New York Tribune

HOME INTERESTS.

PRICES IN THE MARKETS.

DIFFERING PRICES—LOW FIGURES FOR POULTRY—IMPORTED VEGETABLES.

A consignment of Columbia River salmon, which came through in a refrigerator car in seven days over the Northern Pacific Railroad, is selling in Fulton Market at 50 cents a pound. This, the dealers say, is the beginning of cheap and popular prices for this much prized fish. Some fresh caught salmon, taken in the mackerel nets near Cape Cod, are worth $1.50 a pound. Any variety of fish is obtainable at present in the market. Cod are plentiful but haddock are scarce. They each cost 8 cents a pound. White halibut brings 25 cents, fresh mackerel, smelts, sheepshead, Northern black bass and fresh caught whitefish can be had for 20 cents, and dressed eels, white perch, red snapper and green pickerel for 18 cents a pound. For pompano 75 cents is asked, for Spanish mackerel 35 cents, bluefish 12½ cents, and red herring and ray-fish 35 cents, striped bass 18 to 30 cents, blackfish 15 cents a pound. Scallops sell for $1.50 and oysters $2 a gallon, while oysters are worth 75 cents and $3 a hundred, and crayfish $3.50 a hundred. Frogs' legs have become costly luxuries and sold yesterday for 75 cents a dozen. Whitebait is worth 50 cents, cod cheeks 10 cents, smoked haddock 12 cents, and smoked salmon 25 cents a pound. Hard crabs bring $3 a hundred and soft crabs $1.50 a dozen.

There is a great difference between the prices asked for fish in Fulton and Washington Markets. For instance, pompano is sold in the latter place for 35 cents, dressed eels 15 cents, cod 6 cents, boiled lobsters 12 cents, and whitebait 30 cents a pound. The difference is startling in many cases. As to the quality of the fish sold, it would be as well perhaps for purchasers to walk through both markets before supplying themselves.

Cries of "chickens, ducks and geese—a shillin' a pound," still salute the ears from every side in Washington Market. The reason of this extraordinary cheapness in poultry is the desire of dealers to get rid of the old stock which the warm weather had tainted and make room for fresh supplies for the holidays. Even at the reduced figures, this kind of food is a drug in the market. The city having requested bids to furnish 15,000 pounds of poultry to feed the poor during Christmas, much cheap stuff will undoubtedly be worked off on the city's pensioners. Yesterday the best turkeys brought only 18 and 20 cents a pound. A dealer remarked that of the Philadelphia dry-picked turkeys, considered the best in the market, there were probably not over a dozen to be found in New-York. Of the Vermont mutton turkeys, which are also regularly quoted and priced, there had not been one in Washington Market for two years. Ducks, geese, and dry-picked fowls cost from 12 to 18 cents a pound. Capons are scarce and sell for 40 cents a pound.

A few black squirrels, hanging on a dealer's hooks, were placarded "20 cents each." Rabbits brought 45 and 75 cents a pair. There is always more or less of a hotel demand for bear and venison steaks, which can be had for 20 cents a pound. Wild turkeys come in limited numbers and poor condition from the West. They are worth 25 cents a pound. Other kinds of game are plentiful, and fresh and good in quality. Tame pigeons cost $2.50 a dozen. English pheasants $3 a pair, wild pigeons $1.50 a dozen, and woodcock $1 a pair. Prairie chickens are quoted at $1.25 a pair, grouse $1.12, canvas-back ducks $3.50, redheads $1.75, black ducks and mallards 90 cents, teal 85 and wild pigeons 50 cents a pair.

The cold weather makes the celery look crisp and green and creates a lively demand for it at 10 and 15 cents a bunch. Cauliflowers are almost gone and sell for 40 and 50 cents each. Vegetables have begun to come from the South to supply the deficiencies of the Northern gardens. Charleston lettuce is sold for $1 a dozen. The importation of vegetables is not confined to what comes from the South, however, for there are Jerusalem artichokes from France that cost 15 cents a quart and Brussels sprouts that sell for 25 cents a quart. Hothouse radishes at 5 cents a bunch and corn salad at 10 cents a quart are also novelties.

Butter is higher than it was last week. Western creamery is 38 and fancy State creamery 40 and 45 cents a pound. Of the cheaper grades of butter the market is full at 25 to 30 cents a pound. Long Island eggs are 40 cents and Jersey eggs 38 cents a dozen.

MENU.

Bisque Soup.

Smelts, fried.

Roast Beef. Potatoes à la Maigre.

Stewed Tomatoes. Celery.

Grouse. Jelly.

Lettuce Mayonnaise.

Swiss Pudding.

Cake.

Bonbons.

Coffee.

HOUSEHOLD NOTES.

ROAST GOOSE.—Stuff the goose with a potato dressing made in the following manner: Six potatoes, boiled, pared, and mashed fine and light; one tablespoonful of salt; one teaspoonful of pepper; one spoonful of sage; two tablespoonfuls of onion juice, two of butter. Truss and dredge well with salt, pepper, and flour. Roast before the fire, (if weighing eight pounds) one hour and a half: in the oven one hour and a quarter. Make gravy the same as for turkey. No butter is required for goose, it is so fat. Serve with apple sauce.

ROAST LEG OF VENISON.—Draw the dry skin from the meat, and wipe with a damp towel. Make a paste with one quart of flour and a generous pint of cold water. Cover the venison with this, and place before a hot fire, if to be roasted in the tin kitchen, or else in a very hot oven. As the paste browns, baste it frequently with the gravy in the pan. When it has been cooking one hour and a half, take off the paste, cover with butter, and dredge thickly with flour. Cook one hour longer, basting frequently with butter, salt, and flour. Serve with game sauce, or make a gravy as follows: Pour off all the fat from the baking-pan, and put in the pan a cupful of boiling water. Stir from the sides and bottom, and set back where it will keep hot. In a small frying-pan put one tablespoonful of butter, a small slice of onion, six pepper-corns, and four whole cloves. Cook until the onion is browned, and then add a generous teaspoonful of flour. Stir until this is browned: then gradually add the gravy in the pan. Boil one minute. Strain, and add half a teaspoonful of lemon juice and three tablespoonfuls of currant jelly. Serve both venison and gravy very hot. The time given is for a leg weighing about fifteen pounds.

SWISS PUDDING.—One teacupful of flour; four tablespoonfuls of butter; three of sugar; one pint of milk; five eggs; the rind of a lemon. Grate the rind of the lemon (the yellow part only, remember) into the milk, which put in the double boiler. Rub the flour and butter together. Pour the boiling milk on this and return to the boiler. Cook five minutes, stirring the first two. Beat the yolks of the eggs and the sugar together, and stir into the boiling mixture. Remove from the fire immediately. When cold, add the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. Have a three-quart mould well buttered. Turn the mixture into this, and steam forty minutes. Turn on a hot dish and serve without delay. Creamy sauce, or a tumbler of currant jelly, melted with the juice of two lemons, should be served with it.