Evening star., 1945-07-05

The fruit stalls are the high lights
of the markets this week-after, Of
course, the perceptibly improved
meat counters. Although quality Is
not as good as one could wish, there
Is wide variety Of items from which
to choose, and a careful shopper
should be able to take home a nice
collection for her family.
Among the better quality buys
are the blueberries, now coming in
from New Jersey, black and red
raspberrieS, nectarineS and apricots.
Peaches, of course, are tops-there
Is no end to them, and in general
they are pretty fair grade. Pine
apples are recommended, and there
are few fresh figs to be found
in the speciality shops, along with
prickly pears. Bing cherries are in
adequate supply, and there are still
a few cooking cherries around. The
melon lineup includes excellent wa
termelons, the first honeydews.
honeyballs and several types OF
cantaloupe. Plums are small and
sour, and blackberries are definitely
on their way out. The orange sup
ply has improved, although they are
still mostly the small Valencias,
and there should be enough lines,
lemons and grapefruit to take care
OF an average demand. Apples, of
course, are on the light and poor
side at this season. More bananas
keep arriving, and, while small, are
very tasty. None Of these items is
really low priced. but the majority
are selling at ceiling.
Vegetables are poorer this week
than they have been-the recent
heat wave has taken its toll.
Spinach, for example, has disap-
peared completely, and most Of the
other green's are hard to find and
Of poor quality. Best buys seem
to be snap beans, tomatoes, cucum-
bers, lettuce, radishes, spring onions,
squash and beets. Corn, although
plentiful, is decidedly poor" and
asparagus Is almost over for the
year. Lima beans and peas are
practically noneXistent-at least at
this writing. A little broccoli from
New Jersey has been received.
Meats are still on the brighter
side. with dealers hopeful of enough
beef to take cade of orders, and i'm
proved stocks of pork and veal on
hand. Lamb continues scarce in
most markets. There is more bacon
available, and such items as smoked
tongues and other sundries show in
creaSes. Poultry remains at low ebb,
along with eggs.
Butter supplies are adequate, al
though margarine is short. Short
eningS and oils are hard to find
and even the expensive pure olive
oil has been doing a disappearing
act In local stores, along with
mayonnaise and similar prepared
dressings. 1t is good news that with
the reduction of point values on
various cheeses, now there are good
stocks Of them on nand. Nothing
better than cheese for providing
proteins in hot-weather meals.
Fish are scarcer than they have
been, with the eased meat supply
causing less buyer demand. Ex-
pected to be available are trout,
porgies, croakers, Boston mackerel,
all kinds of crabmeat. ButterfiSh
and founders will be limited, and
there will be very little flleted fish
of any kind on hand. Raw and
cooked shrimp will be scarce, but
Holsters are recommended. CLANS
and few very expensive soft-shell
crabs complete the general sea food
picture.
\ X \ +
Here and There: A new va
Yiety Of rice, called "Delrex," re-
rey1tIv 6eveloned hv scientists 0f the