Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/1424

1270 the legs may be satisfactorily disposed of even when those to be served consist of persons to whom a whole leg could not be offered. To conclude the carving, the back should be turned over with the-cut [sic] side to the dish, and if the knife be pressed firmly across the centre of it, and the neck raised at the same time with the fork, the back is easily dislocated about the middle. To remove the sockets of the thigh-joints (the side-bones to which is attached choice morsels of dark-coloured flesh) the tail part of the back must be stood on end, and held firmly by means of the fork, while the bones are cut off on either side. The more highly esteemed parts of a fowl are the breast, wings and merrythought; the thigh may be served to a gentleman, but the drum sticks should be put aside, and used afterwards in some way that necessitates the flesh being minced.

A fowl when boned and stuffed, is usually cut across in slices.

Fowls, when roasted, are carved in exactly the same manner as when boiled, therefore the foregoing directions and illustrations render it unnecessary to describe the operation again. When the liver and gizzard have been trussed and cooked with the fowl, the wing to which the liver is attached may be regarded as the choice portion of the bird, and should be offered to the person entitled to the most consideration in this respect. When the fowl is stuffed, a little forcemeat should be served with each portion, but when convenient, it is better to hand the gravy and bread sauce separately.

The breast of a goose is the part most esteemed, therefore when the bird is larger than is necessary to meet the requirements of one meal, it frequently happens that the carving is confined solely to the breast. The carver should, however, consult the tastes of those he is serving with reference to choice of parts, for the leg is sometimes preferred. A large number of slices may be cut off the breast, and as the wing is the part least esteemed, the flesh of the upper part of it may with advantage be included in the slices cut from the breast. When onion farce has been employed it is advisable to ascertain if it be agreeable to the taste of the person for whom the portion of goose is intended, for so many dislike the farce itself, although they may like the flavour imparted to the bird by its use. The directions given for carving a boiled fowl may be applied here, although greater force will most probably be required in detaching the various parts. When the goose is stuffed with onion farce it is nearly always accompanied by apple sauce and gravy, both of which should, when convenient, be handed separately.