No. 2 (I92l) REMARKS ON CANNING II7 



heated until sufficiently pre-cooked and salted, care being taken to 

 skim off all impurities. The slices are then removed by hand, 

 placed carefully — for they are now fragile — on trays and dried, if 

 possible in the open air; the drying should be carried to such 

 extent as to drive off all external moisture and enough internal 

 moisture to render the slices firm and to avoid undue fluid in the 

 cans after processing. One text-book states that in the Mediter- 

 ranean the drying may take several days; this is certainly not 

 required in the tropics. Since, however the slices are thick, it is 

 well to dry slowly rather than rapidly, in the warm air rather than 

 in full sun. The slices are then picked over to remove any impuri- 

 ties, bones, black skin, etc., and then packed, care being taken to 

 fill the cans full, since the slices shrink somewhat in processing. 

 The cans (in French practice) are then filled with oil, and spices 

 are given as for sardines, but other condiments and herbs such as 

 red tomato, tarragon, truffles, mushrooms, etc., may be added for 

 very high class goods. It is specially noted that, if desired by 

 reason of pressure of work, it is easy to keep these fish till at least 

 next day by simply placing the slices in larger tins or boxes and 

 covering them with oil, provided that they have been well brined 

 and pre-cooked as above, especially if the brine has been given a 

 small addition of preservative such as neutraline. With slight 

 exceptions the above and the following process (a la bonne femme) 

 have been more or less followed in packing slices of large fish in 

 Beypore. 



181. A la bonne femme. — This method follows the above up to 

 drying inclusive, but the fish are then fried in oil like sardines, care 

 being taken not to over-fry the fish which in such case not only 

 shrivel but become hard and dry. Instead of oil and spices a sauce 

 is added composed of butter and vinegar with salt, pepper, nutmeg, 

 parsley, onions, and a little garlic, care being taken not to over- 

 spice the sauce but merely to flavour it. The butter is melted in an 

 enamelled vessel, a little flour added to thicken it, and the spices 

 and vinegar diluted with water are then added and heated with it : 

 the mixture, after cooking, is passed through a sieve. In the best 

 recipes white wine with a proportion of vinegar is the fluid 

 element, but as one author says, the wine is a luxury, and the 

 product is just as good without it. 



182. Salmon.— Though, salmon are not found in India it may be of 

 interest briefly to describe salmon canning as practised in America. 



6-A 



