Evening star., 1945-02-08

the embargo has had little ap.
preciable effect on food supplies
here in Washington, although some
firms report shortages of certain
items. Fruits and vegetables are
ample and meats were scarce long
before the embargo went into ef-
feet, so that local markets show
relatively the same picture as has
been the case for some weeks.
And that means that you may
We say MAY advisedly-be fortunate
enough to find a leg of lamb, q
chuck roast, stray chops of some
sort-lately most chops have the
look OF having been mangled OF
hacked of some unknown beast-a
very few sundries, such as liver
brains, heart, ETC., and, if you have
the points. perhaps a ham. Per-
sonally I have found that there's
no sense nowadays in planning
weekend meals in anything but a
tentaSlve faShion-f1rSt catch your
main dish" and then build menu
around it.
Poultry of various kinds is coming
In in driblets. A few turkeys, ducks
and chickens are arriving from non-
restricted areas, but in such small
quantities that they are snapped up
as soon as they appear on the coun-
ters. Another factor in the poultry
picture is that so many of the re-
tail poultry dealers who had no
other type of merchandise to sell to
carry them over the hump have
had to close down, and it may well
be that that wonderful chicken
man" you have depended upon for
years no longer even answers the
phone.
Cheese, which has been a bit
easier in the last few weeks, is
scarce again. Eggs, on the other
hand, are still in adequate supply
and will be bit lower again this
week. Shortcomings of the vegetable
type are few and far between, and
although there is enough lard
available few housewives can spare
the points it requires after they
have tried to make the most of the
weeks ration allowance for more
important items in the family's diet.
Despite the cold and storms, fish
will be available in good variety this
week end Especially plentiful are
sea bass, trout, /butterflsh, croakers,
and Spanish mackerel. Buck shad Is
more limited, but there are reason
able supplies of whiting, king mack
erel, most of the filleted fish, and
fresh founders. Oysters, shrimp and
crab meat are scarce, as usual.
Shipments of whitefsh. from the
Great Lakes are expected, but so far
there are no smelts to speak of COM
ing in from that area, or from
Maine, either Some from Califor-
MIA have been seen around, but are
not recommended.
Wonderful garden lettuce has
come in from Florida to supplement-
the iceberg type, along with romaine,
chicory, escarole and watercreSs.
Cucumbers are scarce, and expen-
sive, but the Mexican tomatoes,
while high in price, are of remark
ably fine quality. There are less
costly ones, too-but not so fine.
Peas are arriving from both Califor-
MIA and Florida; there are good snap
beans about, and a few nice limaS.
There's a good selection of the vari-
GUS greens, nice squash of the yell
low type, plenty of eggplants, green
peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, cab
bage, celery, beets, carrots, mush-
rooms and onions.
Those Florida Strawberries con-
tinue to drop in price. while improv-
ing all the time in flavor and juci-
ness. Avocados are starting to come
in from California now in more
plentiful supply; there are good ap-
Piles, rhubarb, and all the citrus
fruits to be had. The winter
pears are getting pretty tired, but
grapes seem to be of fair quality SO
far. Red Spanish pineapples from
Cuba have arrived to complement
the sugarloaf ones that we have been
getting from Florida.
Here and There: Since Vic
tory gardening is the starting
point for home canning, the home
economists of United States De-
partment of Agriculture recommend
planning for canning when you are
making your seed and plant lists.
Expert advice on home food pres
ervation may be obtained from the
. With baking choco-