Evening star., 1943-09-16
Report to the Housewife

4
Like the sailor who goes rowing
~ ths leke in Central Park when
he comes ashore on leave, 1 couldn't t
resist looking over the marketing
situation during my recent vaca-
ton In New England. And, after
listening to the complaints of
shortages and high prices in the
food line here in the Nations Capt.
tai for the past many months,
was more than interested to find
that conditions in the North are
more involved than in Washington.
Whereas here in general, diligent
search and dogged nature can
track down approximately what the
housekeeper desires, up there no
amount of perseverance, and effort
can produce some items. Women
line up for hours in long queues
that stretch around the block to buy
a quarter of a pound of butter
only to have the mo More Butter"
sign set in the shop window while
they are still six or seven stores
away from their goal. Meats are
really few and far between, bacon
very hard to obtain and fresh fruits
and vegetables scarce and relatively
poor in quality The more costly spe-
cialty stores had, naturally, more
and better items to offer, but even
they were "slim pickins" in many
instances. Eggs in the cheaper
stores were. still priced well above
the majority to be found here, and
although fresh fish of nearly every
kind is always right at ones door,
step, so to speak, it was found In
little variety and at prices compa-
rable to those in Washington.
So, it was really with relief that
I found myself back making the
rounds of our own markets a
situation that wouldn't have seemed
plausible to me month agOl
Whether it is by comparison with
the conditions in the North, or
whether it really is better here than
it was a few weeks ago-which the
market men assure me Is the case
the picture gathered this week looks
a good bit brighter in both supply
and price.
Meats, most dealers say, are con-
siderably easier then they have
been, with some of everything to
be found for the seeking. There are
no overlarge supplies of beef, lamb
or veal, but few cuts OF each type
are available in most markets. The
change in ration values, of course,
has much to do with the increase or
decrease in such supplies, and most
highly rationed cuts will very likely
be the easiest to find. Thus it be-
comes a matter of just how far your
ration book will 60 and how much
your budget will stand. There are
still plenty of smoked and fresh
hams and shoulders to be found,
some meat sundries to be had and
luncheon meats-at price.
Chickens-both fryers and Stewing
fowl-are very plentiful and rea-
sonably priced. This situation has,
of course, done lot to ease the pain
of meat rationing-as we all learned
what chickens meant to us when we
couldn't get them during the dearth
period this summer. Turkeys will
not be released for civilian con-
sumption until after october 1st,
due, as you know, to the necessity
for sending early shipments over
seas for our boys for Thanksgiving.
There are few, if any, ducks about,
guineas have not yet come IN, but
there is good supply of plump
SQUADS on hand.
Storms off the coast and the gen.
eral apathy Of the fishermen in the
North have cut down the supply OF
fish in wide variety shipped in from
a distance. However, you'll find
enough for your needs, including
trout, mackerel, flllets of haddock.
several types of small pan fish, rock
fish-expensive-a some halibut.
Scallops are available, too. oysters
are coming in slowly this season,
but supplies will probably increase
as the weather grows colder and de-
mand picks up. Dealers warn, how
ever, that oysters will be scarcer
and more expensive this year, due to
the lack of labor to dredge the beds
and the demands of the armed
forces. Women are replacing men
as shuckers in many places, so that
particular difficulty has been sur
mounted.
Produce is generally plentiful and
of good quality, but far from cheap.
The earliest Concord grapes are in,
to supplement the unusually fine
Tokays and Malagas from Califor-
mia. Some Ribiers are still to be had.
Fresh figs (green) are welcome
newcomers, and all kinds Of plums
help make us forget the disappoint-
ing peach season. Sweet little pine
apples, ounces and few damsons
for preserving have been noted.
Seckel pears, as well as beautiful
Bartletts, excellent apples, fresh
prunes, cantaloupes, honeydews and
big Persian melons offer further de-
lights in the fruit line. Grapefruit
are staging their annual disappear
ing act.
In the vegetable roster we find
snap beans, egg plant, tomatoes, po-
tatoes both white and sweet
corn, squash, beets, turnips, celery,
spinach and green peppers all in the
better buy" group. There are also
nice green tomatoes for picking, and
punches of the long red peppers that
add SO much to the spicy jars. Acorn
squash is proving popular, and
there is some broccoli and cauli-
flower to supplement the more ia
miliar cabbage Iceberg lettuce is
higher in price than the Boston"
type, and so is the green Pascal
celery compared with the white va
riety. A few parsnips are to be had
II you like them.
Here and There: Imports Of
tea are increasing, due to improved
shipping conditions According
to Secretary Wickard, 5000 900 Vic
tory gardens were planted this year.