season and supply. A pair of canvas-backs will at one time
cost a dollar and a half and at another five dollars.
Pigeons.
There are two kinds of pigeons found in the market, the
tame and the wild, which are used for potting, stewing, &c.
Except when "stall-fed" they are dry and tough, and require
great care in preparation. The wild birds are the cheapest.
They are shipped from the West, packed in barrels, through
the latter part of the winter and the early spring. Stall-fed
pigeons are the tame ones cooped for a few weeks and well
fed. They are then quite fat and tender, and come into mar-
ket about the first of October.
Squabs.
These are the young of the tame pigeon. Their flesh is
very delicate, and they are used for roasting and broiling.
Grouse, or Prairie Chicken.
These birds comes from the West, and are much like the
partridge of the Eastern States and Canada. The flesh is
dark, but exceedingly tender. Grouse should be plump and
heavy. The breast is all that is good to serve when roasted,
and being so dry, it should always be larded. The season is
from September to January, but it is often continued into
April.
Venison.
There should be a good deal of fat on this meat. The
lean should be dark red and the fat white. Venison is in
season all the year, but is most used in cold weather. In
summer it should have been killed at least ten days before
cooking ; in winter three weeks is better. The cuts are the
leg, saddle, loin, fore quarter and steaks. The supply regu-
lates the price.
Partridge.
This bird is so like the grouse that the same rules
MARKETING, 41
apply to both. What is known as quail at the North is
called partridge at the South.
Quail.
These birds are found in the market all through the fall
and winter. They are quite small (about the size of a squab),
are nearly always tender and juicy, and not very expensive.
They come from the West.
Woodcock.
Woodcock is in season from July to November. It is a
small bird, weighing about half a pound. It has a fine, deli-
cate flavor, and is very high-priced.
Other Game.
There are numerous large and small birds which are used
for food, but there is not space to treat of them all. In se-
lecting game it must be remembered that the birds will have
a gamey smell, which is wholly different from that of tainted
meat.
FISH.
To fully describe all the kinds of fish found in our markets
would require too much space and is unneccessary, but a list
of those of which there is usually a supply is given, that
housekeepers may know what it is best to select in a certain
season and have some idea of the prices.
To Select Fish.
When fresh, the skin and scales will be bright, the eyes
full and clear, the fins stiff and the body firm. If there is a
bad odor, or, if the fish is soft and darker than is usual for that
kind, and has dim, sunken eyes, it is not fit to use.
Codfish.
This is good all the year, but best in the fall and winter
42 MISS PAKLOA'S NEW COOK BOOK.
When cooked, it breaks into large white flakes. It is not as
nutritious as the darker kinds of fish, but is more easily di-
gested. The price remains about the same through all
seasons.
Haddock.
Page 11
Presented as published in 1880. 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
season and supply. A pair of canvas-backs will at one time cost a dollar and a half and at another five dollars.
Pigeons.
There are two kinds of pigeons found in the market, the tame and the wild, which are used for potting, stewing, &c. Except when "stall-fed" they are dry and tough, and require great care in preparation. The wild birds are the cheapest. They are shipped from the West, packed in barrels, through the latter part of the winter and the early spring. Stall-fed pigeons are the tame ones cooped for a few weeks and well fed. They are then quite fat and tender, and come into market about the first of October.
Squabs.
These are the young of the tame pigeon. Their flesh is very delicate, and they are used for roasting and broiling.
Grouse, or Prairie Chicken.
These birds come from the West, and are much like the
partridge of the Eastern States and Canada. The flesh is
dark, but exceedingly tender. Grouse should be plump and
heavy. The breast is all that is good to serve when roasted,
and being so dry, it should always be larded. The season is
from September to January, but it is often continued into
April.
Venison.
There should be a good deal of fat on this meat. The lean should be dark red and the fat white. Venison is in season all the year, but is most used in cold weather. In summer it should have been killed at least ten days before cooking ; in winter three weeks is better. The cuts are the leg, saddle, loin, fore quarter and steaks. The supply regulates the price.
Partridge.
This bird is so like the grouse that the same rules
apply to both. What is known as quail at the North is called partridge at the South.
Quail.
These birds are found in the market all through the fall and winter. They are quite small (about the size of a squab), are nearly always tender and juicy, and not very expensive. They come from the West.
Woodcock.
Woodcock is in season from July to November. It is a small bird, weighing about half a pound. It has a fine, delicate flavor, and is very high-priced.
Other Game.
There are numerous large and small birds which are used for food, but there is not space to treat of them all. In selecting game it must be remembered that the birds will have a gamey smell, which is wholly different from that of tainted meat.
To fully describe all the kinds of fish found in our markets would require too much space and is unneccessary, but a list of those of which there is usually a supply is given, that housekeepers may know what it is best to select in a certain season and have some idea of the prices.
To Select Fish.
When fresh, the skin and scales will be bright, the eyes full and clear, the fins stiff and the body firm. If there is a bad odor, or, if the fish is soft and darker than is usual for that kind, and has dim, sunken eyes, it is not fit to use.
Codfish.
This is good all the year, but best in the fall and winter
When cooked, it breaks into large white flakes. It is not as nutritious as the darker kinds of fish, but is more easily digested. The price remains about the same through all
seasons.
Haddock.