On November 30th, 1858 a 26 year old tinsmith from New York City walked into the US Patent Office with an invention of his and a patent application in his hand. The application read in part, "Be it known that I, John L. Mason, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in the Necks of Bottles, Jars, & especially such as are intended to be air and water tight, such as are used for sweetmeats..."
He walked out a bit later with his patent and the world would never be the same.
The Mason Jar
It seems so obvious now. But most great inventions and discoveries seem obvious after someone else comes up with them. Mold interlocking threads into the top of a glass jar and their mirror grooves into a tin top. Add a ring of rubber to help the jar to seal and you would have a water-tight, air-tight vessel for preserving food.
This simple development gave rural families across the country a safe and easy alternative to pickling, smoking and drying of foods. Canning allows food to be preserved in a much more natural state.
Today's Grocery Stores
You won't see a lot of mason jars in the grocery today - tomato and spaghetti sauces, jams and jellies and home-style soups are about the extent of them - but today's grocery owes much of its existence to them.
Canning, along with freezing, has become the preferred method of preserving fresh food due in large part to the fact that both methods allow food to retain its natural flavor and texture. Often the only thing in the jar is the food.
Ancient Tomb Rings
I hope you enjoyed this short food history. Here is a site your may enjoy also.
If you have a Charmglow Gas Grill and you want to keep it working in tip top condition, visit our new site all about Charmglow Gas Grill Parts for information on the best deals and sources for all the parts and accessories you need.
http://charmglowgrillparts.info
No comments:
Post a Comment