Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1904-01-07
THE KEEPING OF FOODS.
Careless Handling and Neglect 0fteU
Responsible for Spoiled
Perish bles.

FeflS2aDAcBs
1t matters little how much care 10
exercised in the selection of food or
the sum expended in its purchase if it
is not properly cared for after 1t
reaches the house. Though careless
ness and ignorance the loss is often
great, proving, says the Washington
of truth in the old adage, "A woman
can throw out on teaspoon what a
man brings in on a shovel"
Salads and vegetables that arrive In
good condition are dumped down in
hot kitchen to wilt and wither until
the cook gets good and ready to put
them away. Meat is left in its paper
to absorb the taste and get glued fast
to it. Fruit is bruised in emptying it
out, butter left uncovered to grow
rancid, and milk standing to sour.
When green vegetables come they
should be put at once in the cellar or
into the icebox. Salads may be
wrapped in a damp cloth, then in
newspaper and put in the air
Cereals should be emptied in their
proper receptacles of tin or glass and
closely covered to prevent insects get
ting in. Coffee should go Immediately
into an air-tight canister in order to
keep its aroma. Olive oil should be
put into a cool, dark place, and salt,
soap and cheese into dry places.
Dried fruits should be kept in air.
tight glass cans; nuts in cool. dry
place to prevent their growing rancid,
and chocolate, cocoa and cocoa shells
| in cold storage Molasses and sirups
| need to be where it is cool.
Eggs should be handled carefully, so
as not to break the membrane separat-
ing the yolk and white, and kept in a
dry. cool place.
Flour belongs in a bin or barrel
raised few inches from the floor.
While wheat -four may be obtained in
quantity, cornmeal or graham flour
should only be purchased in small
quantities and kept in tin or glass.
Melons should go on the ice or be
covered with damp piece of carpet and
left where the air will circulate about
| them freely. Onions should not be left
| cut, as they are great absorbents. Meth
er onions, bananas nor muskmelons
| should be put in an ice box with other
| foods
Winter vegetables should be fully ma
tured when gathered, dried thorough
| ly and then stored in cool. dry place.
Carrots, beets and celery keep better If
| packed in sand
| Small and soft fruits should be scat
tered on platters, not left in baskets
as purchased, as their own weight
brushes them, and they decay. Peaches
and fine pears should be removed to a
| shelf, and not be allowed to touch one
another. Tomatoes may be ripened by
exposure to the sun.
Milk and cream should be kept sep
arate from other foods, as they absorb
odors. Butter, If purchased in guam
tity, should have cloth spread over the
top, and on top of that thick layer OF
salt.
When necessary to take out butter
| Tue ClOtU HUH olQt, cut Oul a
square, even piece and recover with
| cloth and salt. If only few pounds are
purchased at time keep in tin OF
agate pail, cover with cloth wrung OF.
of salt water, and the lid
Lard should be kept in tin and in d
cool place.
Fresh fish should never be permitted
to soak in water. Put in cool place
but never place directly on artificial
ice.
Meat should not be laid on the ice
as that draws out the juices. If fresh
killed, allow 1t to get chilled before put
ting in cold storage; otherwise the an
imal heat is driven inside and causes
fermentation, which is poisonous. Dc
not let chops or steak rest against one
another, much less ham and steak.
All meats and poultry require cool
dry atmosphere. II necessary to hang
them, suspend with the choicest and ten
| der parts down. Hang lamb and NUT
ton by the shank and poultry by the
|