dividing the pigeon into two, cutting away in the lines a b, and a e, No. 1; at the same time bringing the knife out at the back in the direction a b, and a c, No. 2. A Cod's Head. Fish, in general, requires very little carving; the middle or thickest part of the fish is generally esteemed the best, except in a carp, the most delicate part of which is the palate. This is seldom, however, taken out, but the whole head is given to those who like it. The thin part about the tail of a fish is generally least esteemed. A cod's head and shoulders, if large and in season, is a very genteel and handsome dish, if nicely boiled. When cut, it should be done with a spoon or fish trowel. The parts about the back-bone, on the shoulders, are the most firm and best. Take off a piece quite down to the bone, in the direction ab de, putting in the spoon at a c, and with each slice of fish give a piece of the sound, which lies underneath the back-bone and lines it, the meat of which is thin and a little darker colored than the body of the fish itself: this may be got by passing a knife or spoon underneath, in the direction d 8. much as will lie on the trowel, to be taken off on one side close to the bones. The thickest part of the fish is always most esteemed, but not too near the head or tail; and when the meat on one side of the fish is removed close to the bones, the whole back-bone is to be raised with the knife and fork, and the under side is then to be divided among the company. Turbot eaters esteem the fins a delicate part. The rock-fish and sheepshead are carved like the turbot. The latter is considered the most delicate fish of the Atlantic coast; and the former, though common, are highly esteemed, particularly those caught in fresh water. ket. The halibut is also frequently brought to marThe fins and parts lying near them are of a delicate texture and flavor; the remaining part of the fish is coarse. Soles are generally sent to table two ways, some fried, others boiled; these are to be cut right through the middle, bone and all, and a piece of the fish, perhaps a third or fourth part, according to its size, given to each. The same may be done with other fishes, cutting them across, as may be seen in the cut of the mackerel, below decb. A mackerel is to be thus cut- Slit the fish all There are a great many delicate parts about the head, some firm kernels, and a great deal of the along the back with a knife, in the line a e b, and jelly kind. The jelly parts lie about the jaw- take off one whole side as far as the line b e, not too near the head, as the meat about the gills is bone, the firm parts within the head, which must generally black and ill flavored. The roe of a be broken into with a spoon. Some like the pal-male fish is soft like the brain of a calf; the roe ate and some the tongue, which likewise may got by putting the spoon into the mouth, in the of the female fish is full of small eggs and hard. Some prefer one and some another, and part of direction of the line e s. The green jelly of the such roe as your friend likes should be given to eye is never given to any one. A piece of Boiled Salmon. be Of boiled salmon there is one part more fat and rich than the other. The belly part is the fattest of the two, and it is customary to give to those that like both a thin slice of each; for the one, cut it out of the belly part, in the direction de; the other, out of the back, in the line a b. Those who are fond of salmon generally like the skin; of course, the slices are to be cut thin, skin and all. There are but few directions necessary for cutting up and serving fish. In turbot the fish-knife or trowel is to be entered in the centre or middle, over the back-bone, and a piece of the flesh, as him. The meat about the tail of all fish is generally thin and less esteemed, and few like the head of a fish, except it be that of a carp, the palate of which is esteemed the greatest delicacy of the whole. Eels are cut into pieces through the bone, and the thickest part is reckoned the prime piece. There is some art in dressing a lobster, but as this is seldom sent up to table whole, I will only say that the tail is reckoned the prime part, and next to this the claws. THE CHOICE OF ANIMAL FOOD. We conclude the foregoing treatise on the Art of Carving by the following instructions, intended to aid housekeepers in the purchase of the most common descriptions of meat for the table. Beef. If the flesh of ox-beef is young, it will have a fine smooth open grain, be of a good red, and feel tender. The fat should lock white rather than yellow; for when that is of a deep color the meat is seldom good; beef fed by oil cakes is in general so, and the flesh is flabby. The grain of cow-beef is closer, and the fat whiter, than that of ox-beef, but the lean is not of so bright a red. The grain | they will be red; if fresh, the feet will be