection Of fruits color plays an
even more important part than in that of
vegetables. Peaches. pears and plums take
on a reddish yellow hue when ripe. The
pineapple when perfect is a brilliant red or
rich yellow. When green II is not fit for
eating.
Bananas Red and Yellow.-In the tropics
the banana Is usually picked green and
rtpered in the dark like a pear. They
should, however. have attained their full
growth or else no matter how rich a color
they may take on they will always be bitter
and puckery. The banana grows fastest at
first in length, then suddenly begins to
swell and in few days will double its
g1rth. Then II Is ready for the ripening
process. The best ones sent to this country
start half or wholly ripe and get their color
en- route. II they start hard and gummy
having been picked In an immature condi-
ton they Will never attain the rich smooth
flavor OF the perfect fruit and are apt to
make people ILL., Never, therefore pur-
chase long, thin banana. Bananas are
far better a little over ripe than under for
q creamy softness is essential to their fun
enjoyment. Bananas are of two kinds the
yellow and the red. but vast quantity of
plantalns are palmed off on New Workers.
in place OF the yellow banana.
Oranges.-The ripper an orange gets the
more yellow II becomes. A dealers test for
a perfect orange is to press It, as you would
hard rubber ball. II you can make a
slight indentation by pressing hard but the
pulp remains firm enough to rebound the
orange is all right.
Russet oranges are rich. but liable to
spoil. When Buying oranges by the box
(and this is the best plan where you use a.
good many get repacked box instead of
an original one. Thin-skinned, bright-col-
ored oranges are the best. While the Cali
fornia, Florida and Arizona fruit is alto
gether the best for eating out OF hand or on
che table, the foreign oranges. Messlna or
Sicily, are considered best for marmalade.
In Choosing Lemons.-In choosing lemons
select those that are firm and full, with