Foods and home making

carving. Carving knives come in several sizes. (See Fig- ure 130.) Some suggestions for carving are: 1. Thrust the fork firmly into the meat. 2. Look at the meat. See if you can tell in which direction the fibers run. Always cut across the fibers or grain of the meat. Meat thus A rolled roast is easy to carve, for it has no bones. Before starting to carve, cut only the string near the top of the roast. Then, when necessary, cut the rest of the strings. Cut across the grain of the meat, slicing the meat thin. carved will taste better and be more tender than that which is cut with the grain of the meat. 3. Slice meat without bone in slices a half inch or less in thickness. 4. Cut with a firm, steady cut; do not use the carving knife as a saw. 5. Cut enough meat for all the guests before serving the individual portions. Planning and Serving a Dinner 459 6. Cut the meat neatly so that there will be as few scraps as possible. 7. If one part Of the meat is more choice than another, divide it so that each person served will have some of the choice portion as well as that which is not so good. 8. Place each serving of meat on the plates so that it looks as attractive as possible. 9. When all the guests have been served, arrange the meat left on the platter as neatly as possible. A standing rib roast is harder to carve than a rolled roast because of the bones. Turn the meat on the platter so the ends of the rib bones point toward you. Starting at the skin side, cut toward the bone. After several slices are cut, with the point of the knife cut along the edge of the bone so as to loosen the slices. What consideration should be shown the carver? It is not always easy to carve meat. It is especially difficult to carve a roast turkey or chicken. Often these meats are served when guests are present. If the guests watch every move of the carver, he is apt to become embarrassed or uncomfortable. Under such circumstances the carver usually does not do so well as when he works unnoticed. The guests should pay no atten- 460 Dinner tion to the carving. Some topic of conversation should be started by the hostess or one of the guests so as to engage the attention of the other guests. When a turkey or chicken is being carved, the carver often asks each guest what part he prefers. Each guest should give The easiest way to carve a whole ham is to start at the larger end. The choicest slices of a ham, however, are cut from the thickest part. This part may be carved first. Cut the meat in thin slices on each side of the bone. Then, with the point of the knife, loosen the slices from the bone. his preference unless he thinks that too many of the other guests will want the same part. Then the guest may say that any part is acceptable. When such a reply is made, it is well for the carver to serve a piece of both white and dark meat. How are different cuts or kinds of meat carved ? A study of Figures 131, 132, 133, and 134 will help you to learn how to carve meats. Planning and Serving a Dinner 461 How is roast chicken or turkey carved? A roast chicken or turkey is more difficult to carve than other meats because of the joints. As stated on page 398, poultry should be placed on a platter breast up. The method of carving turkey is shown in Figures 135, 136, and 137. Modern Priscilla