Evening star., 1947-05-22

While Violet Faulkner, our food
editor, is flying about the country,
observing food management and
preparation at Army posts in her
TEMPORARY role Of food cor1sultant
to%Maj. Gen. Thomas B. Larkin,
Quartermaster General, and speaking
to groups of women on Army food
problems, I'll try to pinch-hit for
her on the Report" It's been
quite a while since I turned the
column over to Mrs. Faulkner, sol
III probably very out OF practice!
A survey of local markets indi-
Gates that there will be plenty OF
everything, much of 1t in better
q5klity, for the weekend buying.
Q3Ality has been conspicuously poor
irffecent months, and any improve
mint Is most welcome. Produce
itllns have been the worst offenders,
sd 1t is good. to know that the
cdfn coming In from Florida is
mach better than that which we
received from Texas; the North
Carolina and Eastern Shore berries
afe sweet and ,favorsome, and string
b9enS from Florida and South
C6rolina are especially tender.
Hhere1l be Bing cherries-really
geDd ones, we hope-a few ship
nients have arrived, but the large
amounts will start coming in to-
Morrow. There are peaches, pears
and grapes from Chile. Argentina
and Australia. Plenty Of apples,
oranges and grapefruit and nice big
lemons for that cooling lemonade.
Lines are scarce and there is a
surprising lack of berries, other
than strawberries.
Asparagus from Jersey is of nice
qaality, but watch out for the grit
wash it well before you start to
cook it, cleaning each spear thor
oughly. Other especially recon-
mended vegetables include peas,
beets, celery, green's of all kinds
and lettuce. Tomatoes are still only
fair in quality. This Is a pity, for
there is plenty Of young, tender okra
to cook with them, right now!
Almost any kind Of meat you
dreamed of during the war era is
yours for the price. Featured buys
win include legs of lamb, lamb fore
quarter cuts. veal ditto, chuck
roast smoked picnics, ground and
plate beef. Theren also be ample
supplies of fresh pork loins, and
large slicing hams. Rib roasts,
steaks and various chops are, OF
course. also available,
Frying chickens and nice plump
ducks are the offerings of the poul-
try stands.
The fish line includes the usual
standbys, such as croakers, butter
fish, trout, salt mackerel,, haddock
and perch fillets. Therell be some
nice halibut steaks around, too, and
in the big fish markets you can get
soft shell crabs (hock your diamond
necklace to pay for these,) crab
meat, Holsters, clans, shrimp and
scallops.
And, last, quote of special In
terest from the United States De-
partment of Agriculture's latest
release:
Prompt caShlng OF sugar stamps
is being urged by the United States
Department of Agriculture to help
meet a serious transportation prob
lem this summer and prevent sugar
shortages later in the season. Sugar
Stamp II should be used immedi-
ately, and Sugar Stamp IL s-soon
as possible after June first when it
becomes valid. Every housewife can
make certain of her family's sugar
allowance by buying now. Those
who make the mistake of holding
their stamps until later may not be
able to use them because grocers
then may not have large enough
supplies.
THE date when Sugar Stamp 12I
becomes valid has been stepped up
to June first, in an effort to get
sugar out across the country before
box cars are occupied with the great
crop of wheat. There are not enough
cars to take care of the heavy move
ment of sugar and wheat at the
same time. Winter wheat moves
during the same weeks that sugar
demand is heaviest for home and
commercial canning. If grocery
shelves are relieved of their sugar