The Art of Preserving All Kinds of Animal and Vegetable Substances for Several Years, 2nd ed.

§ XX.

French Beans. (Haricots verts et blancs.)

The bean known by the name of bayolet, which resembles the Swiss bean, is the kind fittest to be preserved green, with the pod. It combines uniformity with the best taste. I cause the beans to be gathered as for ordinary use. I string them, and put them in bottles, taking care to shake them on the stool, to fill the vacancies in the bottles. I then cork the bottles and put them in the water-bath, which is to boil an hour and half. When the beans are rather large, I cut them lengthways into two or three pieces: and then they do not require being in the water bath longer than one hour.

Of the kinds of haricot, of which the seeds or beans themselves are to be preserved, the Soissons haricot is justly entitled to the preference. For want of that, I take the best of any other species of the haricot blanc that I can meet with. I gather it when the shell begins to turn yellow. I then shell it immediately, and bottle it, &c. I put it in the water-bath, to give it a two hours’ boiling.

§ XXI.

Artichokes. (Artichauts.)

To preserve artichokes whole, I gather them of a middling size; after having taken off all the useless leaves and pared them, I plunge them into boiling water, and immediately afterwards into cold water. Having drained them, I put them into jars which are corked, &c. and they receive an hour’s boiling.

To preserve cut artichokes (en quartiers), I divide them (taking fine specimens) into eight pieces. I take out the choke and leave very few of the leaves. I plunge them into boiling water, and afterwards into fresh water. Having been drained, they are then placed over the fire in a saucepan, with a piece of fresh butter, seasoning, and fine herbs. When half dressed, they are taken from the fire and set by to cool. They then are put in jars, which are corked, tied, luted, &c. and placed in the water-bath, in which they receive half an hour’s boiling.

§ XXII.

Cauliflowers. (Choux-fleurs.)

I plunge the cauliflower, like the artichoke, in boiling water, and then in cold water, after having first plucked it. When well drained, I put it in jars, which are corked, &c. I place it in the water-bath, in order to give it half an hour’s boiling, &c.

As the seasons vary, and are sometimes dry and sometimes moist, it will be soon obvious, that it is necessary to study and adapt the various degrees of heat required according to the season. Attention to this circumstance must never be disregarded. 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.

§ XXIII.

Sorrel. (Oseille.)

I gather oseille (sorrel), belle-dame14 noirée (beet), laitue (lettice), cerfeuil (chervil), ciboule (green onion), &c. in fit proportions. 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 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. This time is sufficient for preserving it ten years untouched, and as fresh as if it was just taken from the garden. This mode is, without dispute, the best and most economical for families and hospitals, civil and military. It is, above all, most advantageous to the Navy: for sorrel thus prepared may be brought from the Indies, as fresh and savoury as if dressed the same day.

§ XXIV.

Spinage, Succory, and other Herbs. (Epinards et chicorées.)

Sorrel and succory are prepared as if for daily use. When fresh gathered, plucked, scalded, cooled, squeezed and minced, I put them in bottles, &c. to give them a quarter of an hour’s boiling in the water-bath, &c.

Carrots, cabbages, turnips, parsnips, onions, potatoes, celery, chardoons, (cardons d’Espagne), red beet, and, generally, all vegetables, may be preserved alike, either simply scalded, or prepared with soup, in order to be used when taken out of the vessel. In the first case, I cause the vegetables to be scalded and half boiled in water with a little salt. I then take them from the water in order to strain them and let them cool; and afterwards put them into bottles, and into the water-bath. I let the carrots, cabbages, turnips, parsnips, and red beet, remain in the water-bath while it boils one hour: and the onions, potatoes, and celery, &c. half an hour. In the other case I prepare my vegetables with soup, either with or without meat, as for ordinary use. When three-fourths boiled and well prepared and seasoned, I take them from the fire to let them cool. Then I put them in bottles, &c. and give them a good quarter of an hour’s boiling in the water-bath.

§ XXV.

A Soup called Julienne

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 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. I let the whole boil half an hour. Then I withdraw the fire to let it grow cool; and having put the Julienne into bottles, &c. I let it boil half an hour in the water-bath. Julienne prepared in this way, has been kept by me more than two years.

The Julienne au maigre is prepared in the same manner, except that, instead of gravy, I moisten my vegetables, when well dressed, with a clear vegetable soup, either of French beans, lentils, or large green peas, which I have preserved; and I give it in like manner half an hour’s boiling in the water-bath.

