Food Storage Containers

Utensils for Containing Food

The vessels used for containing food are:

Bowls; Boxes; Jars; Cans; Cups; Bread raisers; Pitchers; Molds; Plates.

Bowls come in a great variety of sizes, made of earthenware, tinware, enameled ware, and wood. They are both plain and lipped.

Jars are of earthenware or glass. The crockery ones, usually blue and white, are used for containing many kinds of food. They are attractive and help to carry out a color scheme. The glass ones have the advantage of being transparent so that the contents may be noted at a glance. These can be labeled with black paint, shellacked over afterwards. Paper labels will wear well also if shellacked over.

Jelly glasses are either plain or have a fluted inner surface to produce a fancy effect when the jelly is turned out. They are provided with tightly fitting tin covers.

Preserve cans are of three varieties:

1. Screw top, in which the top is either of tin with a lining of porcelain, or with a tin screw and glass top which screws down over the jar.

2. The kind having a glass top which is held in place by a simple wire spring.

3. Self-sealing jars in which no rubber is required.

In the first two styles rubber rings are used to make air-tight joints. Black rubber is more durable than white; but red rubber is best. Only thick, strong, elastic "live" rubber ones should be used, as the poor ones shrink, crack, and let in the air.

The principle of preserving is the prevention of microscopic plants or bacteria which are the cause of the decay of all foods. Heat destroys the bacteria in the food and sealing prevents the entrance of others.

Cups, pitchers, and plates are used for holding leftover foods, etc. The heavier, less expensive grades of china or earthenware are used (see manual for " Chinaware Department"), and also enameled ware and glass. As these articles are for utility only, they should be plain and substantial. Pitchers should be wide-mouthed to admit of easy cleaning, and should have a lip that pours well.

Bread and cake boxes are made of japanned ware. Some have roll tops, others are plain square or oblong boxes, while others are like small cupboards with shelves, the door opening out in front. They have ventilating holes to prevent the contents from molding.

Tin storage receptacles are good for keeping cookies and cake, but stone crocks are better for bread.

The difference lies in the fact that the process of growing stale is a different one in each case. Cookies turn stale by absorbing moisture from outside; therefore they require that that moisture be kept away. The impervious tin cake box does this, especially if a few pieces of charcoal are placed in the box to absorb what little moisture may accumulate.

Bread grows stale by the shifting of its own moisture from crumb to crust. A fresh loaf has a crisp crust and a soft crumb, while in a stale loaf the reverse is true. In a tin box, especially if it be unven-tilated, this moisture, held in the crust, soon makes a musty loaf. In a stone crock, which is porous, the moisture has a chance to escape, the crust becomes less soggy, and the flavor of the loaf is better maintained. In cake, where there is less difference in texture between the outside and the inside of the loaf, staleness consists in a gradual general loss of moisture. Cake is therefore better kept in tin, with the addition of a receptacle containing water, to be daily renewed. If cake and bread be stored in the same box, the cake will take up moisture (and incidentally a bready flavor) from the bread and remain moist longer, while the bread will dry faster than when stored by itself.

Spice, flour, sugar, coffee, tea, dredge, pepper, and salt boxes are made of japanned ware. Some flour containers have sifters attached. Flour, cereal, and salt boxes are also made of earthenware.

Wooden buckets of varying sizes are sold for sugar, flour, meal, rice, tapioca, crackers, barley. They are not suitable for cereals, however, because they are not air-tight.

Bread raisers are large vessels of either tinned or enameled ware, with ventilated covers, into which bread dough is put to be raised.