No. 2 (192 [) REMARKS ON CANNING 77 



taste and not to adhere slavishly to a recipe even though considered 

 'standard '; many flavours are desirable to suit various palates. 



For plain sardines, plain mackerel, etc., it is not usually 

 desirable to add any spices beyond a few black peppers; salt, of 

 course, is always added to all fish in the brining tubs. 



For fish pastes the use of these and other condiments is usual, 

 but every canner must find his own recipes and admixtures ; some 

 are given below. 



89. Maturing. — It may be well here — though apparently out of 

 place — to mention the advisability of maturing the cans of fish, 

 since the admixture of fish with oils and condiments has been 

 alluded to. All these several materials have of course their 

 characteristic and very distinct flavour, whether fish, or oil, or 

 cloves, bay leaf, etc. Consequently, when first mixed together, the 

 contents of a can even after all ingredients have been cooked 

 together in the closed can, are apt to taste crude and harsh, the 

 separate flavours being quite distinguishable, whereas, after a few 

 months in the can, the same will taste mellow, owing to the various 

 flavours having blended to form a single combined flavour. In 

 France respectable canners will not sell goods under many months 

 from canning, and it is common to begin the sale of one year's 

 pack when the next season's catches begin. This necessarily 

 adds to the cost of the goods — for interest on idle capital, rent of 

 stores, etc. — but greatly adds to their reputation. 



The above only applies to fish packed in oil and condiments; 

 plain sardines, mackerel, and prawns can be sold within 24 hours 

 and with advantage. 



