PRESERVED MEATS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3184, 20 April 1872, Page 3

PRESERVED MEATS.

(Landand Water.') "'-' The " tinned " meat question must not be placed on a par with the horseflesh question, any further than the motives for its introduction at tlie tables of the wealthy are exactly similar. However large proportions the trade in " tinned" meats may assume in this country, and supposing the present method of preserving it is not radically altered, it will be found eventually that the entire amount sold is consumed by those who cannot afford to purchase butchers' meat. Setting aside entirely tlie question of prejudice, these tinned meats cannot compete successfully with our home-fed, home-killed, beef and mutton. But their value as a substantial addition to the food stock o the poorer classes cannot be too highly calculated. As a make-shift for butchers'- meat, or as a substitute for the inferior portions of a carcase, these meats are excellent; but any one who consults his palate, without regard to the expense, will continue to dine off fresh butchers' meat. They should not be looked upon as rivals oi the consumption of fresh meat, but rather as assistants to it. The classes with whom these tinned meats will find favour are those who do not often indulge in meat; who now will indulge in it, i.e. " tinned" meat, and that preferably too. Trotters are excellent things in their way, very excellent, but there is no expectation that they will supersede oysters, at least not in these degenerate days, at the petits simpers of the rich.

At the same time it is an anomaly to reflect that many persons who now cannot afford to eat meat still refuse to purchase "tinned" beef or mutton, and so consequently do not get meat of any kind. Now, if only the prejudice existing against these "tinned meats" were removed, this class of persons would live better at the same expense. And it is mainly with a philanthropic view of removing such prejudice, and so improving the condition of their poorer brethren, that those who can afford fresh meat exercise their gastronomic propensities, on the "tinned " beef and mutton. But at the same time this worthy motive is calculated to deceive, by holding out too great expectations with regard to the succulence and delegability of these meats, expectations in their full extent not destined to be realised. Hence it too often happens that people who expect superlative results, finding only comparative ones, decline to accept the alternatives good though they be. So in too manycases these meats, not being found to be all that was expected, are hastily rejected, notwithstanding that tliey are very «ood thingß in their way. Reason is blinded

by disappointment. Tallow candles, tnpe, cow-heel, red-herrings, meat dripping, coarse broivn sugar, and common beer are valued and useful commodities largely used by the poorer classes; but who would compare them with wax candles, braAvn, kippered salmon, Avlesbury butter, and Bass's XXX. We do not advocate the consumption of pea-soup m lieu of turtle at the Guildhall on Lord Mayor's day; though one cannot speak too highly of the excellence of well made pea soup, and the usefulness of talloAv candles, &c "Tinned" beef and mutton are valuable additions to the food supply of the country, and when regarded in this light, as a pis abler, they cannot be too highly commended, and they cannot fail, when prejudice is overcome, to command an enormous consumption.

Now that the educated classes have shoivn a desire for foreign meat, Avhen cooked in a palatable manner, it remains to be shoAvn hoAv far, by judicious publicity, the labouring man can be induced to accept as a boon what he now regards as an experimental make-shift. H every tin of meat had directions for cooking on the outside the ignorance of our kitchen staff would be obviated.