San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-01-08

titioners of cookery were held in little
estimation in European society OF
! that date, but even those who think
meanly of its practices" he said, will
scarcely be disposed to question its
/ utility" and then, to give force TO
this observation. he adds: with
many grave and enlightened persons,
in our cities and bodies corporate,
the qualifications cookery confers have
always been held among the highest
pleasures. if not the chief privilege,
of office"
BOTTLED FOOD,
All this, and more in the same vein,
was by way Of introduction in the lei
surely fashion of the Edinburgh Re
view of that time, to a painstaking
study of the book from France. which
is the proverbial home of the culinary
art. The book described a method of
preserving foods by heating them and
corking them up in bottles and jars.
Being a good Britisher, the reviewer
denies that the French method was
something new: instead it was only
somewhat different and somewhat
more precise than what others had pre-
viously done. Yet it had possibilities,
and the statement of these possibilities
is quite an accurate prediction OF what
the modern canning industry has at
tanned.
AS we profess to hold gourmandisc
IN due horror, says the reviewer who
writes with n gusto that bellies the
claim. I'VE shall say nothing of the adj
vantage Of having grouse. woodcock.
ortolan, salmon, mullet and turbot at
all seasons. and in spite of climate
or game laws; but what convenience
would it afford to every family. living
at distance from markets, to be able,
by the methods here recommended. TO
provide themselves with rich and fresh
animal foods ut all seasons: and which
should require no other preparation
for the table than merely heating it
over the fire."
LAY IN" FOODS.
Stores Of food might thus be laid
in. when provisions were cheap, which
would furnish substantial and savory
nourishment at times when prices
might be high or the articles them
selves could not be easily procured.
In the preservation of vegetables.
all who inhabit such cold and slug
glsh climates as ours, may derive great
benefit and high qualification from
the adoption Of many Of the suggest
tions herein conveyed. The art of the
preseryer may be made TO anticipate
that Of the gardener; and when our
trees are still destitute of foliage and
our fields clad in snow, we may par
take Of the most perishable delicacies
and have 4 foretaste Of the luxurics
Of spring"
SHIP PRODUCTS.
So completely have these possibili.
ties been realized that it is difficult
TO believe they were written over q
century ago. Were the reviewer living
/ today in his cold and sluggish eli
mate be could have the delicacies ho
I craved. IN and out Of season-salmon
from the waters Of Alaska, pineapple
from the sunny fields of Hawaii. peas
with the fresh flavor OF the early sum
mer-these and literally hundreds Of
other varieties Of foods that in hi,
| time it was impossible to serve the
year round.
That the new method Of preserving
/ food soon came into commercial use i,
/ evidenced by a faded letter and print
I ed circular found q few months ayu
: by New England dealer in antique
manuscripts. The letter, sent to Bos-
/ ton merchant under date of April .
1917. By Maine physician, formerly
resident IN london, says:
I Il have the pleasure TO enclose thu
papers respecting the new mode used
IN England for preserving provisions
IN fresh state at sea. II will be- o.
served that the weights furnished o.
{ meat regard tho meat as dressed and
I freed from bone also. The canister,
and bottles are weighed as meat.
| Vegetables and meat are preserved as
well as meat. likewise soup"
PRESERVING IN 1913.
The circular referred TO was issued
by London firm, which claimed %
nave been preserving foods since 1913.
including roast and cOrned beef. veal.
soups. vegetables and milk. Testimpn
ials the firm had received. the circulJ :
stated. showed an Insignificant
amount Of spoilage among their goods
The milk was put up in bottles. and
the firm claimed TO have q patent on
'h'ii h'AHvu VI llfsFlF inS. ne IDFdie
were put up in sealed cans. at thai
lime called canisters. One testimonial
from n ship captain stated that he ha !
used canned meats only on voyag,
20 the Cape Of Good Hope, and that
The preserved vegetables had retaine }
their original flavor until used. Tn.
preserved milk. he declared, was PEI
fectly sweet.
New Englanders were as keen then
as now 10 grasp business Opportul-
ity. and it is not surprising that bd'
few years later. in 1870, a BOstou
rnan-William CnderwoOd,-put NJ
some fruits, pickles and condiments 20
glass by this new method and dis
posed Of them 10 the export trade.
Canning, as tho process and indus.
try later came 10 be known-probabiy
because Americans have decided
preference for short descriptive terms
did not make much headway for p
number Of years: but these early *.