In carving salmon cut slices along the back-bone and also along the
flank. The flank or thin part, is the best and richest, and preferred by
all gourmands. The back is the most solid and thick. The tail of
salmon is not so fine as other parts. The head is seldom used. The
liver, milt and roe are generally served, but seldom eaten.
In carving mackerel the trowel should be carried under the meat,
horizontally over the back-bone, so as to raise one side of the meat from
the bone. Remove the bone and serve the other side of the fish. When
fresh, well cleaned and well done, the upper end is considered the best.
In carving fowls, as the legs are always bent inwards and tucked into
the belly before it is put on the table, the skewers by which they are
secured ought to be removed. The fowl should be laid on the carver's
plate, and the joints as they are cut off placed on the dish. In taking
off the wing, the joint only must be divided with the knife, for by lifting
up the pinion of the wing with the fork, and then drawing it towards
the legs, the muscles will separate in a much better form than you can
effect by cutting with a knife. Next place the knife between the leg
U THE DINING ROOM.
and body and cut to the bone ; turn the leg back with the fork and the
joint will give way if the fowl be young and well done ; the neck bones
are taken off by putting in the knife and pressing it under the long, hard
part of the bone ; then lift the neckbone up and break it off from the
part that sticks to the breast. The breast itself has now to be divided
from the body by cutting through the tender ribs close to the breast
quite down to the tail ; then lay the back upwards, put the knife into the
bone half way from the neck to the rump, and on raising it the lower
end will readily separate. The first thing to be done is to turn the
rump from you and neatly to take off the two sides. Each part should
be neatly arranged on the dish, or served out as desired by the guests.
A turkey should not be divided until the breast is disposed of. Begin
cutting close to the breast bone, scooping round so as to leave the mere
pinions. Each slice should carry with it a portion of the dressing or
force meat, with which the craw is stuffed.
Partridges are carved like fowls, but the breast and wings are not
often divided, the bird being small. Pigeons may be cut in two, either
from one end to the other of the bird or across. A goose or duck
should be cut with as many slices from the breast as possible, and
served with a portion of the dressing to each plate. When the meat is
all carved, and not till then, cut off the joints ; but, observe the joints
of water fowls are wide spread and go farther back than those of land
fowls.
A roast pig is generally slit down the middle in the kitchen, and the
cook garnishes the dish with the jaws and ears. Separate a shoulder
from the carcass on one side and then do the same thing with the leg.
Divide the ribs, which are frequently considered the most choice part,
into two or three helpings, presenting an ear or jaw as far as they will
go, and plenty of sauce. Some persons prefer the leg because not so
rich or luscious as the ribs. The neck end, between the shoulders, is
also sometimes preferred. The joints may be divided into two each, or
pieces may be cut from them.
Page 39
Presented as published in 1886. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
In carving salmon cut slices along the back-bone and also along the flank. The flank or thin part, is the best and richest, and preferred by all gourmands. The back is the most solid and thick. The tail of salmon is not so fine as other parts. The head is seldom used. The liver, milt and roe are generally served, but seldom eaten.
In carving mackerel the trowel should be carried under the meat, horizontally over the back-bone, so as to raise one side of the meat from the bone. Remove the bone and serve the other side of the fish. When fresh, well cleaned and well done, the upper end is considered the best.
In carving fowls, as the legs are always bent inwards and tucked into the belly before it is put on the table, the skewers by which they are secured ought to be removed. The fowl should be laid on the carver's plate, and the joints as they are cut off placed on the dish. In taking off the wing, the joint only must be divided with the knife, for by lifting up the pinion of the wing with the fork, and then drawing it towards the legs, the muscles will separate in a much better form than you can effect by cutting with a knife. Next place the knife between the leg
and body and cut to the bone ; turn the leg back with the fork and the joint will give way if the fowl be young and well done ; the neck bones are taken off by putting in the knife and pressing it under the long, hard part of the bone ; then lift the neckbone up and break it off from the part that sticks to the breast. The breast itself has now to be divided from the body by cutting through the tender ribs close to the breast quite down to the tail ; then lay the back upwards, put the knife into the bone half way from the neck to the rump, and on raising it the lower end will readily separate. The first thing to be done is to turn the rump from you and neatly to take off the two sides. Each part should be neatly arranged on the dish, or served out as desired by the guests. A turkey should not be divided until the breast is disposed of. Begin cutting close to the breast bone, scooping round so as to leave the mere pinions. Each slice should carry with it a portion of the dressing or force meat, with which the craw is stuffed.
Partridges are carved like fowls, but the breast and wings are not often divided, the bird being small. Pigeons may be cut in two, either from one end to the other of the bird or across. A goose or duck should be cut with as many slices from the breast as possible, and served with a portion of the dressing to each plate. When the meat is all carved, and not till then, cut off the joints ; but, observe the joints of water fowls are wide spread and go farther back than those of land fowls.
A roast pig is generally slit down the middle in the kitchen, and the cook garnishes the dish with the jaws and ears. Separate a shoulder from the carcass on one side and then do the same thing with the leg. Divide the ribs, which are frequently considered the most choice part, into two or three helpings, presenting an ear or jaw as far as they will go, and plenty of sauce. Some persons prefer the leg because not so rich or luscious as the ribs. The neck end, between the shoulders, is also sometimes preferred. The joints may be divided into two each, or pieces may be cut from them.