FOOD

Syn. Cibus , Materia aliment aria , L. Anything which feeds or promotes the natural growth of organic bodies, by supplying them with materials which, by a imilation, may be converted into the substances of which they are composed; or which, by its decomposition or slow combustion, maintains the temperature, or some other e ential condition of life, at the proper standard. The numerous articles employed as food are all compounds; and in many cases they consist of mechanical mixtures or chemical combinations of two or more compounds. Organized matter, or that which has po e ed either animal or vegetable life, or which has to any extent, by the animal system; and hence it is from the organic kingdom that our aliments are nece arily derived. Water, iron, earthy phosphates, chloride of sodium, and other salts, which form the inorganic constituents of the body, though not of themselves nourishing, are also a imilated when taken in conjunction with organic aliments, and then contribute e entially to nutrition. In the animal and vegetable substances employed as food, these inorganic compounds are provided in small but sufficient quantities to meet the requirements of the healthy body, and in this state of combination alone can they be regarded in the light of aliments. A complete consideration of this subject embraces, not only all the substances used as food, but also those things which when taken with them improve their flavour, promote their digestion, and render them more wholesome and nutritive; and also their preparation for the table in its various relations with health and disease. The following ‘ BILLS OF FARE ,’ for which we are indebted chiefly to Soyer, Rundell, and others, exhibit the various articles in season at different periods of the year. First quarter . January.—Poultry and game: Pheasants, partridges, hares, rabbits, woodcocks, snipes, turkeys, capons, pullets, fowls, chickens, and tame pigeons.—Fish: Carp, tench, perch, lampreys, eels, cray-fish, cod, soles, flounders, plaice, turbot, thornback, skate, sturgeon, smelts, whitings, lobsters, crabs, prawns, and oysters.—Vegetables: Cabbage, savoys, colewort, sprouts, leeks, onions, beet, sorrel, chervil, endive, spinach, celery, garlic, scorzonera, potatoes, parsnips, turnips, brocoli (white and purple), shalots, lettuces, cre es, mustard, rape, salsafy, and herbs of all sorts (some dry and some green); cucumbers, asparagus, and mushrooms are also to be had, though not in season.—Fruit: Apples, pears, nuts, walnuts, medlars, and grapes. February and March.—Meat, fowls, and game, as in January, with the addition of ducklings and chickens.—Fish: As the last two months (cod is not thought so good from February to July, although it is still sold at the fishmonger’s).—Vegetables: The same as the previous months, with the addition of kidney-beans.—Fruit: Apples, pears, and forced strawberries. Second quarter. April, May, and June.—Meat: Beef, mutton, veal, lamb, and venison (in June).—Poultry: Pullets, fowls, chickens, ducklings, pigeons, rabbits, and leverets.—Fish: Carp, tench, soles, smelts, eels, trout, turbot, lobsters, chub, salmon, herrings, cray-fish, mackerel, crabs, prawns, and shrimps.—Vegetables: As before; and in May, early potatoes and cabbages, peas, radishes, kidney-beans, carrots, turnips, cauliflowers, asparagus, artichokes, and numerous salads (forced).—Fruit: (in June) strawberries, cherries, melons, green apricots, and currants and gooseberries for tarts; pears, grapes, nectarines, peaches, and some other fruit. Third quarter. July, August, and September.—Meat, as before.—Poultry, .: Pullets, fowls, chickens, rabbits, pigeons, green geese, leverets, and turkey poults. Two former months, plovers and wheat-ears (in September), partridges, geese, .—Fish: Cod, haddocks, flounders, plaice, skate, thornback, mullets, pike, carp, eels, shellfish (except oysters), and mackerel (during the first two months of the quarter, but they are not good in August).—Vegetables: Of all sorts, beans, peas, French beans, .—Fruit: (In July)—Strawberries, gooseberries, pine-apples, plums (various), cherries, apricots, raspberries, melons, currants, and damsons. (In August and September)—Peaches, plums, figs, filberts, mulberries, cherries, apples, pears, nectarines, and grapes. (During the latter months)—Pines, melons, strawberries, medlars, and quinces. (In September)—Morella cherries, damsons, and various plums. Fourth quarter. October, November, and December.—Meat, as before, and doe venison.—Poultry and Game: Domestic fowls, as in first quarter; pheasants (from the 1st of October); partridges, larks, hares, dotterels (at the end of the month), wild-ducks, teal, snipes, widgeon, and grouse.—Fish: Dories, smelts, pike, perch, halibuts, brills, carp, salmon-trout, barbel, gudgeons, tench, and shellfish.—Vegetables: (As in January), French-beans, last crops of beans, .—Fruit: Peaches, pears, figs, bullace, grapes, apples, medlars, damsons, filberts, walnuts, nuts, quinces, services, and medlars. (In November)—Meat, .: Beef, mutton, veal, pork, house-lamb, doe venison, and poultry and game as in the last month.—Fish: As the last month.—Vegetables: Carrots, turnips, parsnips, potatoes, skirrets, scorzonera, onions, leeks, shalots, cabbage, savoys, colewort, spinach, chard beats, chardoons, cre es, endive, celery, lettuces, salad-herbs, and various pot-herbs.—Fruit: Pears, apples, nuts, walnuts, bullace, chestnuts, medlars, and grapes. (In December)—Meat, .: Beef, mutton, veal, house-lamb, pork, and venison.—Poultry and Game: Geese, turkeys, pullets, pigeons, capons, fowls, chickens, rabbits, hares, snipes, woodcocks, larks, pheasants, partridges, sea-fowls, guinea-fowls, wild ducks, teal, widgeon, dotterels, dun-birds, and grouse.—Fish: Cod, turbot, halibuts, soles, gurnets, sturgeon, carp, gudgeons, codlings, eels, dories, and shell-fish.—Vegetables: As in last month. Asparagus, ., forced.—Fruit: As before, except bullace.