My mother's cook book

Pigeons are usually carved into four pieces, and then by dividing each piece in half. Many persons cut them through the middle lengthways, and serve half the bird to each guest. Half a pigeon is not considered too much to be placed on a plate at once. BEEF. Joints are always the great staple of dinner, and therefore no one should be ignorant of the proper mode of carving them. The carver should always remember that hot joints are intended to be eaten hot, and that to cut slices neither too thick nor too thin is the best way of helping all roast and boiled meats. Aitch-bone, Hock-bone, or H. Bone of Beef— for the derivation of the name is lost in the remotest antiq- 226 ^EEP. uity — is the hiost favorite joint of salt beef. Jn all boiled meats the outer slice should be cut off, because the outside, by boiling, becomes hard and dry. In this particular case it is doubly necessary ' that a thick, slice should, be taken off from the top, for the salting has hardened it no. less than the boiling. Then help handsome, smooth, thin slices, giving with each plate a little of the marrowy fat, and a little of the solid fat. Some recommend the slices to be a trifle thicker, and to taper off. No fluid should be placed in the dish, as the gravy that flows from the meat is all that is required. A Round of Beef is carved in the same way as the edge-bone, and the slices must be cut as thin as possible, after having removed a very thick outside . slice to another dish.' A Brisket of Beef is cut down to the bone the long way, in thin slices, as the piece is fat and gristly, and all fat meat requires care not to serve the fat in too, solid' a mass. A Sirloin of Beef is said to be "a knightly joint." There are two ways of carving it. That which is the more ancient is still the most prevalent, and that is to serve it in long, slices, vyhich of itself apportions the fat to the lean. The other way is to begin in the middle and cut it across. In either case, a piece of the soft marrowy fat should accompany the slice, along with a sufficiency of gravy, which a generous joint will supply to the last. The browned outside should be offered, but not sent without asking. Many prefer, the under side. In SADDLE OF MUTTON. 227 that case the joint must be turned over, and cross slices cut. Ribs of Beef are carved in the same way as the sirloin, under its first and earlier method, care being taken to commence always at the thinnest part of the meat. When the ribs are boned and the meat rolled like a filet of veal, they are cut up like that joint. MUTTON OR LAMB. A Leg of Mutton has its most juicy part in about the middle or thick of the thigh. The shank should lie to the carver's left hand if boiled, to his right if roasted. The first cut should be made through the noix or kernel, called the pope's eye. The fat lies in two directions. From eaqh of these a nice slice should be cut, and, with gravy from the meat, helped round with each portion. Some persons serve the outer side uppermost, as in the roasted leg. A Shoulder of Mutton, which Quin delighted in hot, and George III., or "Farmer George," luxuriated in cold, has many nice cuts. The fat should be cut in straight slices, and near to it some epicure's slices may be found, as all that part of the animal which is near the back-bone is prized as such. The under side is best cold; but if served hot, the oyster pieces to its righti and the hillock produce the prime slices, which must be cut horizontally. A Saddle of Mutton, which is always a favorite joint, consists of two loins. Make an incision in. 228 MUTTON on LAMB.