Evening star., 1945-12-13
Report to the Housewife

The usual preholiday doldrums
that brood over Washington food
markets seem to be lacking this
year. This is probably due to the
fact that housewives have learned
through wartime experience that the
early shopper comes home tustest
with the mostest, and by doing her
Christmas dinner marketing well in
advance, is assured of reasonably
adequate supplies for her family's
feast.
So we see poultry dealers, meat
markets, produce stalls and grocery
departments in state of bee hive
activity, with each forethoughted
woman tucking into her shopping
bag can of pumpkin here, a pound
of mixed nuts there, and so on, until
she has acquired what she will
need on the 25th. She puts in her
order for turkey, she checks on
the cranberry situation, and she
marches proudly home with one of
the so-scarce plum puddings riding
high on her purchases.
And right she is. For here, in brief,
is what the picture looks like for
those holiday extras:
There should be adequate supplies
of turkeys, but, as at Thanksgiving,
they will, for the most part, be the
large-Sized birds. Fresh cranberries
are almost nonexistent, due to bad
weather conditions at their source,
and dealers do not expect this Sit
uation to ease very much in time
for Christmas. Some of the canned
cranberry sauce will be on hand in
local stores, but it is limited in
supply, and will probably disappear
like magic Mincemeat, too, is
scarce, along with plum puddings.
There seem to be lot of fruit cakes
about, however. There should be
plenty of nuts of most kinds-Brazil
nuts will be on the shy side. Candies,
as you know, are almost impossible
to find. Some speciality shops have
stem raisins from California, and
there are good quantities of dates
and figs around. There's also sweet
cider, if that interests you.
Now for a once-over-lightly of the
best buys in the markets for this
week end:
Therell be beef-lots of it, and
practically every cut you have ever
heard of, from the tongue to the tip
of the ox-tail. Brains, heart, liver,
kidneys are also on the list. There's
even some corned beef! Adequate
supplies of veal are on hand, and
more and more fresh pork is ap-
pearing, although smoked hams and
bacon continue scare. Spareribs are
recommended, as are Boston butts
and picnics. Lamb is very light.
Lots of chickens of all kinds are
in the market, and very few ducks.
Of you choose duck, be careful
there are a number of old birds
around that have been jumping too
many puddles for too many moons,
with disastrous results to their ten
derneSs) Some of the marketmen
have good rabbits, all dressed and
ready to cook Gf you like them.
Eggs continue scarce, along with
butter and margarine. Cheese, too,
falls in this category-except for
some of the processed types.
Fresh frozen Columbia River SAL
mon steaks will be on hand again
this week, and other good fish buys
include trout, Spanish mackerel,
rock, sea bass, croakers, fresh foun-
der, and butterfsh. Crab meat, oys-
ters and cooked shrimp are here,
but high in price.
Most produce items, though eXpen-
sive, are available-lettuce, which
has been scarce, is getting just bit
easier than it was. Good Texas corn,
peas, squash, onions, all kinds of
potatoes, broccoli, celery-cabbage,
snap beans, green peppers, celery