Baked potatoes should be served the minute they
are done; better serve with a bone in them than wait
till they become soggy. The average oven does not
heat as quickly as water on top of the stove will boil,
so when baked potatoes are wanted in a hurry they
may be partially boiled then put in the oven to finish.
During the cold weather it is quite as well to wash
a week's supply of potatoes at once as only enough
for one meal; a short broom will shorten this process.
After washing, dry well, and keep in a cool, dry place.
The potato is a valuable agent for clarifying fat of any
kind and absorbing unpleasant odors. Put thin slices
in the fat and fry till crisp and brown, then strain the
fat and it will be ready for use. A few slices in each
kettleful will keep the odor of doughnuts, etc., from
penetrating the house, and prevent the fat from burn-
ing. Grated, scalded with boiling water and strained,
potatoes make an excellent starch for dark fabrics.
The juice is recommended for chilblains. Instances
are given where flowers have been sent long distances,
kept fresh, in a hollowed potato. — Anna Borrows in
Good Hou Si keeping.
CHICKENS, GEESE AND DUCKS.
How riii;\ Should he Carved.
To carve a chicken, begin by sticking a fork in the
pinion, and drawing it toward the leg, and passing the
knife underneath, taking the wing off at the joint.
Then slip the knife between the leg and the body, to
cut through the joint, and with the fork turn the leg
back, and the joint will give way. Next take off the
other wing and leg. If the chicken has been trussed
with the liver and gizzard, help a piece of each with
the wing. After the joints are cut off, enter the knife
into the top of the breast, and cut under the merry-
thought so as to loosen it, lifting it with the fork. Cut
slices from both sides of the breast, then separate the
side bones from the back. The breast and wings are
considered the most delicate parts of the chicken, the
back the least desirable.
To carve a goose, separate the leg from the body by
putting the fork into the small end of the limb, press-
ing close to the body, and then passing the knife under
and turning the leg back as the joint is cut through.
To take off the wing, put the fork into the small end of
the pinion, and slip the knife under, separating the
joint. Then cut under the breast bone and take it off,
and cut slices from the breast. Ne.xt turn the goose
over and dismember the other side. Take on the up-
per side bones, next the wings, and then the lower side
bones. The breast and legs of a goose are the choice
pieces.
In carving a duck, place the head to" the right, cut
off the wing nearest first, then the leg and second
joint, then slices of the breast until the bone appears;
insert the knife between the bone and flesh and sepa-
rate them. This is the choicest bit of a duck. The
side bone lies beside the rump, and it can be taken out
without separating the whole bone. Next turn the
duck, and proceed in the same way as upon the other
side. The lower part of the leg of a duck is hard and
stringy and is never helped, but allowed to remain on
the dish.
Partridge, pheasant, pigeon and grouse are carved
in the same manner as chicken. Quail, woodcock and
snipe are merely split down the back with a sharp thin
knife — so also are all small birds — giving half to each
person.
Page 16
Presented as published in 1892. 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
Baked potatoes should be served the minute they are done; better serve with a bone in them than wait till they become soggy. The average oven does not heat as quickly as water on top of the stove will boil, so when baked potatoes are wanted in a hurry they may be partially boiled then put in the oven to finish.
During the cold weather it is quite as well to wash a week's supply of potatoes at once as only enough for one meal; a short broom will shorten this process. After washing, dry well, and keep in a cool, dry place. The potato is a valuable agent for clarifying fat of any kind and absorbing unpleasant odors. Put thin slices in the fat and fry till crisp and brown, then strain the fat and it will be ready for use. A few slices in each kettleful will keep the odor of doughnuts, etc., from penetrating the house, and prevent the fat from burning. Grated, scalded with boiling water and strained, potatoes make an excellent starch for dark fabrics.
The juice is recommended for chilblains. Instances are given where flowers have been sent long distances, kept fresh, in a hollowed potato. — Anna Borrows in Good Hou Si keeping.
CHICKENS, GEESE AND DUCKS.
How riii;\ Should he Carved.
To carve a chicken, begin by sticking a fork in the pinion, and drawing it toward the leg, and passing the knife underneath, taking the wing off at the joint. Then slip the knife between the leg and the body, to cut through the joint, and with the fork turn the leg back, and the joint will give way. Next take off the other wing and leg. If the chicken has been trussed with the liver and gizzard, help a piece of each with the wing. After the joints are cut off, enter the knife into the top of the breast, and cut under the merrythought so as to loosen it, lifting it with the fork. Cut slices from both sides of the breast, then separate the side bones from the back. The breast and wings are considered the most delicate parts of the chicken, the back the least desirable.
To carve a goose, separate the leg from the body by putting the fork into the small end of the limb, pressing close to the body, and then passing the knife under and turning the leg back as the joint is cut through. To take off the wing, put the fork into the small end of the pinion, and slip the knife under, separating the joint. Then cut under the breast bone and take it off, and cut slices from the breast. Next turn the goose over and dismember the other side. Take on the upper side bones, next the wings, and then the lower side bones. The breast and legs of a goose are the choice pieces.
In carving a duck, place the head to" the right, cut off the wing nearest first, then the leg and second joint, then slices of the breast until the bone appears; insert the knife between the bone and flesh and separate them. This is the choicest bit of a duck. The side bone lies beside the rump, and it can be taken out without separating the whole bone. Next turn the duck, and proceed in the same way as upon the other side. The lower part of the leg of a duck is hard and stringy and is never helped, but allowed to remain on the dish.
Partridge, pheasant, pigeon and grouse are carved in the same manner as chicken. Quail, woodcock and snipe are merely split down the back with a sharp thin knife — so also are all small birds — giving half to each person.