pliable of bull-beef is closer still, the fat hard and skinny, if stale, dry and stiff. Geese are called green till the lean of a deep red and a stronger scent. Ox- three or four months old. Green geese should be beef is the reverse. Ox-beef is the richest and scalded; a stubble-goose should be picked dry. Largest; but in small families and to some tastes, Ducks. heifer-beef is better if finely fed. In old meat there is a streak of horn in the ribs of beef; the harder this is, the older, and the flesh is not finely flavored. Veal. The flesh of a bull calf is firmest, but not so white. The fillet of the cow-calf is generally preferred for the udder. The whitest is not the most juicy, having been made so by frequent bleeding, and having had whiting to lick. Choose the meat of which the kidney is well covered with white thick fat. If the bloody vein in the shoulder looks blue or of a bright red, it is newly killed; but any other color shows it stale. The other parts should be dry and white; if clammy or spotted the meat is stale and bad. The kidney turns first in the loin, and the suet will not then be firm. Mutton. Choose this by the fineness of its grain, good color, and firm white fat. It is not the better for being young; if of a good breed and well fed, it is better for age; but this only holds with wether mutton; the flesh of the ewe is paler, and the texture finer. Ram mutton is very strong flavored, the flesh is of a deep red, and the fat is spongy. Lamb. Observe the neck of a fore-quarter: if the vein is bluish it is fresh; if it has a green or yellow cast it is stale. In the hind-quarter if there is a faint smell under the kidney, and the knuckle is limp, the meat is stale. If the eyes are sunk, the head is not fresh. Grass-lamb comes into season in April or May, and continues till August. Houselamb may be had in great towns almost all the year, but is in highest perfection in December and January. Pork. Pinch the lean, and if young it will break. If the rind is tough, thick, and cannot easily be impressed by the finger, it is old. A thin rind is a merit in all pork. When fresh the flesh will be smooth and cool; if clammy it is tainted. What is called measly pork is very unwholesome, and may be known by the fat being full of kernels, which in good pork is never the case. Pork fed at still-houses does not answer for curing any way, the fat being spongy. Dairy-fed pork is the best. A Turkey-Cock, If young, has a smooth black leg, with a short spur. The eyes full and bright if fresh, and the feet supple and moist. If stale, the eyes will be sunk and the feet dry. A hen-turkey is known by the same rules, but if old her legs will be red and rough. Fowls. Choose them by the same rules of having supple breast and belly. The feet of a tame duck are feet, and by their being hard and thick on the thick, and inclining to dusty yellow; a wild one has the feet reddish and smaller than the tame. They should be picked dry. Ducklings must be Shad. scalded. If good, they are white and thick. If too fresh they eat tough, but must not be kept above twʊ days without salting. Herrings. If good, their gills are of a fine red, and the eyes bright, as is likewise the whole fish, which must be stiff and firm. Lobsters. If they have not been long taken the claws will have a strong motion when you put your finger on the eyes and press them. The heaviest are the best. The cock-lobster is known by the narrow back part of his tail, and the two uppermost fins within it are stiff and hard; but those of the hen are soft, and the tail broader. The male, though generally smaller, has the highest flavor, the flesh is firmer, and the color when boiled is a deeper red. Crabs. The heaviest are best, and those of a middling size are sweetest. If light they are watery; when in perfection the joints of the legs are stiff, and the body has a very agreeable smell. The eyes look dead and loose when stale. Oysters. When alive and strong the shell is close. They should be eaten as soon as opened, the flavor becoming poor otherwise. The abundance and variety of fish daily brought to market in every seaport town of the United States, cannot be surpassed in any other part of the world. QUALITIES OF THE ARTICLES OF FOOD Beef. When this is the flesh of a bullock of middle age, it affords good and strong nourishment, and is peculiarly well adapted to those who labor or take much exercise. It will often sit easy upon stomachs that can digest no other kind of food; and its fat is almost as easily digested as that of veal. Veal Is not a proper food for persons suffering from indisposition, and should not be given to febrile patients. It affords less nourishment and is less digestible than the flesh of the same animal in a state of maturity. The fat of it is lighter than that of any other animal, and shows the least disposition to putrescency. Veal is a suitable