Principles of cookery

The composition of all animal foods is similar. Milk is mainly water, but contains some of each of the food principles. Eggs have less water than milk,, and no carbohydrates, but furnish larger proportions of fat and protein. Fish would average about the same proportion of protein as eggs, but rather less fat. Poultry yields more protein than eggs, but about the same amount of fat. The flesh of the larger animals will average about two-thirds water, the protein and fat being in varying proportions according to the age and condition of the animal. Without regard to the names given by marketmen of different localities to the cuts of meat, we may learn the location of the choicest pieces. Cuts which offer tender muscle or large proportion of muscle will naturally command the higher prices. In any of these animals the framework of bone is practically the same. The larger portion of bone is MEAT. in the forequarter. This is one reason why the forequarters are cheaper than hindquarters in our markets. Consequently, there is less nutritive value per pound and what there is is less accessible, for the meat is not easily carved unless boned before cooking-. Meat of any kind should have little odor when in good condition. It should be firm and dry rather than Judging Meat LAMB CHOPS AND KIDNEYS. moist, and should be well marbled with fat. The lower part of the legs will have little muscle in proportion to the bone, and there will be tendons holding the muscle to the bone. Muscles getting little motion or exercise will be tender, while those which are active will be tough, though juicy. The neck and legs, therefore, will be suitable for broths but not desirable for roasts. A general rule is this : the market value of meat increases backward from the head, but decreases down- Toughnesr ward toward the legs. This brings the choicest cuts in the back upper part of the creature and includes the rump and loin. The muscle of good beef is dark red when first cut and grows brighter when exposed to the air for a short time. The fat is yellowish white. Mutton Mutton and lamb have a hard white fat. The flesh and Lamb Qf mutton is a duller red than beef. The lamb is pinkish in tinge. The bones of veal and lamb are smaller than those of beef and mutton. Veal and fresh lean pork are somewhat the same shade of dull pink, but the pork has more fat mixed with it. Meat from young animals is tender but not so nutritious, and does not keep so well as that from older ones. The heart, liver, sweetbread, kidney, tripe, are also used as food and the same general laws govern the methods of cooking them. The chef may not recognize the same elements in meat that the chemist does, yet his choice and preparation of a cut of meat are based upon its composition. From this point of view, meat consists of three parts : lean muscle, fat, and bone, and the market value of any cut is based upon its relative proportion of these. Lean meat is most desired and tender fibres command the higher prices. Some fat is utilized with the meat, but a large part goes to the manufacture of artificial butter, lard, and soap. Much of the bone is MEAT. n refuse, but some of its substance may be extracted by right treatment.