Pickles, Poisonous. — In Accum's well-
known " Death in the Pot," under the head of
Foisonoits Pickles, we have the following infor-
mation as to the greening of pickles : — " Vege-
table substances preserved in the state called
pickles, by means of the antiseptic power of
vinegar, whose sale frequently depends greatly
upon a fine lively green colour, and the con-
sumption of which, by seafaring men in
particular, is prodigious, are sometimes inten-
tionally coloured by metyis of copper. Gher-
kins, French beans, samphire, the green pods
of capsicum, and many other pickled vegetable
substances, oftener than is perhaps expected,
are met with impregnated with this metal.
Numerous fatal consequences are known to
have ensued from the use of these stimulants
to the palate, to which the fresh and pleasing
hue has been imparted according to the deadly
formulae laid down in some modern cookery-
books, such as boiling the pickle with halfpence,
or suffering them to stand for a considerable
period in brazen vessels."
" Among the many recipes," says Dr. Hassall,
writing on the adulteration of food, "which
modern authors of cookery-books have given
for imparting a green colour to pickles, the
following are particularly deserving of censure,
and it is to be hoped that they will be sup-
pressed in future editions of the works from
which they are extracted : —
" ' To Pickle Gherkins. — Boil the vinegar in a
bell-metal or copper pot ; pour it boiling hot
over your cucumbers.'
" ' To make Greening. — Take a bit of verdigris
the bigness of a hazel-nut, finely-powdered,
half a pint of distilled vinegar, and a bit of
alum powder, with a little bay salt. Put all in
a bottle, shake it, and let it stand tUl clear.
Pour a tea-spoonful into codlings, or whatever
you wish to green.'
" One author directs — ' To render pickles
green, boil them with halfpence, or allow them
to stand for twenty-four horns in copper or
brass pans:'
" To detect the presence of copper it is only
necessary to mince the pickles and to pour
liquid ammonia, diluted with an equal bulk of
water, over them in a stoppered vial : if the
pickles contain the minutest quantity of copper,
the ammonia will assume a blue colour."
Another very simple and efficient method of
detecting the presence of copper in pickles is
the following : — Put three or four drops of the
suspected vinegar on the blade of a knife ; add
one drop of sulphuric acid, and heat the under
surface of the knife over the flame of a candle ;
the vinegar in evaporating %vill deposit the
copper upon the iron if any be present.
Another easy way of detecting this adulteration
is to take a clear and bright piece of iron — a
bit of wire will do — and immerse it for a few
hours in the vinegar of the pickle. If copper
is present, the metal will be deposited in a per-
ceptible though thin crust upon the iron.
Pickles, Summer, for present use. ✪ Pickles, Summer, for present use
Page 1171 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1892. 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
Pickles, Poisonous. — In Accum's wellknown " Death in the Pot," under the head of Poisonous Pickles, we have the following information as to the greening of pickles : — " Vegetable substances preserved in the state called pickles, by means of the antiseptic power of vinegar, whose sale frequently depends greatly upon a fine lively green colour, and the consumption of which, by seafaring men in particular, is prodigious, are sometimes intentionally coloured by means of copper. Gherkins, French beans, samphire, the green pods of capsicum, and many other pickled vegetable substances, oftener than is perhaps expected, are met with impregnated with this metal. Numerous fatal consequences are known to have ensued from the use of these stimulants to the palate, to which the fresh and pleasing hue has been imparted according to the deadly formulae laid down in some modern cookerybooks, such as boiling the pickle with halfpence, or suffering them to stand for a considerable period in brazen vessels."
" Among the many recipes," says Dr. Hassall, writing on the adulteration of food, "which modern authors of cookery-books have given for imparting a green colour to pickles, the following are particularly deserving of censure, and it is to be hoped that they will be suppressed in future editions of the works from which they are extracted : —
" ' To Pickle Gherkins. — Boil the vinegar in a bell-metal or copper pot ; pour it boiling hot over your cucumbers.'
" ' To make Greening. — Take a bit of verdigris the bigness of a hazel-nut, finely-powdered, half a pint of distilled vinegar, and a bit of alum powder, with a little bay salt. Put all in a bottle, shake it, and let it stand till clear. Pour a tea-spoonful into codlings, or whatever you wish to green.'
" One author directs — ' To render pickles green, boil them with halfpence, or allow them to stand for twenty-four hours in copper or brass pans:'
" To detect the presence of copper it is only necessary to mince the pickles and to pour liquid ammonia, diluted with an equal bulk of water, over them in a stoppered vial : if the pickles contain the minutest quantity of copper, the ammonia will assume a blue colour."
Another very simple and efficient method of detecting the presence of copper in pickles is the following : — Put three or four drops of the
suspected vinegar on the blade of a knife ; add one drop of sulphuric acid, and heat the under surface of the knife over the flame of a candle ; the vinegar in evaporating will deposit the copper upon the iron if any be present. Another easy way of detecting this adulteration is to take a clear and bright piece of iron — a bit of wire will do — and immerse it for a few hours in the vinegar of the pickle. If copper is present, the metal will be deposited in a perceptible though thin crust upon the iron.
Pickles, Summer, for present use.
Records on this page
Pickles, Summer, for present use