Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1917-07-06
New Way
I. To Preserve
Vegetables Preserved by Fer
mentation Method Used Abroad
Make Containers Air-tieht.

beets, cabbage, cucumbers, and othel
succulent garden crops, is described il
a notice just issued by the United State.
Department OF Agriculture.
Sauer kraut and pickles put up il
this way are fairly well known in thi.
country, but comparatively few person.
have thought of trying it as house
hold measure for preserving these ant
other vegetables. Those who like aciC
foods and who have too few canning
containers to hold their surplus pro
ducts may find this method useful
The following description of the method
OF fermenting vegetables has been pre-
pared by one Of the psychologists ir
the Bureau OF Chemistry, who has been
experimenting with this process.
The vegetables are not cooked, but
are put down in a salt brine in any
monumental water-tight container and
are sealed up with paraffin and are
otherwise made air-tight. Under this
treatment Tactic acid will develop and
this acid, the value of which as food
has been recognized, acts as a preser.
vative. Whether Americans will de.
velop taste for such fermented foods,
highly priced in Europe, is open to
question, but the investigator believes
that many will find the process well
worth trying.
TO PRESERVE CUCUMBERS.
Wash the fruit if necessary and pack
into clean, water-tight barrel, keg or
crock. On the bottom of the barrel
place layer of dill and a handful of
mixed spice. Add another layer of dill
and another handful of spice when the
barrel is half full, and when almost
full add third layer. If a keg or
crock is used, the amount 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 layer OF cover
ing material-beet tops or grape leaves,
about an inch thick If any spoilage
should occur on the surface, this layer
will protect the vegetables beneath
Press down with clean board weight
ed with bricks or stone. Do not use
limestone or sandstone.
Make brine by adding / pound of
salt to 10 quarts Of water. To each 10
quarts of brine so made add two-thirds
of quart OF vinegar. The vinegar is
used primarily to keep down the
growth Of injurious bacteria until the
lactic-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-tight, as de-
seribed below. The time necessary for
complete fermentation to occur depends
upon the temperature. In a warm
place only five days to week may be
necessary; in a cool cellar three to four
weeks.
BEETS AND STRING BEANS.
The strings should be removed from
string beans before they are put up.
Beets, OF course, require careful wash
ing 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 up is not necessary. Pro-
ceed as with cucumbers.
MAKE CONTAINERS AIR-TIGHT.
There always will be more or less
bubbling and foaming of the brine dur
ing the first stages OF fermentation.
After this ceases a thin film will appear
which will spread rapidly over the
whole surface and develop quickly into
heavy, folded membrane. This scum
is a growth of yeast-like' organisms
which feed upon the acid formed by
fermentation. II allowed to grow un-
disturbed ii will eventually destroy all
the acid and the fermented material
will spoil. To prevent this scum from
forming II is necessary to exclude the
air from the surface OF the brine. This
should be done by either Of two meth
DDS, "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 is sufficiently hot to make the
brine boil when poured upon it, the
paraffin will form a smooth, even layer
before hardening. Upon solidifying, il
effects an air-tight seal Oils, such as
cottonseed oil or the tasteless liquid
petroleum, may also be used for this
purpose. AS measure Of safety with