food in costive habits; but of all meat it is the least calculated for removing acidity from the stomach. Mutton, If a cock is young, his spurs will be short; but take care to see they have not been cut or pared, which is a trick often practised. If fresh the vent will be close and dark. Pullets are best just before they begin to lay and yet are full of eggs; if old hens, their combs and legs will be rough; if young, they will be smooth. A good capon has a thick belly and a large rump; there is a particular From the age of four to six years, and fed on dry fat at his breast, and the comb is very pale. Black-pasture, is an excellent meat. It is of a middle legged fowls are most moist, if for roasting. Geese. The bill and feet of a young one will be yellow, and there will be but few hairs upon them; if old, kind between the firmness of beef and the tenderness of veal. The lean part of mutton, however, is the most nourishing and conducive to health; the fat being hard of digestion. The head of the sheep, especially when divested of the skin, is very tender; and the feet, on account of the jelly they contain, are highly nutritive. Lamb Is not so nourishing as mutton; but it is light and extremely suitable to delicate stomachs. Pork Affords rich and substantial nourishment, and its juices are wholesome when properly fed, and when the animal enjoys pure air and exercise. But the flesh of hogs reared in towns is both hard of digestion and unwholesome. Pork is particularly improper for those who are liable to any foulness of the skin. Smoked Hams Are a strong kind of meat, and rather fit for a relish than for diet. It is the quality of all salted meat that the fibres become rigid, and therefore more difficult of digestion; and when to this is added smoking, the heat of the chimney occasions the salt to concentrate, and the fat between the muscles sometimes to become rancid. Bacon Is also of an indigestible quality, and apt to turn rancid on weak stomachs; but for those in health it is an excellent food, especially when used with fowl or veal, or even eaten with peas, cab bages, or cauliflowers. Goat's Flesh Is hard and indigestible; but that of kids is tender as well as delicious, and affords good nourish ment. Venison, Or the flesh of deer, and that of hares, is of a nourishing quality, but is liable to the inconvenience that though much disposed to putrescency of itself, it must be kept for a little time before it becomes tender. The Blood of Animals Is occasionally used as an aliment, but man could not long subsist upon it unless mixed with oatmeal, etc.; for it is not very soluble alone, by the digestive powers of the human stomach, and therefore cannot prove nourishing. Milk Is of very different consistence in different animals; but that of cows, being the kind used in diet, is at present the object of our attention. Milk, where it agrees with the stomach, affords excellent nourishment for those who are weak and cannot digest other aliments. It does not readily become putrid, but with some persons becomes sour on the stomach, and thence produces heartburn, or gripes, and in some constitutions a looseness. The best milk is from a cow at three or four years of age, about two months after producing a calf. It is lighter, but more watery than the milk of sheep and goats; while on the other hand it is more thick and heavy than the milk of asses and mares, which are next in consistence to human milk. On account of the acid which is generated after digestion, milk coagulates in all stomachs; but the caseous or cheesy part is again dissolved by the digestive juices, and rendered fit for the purposes of nutrition. It is improper to eat acid substances with milk, as these would tend to prevent the due digestion of it. Cream Is very nourishing, but on account of its fatness is difficult to be digested in weak stomachs. Violent exercise after eating it will in a little time Convert it into butter. Butter. Some writers inveigh against the use of butter as universally pernicious, but they might with equal reason condemn all vegetable oils, which form a considerable part of diet in southern climates, and seem to have been beneficially intended by nature for that purpose. Butter, like every other oily substance, has doubtless a relaxing quality, and if long retained in the stomach is liable to become rancid; but if eaten in moderation it will not produce those effects. It is, however, improper in bilious constitutions. Cheese Is likewise reprobated by many as extremely unwholesome. It is doubtless not easy of digestion, and when eaten in a great quantity may overload the stomach; but if taken sparingly its tenacity may be dissolved by the digestive juices, and it may yield a wholesome, nourishing chyle. Toasted cheese is agreeable to most palates, but it is rendered more indigestible by that process. aliment. Those of the turkey are