The morning times., 1895-08-04
PACKING EGGS AND BUTTER.
A Clever Way For an Economical
Housewife to Save Money.

A Clever Way For an Economical
Housewife to Save Money.
(WIitten for The Times.)
From July to September is usually the
time when butter and eggs are packed for
winter use, rs both commodities are
cheaper at~this time, the former at about
20 cents a pound and the latter 8 cents
a dozen, compared to 40 and SO cents,
prices that prevail during the autumn and
winter.
Butter, il properly put away, will keep
long, long time, The principal outlook
is for quality and method OF working
The most successful butter packers give
three rules to be followed-roll out ali
butteImilk; use rock salt; put up in air
tight Ieceptacles, and keep in a cool place.
Heavy stone butter Jars are the best.
After all the buttermilk has been worked
out, Iock salt, a tablespoon to a pound,
should be worked in thoroughly. Rock
salt does not contain as much lime as
common salt. 1t should then be packed
closely in the jaI, and covered with thin
cloth, and layer OF salt over that. Gen
orally, the pot is then sunk in a hole in the
cellar floor, leaving only couple OF
inches in view, and tops covered with u
weighted board.
If the butter is packed by the purchaser,
then no more salt should be added. A
regular butter man will, if asked, use rock
| salt in place of common. When the butter
is from different makers, il should not be
mixed. Wrap each lot in a cloth and put
layer OF salt between.
This method makes the sweetest butter,
but many cling to the saltpetre, custom
followed largely, it is said, III New York
State. This calls for a mixture OF salt,
xx.INis hnlP
saltpetre, one-half ounce. Pulverize them
together. Work the butter free OF milk
then work in one ounce of this mixture to
pound. 1T is then packed in brine strong
| enough 10 bear an egg, adding quarter
of a pound Of white sugar to three gal
Ions.
Twenty to twenty-five pounds is the
| usual amount packed for an average sized
family, and viii last five or six months
The cost should not be at the most over
So, the same amount costing twice as
much in winter. good butterma ker
VIII sometimes take all the trouble on
himself for customer, which saves much
worry and veXation Of spirit.
Eggs are easily handled. Two ways are
in use, water and dry packing. The
former may affect the taste of the egg SO
that it cannot be used for eating, but for
cakes and puddings they are equal TO
fresh. They viii keep, too, some years,
being used at sea.
Stone crooks are the most convenient
Make a brine OF pint of fresh Stacked
lime, a good handful OF salt and three
gallons OF water. Have perfectly fresh
eggs, without the slightest crack in their
shells, and cover with this brine Put a
bit OF board over the top to keep them
| under water, and II little salt aud lime
is kept on it, the brine VIII be as strong
al the top as at the bottom. II is curious
10 note that in 1871, one Jaynes, OF
Sheffield, Yorkshire, secured a patent on
process from which the custom of lime
water preservation undoubtedly arose
Dry packing has many advocates. 1t
consists simply OF packing fresh eggs in
salt, putting the broad end downward
and seeing that the eggs do not touch
each other. Bran and sawdust are also
used. The tops must be covered thiskly
and the whole set away in a cool, dark
place.
Before packing in this way, some smear
the shells with butter or lard. 4 chicken
fancier who shipped eggs TO England be-
fore the days OF cold storage vanished
the shells. Gum shellac was dissolved in
sufficient alcohol to make q thin varnish
which was painted on the shells. When
dry, they Were packed in bran, so that
they neither touched nor could move about
When wanted for use the yarnish was
washed off, and the eggs said TO be
equal 10 fresh.
Preserved eggs do not bring as good a
price in the winter as fresh, of course
but many grocers palm them Off as new
laid articles. When care is taken there is
really little difference, and none whatever
where they are used for cooking.
KENNEL WOOD.