§ XXVI.

Vegetable Soup. (Coulis de Racines.)

I compose and prepare a vegetable soup in the usual way; 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.

§ XXVII.

Love-Apples. (Tomates, ou Pommes d’Amour.)

I gather love-apples very ripe, when they have acquired their beautiful colour. Having washed and drained them, I cut them into pieces, and dissolve them over the fire in a copper vessel well tinned. When they are well dissolved and reduced one third in compass, I strain them through a sieve sufficiently fine to hold the kernels. When the whole has passed through, I replace the decoction on the fire, and I condense it till there remains only one third of the first quantity. Then I let them become cool in stone pans, and put them in bottles, &c., in order to give them one good boiling only, in the water-bath.

I have not yet tried any experiments with the flower of the love-apple, but there is no doubt that this new method will furnish means of deriving, at a slight expence, a great value from them also.

§ XXVIII.

Herbs and Medicinal Plants. (Plantes Potagères et Médicinales.)

I filled a bottle with mint (menthe poivrée) in branches and full of flowers. I stirred it with a stick to make the bottle hold a greater quantity of it. I corked it well, &c. and gave it a slight boiling in the water-bath. It was perfectly preserved.

The same may be done with all plants to be preserved in bunches. The operator will calculate the degree of heat which it will be necessary to give to the several subjects of his experiment.15

§ XXIX.

The Juices of Herbs

I have succeeded in preserving very well the juices of such plants as lettuce, chervil, borage (bourache), wild succory (chicorée sauvage), water-cresses (cresson de fontaine), &c. I prepared and purified them by the usual process, I corked them, &c. in order to give them one boiling in the water-bath.

§ XXX.

Fruits and their Juices

Fruits and their juices require the utmost celerity in the preparatory process, and particularly in the application of heat to the water-bath.

The fruit which is to be preserved either whole or in quarters, ought not to be completely ripe, because it dissolves in the water-bath. In like manner it should not be gathered either at the commencement or the end of the season. The first and the last of the crop have neither the fine flavour, nor the perfume of those which are gathered in the heighth of the season, that is, when the greater part of the crop of each species is ripe at the same period.

§ XXXI.

White and Red Currants in Bunches. (Groseilles rouges et blanches en Grappes.)

I gather the white and red currants apart, and not too ripe. I collect the finest, and in the finest bunches; and I bottle them, taking care to shake them down on the stool, in order to fill up the vacancies in the bottle. Then I cork them, &c. in order to put them in the water-bath which I am careful to watch closely; and as soon as I perceive it boils, I withdraw the fire rapidly, and a quarter of an hour afterwards draw off the water from the bath by means of the cock, &c.

§ XXXII.

White and Red Currants, stripped. (Groseilles rouges et blanches égrenées.)

I strip the white and red currants apart. They are immediately put into bottles, and I conclude the operation with the same attention as in preserving the currants in bunches. I preserve a greater quantity of currants stripped, than in bunches; as the stalks always give a harshness to the currant juice.

§ XXXIII.

Cherries, Raspberries, Mulberries. (Cerises, Framboises, Mures et Cassis.)

I gather these fruits before they are too ripe, that they may be less squeezed in the operation. I put them in separate bottles, and shake the bottles gently on the stool. I cork them, &c. and I complete them in the same manner, and with the same care as the currants.

§ XXXIV.

Juice of Red Currants

I gather red currants quite ripe, and squeeze them upon fine sieves. I put into a press the skins which remain upon the sieves, in order to extract all the juice which may be in them, and this I mix with the former juice. I perfume the whole with a little raspberry juice, and I strain this decoction through a sieve finer than those used before. I put the juice in bottles, &c. and expose them to the water-bath, with the same attention as the stripped currants, &c.

I proceed in the same manner with the juice of white currants and barberries (épines-vinettes), as well as with that of pomegranates, oranges, and lemons.

§ XXXV.

Strawberries. (Fraises.)

I made a number of experiments on the strawberry, and in various ways, without being able to obtain its perfume. I was forced to have recourse to sugar: in consequence, I squeezed some strawberries, and strained them through a sieve, as if I were about to make ice. I added half a pound of powder sugar, with the juice of half a lemon, to a pound of strawberries. I mixed the whole together, and put the decoction in bottles which I corked, &c. I exposed it to a water-bath till it began to boil, &c. This mode succeeded very well, in every respect, except the colour, which was considerably faded; but that may be supplied.