superior in all The eggs of birds are a simple and wholesome the qualifications of food. The white of eggs is by heat rendered tough and hard. tains much oil, and is highly nourishing, but has The yolk cona strong tendency to putrefaction, on which account eggs are improper for people of weak stomachs, especially when they are not quite fresh. Eggs boiled hard or fried are difficult of digestion, and are rendered still more indigestible by the addition of butter. All eggs require a sufficient quantity of salt, to promote their solution in the stomach. Fish, Though some of them be light and easy of diges tion, afford less nourishment than the flesh of most disposed to putrefaction. Salt water fish quadrupeds, and are, of all the animal tribes, the are, in general, the best; but when salted, though less disposed to putrescency, they become difficult of digestion. Whitings and flounders are the by resisting putrefaction, are a proper addition to most easily digested. Acid sauces and pickles, fish, both as they retard putrescency and correct the relaxing tendency of butter, so generally used with this kind of aliment. Oysters and Cockles Are eaten both raw and dressed. Oysters are very nourishing and easy of digestion. Muscles and Periwinkles Are far inferior to oysters, both in point of digestion and nutriment. Sea muscles are by some supposed to be of a poisonous nature, but though this opinion is not much countenanced by experience, the safest way is to eat them with vinegar, or some other vegetable acid. Bread. At the head of the vegetable class stands bread, that article of diet which, from general use, has received the name of the staff of life. Wheat is the grain chiefly used for the purpose in this country, and is the most nutritive of all the farinaceous kinds, as it contains a great deal of gluten and starch. Bread is very properly eaten with animal food, but is most expedient with such articles of diet as contain much nourishment in a small bulk, because it then serves to give the stomach a proper degree of expansion. To render bread easy of digestion it ought to be well fermented and baked, and it never should be used by dyspeptics till it has stood 24 hours after being taken out of the oven, otherwise it is apt to occasion various complaints in them, such as flatulence, heartburn, watchfulness, and the like. The custom of eating butter with bread, hot from the oven, is compatible only with strong digestive powers. Oats, when deprived of the husk, and particularly barley, when properly prepared, are somewhat softening, and afford wholesome and cooling nourishment. Rice likewise contains a nutritious mucilage, and is less used than it deserves, both on account of its wholesomeness and economical utility. The notion of its being hurtful to the sight is a vulgar error. It some constitutions it tends to induce costiveness, but this seems to be owing chiefly to flatulence, and may be corrected by the addition of some spice, such as caraways, aniseed, and the like. Spinach Τα Affords a soft, lubricating aliment, but contains little nourishment. In weak stomachs it is apt to produce acidity, and frequently a looseness. obviate these effects, it ought always to be well beaten, and have but little butter mixed with it. Asparagus Is a nourishing article in diet, and promotes the secretion of urine; but disposes a little to flatulence. Artichokes Resemble asparagus in their qualities, but seem to be more nutritive and less diuretic. Cabbages Do not afford much nourishment, but are an agreeable addition to animal food, and not quite so flatulent as the common greens. They are likewise diuretic, and somewhat laxative. Cabbage has a stronger tendency to putrefaction than most other vegetable substances; and, during its putrefying state, sends forth an offensive smell, much resembling that of putrefying animal bodies. So far, however, from promoting a putrid disposition in the human body, it is, on the contrary, a wholesome aliment in scurvy. Is of a stimulating and aromatic nature, well calculated to make agreeable sauces. It is also a gentle diuretic, but preferable in all its qualities when boiled. Celery is difficult of digestion in its raw state. Affords a root both wholesome and fragrant, but It gives an agreeable taste to soups, as well as renders them diuretic. Onions, Garlic, and Shallots Are all of a stimulating nature, by which they assist digestion and expel flatulency. They are, however, most suitable to persons of a cold and phlegmatic constitution. Radishes Of all kinds, particularly the horse-radish, agree with the three preceding articles. They excite the discharge of air lodged in the intestines. Tomatoes Are generally considered the most wholesome of all vegetables. Apples Are a wholesome fruit; but, in general, they agree best with the stomach when eaten either roasted or boiled. The more aromatic