Amelia Simmons

“ Rabbits, the wild are the best, either are good and tender; if old there will be much yellowish fat about the kidneys, the claws long, wool rough, and mixed with grey hairs; if young the reverse. As to their being fresh, judge by the scent, they soon perish, if trap'd or shot, and left in pelt or undressed; their taint is quicker than veal, and the most sickish in nature; and will not, like beef or veal, be purged by fire. ”

“ New pine tubs are ruinous to the butter. To have sweet butter in dog days, and thro' the vegetable seasons, send stone pots to honest, neat, and trusty dairy people, and procure it pack'd down in May, and let them be brought in in the night, or cool rainy morning, covered with a clean cloth wet in cold water, and partake of no heat from the horse, and set the pots in the coldest part of your cellar, or in the ice house.--Some say that May butter thus preserved, will go into the winter use, better than fall made butter. ”

“ Of all fresh water fish, there are none that require, or so well afford haste in cookery, as the Salmon Trout, they are best when caught under a fall or cateract--from what philosophical circumstance is yet unsettled, yet true it is, that at the foot of a fall the waters are much colder than at the head ”

“ Fresh gills, full bright eyes, moist fins and tails, are denotements of their being fresh caught; if they are soft, its certain they are stale, but if deceits are used, your smell must approve or denounce them, and be your safest guide. ”

“ Hares, are white flesh'd and flexible when new and fresh kill'd; if stale, their flesh will have a blackish hue, like old pigeons, if the cleft in her lip spread much, is wide and ragged, she is old; the contrary when young. ”

“ Salmon, the noblest and richest fish taken in fresh water--the largest are the best. They are unlike almost every other fish, are ameliorated by being 3 or 4 days out of water, if kept from heat and the moon, which has much more injurious effect than the sun. ”

“ Chickens, of either kind are good, and the yellow leg'd the best, and their taste the sweetest.
Capons, if young are good, are known by short spurs and smooth legs.
All birds are known, whether fresh killed or stale, by a tight vent in the former, and a loose open vent if old or stale; their smell denotes their goodness; speckled rough legs denote age, while smooth legs and combs prove them young. ”

“ Pigeons, young, have light red legs, and the flesh of a colour, and prick easily--old have red legs, blackish in parts, more hairs, plumper and loose vents--so also of grey or green Plover, Blade Birds, Thrash, Lark, and wild Fowl in general. ”

“ Snipes, if young and fat, have full veins under the wing, and are small in the veins, otherwise like the Woodcock.
Partridges, if young, will have black bills, yellowish legs; if old, the legs look bluish; if old or stale, it may be perceived by smelling at their mouths. ”

“ The best possible method of ascertaining, is to put them into water, if they lye on their bilge, they are good' and fresh--if they bob up an end they are stale, and if they rise they are addled, proved, and of no use. ”