Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/169

BAG already imposed a small fine upon thek celibacy, by an additional duty en servants. But, as the annual payment of so moderate a tax af- fects only the middle, and less opu- lent, classes of society, we venture to suggest a remedy, perhaps more effectual, for checking this species of degeneracy. Let us suppose a young man of rank and fortune, devoting himself to every kind of disbipation, and squandering an income that would maintain half a parish j we can see no reason why he should not, at a certain age, be compelled to assign his motives for not marrying. If these should be found unsatisfactory, there would be no injustice done to such a cha- racter, by employing him in distant climates, eidier in a naval or mili- tary capacity, where he might con- tribute to the safety and protection of the empire. BACON, the flesh of swine, salted, dried, and, generally, smoked in a chimney. As the history and customs relative to this savoury dish, would furnish but little in- m1 ruction, we shall proceed to state the most approved methods of pre- paring it, both in England and on the Continent. Somersetshire-Bacon, the most esteemed in this country, may be made any time during the last three months of the year. When a hog is killed for bacon, the sides are laid in large wooden troughs, and sprinkled all over with bay salt : thus they are left for twenty-four hours, to drain away the blood and the superfluous juices. After this first preparation, they should be taken out, wiped very dry, and the draining, thrown away. Next, some fresh bay salt, well heated -in a large iron frying-pan, is to be rubbed over the meat, until it has NO. ii.-^-vol. I. B AC ['4* absorbed a sufficient quantity, arid this friction repeated four succes- sive days, while the meat is turned only every other day. If large hogs are lolled, the flitches shqftil 1 be kept in brine for three weeks, and, during that period, turned ten times, then taken out, and thoroughly dried in the usual man- ner ; for, unless they be thus ma- naged, it is impossible to preserve them in a sweet state, nor will their flavour be equal to those pro- perly cured. As the preservation of the salt used in this process, when carried on to a great extent, may be an obje6t of economv, we. shall state the following method of recovering the saline matter contained in these (trainings, or in any other btine, whether from herrings, beef, or pork : it was communicated to us by a friend, who had seen it practised on the Continent, where culinary salt is sold at a considerable price. He first added such a quantity of boiling water to the brine, or drain- ing^, as was sufficient to dissolve all the particles of the salt. This solution he then placed in either an iron or earthen vessel, over a fire, which, by boiling, forced all the feculent and animal particles to the top, so that they were carefully removed by a perforated ladle. Af- ter the liquid had become clear, it was set aside for twenty-four hours, in a cool place, that the colouring matter might subside. But, as the combination it had formed with the boiled liquor was very tena- cious, he contrived two different ways of separating it : 1 . A solu- tion of alum in water, one pint to an ounce of that substance, was gradually dropt into the cold liquor, in the proportion of a table-spoon- ful of the former to every gallon L of