The sun., 1912-07-14
CHOP HOUSE COOKING
At HOME IN SUMMER
Grillcd or Planked Fare Easily
Reproduced on the
Gas Range.
FOOD FOR HOT WEATHER
Points About Serving the Clam,
the Crab and the
Lobster.

woman VINO, Wishing TO Keep ner nus
band at home nights. furnished the
dining room as a cafe with bar as one
Of its features. In the midsummer
season It Ia probable that dining room
fitted up as a chop house and serving
chop house foods would he popular.
For in the warm weeks Of the year
the big restaurant rooms are often
almost deserted. while the chop houses
are full. Not only are the regular Gus
toners to be found there. but a generous
sprinklinz Of persons who at other
seasons would not think Of dining In
! the halls devoted to the lobster and It's
kin
Possibly the lure Of the chop house in
summer has something to do with the
| transparent Ice boxes that usually
stand near the entrances and through
| the frosted sides Of which one can get
slimpses Of sea food. choice cuts OF beef
and lamb. fruits and vegetables. But
beyond these displays there is some
thing In the method OF grill cooking
that appeals to the summer appetite.
For midwinter the made dishes Of
the French chefs are In order. the rich
sauces. the heavy roasts. the pYrees. the
| casserole OF fowl or game with vegc-
| tables cooked In with II. But the crispy
broi!cd steak or chop. the baked potato,
the fish simply cooked with the addi-
ton OF butter. seem to be favored In
July and August.
OF course one Of the great charms OF
the chop houses IL the open grill.
Many housekeepers do not know that
the foods favored In these establish
ments may be prepared In the everyday
kitchon quite as we'll as by the profess
sional chop house cook.
The gas companies have recognized
the inconvenience Of having the broling
oven OF the gas range down near the
floor. They now provide an overhead
hroiler. which grills food on the eye
level where II can be watched and
basted. turned. &c. without the
awkward bending and kneeling called
for by the old style range.
While much Is said Of the prevalence
of cold storage foods. II Is possible to
buy chickens and poultry In their live
state and fish and fruit that has never
touched the ice. II IL not over the tele-
phone that one can order these things.
but rather by penetrating to the less
fashionable portions OF the city where
the days catch Of fish for instance must
be disposed Of before o'clock and
where the fish are not killed until they
are required by the purchaser.
Many timid housekeeper has never
dared 10 have a broiled live lobster at
home because she could not contemplate
carrying out the operation Of splitting
the fish. Rut the fsh dealer will split
the live lobster and deliver 1t at any
hour required, and IL can be cooked over
the gas grill quite as well as at the
chop house. The chief difficulty the
young housekeeper will have Is in get
ting a good lobster. for Holsters vary
much In quality.
Two small Holsters are. as general
thing. better than. one large one: lust as
two small young chickens are the best
selection. The Holsters should be lively
when touched. The shell should he firm
and Of dark green color. The lighter
colored Holsters are lean and watcry. 4
good lobster is heavy In proportion 10
Its sze.
The lobster for broiling Is simply but
tered over and placed under or over the
hot grill. the flesh side Of course 90 the
fire. There Is no need Of turning the
shell side of a small lobster to the grill
as It cooks thoroughly in about twenty
minutes. But in this matter the judC-
ment Of the cook counts: the condition
of the fire also. The over broilcd lob
stcr Is always dry and tough The ap-
pearance Of the flesh indicates pretty
we'll when II is ready for the table.
Nothing Is so good with broiled fish OF
any sort in summer as plain melted
perfectly fresh. good butter
The soft shell crah another Choy
house dainty. must he bought alive. ant
II the cook cannot clean them at home
the market man will do the work. The
less the soft shell crab is handled thu
better II tastes. The practice OF cnvelop
ing the crab in an envelope Of batter
has gone out. For broiling nothing /,
, required but salt and pepper. For fry
| ing there may I've busting of -four
The fat should be pork or else butter
should be used. Lard In not At fol
the frying Of the soft crab with It's pc
culiarly delicate favor.
\ VI course tneTe are any o
elaborate ways of preparing both o
, these shellfsh. But the chop hous,
plan is for simple methods the idca
being the grilling over the Goals. some
, thing In the style of the camp guide.
, recipe for every food under the sun.
The method of cooking fish steaks h,
! baking them on a plank is now common
in the private kitchen. The plank,
, come In all sizes. There should be a
least two in every kitchen. one for mea
. and one for Ash. They must he KEEP
scrupulousy clean, scrubbed. dried II
the sun and protected from dust whel
not In use.
Planking Is simply baking on planl
instead Of In a pan. The pine woo'
used gives a peculiarly agreeable tast'
; to the food prepared In this manner
2 1t Is brought to table on its origina
board. garnished about with vegetables
Steaks, young turkeys. chickens an'
all sorts Of fish are at their best whei
cooked and served In this way.
/ The chop house also favors the clan
and no food Is pleasanter for summer
Soft clans In casino style IL only on
OF the many names 10y which th
= method Of serving them is known. !
. IL one Of the best and In quite recent
| comparatively speaking, In origin.