East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1917-07-11
Daily Chats With
the Housewife

sentative. Whether Americans will
develop a taste for such fermented
foods highly priced in Europe, is open
to question. but the Investigator be-
iieycs that many will find the process
ven worth trying.
To Preserve Cucumbers.
Wash the fruit if necessary and
pack into a clean. water-tight barrel,
GEEK or crock. on the bottom of the
barrel place a layer OF din weed and
a handful of mixed spice. Add an
other layer OF dill and another hand-
ful Of spice when the barrel is half
fun and when almost full add a
third layer. If a key or crock is used,
the mount Of dill and spice can be
reduced in proportion to the size OF
the receptacle. When the ~container
has been filled within a few inches Of
the top. add a layer of covering ma
terial-beet tops or grape leaves
about an inch thick. If any spoilage
should occur on the surface, this
laNer will protect the vegetables be
meath. Press down with a clean
board weighted with bricks or stone
DO not use limestone or sandstone.
fake "A brine by adding l pound Of
salt to 10 quarts of water. To each
10 quarts of brine so made add 2-3 of
a quart of vinegar. The vinegar is
used primarily TO keep down the
growth Of injurious bacteria until the
Tactic acid ferment starts. but it also
adds to the flavor. Add sufficient
brine to cover the material and allow
to stand "a hours. Then make air
fight. as described below. The time
necessary for complete fermentation
To- occur depends upon the tempera-
turr. IN a warm place only = days to
a week may be necessary; in a cool
cellar 3 to 1 weeks.
Rcrts and String Beans.
The strings should be removed from
string beans before the are put up
Beets. of course, require careful
washing to remove all dirt before
brining. II it is desired. when finally
the beets or string beans are to be
eaten. To wash out the brine and
serve them as fresh vegetables, the
addition of spice when they are put.
mp is not necessary. Proceed as with
Cucumbers.
Make Ia Containers Air-Tieht.
Their always will be more or less
hubbling and foaming of the brine
during the first stages of fermenta-
ton. After this ceases n thin film
will appear which will spread rapidly
over the whole surface and develop
quickly into a heavy, folded mem
Crane. This scum is a growth of
.yfast-Iike organisms which feed upon
the acid formed by fermentation. II
allowed to grow undisturbed ii will
eventually destroy all acid and the
fcrmented material will spoil. To pre-
vent this scum from forming it is
necessary to exclude the air from the
surface Of the brine. This should b.
done by either of two methods, "a
hours after the vegetables have been
packed.
Perhaps the best method is to cover
the surface-over the board and
around the weight-with very hot
melted ~paraffin. If the paraffin is
sufficiently hot to make the brine boil
when poured upon it, the paraffm
will form a smooth, even layer before
hardening. Upon s~olidifying. it eff
fects an alright seal. Oils, such as
~cottonseed oil or the tasteless liquid
Petroleum. may also be used for thin
purpose. As a measure of safety with
it is advisable to cover the top
with "a cloth soaked in melted para
fin. Put the cover in place before
the paraffin hardens,
The second method. which may he
used with barrels or kegs, is to pack
the container as full as possible and
replace the head. In using this
method for fermentation of beets, Gu
cJmbers. or string beans, add the
hoard and weights as described above
and allow to stand for "a hours before
heading. During this period most Of
the gas first formed escapes and the
Container then may be headed up
first removing the board and
weights Then pore an inch hole I'm
the head and fill the barrel with brine,
allowing no air space. Allow bubbles
to escape. Add more brine if posi-
BILE. and plug the vent tight, If the
larreI does not leak, fermented pro
ducts put Mp in this manner will keep
indefinitely.
After sealing with paraffin the con-
tanners should he set where they will
rot be disturbed until the contents
are to he used. Any attempt to re-
move them from one place to another
may break the ~paraffin seal and ne
cessitate r~esealing. II the contain
ers are not opened until cold winter
weather. the vegetables should keep
without spillage until they are used
up. II opened in warm weather they
are likely to spoil quite rapidly I'M
less the paraffin is reheated and the
container resealed immediately. In
the case Of cucumbers and chapotes,
it is preferable, If enough material is
available, TO use the method Of pack
ing in kegs or barrels as described
above.
only those vegetables which Cannot
he Eapt hy storing or early ones that