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The Art of Carving (Tongue is to be cut across)

A tongue is to be cut across, in the line a, b, and a slice taken from thence. The most tender and juicy slices will be about the middle, or between To those who like the upper side, and would rather not have the first cut or outside slice, that outside slice should be first cut off, quite down to the bone, in the direction cd. Plenty of soft, marrowy fat will be found underneath the ribs. If a person wishes to have a slice underneath, the joint must be turned up, by taking hold of the end of the ribs with the left hand, and raising it, until it is in the position as here represented. One slice or more may now be cut in the direction of the line a b, passing the knife down to the bone. The slices, whether on the upper or under side, should be cut thin, but not too much so.

A Buttock of Beef Is always boiled, and requires no print to point out how it should be carved. A thick slice should be cut off all round the buttock, that your friends the line a b, and the root. Towards the tip, the may be helped to the juicy and prime part of it. meat is closer and dryer. For the fat, and a kernel with that fat, cut off a slice of the root on the right of the letter b, at the bottom next the dish.

A tongue is often cut lengthways, as from e to d.

A tongue is generally eaten with white meat, veal, chicken, or turkey; and to those whom you serve with the latter, you should give of the former. a A Brisket of Beef. b This cut into, thin slices may be cut from the top; but as it is a dish that is frequently brought to the table cold a second day, it should always be cut handsome and even. To those to whom a slice all round would be too much, a third of the round may be given, with a thin slice of fat. On one side there is a part whiter than ordinary, by some called the white muscle. A buttock is generally divided, and this white part sold separate as a delicacy, but it is by no means so, the meat being close and dry, whereas the darker colored parts, though apparently of a coarser grain, are of a looser texture, more tender, fuller of gravy, and better flavored; and men of discriminating palates ever prefer them.

A Fore-quarter of Lamb roasted.

This is a part always boiled, and is to be cut in the direction of a b, quite down the bone, but never help any one to the outside slice, which should be taken off pretty thick. The fat cut with this slice is a firm gristly fat, but a softer fat will be found underneath, for those who prefer it.

A piece of Sirloin of Beef.

C d Whether the whole sirloin, or part of it only, be sent to table, is immaterial, with respect to carving it. The figure here represents part of the joint only, the whole being too large for families in general. It is drawn as standing up in the dish, in order to show the inside or under part; but when sent to table, it is always laid down, so as that the part described by the letter e lies close on the dish. The part c d then lies uppermost, and the line a b underneath.

The meat on the upper side of the ribs is firmer and of a closer texture than the fleshy part underneath, which is by far the most tender; of course, some prefer one part, and some another. e Before any one is helped to a part of this joint, the shoulder should be separated from the breast, or what is by some called the coast, by passing the knife under, in the direction egde. The shoulder being thus removed, a lemon or orange should be squeezed upon the part, and then sprinkled with salt where the shoulder joined it, and the shoulder should be laid on it again. The gristly part should next be separated from the ribs, in the line fa. It is now in readiness to be divided among the company. The ribs are generally most esteemed, and one or two may be separated from the rest, in the line ab; or, to those who prefer the gristly part, a piece or two, or more, may be cut off in the lines hi, etc. Though all parts of young lamb are nice, the shoulder of a fore-quarter is least thought of; it is not so rich. If the fore-quarter is that of a grass lamb and large, the shoulder should be put into another dish when taken off; and it is carved as a shoulder of mutton, which see.

A Fillet of Veal, Which is the thigh part, similar to a buttock of beef, is brought to table always in the same form, but roasted. The outside slice of the fillet is by many thought a delicacy, as being most savory; but it does not follow that every one likes it; each person should therefore be asked, what part he prefers. If not the outside, cut off a thin slice, and the second cut will be white meat, but cut it even and close to the bone. A fillet of veal is generally stuffed under the skirt or flap with a savory pudding, called forcemeat. This is to be cut deep into, in a line with the surface of the fil- | side, putting the fork through the small end of the ing is the method: Turn the neck towards you, and cut two or three long slices, on each side the breast, in the lines a b, quite to the bone. Cut these slices from the bone, which done, proceed to take off the leg, by turning the goose up on one let, and a thin slice taken out; this, with a little fat cut from the skirt, should be given to each person present. A Roasted Pig. a C d e A roasted pig is seldom sent to table whole, the head is cut off by the cook, and the body slit down the back and served up as here represented; and the dish garnished with the chaps and ears.

Before any one is helped, the shoulder should be separated from the carcass, by passing the knife under it, in the circular direction; and the leg separated in the same manner, in the dotted lines cde. The most delicate part in the whole pig is the triangular piece of the neck, which may be cut off in the line fg. The next best parts are the ribs, which may be divided in the line, a b, etc. Indeed, the bones of a pig of three weeks old are little less than gristle, and may be easily cut through, next to these, are pieces cut from the leg and shoulder. Some are fond of an ear, and others of a chap, and those persons may readily be gratified.

A Rabbit. iii leg-bone, pressing it close to the body, which, when the knife is entered at d, raises the joint from the body. The knife is then to be passed under the leg in the direction de. If the leg hangs to the carcass at the joint e, turn it back with the fork, and it will readily separate if the goose is young; in old geese, it will require some strength to separate it. When the leg is off, proceed to take off the wing, by passing the fork through the small end of the pinion, pressing it close to the body, and entering the knife at the notch e, and passing it under the wing, in the direction c, d. It is a nice thing to hit this notch c, as it is not so visible in the bird as in the figure. If the knife is put into the notch above it, you cut upon the neck-bone, and not on the wingjoint. A little practice will soon teach the difference; and if the goose is young the trouble is not great, but very much otherwise if the bird is an old one.