kinds of apples are the fittest for eating raw. Pears Resemble much in their effects the sweet kind of apples, but have more of a laxative quality, and a greater tendency to flatulence. Cherries often produces wakefulness, is a point that can not be denied; but if used in moderation, and accompanied with the additions just now mentioned, it does not sensibly discover any hurtful effects, but greatly refreshes one who is fatigued, and abates a pain of the head. It ought always Are in general a wholesome fruit, when perfectly to be made of a moderate degree of strength; for fresh, but not otherwise. Are of a nourishing quality, and they abound in juice; they are serviceable in bilious complaints. Apricots Are more pulpy than peaches, but are apt to ferment, and produce acidities in weak stomachs. Gooseberries and Currants, Strawberries Are an agreeable, cooling aliment. As if too weak it certainly relaxes the stomach. Coffee. It is allowed that coffee promotes digestion, and exhilarates the animal spirits; besides which, vaWhen ripe, are similar in their qualities to cher-rious other qualities are ascribed to it, such as disries, and when used in a green state they are pelling flatulency, removing dizziness of the head, agreeably cooling. attenuating viscid humors, increasing the circulation of the blood, and consequently perspiration with a great many persons, even if not taken strong, it affects the nerves, occasions wakefulAre cooling, and agreeable to the palate in hotness, and tremor of the hands; though in some weather; but to prevent them from proving hurt-phlegmatic constitutions it is apt to produce sleep. ful to the stomach, the juice ought to be squeezed out after they are sliced, and vinegar, pepper and salt afterwards added. Cucumbers Tea. By some, the use of this exotic is condemned in terms the most vehement and unqualified, whilst others have either asserted its innocence, or gone so far as to ascribe to it salubrious, and even extraordinary, virtues. The truth seems to lie between these two extremes; there is however an essential difference in the effects of green tea and of black, or of bohea; the former of which is much more apt to affect the nerves than the latter, more especially when drunk without cream, and likewise without bread and butter. That, taken in a large quantity, or at a later hour than usual, tea : Indeed, it is to persons of that habit that coffee is best accommodated; for to people of a thin and dry habit of body it seems to be especially injurious. Turkey coffee is greatly preferable in flavor to that of the West Indies. Drunk, only in the quantity of one dish, after dinner, to promote digestion, it answers best without either sugar or milk; but if taken at other times, it should have both; or rather in place of the latter, cream, which not only improves the beverage, but tends to mitigate the effect of coffee upon the nerves. Chocolate Is a nutritive and wholesome composition, if taken in a small quantity, and not repeated too often; but is sometimes hurtful to the stomach of those with whom a vegetable diet disagrees. BREWING and DISTILLATION. FERMENTATION. Before proceeding to the consideration of the manufacture of wines, beer, and spirits, a general survey of the subject of fermentation will not be out of place. Alcholic Beverages May be divided into fermented drinks including beer and wines, and distilled drinks or spirits, which are obtained from the former by distillation. Spirits usually contain about fifty per cent. of alcohol, beer and wines from one to twenty per cent. The alcohol in all cases results from the breaking up of the sugar in the fermenting liquid. Sugars. Ordinary sugar, or cane sugar; uncrystallizable, or fruit sugar; and grape sugar, or glucose, are the three most important varieties. Fruit sugar exists in all the sub-acid fruits as grapes, currants, apples, peaches, etc. When these are dried, it changes to grape sugar forming the whitish grains which are seen on the outside of prunes, raisins, etc. Grape sugar is found to a limited extent in fruits associated with fruit sugar. Cane sugar is readily changed by the action of acids or ferments into fruit sugar, and the latter into grape sugar, but the process cannot be reversed. Grape sugar is the only fermentable variety, the others becoming changed into it before fermentation. Transformation of Starch, etc. Under the influence of acids, or diastase, a principle existing in germinating grains, starch is changed first into gum (dextrine) and afterwards into grape sugar. Hence one of our most important sources of alcohol is to be found in the starch of barley, corn, wheat, potatoes, etc. Wood may be converted into grape sugar by the action of strong sulphuric acid, which is afterwards neuAn attempt to produce alcohol in this way on a commercial scale was made in France, but was not successful. tralized. |