Nicolas Appert

“ Indeed, if we refer to any of the methods made use of and any of the experiments and observations of ancient and modern times, upon the preservation of alimentary substances, with which we are acquainted, we shall find that fire is every where the principal agent, either in the natural duration, or in the artificial preservation of vegetable and animal substances. ”

“ The reason why it is necessary that large boilers should be furnished with wide cocks is, that it would take up too much time to let so large a body of water, always placed over a heated stove, remain till it became cool; and that, on the other hand, it would do great injury to those substances to let them remain too long exposed to the heat. Without inconvenience, therefore, in private families, any cauldron or earthen vessel may be taken for a water-bath, provided the water rises to the rim of the bottle. ”

“ It is apparent from these reports, which appear to be almost the same, though made in towns remote from each other, at different periods and by different persons, that the process of Mr. Appert is as certain as it is useful. It affords the means of enjoying throughout the empire, during the whole year, and with great convenience, the productions which belong alone to a part of it, without fearing that they may have undergone any change by their having been transported to a great distance, or from the remoteness of the season of their growth. ”

“ The mode of extracting the juice of plants by means of water has more or less inconvenience. All those juices which have a principle that is very volatile and easy to evaporate, lose infinitely, even in warm water; much more so therefore, when the heat of the water is raised to a higher degree, and when the plants have been left for a long time in digestion.
Aromatic vegetables are infused, when the object is to preserve the aroma, and not impart to the water the extractive principle which the plant contains. ”

“ Thus the believing that a bottle corked very low is well corked, because no liquor escapes when the bottle is turned with its neck downwards, is an error, which, joined to the use of bad corks, causes a number of losses. He who corks with care and judgment is satisfied that the operation has been performed well by the resistance of the cork to the blows of the bat, and never thinks of turning the neck of the bottle downwards. ”

“ In the applying of heat to the water-bath, I have had various obstacles to encounter, more particularly when peas were to be preserved; for peas are of all substances the most difficult to preserve completely. This vegetable, when gathered while it is too young or too tender, dissolves in water, and in consequence the bottle is found half empty, and even this half is not fit to be kept; hence, whenever this circumstance occurs, I set aside the bottle and make use of the article immediately. If the peas have been gathered two or three days, the heat occasions them to lose all their flavour ”

“ The manner of making use of fruits, preserved by the process I have pointed out, consists, 1st. in putting such fruit into a fruit jar, in the same state in which it is in the bottle, without adding any sugar, because many persons, more especially ladies, prefer fruits with their natural juice. At the same time I prepare another jar with a preserve of grape-syrup or powder sugar, for those who prefer it. I have [110] from experience learnt that grape-syrup preserves the aroma and agreeable acidity of fruits, much better than sugar. ”

“ I make a marmelade, either of apricots, peaches, green-gages, or mirabelles, by the following process. I take for one pound of preserved fruit, half a pound of grape syrup. I boil the whole together over a quick fire, taking care to stir it well with a spoon to prevent its boiling. When the marmelade is boiled to a slight consistency, I take it off, because the confectionary which is the least boiled is the best. [113] As preserved fruits afford a facility of making confectionary just when it is wanted, they may, by a little boiling only, be had at any time, fresh and of excellent quality. ”

“ Under an infinity of circumstances, a cook may be in want of the substances necessary to make a sauce with. But with the essences of meat, poultry, ham, &c. as well as with a provision of jelly well preserved and prepared, they may be furnished in an instant.
The broth or jelly prepared and preserved as pointed out in page 46 is [98] eaten either cold as it is found in the bottles, or diluted with more or less boiling water, in the proportions which persons of experience may judge suitable in the several instances. ”

“ There is another mode of eating green peas and which may suit many persons; this consists in simply boiling the peas in water. When done, the water is drained off and the peas are tossed with a piece of good fresh butter, salt, pepper and sugar, all together over a very gentle fire, they are then served [105] up directly upon a very hot dish. Care must be taken that the peas do not boil with the seasoning, otherwise the butter turns into oil, and the green peas are dissolved in the water. ”

“ As the skin becomes brown when in contact with the air, I take the precaution of putting the beans in bottles as soon as shelled. When the bottles are full, the beans having been shaken down gently on the stool, and in that way the vacancies in the bottle having been filled up, I add to each bottle a little bunch of savory; I cork them quickly in order to give them one hour’s boiling in the water-bath. When this vegetable has been quickly gathered, prepared and preserved, it has a white, greenish colour ”

“ As well as a Julienne, a coulis de racines, a soup of lentils, carrots, onions, &c. being well prepared, furnishes with the greatest economy, excellent dishes in an instant.
All farinaceous substances, such as oatmeal, rice, spelt, semoulia, vermicelli, and in general every thing that may be formed into a paste, nutritive [108] and easy of digestion, may be prepared and seasoned with either vegetable or meat soup, and even with milk, before they are made to undergo the preserving process, in order to facilitate the use of them at sea and in armies at a moment of necessity. ”

“ The Society are of opinion that they are rendering a service to the country and humanity, when they make known so useful a discovery with the eulogies which it merits. Their desire will be accomplished, should their suffrage determine the public to make use of your productions, and so contribute to confer upon you the just rewards of your labours. ”

“ I make the soup so rich, that a bottle of the size of a litre can supply a dish for twelve persons, by adding two litres of water to it, before it is made use of. When it has grown cool, I put it in bottles, to give it half an hour’s boiling in the water-bath. ”