When the leg and wing on one side are taken off, take them off on the other side; cut off the apron in the line feg, and then take off the merry-thought in the line ih. The neck-bones are next to be separated as in a fowl, and all other parts divided as there directed, to which I refer you.

The best parts of a goose are in the following order: the breast slices; the fleshy part of the wing, which may be divided from the pinion; the thigh-bone, which may be easily divided in the joint from the leg-bone, or drumstick, as it is called; the pinion, and next the side-bones.

A Green Goose.

Is cut up in the same way, but the most delicate part is the breast and the gristle, at the lower part of it.

A Pheasant. a h This is a rabbit, as trussed and sent up to table.

After separating the legs, the shoulders or wings (which many prefer) are to be cut off in the circular dotted line e fg. The back is divided into two or three parts, in the lines ik, without dividing it from the belly, but cutting it in the line gh. The head may be given to any person who likes it, the ears being removed before the rabbit is served up. h i A Goose, f Like a turkey, is seldom quite dissected, unless the company is large; but when it is, the followd e d The pheasant, as here represented, is skewered and trussed for the spit, with the head tucked under one of the wings, but when sent to table the skewers are withdrawn.

In carving this bird, the fork should be fixed in the breast, in two dots there marked. You have then the command of the fowl, and can turn it as you please; slice down the breast in the lines a b, and then proceed to take off the leg on the outside, in the direction de, or in the circular dotted line bd, as seen in the figure "a boiled fowl," next page. Then cut off the wing on the same side in the line cd, in the figure above, and ah b, in the figure at the bottom of this column, which is lying on one side, with its back towards us. Having separated the leg and wing on one side, do the same on the other, and then cut off or separate from the breast-bone on each side of the breast the parts you before sliced or cut down. | plate, fix your fork under the rump, and laying In taking off the wing be attentive to cut it in the notch a, as seen in the print of the fowl, for if you cut too near the neck, as at g, you will find the neck-bone interfere. The wing is to be separated from the neck-bone. Next cut off the merrythought in the line f g, by passing the knife under it towards the neck. The remaining parts are to be cut up, as is described in the fowl, which see. the edge of your knife in the line bec, and pressing it down lift up the tail or lower part of the back, and it will readily divide with the help of your knife in the line bec. This done, lay the croup or lower part of the back upwards in your plate, with the rump from you, and with your knife cut off the side-bones by forcing the knife through the rump-bone in the lines e f, and the whole fowl is completely carved.

A Partridge.

C d b b A Boiled Fowl. 6 c 8 b / b e f The partridge, like the pheasant, is here trussed for the spit; when served up the skewers are withdrawn. It is cut up like a fowl (which see), the wings taken off in the lines ab, and the merrythought in the lines cd. Of a partridge the prime parts are the white ones, viz., the wings, breast, merry-thought. The wing is thought the best, the tip being reckoned the most delicate morsel of the whole. 1 he A Fowl. 1 The fowl is here represented as lying on its side, with one of the legs, a wing and a neck-bone taken off. It is cut up the same way, whether it be roasted or boiled. A roasted fowl is sent to table trussed like a pheasant (which see), except that instead of the head being tucked under one of the wings, it is, in a fowl, cut off before it is dressed. A boiled fowl is represented below, the leg-bones of which are bent inwards and tucked in within the belly, but the skewers are withdrawn prior to its being sent to the table. In order to cut up a fowl, it is best to take it on your plate.

Of a fowl, the prime parts are the wings, breast and merry-thought, and next to these the neckbones and side-bones; the legs are rather coarse; of a boiled fowl the legs are rather more tender, but of a chicken every part is juicy and good, and next to the breast the legs are certainly the fullest of gravy and the sweetest, and as the thigh-bones are very tender and easily broken with the teeth, the gristles and marrow render them a delicacy.

Of the leg of a fowl the thigh is much the best, and when given to any one of your company it should be separated from the drum-stick at the jointi (see the cut, viz., "a fowl," preceding column), which is easily done if the knife is introduced underneath in the hollow, and the thighbone turned back from the leg-bone. A Turkey, Roasted or boiled, is trussed and sent up to table like a fowl, and cut up in every respect like a pheasant. The best parts are the white onesthe breast, wings and neck-bones. Merry-thought it has none; the neck is taken away, and the hollow part under the breast stuffed with forcemeat, which is to be cut in thin slices in the direction from the rump to the neck and a slice given with each piece of turkey. It is customary not to cut up more than the breast of this bird, and, if any more is wanted, to take off one of the wings.

No. 1.

A Pigeon.

No. 2. a 00 a b Having shown how to take off the legs, wings and merry-thought, when speaking of the pheasant, it remains only to show how the other parts are divided: k is the wing cut off, i the leg. When the leg, wing and merry-thought are removed, the next thing is to cut off the neck-bones described at l. This is done by putting in the knife at g, and passing it under the long, broad part of the This is a representation of the back and breast bone in the line gh, then lifting it up and break- of a pigeon. No. 1, the back; No. 2, the breast. ing off the end of the shorter part of the bone It is sometimes cut up as a chicken, but as the which cleaves to the breast-bone. All parts being croup, or lower part with the thigh, is most prethus separated from the carcass, divide the breastferred, and as a pigeon is a small bird, and half a from the back by cutting through the tender-ribs on each side, from the neck quite down to the vent or tail. Then lay the back upwards on your one not too much to serve at once, it is seldom carved now, otherwise than by fixing the fork at the point a, entering the knife just before it, and