The 1901 Cookbook Archive
No. 3577 — General Note on Pickling
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 3577 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
The author recommends stocking pure acetic acid (acidum aceticum) rather than commercial vinegar, claiming that vinegar and particularly vinegar essence are seldom completely pure.
According to the source, inexpensive sulfuric acid was sometimes fraudulently mixed in to lower cost; it gives prices of 8 kopecks per pound for sulfuric acid and 80 kopecks for acetic acid.
The author calls acetic acid so strong that a cockroach drenched in it dries immediately, and describes adding it to water already boiled with salt, sugar and spices instead of boiling the acid itself.
Historical editorial note: CRITICAL SAFETY: Concentrated acetic acid is corrosive, and sulfuric acid is highly hazardous. The historical recommendation to dilute unspecified acid 'to taste' is unsafe and must not be attempted. Use known food-grade vinegar and validated pickling recipes instead.
Original source: Read Russian recipe No. 3577. Historical quantities and terminology are retained. See the measurements guide. Period preparation and storage methods are not modern safety guidance.