There are various materials used in clarifying, such as
albumen (white of egg), gelatine, acids, salts, lime, plaster
of Paris, Spanish earth, alum, heat, alcohol, pounded
meat, and blood. The last two owe their clarifying
properties to the albumen they contain in such large
proportions, which coagulates upon the application of
sufficient heat, and, together with the fibrine, carries
floating particles with it as it rises to the .top as scum,
or subsides as sediment.
Blood possesses the valuable property of this double
action of rising and falling, but it has some disadvan-
tages that in the majority of cases would prohibit its
use. In the first place it is not at all times procurable
sufficiently fresh to be trustworthy, and secondly the
slightest divergence from the line of purity will more
than probably communicate a taste to the liquid with
which it is mixed.
Albumen is generally used under the form of white of
egg for the clarification of syrups, as it mixes so well
with the liquid in its cold state, but upon the applica-
tion of heat it rapidly coagulates and rises to the surface
as a dirty-looking, frothy scum, which can be easily
removed with a skimmer. The dirtier the scum, the
more effectual has been the clarifying process. Albumen
is generally used for fining wines and liqueurs, especially
red wines and wine cordials; but gelatine dissolved in
a small quantity of water, or weak vinegar, or of the
liquid to be clarified, gives the best results in fine
white wines, beer, cider, and other liquids containing
alcohol or tannin in sufficient quantity to coagulate the
gelatine and lead to precipitation.
Certain deleterious “ finings ” are sometimes used by
Clarifying — continued.
those who prefer appearance to quality. Sulphuric acid
(oil of vitriol) is frequently added to cheap alcoholic
liquors, after white of egg or gelatine has been stirred
up and dissolved in it, both of which it speedily coagu-
lates and causes to precipitate. Other unprincipled
manufacturers use salts of lead and potash to clear
liquors, but with these we- have no business. Lime,
alum, alcohol, acids, and heat all act by coagulating
or curdling the floating particles, and thus, by increasing
their density, causing them to subside. Plaster of Paris
and Spanish earth act somewhat similarly, although
other virtues are accorded to them which arc insufficiently
verified. Sand is sometimes sifted into liquors to hurry
down the coagulated particles, but of itself it is com-
paratively useless, as its passage is too rapid ; and marl
or clay is used for cider and perry in cider-making
counties.
Fruit juice and some vegetable juices can be clarified
by boiling. The albumen they contain coagulates with
the heat, and rising to the top can be removed as
scum. Pounded meat is used by cooks in the same
way, but with the advantage of a double action, as
previously described ; but this should only be employed
when there is no harm done to the liquid by com-
municating the flavour of the meat.
CLARY (Salvia Sclarea). — A plant of the sage genus.
Not much used in British cookery, though it sometimes
finds its way among the herbs used by Continental
cooks.
Page 385
Presented as published in 1890. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
There are various materials used in clarifying, such as albumen (white of egg), gelatine, acids, salts, lime, plaster of Paris, Spanish earth, alum, heat, alcohol, pounded meat, and blood. The last two owe their clarifying properties to the albumen they contain in such large proportions, which coagulates upon the application of sufficient heat, and, together with the fibrine, carries floating particles with it as it rises to the .top as scum, or subsides as sediment.
Blood possesses the valuable property of this double action of rising and falling, but it has some disadvantages that in the majority of cases would prohibit its use. In the first place it is not at all times procurable sufficiently fresh to be trustworthy, and secondly the slightest divergence from the line of purity will more than probably communicate a taste to the liquid with which it is mixed.
Albumen is generally used under the form of white of egg for the clarification of syrups, as it mixes so well with the liquid in its cold state, but upon the application of heat it rapidly coagulates and rises to the surface as a dirty-looking, frothy scum, which can be easily removed with a skimmer. The dirtier the scum, the more effectual has been the clarifying process. Albumen is generally used for fining wines and liqueurs, especially red wines and wine cordials; but gelatine dissolved in a small quantity of water, or weak vinegar, or of the liquid to be clarified, gives the best results in fine white wines, beer, cider, and other liquids containing alcohol or tannin in sufficient quantity to coagulate the gelatine and lead to precipitation.
Certain deleterious “ finings ” are sometimes used by
Clarifying — continued.
those who prefer appearance to quality. Sulphuric acid (oil of vitriol) is frequently added to cheap alcoholic liquors, after white of egg or gelatine has been stirred up and dissolved in it, both of which it speedily coagulates and causes to precipitate. Other unprincipled manufacturers use salts of lead and potash to clear liquors, but with these we- have no business. Lime, alum, alcohol, acids, and heat all act by coagulating or curdling the floating particles, and thus, by increasing their density, causing them to subside. Plaster of Paris and Spanish earth act somewhat similarly, although other virtues are accorded to them which arc insufficiently verified. Sand is sometimes sifted into liquors to hurry down the coagulated particles, but of itself it is comparatively useless, as its passage is too rapid ; and marl or clay is used for cider and perry in cider-making counties.
Fruit juice and some vegetable juices can be clarified by boiling. The albumen they contain coagulates with the heat, and rising to the top can be removed as scum. Pounded meat is used by cooks in the same way, but with the advantage of a double action, as previously described ; but this should only be employed when there is no harm done to the liquid by communicating the flavour of the meat.
CLARY (Salvia Sclarea). — A plant of the sage genus. Not much used in British cookery, though it sometimes finds its way among the herbs used by Continental cooks.