80. In addition to the fresh, raw meats that the housewife can procure
for her family, there are on the market numerous varieties of raw,
smoked, cooked, and partly cooked meats, which are generally included
under the term SAUSAGES. These meats are usually highly seasoned, so
they keep better than do fresh meats. They should not be overlooked by
the housewife, for they help to simplify her labor and at the same time
serve to give variety to the family diet. Still, it should be remembered
that when meats are made ready for use before they are put on the
market, the cost of the labor involved in their manufacture is added to
the price charged for them. For this reason, the housewife must be
prepared to pay more for meats of this kind than she would pay if she
could prepare them at home. However, she need not be concerned regarding
their safety, for the government's inspection and regulations prevent
any adulteration of them.
81. Among the numerous varieties of these meats, many of them are
typical of certain localities, while others have a national or an
international reputation. They also vary in the kind of meat used to
make them. Some of them are made from beef, as _frankfurters_ and
certain kinds of _bologna_, while others are made from pork and include
the smoked and unsmoked sausages, _Liverwurst_ is made from the livers
of certain animals, and may be purchased loose or in skins.
Some of these sausages are used so often in certain combinations of
foods that they are usually thought of in connection with the foods that
it is customary for them to accompany. Frankfurters and sauerkraut, pork
sausage and mashed potatoes, liverwurst and fried corn-meal mush are
well-known combinations of this kind.
82. Closely allied to these sausages, although not one of them, is a
meat preparation much used in some localities and known as _scrapple_,
or _ponhasse_. This is prepared by cooking the head of pork, removing
the meat from the bones, and chopping it very fine. The pieces of meat
are then returned to the broth in which the head was cooked and enough
corn meal to thicken the liquid is stirred in. After the whole has
boiled sufficiently, it is turned into molds and allowed to harden. When
it is cold and hard, it can be cut into slices, which are sautéd in
hot fat.
83. Besides scrapple, numerous other meat preparations, such as _meat
loaves_ of various kinds and _pickled pig's feet_, can usually be
obtained in the market. While the thrifty housewife does not make a
habit of purchasing meats of this kind regularly, there are times when
they are a great convenience and also afford an opportunity to vary
the diet.
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