cook them for 8 or 10 minutes, turning often; season with pepper and
salt. Arrange the liver on a warm platter, make a gravy as directed in
other recipes, pour over the liver, placing the bacon round the
outside. (Always cook bacon quickly and liver slowly.)

* * * * *


POULTRY.

The best chickens have soft yellow feet, short thick legs, smooth,
moist skin and plump breast; the cartilage on the end of the breast
bone is soft and pliable. Pin feathers always indicate a young bird
and long hairs an older one. All poultry should be dressed as soon as
killed. Cut off the head, and if the fowl is to be roasted, slip the
skin back from the neck and cut the neck off close to the body,
leaving skin enough to fold over on the back. Remove the windpipe,
pull the crop away from the skin on the neck and breast, and cut off
close to the opening in the body. Cut through the skin about 2 inches
below the leg joint, bend the leg at the cut by pressing it on the
edge of the table and break off the bone. Then pull out the tendon. If
care be taken to cut only through the skin, these cords may be pulled
out easily, one at a time, with the fingers; or by putting the foot of
the fowl against the casing of a door, then shut the door tightly and
pull on the leg. The drum stick of a roast chicken or turkey is
greatly improved by removing the tendons. Cut out the oil bag in the
tail, make an incision near the vent, insert two fingers, keeping the
fingers up close to the breast bone until you can reach in beyond the
liver and heart, and loosen on either side down toward the back. Draw
everything out carefully. See that the kidneys and lungs are not left