Lost Cookery Techniques

As modern conveniences have changed kitchens, a few techniques that once were common are no longer practiced at home except by the most nostalgic and dedicated cooks. These techniques include salting, corning (brining), smoking, canning, preserving, potting, and pickling, and all fell into disuse with widespread distribution of the refrigerator. Most of these techniques rely in part on the hygroscopic properties of salt and sugar: by pulling water from animal and plant products, the process retards bacterial growth and spoilage. Other techniques exclude air, an essential nutrient for most bacteria, or entail high temperatures or changes in the pH of foods for killing or immobilizing contaminants.