Hares, rabbits, opossum, raccoon, squirrel, etc. When a hare is yoUng and fresh, the cleft in the lip is narrow, the body stiff, and the claws are smooth arxi sharp; old and stale hares will be the opposite of this, In order to ascertain whether a hare, etc., is young or old, turn the claws side" ways; if they crack it , is young. The ears also should be tender and capable of bending easily. Roasting, sauteing or stewing. , >, ,•< Fish. The eyes of fresh fish are bright,* . the gills of a fine, clear red, the flesh very firm, the body stiff, the scales bright and gleaming, and the entire fish life-like, and the smell not unpleasant. Fresh fish is practically odorless, ah though sea fish always, more or less, have an odor of the sea. Unscrupulous dealers dip tainted fish or meats in salicy- late or chloride of soda, which will restore fish that is not extremely fresh, but it is never so good as when it has not been kept. Always be careful in your buying. The salmon or similar fish, the flesh firm and the scales very bright. Do not buy soles, halibut, herring, mackerel, etc., unless quite fresh, and do not attempt to keep them even till the next day. Salmon, cod, bass may be kept twenty-four hours. Eels should be bought alive; trout the same. Crabs and lobsters should be heavy and very stiff. Never cook a dead crab or lobster, nor eat any canned ones, as they are gen¬ erally indigestible and sometimes poisonous. Oysters. The oyster is an ancient aliment of first choice. They are good only in the months with “r,” that is to say, from September to April. The fecundity of the oyster is remarkable. The oyster is hermophrodite and hatches eggs two of three times in the year, producing about two million, young. The oyster should be eaten alive, and it is strange to say that it is one of the rare animated things that man will eat. . ; - 7 i. ■. The American people are masters in the art to eating oysters, especially cooked ones. Every city has its specialty. — 480 — C U L IN ARY EVOL U T I O N:> Let us eat these oysters “in every style.” Oysters, if fresh’, wilT close forcibly on the knife when opened: If the shell gapes in the least degree, the oyster is losing freshness. When the fish is dead the shell remains open. Small oysters are the best for eating; for sauces or other culinary purposes the larger kinds are good enough. * - Eggs. Shake the eggs; if they are bad they will rattle. But I think the best plan is to put them in a basin of water, and see if they lie on their sides, down in it. If the egg turns upon its end, it is bad; if it lies obliquely, it is only “not quite fresh” but may do for pudding, etc. The safest way is to held them up to the light, forming a focus with your hand. Should the shell be covered with small dark spots they are very doubtful. If, however, in looking at them you see no transparency in the shells, you may' be sure they are rotten and only fit to be thrown away. The most precise way is to look at them by the light of a candle; if there are no spots upon the shells, and they have a brilliant light yellow tint, they are fresh. Eggs are an excellent aliment for children, also for sick and feeble people. They, however, must be absolutely fresh. They lose part of their nourishment if they are hard boiled.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Hares, rabbits, opossum, raccoon, squirrel, etc. When a hare is young and fresh, the cleft in the lip is narrow, the body stiff, and the claws are smooth and sharp; old and stale hares will be the opposite of this, In order to ascertain whether a hare, etc., is young or old, turn the claws sideways; if they crack it , is young. The ears also should be tender and capable of bending easily. Roasting, sauteing or stewing. , >, ,•< Fish. The eyes of fresh fish are bright, the gills of a fine, clear red, the flesh very firm, the body stiff, the scales bright and gleaming, and the entire fish life-like, and the smell not unpleasant. Fresh fish is practically odorless, ah though sea fish always, more or less, have an odor of the sea. Unscrupulous dealers dip tainted fish or meats in salicylate or chloride of soda, which will restore fish that is not extremely fresh, but it is never so good as when it has not been kept. Always be careful in your buying. The salmon or similar fish, the flesh firm and the scales very bright. Do not buy soles, halibut, herring, mackerel, etc., unless quite fresh, and do not attempt to keep them even till the next day. Salmon, cod, bass may be kept twenty-four hours. Eels should be bought alive; trout the same. Crabs and lobsters should be heavy and very stiff. Never cook a dead crab or lobster, nor eat any canned ones, as they are generally indigestible and sometimes poisonous. Oysters. The oyster is an ancient aliment of first choice. They are good only in the months with “r,” that is to say, from September to April. The fecundity of the oyster is remarkable. The oyster is hermophrodite and hatches eggs two of three times in the year, producing about two million, young. The oyster should be eaten alive, and it is strange to say that it is one of the rare animated things that man will eat. . ; - 7 i. ■. The American people are masters in the art to eating oysters, especially cooked ones. Every city has its specialty. — 480 — C U L IN ARY EVOLUTION: Let us eat these oysters “in every style.” Oysters, if fresh’, will close forcibly on the knife when opened: If the shell gapes in the least degree, the oyster is losing freshness. When the fish is dead the shell remains open. Small oysters are the best for eating; for sauces or other culinary purposes the larger kinds are good enough. * - Eggs. Shake the eggs; if they are bad they will rattle. But I think the best plan is to put them in a basin of water, and see if they lie on their sides, down in it. If the egg turns upon its end, it is bad; if it lies obliquely, it is only “not quite fresh” but may do for pudding, etc. The safest way is to held them up to the light, forming a focus with your hand. Should the shell be covered with small dark spots they are very doubtful. If, however, in looking at them you see no transparency in the shells, you may' be sure they are rotten and only fit to be thrown away. The most precise way is to look at them by the light of a candle; if there are no spots upon the shells, and they have a brilliant light yellow tint, they are fresh. Eggs are an excellent aliment for children, also for sick and feeble people. They, however, must be absolutely fresh. They lose part of their nourishment if they are hard boiled.

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