If you opened the tin of vegetables
and drained off the liquor, and then placed the vegetables in fresh
water, there would be less flavour of the vegetables than were they
warmed up in the liquor in which they were originally cooked.
To a certain extent the liquor in the tin contains the juice of the
vegetable, if the expression may be allowed, just as in the case of a tin
of oysters there is probably more oyster flavour in the liquor than in the
oysters ; consequently when the vegetables are warmed up in the tin
itself, far less flavour is lost than when they are opened previously and
strained. As soon as the tin has been immersed in water sufficiently long to
make the vegetables thoroughly hot through (and with regard to the time
full directions will be given under each separate heading), the tin can be
opened, the vegetables turned out in their moist state, strained off, and
served at once. In the case of tins of asparagus or green peas, cooks
would do well to taste the liquor that remains in the tin, and see how
strongly this is impregnated with vegetable flavour.
The next class of preserved provisions we have to consider is that of
fruits. Here again the best course, as in the case of tinned meats, is
to keep, the tins in a cool place, and the fruit generally should be served
just as it is.
Another very important point to be borne in mind by housekeepers is
the great advantage to be derived from these tinned fruits in the way of
x INTRODUCTION.
making an extra dish for dinner at short notice. I refer chiefly to'
tinned peaches and apricots. These, when turned out on to a glass dish
will of course at any moment make a very excellent sweet. With a very
little ingenuity, however, a very superior-looking dish can be obtained
I allude to the system of piling up the fruit into pyramid shape, and
then ornamenting it -with preserved cherries and cut green angelica
For a full description of this see the heading *• Apricots, tinned/’ etc!
These preserved fruits can also be turned to various other uses, such as-
making ices.
Another important heading in the following work is that of Jellies.
Most housekeepers are probably aware how useful a bottle of jelly is to
have in the house in an emergency. Probably not all housekeepers are
aware that one bottle of jelly can be utilised tc make two, or even
more, moulds of jelly, with a little ingenuity and a little extra flavour.
The ordinary orange or lemon jelly supplied by Messrs. Crosse and
Blackwell forms an admirable base for various jellies. For instance, a
bottle of lemon jelly may be poured into two separate basius. One can
now be coloured a bright red with the assistance of a little cochineal or
vegetable colouring matter. Full directions will be found in this book
for using the various colouring matters supplied. The flavour of the
jelly can now be altered by the addition of a little of one of the
various essences, such as vanilla or essence of almonds. The one bottle
can now be poured into two separate moulds, and two separate jellies
can be sent to table, essentially different both in colour and flavour.
Page 7
Presented as published in 1880. 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
If you opened the tin of vegetables and drained off the liquor, and then placed the vegetables in fresh water, there would be less flavour of the vegetables than were they warmed up in the liquor in which they were originally cooked. To a certain extent the liquor in the tin contains the juice of the vegetable, if the expression may be allowed, just as in the case of a tin of oysters there is probably more oyster flavour in the liquor than in the oysters ; consequently when the vegetables are warmed up in the tin itself, far less flavour is lost than when they are opened previously and strained. As soon as the tin has been immersed in water sufficiently long to make the vegetables thoroughly hot through (and with regard to the time full directions will be given under each separate heading), the tin can be opened, the vegetables turned out in their moist state, strained off, and served at once. In the case of tins of asparagus or green peas, cooks would do well to taste the liquor that remains in the tin, and see how strongly this is impregnated with vegetable flavour.
The next class of preserved provisions we have to consider is that of fruits. Here again the best course, as in the case of tinned meats, is to keep, the tins in a cool place, and the fruit generally should be served just as it is.
Another very important point to be borne in mind by housekeepers is the great advantage to be derived from these tinned fruits in the way of
making an extra dish for dinner at short notice. I refer chiefly to tinned peaches and apricots. These, when turned out on to a glass dish will of course at any moment make a very excellent sweet. With a very little ingenuity, however, a very superior-looking dish can be obtained I allude to the system of piling up the fruit into pyramid shape, and then ornamenting it -with preserved cherries and cut green angelica For a full description of this see the heading "Apricots, tinned," etc. These preserved fruits can also be turned to various other uses, such asmaking ices.
Another important heading in the following work is that of Jellies. Most housekeepers are probably aware how useful a bottle of jelly is to have in the house in an emergency. Probably not all housekeepers are aware that one bottle of jelly can be utilised tc make two, or even more, moulds of jelly, with a little ingenuity and a little extra flavour. The ordinary orange or lemon jelly supplied by Messrs. Crosse and Blackwell forms an admirable base for various jellies. For instance, a bottle of lemon jelly may be poured into two separate basius. One can now be coloured a bright red with the assistance of a little cochineal or vegetable colouring matter. Full directions will be found in this book for using the various colouring matters supplied. The flavour of the jelly can now be altered by the addition of a little of one of the various essences, such as vanilla or essence of almonds. The one bottle can now be poured into two separate moulds, and two separate jellies can be sent to table, essentially different both in colour and flavour.