PRESERVATION OF VEGETABLES.

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 106, 28 January 1939, Page 5 (Supplement)

PRESERVATION OF VEGETABLES.

Vegetables are more difficult to preserve than fruit, because vegetables

contain less acid, they are more solid in. composition, and most kinds come more in contact with soil. Some of the soil bacteria are of the sporing type which are very resistant to heat. The process of preservation of vegetables must, therefore, be carried out by different methods from those used for fruits.

Choose young, but well-grown vegetables.

Preserve as soon as possible after gathering. This is most important, because of the action of enzymes and bacteria.

Wash very thoroughly. Peapods should be washed before shelling. Prepare according to their kind. Dip in boiling water (tied in muslin or in a vegetable basket) for two to five minutes, according to kind and age of vegetable. This blanching is done (a) to shrink the vegetables and make them more pliable and easy to pack into the bottles; (b) to remove any strong flavour; (c) to cleanse.

Dip into a bowl.- of cold water to make them easier to handle in packing. Pack- loosely in thoroughly clean bottles. Tight packing prevents heat penetrating to the centre, and does not allow for swelling. Do not fill too full, leave about J-inch to spare. Fill to overflowing with a covering liquid of the acid brine given below. The liquid must be cold.

Adjust lids, rubber bands and clips or screw bands. Place in fish kettle or sterilizer and if possible cover completely with cold water; otherwise be very sure the lid is very tight fitting. Bring water in sterilizer to boiling point as quickly as possible, and boil for 1J hours. The time and temperature are important. Remove bottles one at a time, tighten bands and leave till next day, then test.

N.B.—lf on removing bottles the covering liquid no longer covers the vegetables, remove lids one at a time, pour in more boiling brine, fasten down and resterilize for another 20 minutes. Acid Brine Covering Liquid. The lemon juice method has the disadvantage of slightly spoiling the colour of green vegetables, but it improves that of white ones. 1 gal. water. 21 oz. salt. 5 fluid oz. lemon juice. Bring water to boil, add salt, and lemon juice, and cool before use. Measure the lemon juice very carefully with a fluid ounce measure, i The above method is very satisfactory for all vegetables except the following: \ Asparagus, mushrooms, frencli beans and tomatoes. Superstition In The Kitchen All nations have their own brands of "kitchen” superstitions. Some old Irish cooks still believe that it is bad luck to transfer the salt-cellars from an old home into a new one when moving, and that if a straw is broken from a new broom and tossed into the north wind, the broom will always sweep clean. There is an old Breton superstition to the effect that a sprig of thyme bung over the tire will keep the sauce from curdling. Negro mammies prefer round pans to square ones because a round pan has no corners where evil spirits can hide. A sixteenth century Greek cook-book orders that bread dough be sprinkled with holy water in order to guarantee its rising.