§ XXXVI.

Apricots. (Abricots.)

For the table, the wild and garden apricot (l’abricot commun, et l’abricot péche) both taken from trees standing free in the open air, are the best kinds for preservation: I commonly mingle these two kinds together, because the former supports the latter, which has more sugar in it, and which dissolves more from the action of heat. They may nevertheless be prepared apart, provided the precaution be taken, of letting the garden peach remain a few minutes less in the water-bath than the wild peach. That is, as soon as the water-bath begins to boil, the fire is to be taken away from the garden peach, while the fire may be allowed to remain under the wild peach until the water-bath completely boils.

I gather the apricots when they are ripe, but somewhat firm; when, on being squeezed gently between the fingers, the stone is perceived to detach itself from the fruit. As soon as gathered, I cut them in halves, take out the stone, and peel off the skin with a knife as delicately as possible. I put them into bottles, either in halves or quarters, according to the size of the mouth, and shake them on the stool to fill up the vacancies. I add to each bottle from twelve to fifteen almonds; I cork them and put them into the water-bath to receive one boiling only; and I instantly withdraw the fire with the same precaution as made use of in the preparation of the currants, &c.

§ XXXVII.

Peaches and Nectarines. (Pêches, Brugnons.)

The grosse mignonne and the calande are the two kinds of peach which unite the most flavour and perfume. For want of these, I take the best I can meet with.

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.

§ XXXVIII.

Prunes from Green Gages, and Plumbs. (Prunes de Reine-Claude et Mirabelles.)

I have made prunes of whole green-gages, including the stone and the stalk, as well as of other great plums; and even of perdrigons and alberges, which succeeded very well. But there are these inconveniences in preserving the largest fruits whole, that few of these large plums can be put into even a large jar, since the vacancies cannot be filled up by shaking the fruit, without altogether crushing them; and that when the heat of the water-bath is applied to them, they shrink, and the jars are found half empty.

In consequence, I have abandoned this too expensive mode, and am accustomed to preserve all these large plums, cut in halves, after having taken out the stone. This is the easiest and most economical manner, corks of a sufficiently large size for large objects being very dear, and also rare, when the cork is very fine; the vessels too which have a narrow or middling neck are more easy to be well corked, and the operation is in consequence more certain. As to the mirabelle [a small white plum] and all other small plums, I prepare them with the stone in them, after having taken off the stalk; for they are in this way easier to shake close, and they leave but few vacancies in the bottles. In general, I observe, in the preservation of all these prunes, either whole or cut in halves, the same process, care and attention, which I have pointed out under the head of apricots and peaches.

§ XXXIX.

Pears of every kind

When the pears are peeled, and cut into quarters, and the pips with their husks are taken out, I put them into bottles, &c. in order to place them in the water-bath. I carefully attend to the degree of heat they have to receive, which, if they are of a kind usually eaten raw, should not be more than sufficient to make the water-bath boil. When the preserve consists of pears usually stewed or boiled, then I let them remain boiling in the water-bath, five or six minutes. Pears which have fallen from the tree require a quarter of an hour’s boiling, &c.

§ XL.

Chesnuts, Truffles, and Mushrooms. (Marrons, Truffes, et Champignons.)

I pierce chesnuts at the point with the point of a knife, as if I meant to roast them. I put them in bottles, and give them one boiling in the water-bath.

Having well washed and brushed the truffles in order to take away all the soil, I cut off the upper part gently with a knife. Then I put them into bottles either whole or in pieces, according to the diameter of the neck. The remainder I put in bottles apart. The whole being well corked, &c. I put them in the water-bath to receive an hour’s boiling, &c. It is not necessary to recommend that the truffles should be sound, and recently gathered.

I take Mushrooms fresh from the bed, well formed and firm. Having peeled and washed them, I put them in a saucepan on the fire, with a piece of butter or some good olive oil, in order to make them eject their liquor. I leave them on the fire till this liquor is reduced one half. I withdraw them in order to let them grow cool in a pan; after which, I bottle them and give them one good boiling in the water-bath.

§ XLI.

