Veal is the great historical object of the cookery of the French, which can be understood thereby ; it is not so in England, where calves are killed much later, i.e., at a more advanced age than on the Continent, and the use of beef prevails greatly over that of veal. There was in existence in France a law according to which calves were not to be killed under the age of six weeks ; but this law was little observed, and where it was, calves were not allowed to outlive the span of allotted time. The recipes for French preparations of veal are, of course, adapted to the size of the joints, and such recipes translated into English without adaptation would refer to objects of such large proportions that their treatment would become, if not impossible, at least very difficult. It follows that the anatomical division of the calf, as effected by the butcher in England, differs considerably from that usual on the Continent. The animal, from which the head has been severed entire, is divided lengthways by a perpendicular section in two halves, sides, and these are divided into four quarters. Each anterior or fore quarter consists of a neck, which is in reality half a neck ; a sho^llder, being in reality the shoulder-blade with adherent flesh ; the hack, or carri, from which the cdtclettes proper are made ; and the breast or ribs of veal, which includes the anterior part, or brisket, with the tasty firm fat called kernel, and the rib cartilages near the sternum, or breast- bone, called in French tendrons. The dividing-line of the fore and hind quarters follows pretty nearly the natural division into chest and abdomen, as indicated by the diaphragm or PREPARATIONS OF VEAL 449 midriff. The hind-quarter begins close to the anterior end of the kidney, which marks the loin or Iddney-ioiece ; the inner part of the hind-leg in cow-calves, including the udder, is called met ; the thin end with the hock-joint is called knuckle ; the thick part of the leg is mostly cut up in slices perpendicular to the bone, and such a slice in London is called fillet — quite falsely, we admit, but the use of the word cannot be avoided. A Hind-leg of Veal, properly called a Leg of Veal, in France and Germany weighs from 12 to 15 lb., in England two or three times that amount. On this section of the veal there are three parts, which are called nut, or noix in French. The first nut is the cushion, or motose-piece, which is just inside the leg, and the fattest and tenderest part. It is taken off in a technical manner which we need not describe. After having removed this, the butcher takes out the under-cushion, or %inder-nut, in French sour -noix. Then there is a third nut, called noix du pdtissier, which is near the rump or buttock, at the base of the tail, called by German butchers and cooks the pasty-piece — Pastetenstiick. This latter is the piece which in the ox is called the fillet, or under-cut, but in the calf is not so called. As a matter 'of fact, some French cookery-books have no dish called ‘ Fillet of Veal,’ but have several preparations called of ‘ Noix de Veau.’

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Veal is the great historical object of the cookery of the French, which can be understood thereby ; it is not so in England, where calves are killed much later, i.e., at a more advanced age than on the Continent, and the use of beef prevails greatly over that of veal. There was in existence in France a law according to which calves were not to be killed under the age of six weeks ; but this law was little observed, and where it was, calves were not allowed to outlive the span of allotted time. The recipes for French preparations of veal are, of course, adapted to the size of the joints, and such recipes translated into English without adaptation would refer to objects of such large proportions that their treatment would become, if not impossible, at least very difficult. It follows that the anatomical division of the calf, as effected by the butcher in England, differs considerably from that usual on the Continent. The animal, from which the head has been severed entire, is divided lengthways by a perpendicular section in two halves, sides, and these are divided into four quarters. Each anterior or fore quarter consists of a neck, which is in reality half a neck ; a shoulder, being in reality the shoulder-blade with adherent flesh;; the hack, or carri, from which the cdtclettes proper are made ; and the breast or ribs of veal, which includes the anterior part, or brisket, with the tasty firm fat called kernel, and the rib cartilages near the sternum, or breastbone, called in French tendrons. The dividing-line of the fore and hind quarters follows pretty nearly the natural division into chest and abdomen, as indicated by the diaphragm or midriff. The hind-quarter begins close to the anterior end of the kidney, which marks the loin or Iddney-ioiece ;the inner part of the hind-leg in cow-calves, including the udder, is called mou; ; the thin end with the hock-joint is called knuckle ; the thick part of the leg is mostly cut up in slices perpendicular to the bone, and such a slice in London is called fillet — quite falsely, we admit, but the use of the word cannot be avoided. A Hind-leg of Veal, properly called a Leg of Veal, in France and Germany weighs from 12 to 15 lb., in England two or three times that amount. On this section of the veal there are three parts, which are called nut, or noix in French. The first nut is the cushion, or motose-piece, which is just inside the leg, and the fattest and tenderest part. It is taken off in a technical manner which we need not describe. After having removed this, the butcher takes out the under-cushion, or under-nut, in French sous-noix. Then there is a third nut, called noix du pâtissier, which is near the rump or buttock, at the base of the tail, called by German butchers and cooks the pasty-piece — Pastetenstiick. This latter is the piece which in the ox is called the fillet, or under-cut, but in the calf is not so called. As a matter 'of fact, some French cookery-books have no dish called ‘ Fillet of Veal,’ but have several preparations called of ‘ Noix de Veau.’

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