Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
The Improved Kook-Kwick Steam Pressure Cooker was used in the 1930s, when food preservation was often essential. This particular item was donated by Anna Byomen.
Canned food has only been around for a handful of years relative to human history. For the vast portion of human existence, food was preserved primarily through dehydration or fermentation. Then in 1795, French military leader Napoleon Bonaparte offered a reward for anyone who could develop a safe, reliable food preservation method for his constantly traveling army.
Nicholas Appert took on the challenge, and after 15 years of work and rework, Appert introduced a preservation method that involved heat-processing food in glass jars reinforced with wire and sealing them with wax.
It was a risky innovation, for there was little known of microbial growth or antimicrobial measures. It wasn't until the early 1850s that Louis Pasteur began understanding how the growth of microorganisms causes food to spoil that people began to understand how canning methods worked.
Today we understand things like heat, acidity, an airtight seal and a tried and true recipe can yield impressive canning results.
Other items related to canning and food preservation can be found at the Eddy County Museum, including blue glass canning jars.
More recenty, these blue jars have made a comeback. But the true blue tinted glass jars were produced by Ball in the 1890s. Production stopped in 1937, and from then on out, canning jars were made of clear glass.
