FOR pickling, the fruit, or leaves, or bulbs should be in perfect condition and thoroughly cleaned. Strong vinegar of good quality should be used, and the spices should be fresh and good. The mixing and heating of the vinegar is best performed in unglazed stoneware vessels; if these are unavailable, enamelled iron pans should be used. Pickling consists in preserving fruits or other vegetable products in spiced vinegar, the details of the process differing slightly according to the product to be pickled. To make the spiced vinegar, place in a stoneware or enamelled boiling-pan a quart of strong vinegar, from half an ounce to four ounces of black peppercorns, a couple of ounces of crushed ginger, and from two to eight ounces of mustard seed. Boil this mixture for four minutes. If liked, any or all of the following spices may be added to, and boiled with, the vinegar, in addition to those just named: from one to four blades of mace, from two to ten cloves, from four to eight allspice, and from two to eight grains of cayenne pepper.
Implements.—Unglazed stone jars are of all vessels the most suitable for the containing of pickles, both by virtue of their chemical composition, and on account of their pleasant wholesome look. Glass bottles are next best for the purpose. In any case, the great thing to be remembered is that no metallic substance must be allowed to come into contact with the pickle or with the vinegar which is to be used. Wooden spoons alone should be used for mixing. For closing the mouths of the jars or bottles, corks should be employed, and further security from contact with the air should be ensured by covering the corked mouths with tinfoil, bladder, or parchment-paper. It is desirable that the vessels be furnished with mouths of smaller size than is usually the case, as the larger the mouth the greater the risk of contamination by exposure to the air.
OLD DISTILLING FURNACES AND STILLS.
(From the title page of the first volume of Brunschwig’s “Liber de Arte Distillandi,” 1500.)
To pickle Red Cabbage.—Cut the cabbages into shreds, place them in a large jar with plenty of salt well intermingled. Leave them alone for two days, then pour off the liquid, dry the cabbage for a few hours in the air, pack it in the pickling jars to about an inch from the opening, and pour sufficient cold spiced vinegar to fill each jar completely, interspersing some of the spices among the cabbage. Cork and seal at once.
To pickle Shallots.—Peel the shallots, and place them in a large jar with plenty of salt well intermingled. In two days pour off the liquid, and dry the shallots in the air for a few hours. Then pack them in the pickling jars, and pour boiling spiced vinegar to fill each jar completely, interspersing some of the spices among the shallots. Cork and seal whilst hot. If the vinegar be poured off in a week, reboiled, and returned to the jars, the pickle will keep much longer.
To pickle Walnuts.—Take walnuts gathered about July, when still young and soft enough to be pierced by a pin, and place them in a large jar, with plenty of salt well interspersed and covering. In eight days pour off the liquid, and wipe and then dry the nuts in the air for a few hours. Pierce each walnut with a stout needle, place them in the pickling jars, and pour boiling spiced vinegar on them so as to fill the jars. Cover with corks, and each week for three weeks pour off the vinegar, reboil it, and fill up the jars with boiling spiced vinegar. Then finally cork and seal.
To pickle Gherkins.—Place the gherkins in a large jar with plenty of salt over and among them. In six days pour off the liquid and add a little water to it, so that it may be a brine strong enough that an egg will float thereon. Boil this liquid and pour it over the gherkins. In twenty-four hours pour off the liquid, wipe and dry the gherkins in the air, place them in the pickling jars, and fill the latter with boiling spiced vinegar. Cork and seal. If the vinegar be poured off in a week, reboiled, and again placed in the jars, the pickle will keep much longer.