For Beginners and the Best Cooks Ae
POULTRY

Roasting—Chickens up to nine — Capon—especially plump,
tender unsexed male bird.

Broiling or Frying—small, very young chickens—three months Suteide
for broiling, five months outside for frying.

Oven Frying—Use broilers. Young roaster may also be used.
Stewing Fowl—Bird older than nine months.

A young chicken has smooth soft skin, pin feathers, is free from blemish
or bruise. Age is indicated by long hairs, skin that is coarse, rough and
loose on the neck. In the young bird, the tip of the breast bone is soft and
pliable. Choose a bird with plump breast, well-fleshed bones. Cold
storage fowl wholesome but less flavourful, especially when long kept;
cheaper.

Turkey—just as chicken; feet are black in young bird, grayish when
older. Have leg tendons drawn before feet are cut off.

Ducks and Geese—have soft windpipes when young, which harden as
necks become longer in older bird.

MILK

Whole Fresh Milk—local requirements regarding amount of cream
frequently fixed, from 3.25% up, butter-fat. Children require whole milk.
Pasteurization adds to safety.

Cream—sold in bottles as small as one-quarter pint (4% cup), and as
large as one quart. Priced according to butter-fat percentage. Use 8 or
16% cream for coffee, desserts, fruit, etc., and 32 per cent. for whipping.
Keep away from foods of strong odour, and very cold (do not freeze).

Skim Milk—wholesome nourishing food, containing the other valuable
solids but without the butter-fat.

Buttermilk —similar in value to skim milk; acid content makes it
suitable for sour-milk cookery. Wholesome food, refreshing beverage.

Evaporated Milk—in cans, unsweetened. Can be used undiluted or
with any proportion of water; equal proportions evaporated milk and water
equivalent to standard whole fresh milk in food value. Can be whipped—
scald in double boiler, or drop tin into cold water, bring to boil, scald 4
minutes. Chill deeply before attempting to whip. Several cans may be
prepared at once and kept indefinitely, ready for whipping.

Condensed Milk—packed in tins similar to evaporated, but—impor-
tant—it is heavily sweetened.

Powdered Milk—can be bought in both whole-milk’ and skim-milk
form; packed in cans. Combine as directed on label with cold water.