“ As, in general, evaporation cannot take place, but at the expence of the object to be condensed, [I] I made some gravy, in the proportion of two pounds of good meat and poultry to one litre. My gravy being made, and [45] strained and suffered to become cool, I put it in bottles. After having well corked, and tied the bottles and wrapped them in bags, I placed them in the boiler. I had taken out, when one quarter dressed, the best pieces of the beef and poultry. When these were grown cold, I put them in jars, and filled the jars with the same gravy. ”

“ We hear in manufactories of nothing but the caprice of experiment, but this vague phrase has its origin only in the ignorance in which the workmen are of the true principles of their art; for nature does not act according to any principle of discernment, but obeys constant laws. ”

“ When they have all been well plucked, washed, drained, and minced, I cause the whole to be stewed together in a copper vessel well tinned. These vegetables ought to be well stewed, as if for daily use, and not dried up and burned as is often done in families, when it is intended to preserve them. This quantity of stewing is the most fit. When my herbs are thus prepared, I set them to cool in earthen or stone vessels. Afterwards I put them in [69] bottles with a wide mouth. I cork them, &c. and I put my sorrel in the water-bath, which is allowed a quarter of an hour’s boiling merely. ”

“ To attain that end various means have been employed. Desiccation, ardent spirits, acids and oils, saccharine and saline substances, &c. have been made use of; but it must be confessed that these means cause many productions to lose a part of their properties, or otherwise modifies them, so that their aroma and flavour are no longer to be recognized. From this point of view, the process of Mr. Appert appears to us preferable, if without having recourse to desiccation he adds no extraneous substance to that he wishes to preserve. ”

“ I gather the nectarine (brugnon) more ripe than the peach, because it supports the heat better: and on the other hand, I leave the skin on it in order to preserve it. Moreover, the same process is observed as in preserving the nectarine, the peach, and the apricot; in every instance watching the water-bath closely, as I do in preserving the bunches of currants. ”

“ I further take the precaution of compressing, and, as it were, biting the cork, three-fourths of its length, by means of the instrument already described (fig. 3) , beginning at the small end. The cork is rendered more supple; the pores of the cork are brought closer; it is somewhat lengthened, and its thickness is so much diminished at the extremity which is put into the mouth of the bottle, that a large cork may be made [22] to enter a very moderate opening. The action of the heat within the vessel is such, that the cork swells within, and the corking is thus rendered perfect. ”

“ Having corked my jars, and driven in the stopper by means of the bat, the bottles being always placed upright in the bottle-boot, I made use of a compound luting. This luting (communicated to me by Mr. Bardel) is made of quick lime, which is slaked in the air by being sprinkled with water, till it becomes reduced to a powder. The powder to be kept in this state in corked bottles ready for use. This lime mixed with a cheese made of skimmed milk (fromage à la pie) , and formed to the thickness of paste, produces a luting which hardens rapidly, [32] and which withstands the heat of boiling water. ”

“ In general, all vegetables intended to be preserved should be used as recently gathered as possible, and prepared with the utmost rapidity, so that there should be as it were, but one step from the garden-bed to the water-bath. ”

“ That of considerably diminishing the consumption of sugar, the produce of the cane, and of giving the greatest extension to the manufactories of grape syrup.
2. That of preserving for use in all countries and all seasons, a number of alimentary and medicinal productions, which being very abundant in some places at certain seasons, are therefore wasted, being considered as of no value; while the same substances, under other circumstances, being much wanted, become of double and even four-fold value; and sometimes cannot be procured at any price, such as butter and eggs. ”

“ For instance, in a cool and damp year, vegetables are more tender and consequently more sensible to the action of fire. In this case, the water-bath should be made to boil seven or eight minutes less; and in dry seasons, when vegetables are firmer, and better support the action of fire, seven or eight minutes boiling should be added. ”

“ I place all the vessels, bottles or jars, upright in a boiler, which I then fill with cold water up to the necks of the vessels; I then cover the boiler with its lid, which is made to rest upon the vessels. I cover the upper part of the lid with a piece of wet linen, in order that the sides of the lid may exactly fit, and all evaporation from the water-bath be impeded as much as possible. ”

“ I compose a Julienne of carrots, leeks, turnips, sorrel, French beans, celery, green peas, &c. These I prepare in the ordinary way, which consists in cutting the carrots, turnips, leeks, French beans and celery into [72] small pieces, either round or long. Having well plucked and washed them, I put these vegetables into a saucepan over the fire, with a largish piece of fresh butter. When these are half-done, I add the sorrel and green peas. After the whole has been stewed down, I moisten the vegetables with good gravy, prepared for the purpose, with good meat and poultry. ”

“ If sufficiently boiled, on being taken out of [101] the bottles, I have only to wash them in hot water in order to prepare them afterwards for vegetable or meat soup.
I scald in the same way the beans of the haricot blanc; when sufficiently dressed, I take them from the fire and leave them in the boiling water, half an hour, and even an hour, in order to render them more tender: I then prepare them for soup.
§ XLVII.
Peas, Beans, &c.
Green peas are dressed in various ways. If they are ill cooked in the season, it is the cook who is blamed ”

“ The dead matter which we employ in our manufactories, exhibits necessary effects in which the will can have no share, and consequently can have no caprice. Make yourself acquainted, we should say to the manual operator, with the substance on which you are to operate, study better the principles of your art, and you will be able to foresee, predict and calculate every thing. ”

“ The bottles and other vessels of every kind fit for the preservation of alimentary substances will occasion but a very slight expence at one time. They may be always used again, if care be taken to rince them as soon as they are empty; good corks, string and wire are not expensive. [136] As soon as the method is known, proper bottles and jars will be met with at the manufacturers, corks of every size and properly prepared for use will be furnished by the cork-cutters, as well as iron-wire fit for use. ”