COOKERY. 125 



pressed by the finger, it is old. A thin rind is a merit 

 in all pork. When fresh, the flesh will be smooth and 

 cool; if clammy, it is tainted. 



Bacon, — If the rind is thin, the fat firm, and of a red 

 tinge, the lean tender, of a good color, and adhering to 

 the bone, you may conclude it good, and not old. 



Hams. — Stick a sharp knife under the bone: if it 

 comes out with a pleasant smell, the ham is good; but 

 if the knife be daubed and has a bad scent, do not 

 buy it. 



Fowls, — The combs and legs are smooth when the fowl 

 is young, and rough when it is old. 



Geese, — The bills and feet of geese should be yellow 

 and have but few hairs upon them. Their feet will be 

 pliable when fresh or recently killed, and dry and stitF 

 when they have been killed a long time. 



Ducks, — The breast should be hard and plump, feet 

 supple. The feet of a tame duck are yellowish, those 

 of a wild one are reddish. 



Pigeons, — They should be eaten while they are fresh; 

 when thev look flabbv and discolored about the under 

 part, they have been kept too long. 



Partridges, — These birds have yellow legs, a.nd a 

 dark colored bill when young. They are not in season 

 till after the first of September. 



COOKING. 



Cooking is elfccted by various methods, of which 

 boiling is the most common, but the most objectionable; 

 as it deprives flesh of its nutritious juice. A better 

 mode of dressing animal food is roasting^ by which its 

 strength is less dissipated; because a crust is soon for- 

 med on its surface, that more etfectually preserves the 

 nutritive particles from evaporation. Hence one pound 

 of roasted meat is in real nourishment, equal to double 

 that quantity of boiled animal food. 



Many substances, though possessed of salubrious 

 qualities, are rendered unwholesome by the refinements 

 of cookery. By compounding several incongi'uous in- 

 gredients to produce a poiejnant sauce, or ricli soup, 



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