The Juice of the Grape or Must

During the vintage of 1808, I took black grapes, carefully gathered from the vine; after having taken away the rotten and green grapes, and stripped the others from the stalks, I squeezed them upon a fine sieve, and afterwards put into a press the husks which remained on the sieve, in order to extract the remainder of the juice; and then put the produce both of the sieve and the press into one cask. Having let it stand in this state twenty-four hours, I put it in bottles, &c. to give it one good boiling in the water bath. When the operation was completed, I withdrew the bottles from the boiler. The action of the fire had precipitated the little colour which the grape-juice had assumed during the preparation, and it was become very white. I then placed it in my laboratory in a rack as if it had been wine.

I repeated all these experiments on the 10th of September 1809, in the presence of the special commission nominated by his Excellency the Minister of the Interior, composed of the most distinguished persons of the profession.

New experiments which I have begun, as well as others which I purpose to make on various objects, will be detailed in a memoir which I shall publish as soon as I shall be able to speak of their result.

OF THE MODE OF MAKING USE OF THE SUBSTANCES WHICH HAVE BEEN PRESERVED

§ XLII.

Meat, Game, Poultry, Fish

Meat which has in the preparatory dressing, as well as the boiling it received in the water-bath, received its due quantity of cooking, will, when it is taken to be used, require only to be properly warmed in order to produce both soup and meat (potage et bouilli).

For the sake of greater economy, and to lessen the number of bottles and jars wanted, it is better to make in the first instance a good gravy as already pointed out by me. For both the beef and the gravy need only to be warmed, and by adding one half or two-thirds of water to the gravy a good soup is provided.

In this manner, a bottle containing a litre of gravy may, by adding two litres of boiling water to it at the moment that it is to be used, and adding a little salt, furnish a dozen good messes. Thus it is easy at a very slight expence to keep a little stock of provisions against an emergency and hot weather, when it is so difficult to procure them, more especially in the country.

All meat, poultry, game, and fish, which have received three-fourths of their dressing in the preparatory process, and the remainder in the water-bath, as already pointed out, may, when taken out of the vessels, be heated to the proper degree in order to be instantly served at table. If, for instance, the substance taken from the bottle or jar, had not received either enough previous dressing, or enough heat from the water-bath; it is immediately put on the fire in order to supply what is deficient. Consequently, when the operator has taken due care in making his preparations, having properly seasoned and dressed them, the use to be made of them afterwards, will at all events be easy and convenient; for on the one hand they will need only to be warmed, and on the other hand, they may, if necessary, be eaten cold.

Substances thus prepared and preserved, do not, as might be imagined, require to be consumed as soon as they are opened. Provisions may be used from a vessel eight or ten days after it has been uncorked,16 care being taken only to replace the cork as soon as the necessary part of the provision has been taken out. Besides, it is easy to regulate the size of the vessels from one to twenty-five litres or more, according to the rapidity of the expected consumption.

§ XLIII.

Jellies made of Meat and Poultry

A well prepared and preserved jelly, carefully taken in pieces out of the jar may be used to garnish cold dishes, or it may be even dissolved in the water-bath, the vessel containing it being first uncorked; afterwards it may be poured in a dish to congeal again before it is made use of.

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 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.

§ XLIV.

Milk and Cream

Cream, Milk and Whey, prepared and preserved in the manner already pointed out, are used in the same way, and for the same daily purposes, as the same articles when fresh.

Since cream and milk are perfectly preserved in this manner, there is no doubt that desert-creams might be preserved by a similar process, as well as those which are used for ices. These, having been well prepared and completed before they are put into bottles, will only require to be gently warmed in the water-bath, the bottles being uncorked, in order to facilitate its coming out of the vessel. In this manner creams and ices may be furnished instantly.

§ XLV.

Vegetables

Vegetables put into bottles without being dressed, and entirely submitted to the action of heat in the water-bath, as before described, require to be prepared for use on being taken out of the bottles. This preparation will be made according to the season, and every one’s taste and inclination. Attention must be given to the washing of the vegetables when taken from the bottle; and to facilitate the taking them out, I fill the bottle with luke-warm water, and after having drained it of the first water, I wash the vegetables in a second water somewhat hotter, and having drained them, I then prepare them for a meat or vegetable soup.

§ XLVI.

French Beans. (Haricots.)

I scald French beans (haricots verts,) as if they were fresh in water, with a little salt when not sufficiently dressed by the preserving process. This often happens to them as well as to artichokes, asparagus and cauliflowers. If sufficiently boiled, on being taken out of 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.