The record-union., 1896-06-28

never occurs In new caves, and that if.
when first perceived, the air current
can be greatly increased, the disease
will disappear. For this I cannot
lvouch.
HARVESTING THE MUSHROOMS
mushroom is ready for market
when it has attained the size of a silver
twenty -five-cent piece-that is to saw.
| its hood. From that size UP to hoods of
the dimensions of silver dollar are
IN enormous demand; but the chefs de
cuisine do not care for larger ones. This
does not apply to the ''cepes," which are
frequently as large and as thick as a
mans hand-the larger the better
In the caves the mushrooms are gath
cred at / a. M, and two hours after
are on the stalls In the markets.
In piueking, care must be had not to
tear away from the bed the very young
mushrooms at the roots of the one that
| is ripe. Fill in the hole left and gently
pat 1t smooth; new roots will at once re-
place the ones torn out.
Mushrooms raised in the open should
be gathered after sunset. The fresher
the mushroom, the greater the aroma
and flavor.
MUSHROOMS IN COMMERCE.. a
1t is of the utmost Importance to
seize upon the proper moment for
plucking if the mushroom is to be put
upon the market. DO not wait until the
hood has expanded like an umbrella: IL
this be allowed. the plant is worthless
as an article of merchandise. at least in
France. Moreover, it is then very in
digestible
The most ancient method, and the
one generally employed for preserving
mushrooms for household purposes, is
that of drying. Mushrooms of mediunl6
size are preferred and the driving il
accomplished either by natural or ar
tifleial heat. Carefully skin and clean
them, just as If they were to be used AT
once, then plunge them in boiling
water into which the Juice of q. lemon
has been squeezed or vinegar poured
Sur a rev seconds and remove them.
This is to prevent the mushroom from
turning black. Be very careful not to
allow any salt or saline matter to come
near the mushrooms
After taking the mushrooms from the
hoillng water, allow them to drain well
or a wire screen; then string them like
oeads and stretch the string from wall
to wall IN a well-ventilated room Do
not permit the mushrooms to touch
each other. If the season or climate is
toe humid, place the strings of mlsh-
rooms in gently heated oven. When
thoroughly dry put them in bags or
boxes in room perfectly devoid Of
moisture. 1t is true that mushrooms
thus treated lose part of their aroma
and flavor. but they keep indefinitely.
and are an article of standard CONNER
clal value in France
before cooking the dried mushrooms
they must be soaked in warm water or
mix to restore them. The dried mush-
room Is extensively used as a condiment
IN france, and highly appreciated by
the gourmets. 1t is simply reduced TO a
ille powder and mixed with one-fourth
10 one-twentieth truff1e powder.
The process of conserving mushrooms
IN oil or melted butter is of course. more
costly than drying, but the aroma and
DaVor are retained. Proceed to prepare
the mushrooms exactly as above de-
scrlbed,and let them drain we'll but of
course. do not dry them. After suffi-
clent draining place them one by one
III Wlde-mouthed bottles and pour over
them melted butter or warm olive oil.
fhen cork and seal the bottles and put
them IN cool place There is great
canger of fermentation, especially in
the case of the melted butter. if the tenn
Ierature of the storage be too
| high.
The preservation of mushrooms. as
| mere recited, is resorted to mostly by
households or dealers on a small scale.
Ihe large manufacturers invariably
| employ the 'appert" process.
APPERT" PROCESS.
The mushrooms are peeled and thrown
in water made slightly acid with vine
gar They are then allowed to drain
Well, after which they are plunged in
boiling butter until they are half cooked
or parboiled, then placed one by one in
wide-mouthed bottles, Each bottle must
contain three fourths of it's full capac-
| lty. The bottles are now well corked
and the corks tightly and very securely
held in place by strings. Then the bot
ties are placed in large caldrons of cold
water, the bottoms of which have been
covered with straw. The bottles are
also wrapped in straw to prevent their
breaking. The caldrons are then put
on the fire and the water slowly brought
to the boiling point, which should con-
tinue ten minutes. The caldrons are
then taken from the Are and the water
allowed to cool gradually, after which
the bottles are removed and sealed with
wax. The process IS very simple, and
nothing more than a little intelligent
care is required to assure complete sue
cess
A MUSHROOM SAUCE.
There is a mushroom catsup or sauce
made here in France which would conn
mand a good market If introduced in
| the United States. It's preparation is as
follows: Take 2.2046 pounds of very
fresh mushrooms, peel them carefully,
cut them in very thin slices, laying them
in thin layers in an enameled earthen
pot, sprinkling each layer with fine salt,
pile layer upon layer; on top of the last
layer strew about four tablespoonfuls
OF the husks of green walnuts, chopped
fine. Put the jar in the cellar and let
it soak there five days, after which time
the whole mass will be in a mushy con-
dtion. Pass this through a fine sieve.
Place the liquid on a slow fire and let
it remain there until reduced to one-half
its original quantity. Then add an equal
quantity of calfs foot jelly, season with
pepper and bay leaves to taste, and let
it simmer until the consistency of ordi-
nary catsup is attained. Bottle the re-
suit and place in cool room. This
deserves a page in a cook book, per
haps, rather thas here. but it is a source
of great profit to mushroom growers in
France.