FoodNetArchive

The household cook book

1902

Page 387 · 3 recipe records on this page

Presented as published in 1902. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
The Food Value of Canned Goods. — A careful analysis of the canned good« sold in the market has shown that they should be regarded mainly in the light of an expensive luxury. This is owing principally to the large amount of water they contain. In such articles as corn and string beans a test has shown that the con- tents of the can consists of 65% to 25% of water, so that if one bought 100 lbs. of these goods, he would buy 65 lbs. to 95 lbs. of water, and only 5 lbs. to 35 lbs. of dry food material. For this reason 10 or 25 cents invested in flour, corn meal or meat will get as much actual /ood material for the body as $1 or $2 will if invested in canned goods. Poor people, and those of moderate means should understand these things. When, however, the goods are canned at home the food is, of course, bought uncanned, and as cheaply as it could be obtained in any form. If properly put up canned goods are wholesome. A WoKD or Caution. — Sometimes goods which are put up in tin cans, and which are all right when opened, are allowed to stand afterwards exposed to the air, and then the acid they contain will at once attack the lead in the tin, produc- ing poisonous compounds of lead. For this reason the contents of tin cans should be emptied out at once on being opened. So important is this that it should be understood by every one. Salicylic Acid. — This has been often used in canning fruits, and many agents have passed through the country selling recipes or preparations guaranteed to pre- serve fruit, the active ingredient of which was salicylic or some form of sulfurous acid. These should never be used. They may injure the health of the consumer, they impair the taste of the fruit, and their use is wholly unnecessary, as fruit is easily canned successfully without them. Don't buy or use such preparations. CANNING BERRIES, ETC.— To can small fruit, or those which require little cooking, such as berries, peaches, etc., allow for every quart jar 1 teacup of sugarCanning Berries, more or less according to the acidity of the fruit. Dissolve the sugar in a very little water, put the fruit in CANNING FRUITS, VEGETABLES, ETC 521 it and heat to the boiling point; swathe each jar with a wet cloth, fill it with fruit, and seal it at once while hot. CANNING APPLES — Select choice apples, pare, quarter, core, and let simmer merely, until tender; then drain them out, put into hot syrup, boil 2 or 3 minutes, and fill hot into jars. The juice and rind of 1 lemon to 4 lbs. apples imparts a pleasant flavor. Using 1 lb. of quinces or 1 good-sized pineappleCanning Apples to 4 lbs. apples also makes a pleasant combination. CANNING CURRANTS.— Use | lb. sugar to 1 lb. fruitCanning Currants; let the fruit stand 2 or 3 hours covered with the sugar in the preserving kettle; then bring slowly to the boiling point, fill into jars and seal. Raspberries are nice put up with currant juice; allow 1 cup cur- rant juice and 1 cup sugar to each quart of raspberries, add the juice and sugar to the berries, bring to the boil and put in jars. Bed rasjpberries and red curranis are also very nice canned together half and half. Dewberries and Elderberries can be put up like currants, but allow i lb. sugar for 1 lb. fruit.