Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 February 1882 — Preserving Fowls' Wings. [ARTICLE]

Preserving Fowls' Wings.

Turkey and geese wings are one of the greatest conveniences in a household, and every woman knows how to appreciate them, not only for dusting furniture, stoves, cobwebs, etc., but also for washing sinks and windows, and for spreading paste on wall paper. It is always a trouble to keep the moths from ruining them in warm weather, as they seem to revel in the fleshy part of the wing. I have tried faithfully various methods to preserve them, such as binding the ends with linen cloth, burying in ashes and dipping in brine, but could find nothing that was perfectly reliable till two years ago an accident revealed the secret, and readers are welcome to try it for their own benefit. A pail of strong copperas water was set away to cool over night, preparatory to using in the cellar, and by some mischance a package of wings hanging overhead fell into the water with the joint ends down. In the morning they were taken out and flung into the woodshed, supposing they were ruined. Some weeks after, supposing they were dry enough to burn, they were picked up to carry to the kitchen range, but instead of being ruined, they were in the very best state of preservation—not a moth visible or a feather loose—and they lasted the best of any wings I ever used. Last year I repeated the experiment of dipping them in copperas water, and the result was splendid; and hereafter it will be my rule in preparing wings for service, to dip them as soon as possible after they are taken off, and then string them up in a dry place till they are needed for use. It has often been said that some of the most useful methods of doing work, and recipes, were the result of accident instead of design. The method of preserving wings was purely accidental, and it is no waste, for the water is just as good to pour into the sink drain for a disinfectant as if the wings had not been dipped in it.— Country Gentleman.