Temperance cook book

In choosing mutton, take that which is bright red and close grained, with firm and white fat. The meat should feel tender and springy on pressure. Notice the vein in the neck of the fore quarter, which should be a fine blue. Lamb is good at a year old, and more digestible than most immature meat. The meat should be light red and fat. Great care should be taken in selecting pork. If ill fed or diseased, no meat is more injurious to the health. The lean must be fine-grained, and both fat and lean very white. The rind should be smooth and cool to the touch. If clammy, be sure the pork is stale and reject it. If the fat is full of small kernels, it is an indication of disease. In good bacon the rind is thin, the fat firm and the lean tender. Busty bacon has yellow streaks in it. Hams are tried by sticking a knife in them. If when drawn out it has no bad odor, the hain is good. BROILED BEEFSTEAK. Lay a thick tender steak upon a gridiron well greased with beef suet, over hot coals; when done on one side have ready the warm platter with a little butter on it, lay the steak, without pressing it, upon the platter, quickly place it on the gridiron, and cook the other side. "When done to liking, put on platter again, spread lightly with butter, season with salt and pepper, and place where it will keep warm (over boiling steam is best) for a few moments, but do not let the butter become oily. Serve on hot plates. Many prefer to sear on one side, turn immediately and sear the other, and finish cooking, turning often. Season with salt, pepper and butter. FRIED BEEFSTEAK. When the means to broil are not at hand, the next best method is to heat the frying-pan very hot, put in the steak, let it remain a few moments, loosen with a knife and turn quickly several times; repeat this and when done transfer to a hot platter. Salt, pepper, and put over it bits of butter. This way of frying is both healthful and delicate. BEEFSTEAK SMOTHERED IN ONIONS. Fry brown four slices of salt pork; when brown, take out the pork and put in six onions, sliced thin. Fry about ten minutes, stirring all the while; then take out all except a thin layer, and upon this lay a slice of steak, then a layer of onions, then steak, and cover thick with onions. Dredge each layer with pepper, salt, and flour. Pour over this one cupful of boiling water, and cover tight. Simmer half an hour. When you dish, place the steak in the center of the dish, and heap the onions around it. Serve the same vegetables as for broiled steak. BOILED BEEF. Take a piece of sirloin or round of beef, wash it clean and put it on to boil in two quarts of warer; salt it and boil till tender. "When nearly done, pare some potatoes and let them steam with the meat. When half done, boil down the liquor and put in a piece of butter, and brown the meat and potatoes. When nicely browned, take them out and pour into the gravy one pint of boiling water, and thicken with flour paste. This makes a very nice dish for dinner. MOCK DUCK — Very fine.