Mutton, when in prime condition, is richer in fat than beef. It is of short fibre ; but it is less digestible than beef. The meat of a sheep should not be eaten till it is at least three years old. The best English Southdown mutton is obtained from sheep six years old. The flesh of mutton should be rather firmer than that of beef, and of a deep red colour. The fat should be white and firm. Mutton fat contains a large percentage of stearic acid ; it is on this account much firmer than beef fat, and also less digestible. For the same reason fat mutton eaten by persons of feeble digestion often disagrees, and should, therefore, be avoided. Mutton ought to hang for some time to ripen before it is cooked ; but the flesh of lamb can be cooked almost immediately after it is killed. Both mutton and beef should be hung as long as possible without becoming tainted. The flesh of an old animal when pinched remains wrinkled. MARKETING 27 THE NEW CENTURY COOKERY BOOK MODE OF CUTTING UP MUTTON A sheep is divided into the following pieces (see plate) : — 1. The Leg, suitable for roasting, baking or boiling. The leg of a wether is best for roasting or baking and the leg of ewes is considered best for boiling. MUTTON (MOUTON) 2. The Loin, best end, suitable for roasting or baking, also for grilling or broiling and stewing, when cut into chops. 3. TheLoin,ehumpend, treated the same as best end of loin, but more often stewed. Two loins undivided con- stitute a saddle. 4. The Neck, best end, suitable for roasting, baking, boil- ing or braising, but gene- rally made into cutlets, when they are grilled or fried. 5. The Neck, scrag end, useful for stews and soups, also boiled. 6. The Shoulder, generally baked or roasted whole ; the blade bone is fre- quently removed, when the shoulder is stuffed and roasted or braised. This joint is not suitable for boiling. 7. The Breast, suitable for baking or stewing. 8. The Head, including part of the neck (scrag end), suitable for boiling ; use- ful for broth. 9. The Shank, used for soup and broth, sometimes stewed. 10. The Trotters, made into broth with or without the head. They are also boiled, and sometimes stewed. Lamb. — The flesh of lamb, like that of mutton, should be firm, and the fat of a white colour. This meat, being immature, is not considered quite so nourishing as mutton. Lamb is in season from MARKETING 29 January to July. It will not keep good so long after being killed as mutton. When stale, the veins of the neck end in the forequarter will be found of a greenish tint, and when fresh of a bluish tint. Similar signs may be discovered in the hind-quarter by examining the kidney and the knuckle. The former has, when stale or killed too long, a slight tainted smell, and the knuckle is soft and flabby. BUYING Quite half of the success in cooking depends on the buyer. What Mr. John Tellman says about the method of buying for an hotel or other catering here in England. He says : ‘ When a house engages a man to buy who is not pos- sessed of the required know- ledge it will pay school money, which in some in- stances amounts to quite a sum, until he has learned. ‘ A steward in buying- should always ask the price of the goods wanted before taking them, no matter how regularly he gets the same article, or reliable the firm.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Mutton, when in prime condition, is richer in fat than beef. It is of short fibre ; but it is less digestible than beef. The meat of a sheep should not be eaten till it is at least three years old. The best English Southdown mutton is obtained from sheep six years old. The flesh of mutton should be rather firmer than that of beef, and of a deep red colour. The fat should be white and firm. Mutton fat contains a large percentage of stearic acid ; it is on this account much firmer than beef fat, and also less digestible. For the same reason fat mutton eaten by persons of feeble digestion often disagrees, and should, therefore, be avoided. Mutton ought to hang for some time to ripen before it is cooked ; but the flesh of lamb can be cooked almost immediately after it is killed. Both mutton and beef should be hung as long as possible without becoming tainted. The flesh of an old animal when pinched remains wrinkled. MODE OF CUTTING UP MUTTON A sheep is divided into the following pieces (see plate) : — 1. The Leg, suitable for roasting, baking or boiling. The leg of a wether is best for roasting or baking and the leg of ewes is considered best for boiling. MUTTON (MOUTON) 2. The Loin, best end, suitable for roasting or baking, also for grilling or broiling and stewing, when cut into chops. 3. TheLoin,ehumpend, treated the same as best end of loin, but more often stewed. Two loins undivided constitute a saddle. 4. The Neck, best end, suitable for roasting, baking, boiling or braising, but generally made into cutlets, when they are grilled or fried. 5. The Neck, scrag end, useful for stews and soups, also boiled. 6. The Shoulder, generally baked or roasted whole ; the blade bone is frequently removed, when the shoulder is stuffed and roasted or braised. This joint is not suitable for boiling. 7. The Breast, suitable for baking or stewing. 8. The Head, including part of the neck (scrag end), suitable for boiling ; useful for broth. 9. The Shank, used for soup and broth, sometimes stewed. 10. The Trotters, made into broth with or without the head. They are also boiled, and sometimes stewed. Lamb. — The flesh of lamb, like that of mutton, should be firm, and the fat of a white colour. This meat, being immature, is not considered quite so nourishing as mutton. Lamb is in season from January to July. It will not keep good so long after being killed as mutton. When stale, the veins of the neck end in the forequarter will be found of a greenish tint, and when fresh of a bluish tint. Similar signs may be discovered in the hind-quarter by examining the kidney and the knuckle. The former has, when stale or killed too long, a slight tainted smell, and the knuckle is soft and flabby. BUYING Quite half of the success in cooking depends on the buyer. What Mr. John Tellman says about the method of buying for an hotel or other catering here in England. He says : ‘ When a house engages a man to buy who is not possessed of the required knowledge it will pay school money, which in some instances amounts to quite a sum, until he has learned. ‘ A steward in buying should always ask the price of the goods wanted before taking them, no matter how regularly he gets the same article, or reliable the firm.

The new century cookery book