Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1901-05-04
JAM THE NATIONAL DISH
THREATENS TO DlSPLAcE ROAST
BEEF ON ENGLISH TABLES.

The British People Are the Largest Con-
sumers of jam and Mnrmaiade In the
world-Sow an Article of Daily Con-
sumption by the Masses.
English people are the largest con-
suners of jam III the world says
James Boyle, American Consul ut
Liverpool. 1T is probably the TACT
that Jam and not beef is now the ma
t!onal dish Of the Britisher-or, ut any
rate, jam Qncluding marmalade) runs
bacon Il close second. AS the uhiteu
States is now supplying large pro-
portiOn Of the beef and bacon con-
sumed in England, she can also, by
proper methods, capture Il great share
of the trade in jam, preserves, etc. III
this country. In order to secure, anu
particularly to hold, the trade, now.
ever, 1t should always be kept In NINA
that the English are very discriminate
ing buyers. They want Il good afu-
Gle. and are prepared to pay good
price; and, rs rule they are inCl1er-
cnt as to the place OF origin. 1t 5
we'll known that nowhere In the INIT
ed States can better American beer
and bacon be bought than can
be bought in England, and
many American visitors declare that
better American beef can be had III
London and Liverpool than can gen-
orally be obtained in New York or
Chicago. However this may be, it is
n fact that shippers of American beer
to this market understand that the
must send over the very best n order
to compete with the home and colonial
product.
"The English trade in jams, pre-
serves, etc, is increasing all the time.
A great revolution is going on In the
English table, more especially among
the middle and working classes. What
were few years ago expensive deli
cacies, found only on the tables OF the
well-to-do, are now to great extent
articles of daily consumption by the
masses. Except so far as the very
poor are concerned, it may be sad
that bacon generally with eggs and
jam or marmaladc, are on every Eng
lish breakfast table. and an almost
universal sweet Uhe English for de-
serU at luncheon and dinner is Il com
pote,' stew or tart. of which the chief
ingredient is preserved fruit
The aim Of experts in preserving Is
how to work fruit pulps with proper
proportions of sugar into what are
practically jam bricks Many people
who are not very old can readily recall
how housekcepers used t. pride them
selves upon the stiffness and tirmlcss
of their damson. or cherry "cheeses,'
| which could be stamped out in fnnci-
full forms with pastry cutter and
which were not even sticky to the
touch. This condition was obtained
! by carefully boiling the fruit syrups
to exactly the right poht after pro-
cesses Of putting the fruit through
fine sieves and bringing the sugar to
candy. This, upon wholesale scale,
Is what American jam boilers are en-
deavoring to accomplish, and many
experiments in that direction are now
being carried out. Indeed, samples of
Jam bricks" have been submitted TO
the war Office; for use of troops in
meat is concerned, TIL problem has
been solved, and it is possible now to
obtain hard, heavy Gu of two CT
three inches, from which few
Clipped fragments moistened in
water, milk or liquor, mince pie
with good, Old-fashioned flavor can
be quickly made.
Some idea of the magnitude of the
| system can be obtained from the fact
that Il single order from a London
house amounted to twenty.eight
tons Of apricot pulp from California
Plums, pineapples, ounces, apples and
peaches are SO largely utilized in this
way. and the latest triumph it is
claimed. is that of being able to shil
strawberries in the pulp. With til,
treatment of this material on such &
scale it is not surprising that those
who know the climatic Advantages OF
California for drying should advocate
the carrying Of pulp preparation ;
step further and endeavor to presen
the jam itself without the costly en-
cumberances Of old fashioned pack
ing.
An English authority says: Gas
far as dried fruits are concerned, /
may be noted that South Australia Il
| IL, Il To-, ~ INro
liSh market Of the Vi .ited States, anl
that in the opinion of an exceeding
ly competent expert, If the Australian
colonies and New Zealand would pa.
the same attention to packing and at
tractive appearance as Is done il
America, they would easily hold thei
own in this department At the SAM
time, it is disquieting to learn tha
American sweets are coming into thi
country Mt the present time in sut
ticient quantities to cause consider
able uncasineSs to our own manufaC
turers of these dainties. Last month
consignment Of gum pastilles to b
vended ut q very cheap rate to on
house alone was 2000 barrels, contain
Ing three hundred-wei. hit each, an
caramels, fondants and the marshma
low sweets which can be moulde
into such quaint shapes to appeal t
the childish eye are delivered ut OH
wharf sides to the extent of frol
5000 to 10000 pounds month. Ne,
York Tribune.
: The Honorable II HialwayIncn.
Sam RawSon occasionally said
I | good thing and one of these Occas sion