Limes. Dark green ones are prime and the best of these are the
big ones called Persians. But unless one is addicted to the piquant
flavor of limes in sloe gin rickeys and such, we consider lemons,
even small ones, a better buy.
MusKMELLONS OR CANTALOUPES. Since most melons for market
are picked green in the condition known as "half-slip," they're
usually pretty punk and it's wise to ask for a slice of the same run of
melons before buying. We've wasted so much money on these taste-
less muskies that we're almost afraid to look one in the squinting
half-slip eye. They're tempting to view, and sometimes wink at
THE PICK OF THE PUSHCART 1 77
you, but you simply can't tell anything about the taste from out-
side appearance, except by smelling the stem end and that takes a
really educated smeller. Finely-netted Rockyfords are fairly safe.
Ripeness can be told by pressing; if it's firm and elastic that part's
all right. With honey-dews and honey balls, however, it's wise to
keep them a long time until you're dead sure they're dead ripe;
otherwise you'll just have to throw them away. No melon should be
kept in a damp place — that takes the flavor out.
Nectarines. This cross of apricot and peach is pretty to look at,
but usually not as mellow and full-flavored as either a peach or an
apricot just by itself. In fact, if you bite into a nectarine with your
eyes shut you'll say it's just a hard, tasteless peach. We've never
had them fully-ripened from the tree, so this goes only for the kind
picked green and shipped all the way across the continent, bump-
ety-bumpety.
Oranges. See 21 Ways to Eat i Orange, The best buys in this
line are "grove or orchard run" trucked direct to town markets;
they may not look as fancy because they aren't washed, waxed or
polished, but they taste every bit as good, nay, even better. In
New York's pushcart market known as "Paddy's" we always find
bargains in the tangerine types, big King and mandarin oranges
and the smaller satsumas, sometimes bursting in taste, and we pick
them for tightness of skin in relation to weight. The light ones with
the loose wrinkled skins simply aren't worth buying. Get the can-
non-ball kind which go two or three for a nickel in season, after the
bon voyage baskets have been filled with all they can hold, at a dime
apiece.
Peaches. A peach may look pretty and yet taste pretty punk; so
the only sure test is to eat a slice. As with apples or tomatoes, when
buying by the basket, ask to see what's at the bottom and if there
aren't too many tiny, green, gnarly, wormy and rotten ones, they're
worth buying if the price is fair. Reject spotted and bruised ones —
too much waste.
Pears. Weight according to size is the best test, but as with
peaches, it's wise to taste before buying. You can always buy one
to test, and that may save you the price of a whole worthless dozen.
Pineapples. The only test for ripeness is to pluck a green blade
178 MOST-FOR-YOUR-MONEY COOK BOOK
Page 99
Presented as published in 1938. 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
Limes. Dark green ones are prime and the best of these are the big ones called Persians. But unless one is addicted to the piquant flavor of limes in sloe gin rickeys and such, we consider lemons, even small ones, a better buy.
MUSKMELONS OR CANTALOUPES. Since most melons for market are picked green in the condition known as "half-slip," they're usually pretty punk and it's wise to ask for a slice of the same run of melons before buying. We've wasted so much money on these tasteless muskies that we're almost afraid to look one in the squinting half-slip eye. They're tempting to view, and sometimes wink at
THE PICK OF THE PUSHCART 1 77
you, but you simply can't tell anything about the taste from outside appearance, except by smelling the stem end and that takes a really educated smeller. Finely-netted Rockyfords are fairly safe. Ripeness can be told by pressing; if it's firm and elastic that part's all right. With honey-dews and honey balls, however, it's wise to keep them a long time until you're dead sure they're dead ripe; otherwise you'll just have to throw them away. No melon should be kept in a damp place — that takes the flavor out.
Nectarines. This cross of apricot and peach is pretty to look at, but usually not as mellow and full-flavored as either a peach or an apricot just by itself. In fact, if you bite into a nectarine with your eyes shut you'll say it's just a hard, tasteless peach. We've never had them fully-ripened from the tree, so this goes only for the kind picked green and shipped all the way across the continent, bumpety-bumpety.
Oranges. See 21 Ways to Eat i Orange, The best buys in this line are "grove or orchard run" trucked direct to town markets; they may not look as fancy because they aren't washed, waxed or polished, but they taste every bit as good, nay, even better. In New York's pushcart market known as "Paddy's" we always find bargains in the tangerine types, big King and mandarin oranges and the smaller satsumas, sometimes bursting in taste, and we pick them for tightness of skin in relation to weight. The light ones with the loose wrinkled skins simply aren't worth buying. Get the cannon-ball kind which go two or three for a nickel in season, after the bon voyage baskets have been filled with all they can hold, at a dime apiece.
Peaches. A peach may look pretty and yet taste pretty punk; so the only sure test is to eat a slice. As with apples or tomatoes, when buying by the basket, ask to see what's at the bottom and if there aren't too many tiny, green, gnarly, wormy and rotten ones, they're worth buying if the price is fair. Reject spotted and bruised ones — too much waste.
Pears. Weight according to size is the best test, but as with peaches, it's wise to taste before buying. You can always buy one to test, and that may save you the price of a whole worthless dozen.
Pineapples. The only test for ripeness is to pluck a green blade