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Volumes have been written about the "preparedness" for housekeeping,
with which the bride should fortify herself; but one rarely sees it
suggested that the prospective "head of the house" has some things to
learn, and one of the most important of
[Illustration: Fig. 1, Leg
of Mutton or Lamb]
these is skillful carving. Meats and poultry are now so high
in price that perhaps they will be more carefully considered than they
once were. Whatever the price, neat and intelligent carving
adds not only to the attractiveness of the food, but prevents waste.
Without good tools, acceptable
carving is an impossibility; so every housekeeper should possess one,
if not two, carving sets of standard make. If there is but
one set, let it be of medium size. A better plan is to have
one fairly large set, and another of smaller size, known as game or
steak carvers. The knives should be kept in the best
condition, for a dull one is an abomination; therefore, it is no less
important to be able to use the steel than it is to use the
knife. Every once in a while the edges of the knives should
be ground, for nothing dulls sharp edges so quickly as hot fat.
It helps greatly to have the
meat put into shape before cooking by means of twine and skewers; a set
of the latter, in steel, should be found in every kitchen. A
large platter is also essential, for the carver must not be cramped for
room.
While beef is probably served
more than any other meat, we have prepared no diagrams of it, because
the cutting varies in different localities, and what is known as a
sirloin steak in one town, may, a hundred miles away, be called a
porterhouse. Whatever the cut or the name, there should be
one invariable rule: The meat should always be cut across the
grain, not with it. With the right kind of knife the meat can
be neatly cut away from the bones and should, in case of a roast, be
cross-cut in thin slices; if a steak, it should be cut
[Illustration: Fig. 2, Shoulder of Lamb or Mutton]
in neat strips. Since people's tastes vary, be sure to ask
their preference when serving.
A leg of mutton or lamb should
be dished as it appears in Fig. 1, with the unsightly end of the bone
covered with parsley or watercress. Stick the carving fork
firmly into the small part of the leg and cut wedge-shaped pieces from
A to B. Remove the first few
slices and continue to cut in this direction until you reach
the larger bone; then cut from C to D, loosening the slices afterward.
When a shoulder of lamb or
mutton is roasted whole, carve as in Fig. 2, in wedge-shaped slices
from A to B, then across from B to C.
The carving of poultry offers
the most complications. Fig. 3 shows a turkey in the proper,
therefore the most convenient position for the carver, and the
directions which follow may be applied in a general way to the carving
of all poultry. Insert the fork just above the spot marked G,
placing it so that it holds firmly. Cut the leg from A to B,
and the wing from C to D on the side farthest from you,
first. If both sides are to be cut the same day, tip the bird
[Illustration: Fig. 3, Turkey]
over and cut the leg and wing from the side nearest to you.
Cut thin slices from the breast, E to F, remove the wishbone by cutting
from G to H, and separate the carcass by cutting across the line marked
H. Cut the legs into second joints and drumsticks.
Unless there is a preference, serve a portion of white and portion of
dark meat to each person. If the turkey is to be stuffed,
instead of sewing up the opening, insert a toothpick on each side and
lace back and forth with a string. This is easily removed
when the turkey is cooked. The opening should be large enough
to insert the tablespoon with which the stuffing is served.
A slice of ham seems a homely
thing to manage, but countless mistakes are made in serving
it. It is often cut lengthwise, then cut into
[Illustration: Fig. 4, Ham]
smaller pieces and the choicer side served to those who like fat, and
the other side to those who do not. The proper way is to cut
the ham in vertical strips as shown in Fig. 4, so that each person
receives his share of the part which is choice and that which is less
so.
Bountiful serving has, of
necessity, become a thing of the past. Along with skill in
carving there should be knowledge of the tastes and capacity of those
who are being served. Small portions with a second helping
are preferable to heaped-up plates, the contents of which are not
consumed.
While the daughters of the
home are being trained in housewifely arts, the sons should have their
turns at the carving and serving. Their efforts in this
direction should have the same recognition as the daughters' attempts
at cooking and sewing, for they, too, have their place in the
well-managed home.