Evening star., 1946-04-18

An old Washington landmark is
scheduled to reopen for business this
morning-the New Center Market at
Fifth and L streets. While num-
Der Of the dealers there have been
taking telephone orders, and doing
their best to give customers service,
the market as a whole has not been
open to the public for regular mar
keting. So it is good news for Wash
lngtonianS who have become accuS-
toned to shopping along its crowded
aisles that once again they may
seek out bargains and unusual foods
in the same old way!
Looking over the general food pic
tWe for this Easter week end, it
would appear that poultry is going
to be every ones best bet. There are
plenty of chickens-a bit higher in
price than they have been-quite
number of ducks, and a very few
turkeys. Some speciality shops have
good squabs-but expensive.
The Easter ham is but symbol
this year-aS far as Washington
goes. In the deep South and the
Southeast where have been for
the past couple of weeks, hams are
quite plentiful, as are steaks. Here,
however, there is very little beef, a
small amount of lamb, and no pork
to speak Of Veal has shown a
slight increase in the last few days,
but supplies are still well below
average.
Fish, too. is on the scarce side, due
to bad weather in many of the fish
ing areas. The old standbys, such
as croakers, trout, butterhsh, her
ring, Boston mackerel and shad are
fairly abundant, but rockfish is very
limited, and there is practically no
bass to be found. Many markets
have already discontinued handling
oysters, for the season, but there
are good clans, crab meat and some
raw shrimp to be had. Fancy fish
markets are Offering the first of the
seasons soft shell crabs-the very
tiny ones, known to the trade as
spiders"
Eggs will be plentiful. and cheaper
than they have been, in most mar
kets. Butter and other fats and
oils continue as shy as ever. And
do you know one reason why you
find it so hard to get soap powders?
Well-that's a story in itself that
we'll tell you next week.
The produce picture is the pref
tiest of all. South American pears
grapes and honeydew melons have
come to add interest to the fruit
bowl, along with pineapples from
Cuba and strawberries from Louisi
ana. incidentally, I drove through
Hammond, one of Loulsianas S big
gest strawberry centers, week ago.
and couldn't find a berry to buy!
They were all being shipped northD
Citrus fruits are still in good sup
ply, and include some nice tan
gerines and navel oranges in the
lineup.
Onions are back in abundance,
80 that you can buy them as we'll as
spring onions, leeks and chives. One
of the specially markets has some
real French or Belgian-type endive,
grown in New York State, which
will be good news for the gourmets
who dote on the bitter white and
green leaves. All kinds of lettuce
are available, and there is excellent
watercress on hand. Peas. beans;
carrots, green peppers, radishes,
mushrooms, cucumbers, broccoli
fine asparagus, limas. eggplant, po-
tatoes, white end yellow squash and
tomatoes all recommended.
Greens inci1,,e spinach, cabbage
cuttings, rape, turnip tops, and
dandelions. Try a few raw spin
ach and dandelion leaves in your
next mixed green salad-they add
favor and color.
Here and There: A teaspoon
ef fat a day saved by every man.
woman and schoolchild in the
United States. will amount to a
total saving of at least 100000
pounds of fat day. according to
the United States Department of
Agriculture. President Truman's
Famine Emergency Committee has
asked Americans to cut down on
their use of fats and oils 20 per
cent. Serve fewer dried foods, less
pastries, breads, fat-rich gravies.
sauces and salad dressings. 6.
Egg rolling is being firmly discour-
aged nv the authorities as despite