by Jennifer Nicholson Rowan Public Library
In 1795, Napoleon offered 12,000
francs to anyone who could devise a way to help preserve food for military
use. Fifteen years later, Nicholas
Appert, who created a method known as “appertizing” or what most of us know as
“canning”, claimed this offer.
It was not until 1855, that the
world of canning made another advancement by Robert Arthur, who created the
patent for the self-sealing tin can.
While the tin can did not appeal as much to home users, the cans
themselves were expensive and were not reusable; the food would also react with
the metal, giving the food an unpleasant taste.
However, the tin cans would become a huge benefit for not only the
military as a method to safely transport and preserving food, but also for
hospitals as well. This patent would also,
be the origins for today’s commercialized canning, changing the way we purchase
canned foods today.
Just three years later, on November
3, 1858, John L. Mason filed a patent with the US Patent Office for the first Mason
jar. Mason a tinsmith by trade and a
former farm boy, actually licensed the making of the Mason jar with Samuel
Crowley’s shop and Clayton Parker, who actually made the first Mason jar. Mason,
as well, licensed the making of the jar lids, which is why even today the glass
jar lids are universal. When the original patent expired in 1870, many glass
companies saw an opportunity to create their own jars and the use of Mason’s
name, forever sealing the term Mason jar. Yet, for most companies and jars, the main
problem was the sealing of the jars. It
was not until 1915, when Alexander H. Kerr filed his patent “for a jar lid with
an integrated sealing compound that would flow when heated, creating a hermetic
top seal on any jar that had a smooth, machine-made lip.” While the Mason jar
may have changed the canning world, John L. Mason died penniless in 1902.
The use and popularity of glass jars
have seen many changes over the years, through war efforts of World War I and World
War II, moonshine runners during the Prohibition era, and through canning clubs
through out the US. Today Mason jars not only have a practical use, but also have
become collector pieces and part of everyday décor. Mason jars today are used as bird feeders,
candleholders, and everyday drink ware, to even wedding décor. Yet, one of the most interesting aspects of
Mason jars that pay tribute to its original purpose is salad jars.
While the concept Mason jar salads
are not new, as many have seen these jars on Pinterest. Mason jars are still a
very practical way to store food, even if one is not canning food. As the New Year is here, and many New Year’s
Resolutions will focus on healthy eating, Mason jars can become a great tool in
achieving one’s New Year’s Resolution.
A pint-size Mason jar, equal to two
cups, is a great portion control tool, as two cups are usually a good size for
soups and salads, though for heartier appetites a quart size Mason jars will do
as well.
Mason jars are a great way make
salads ahead of time. Typically, one can make five salad jars on Sunday night,
for lunches for the rest of the workweek.
While salad jars are compact, making them easy to store in the normal over-crowded
work refrigerators, there is a method for how one should assemble a salad jar.
First, one would need to determine
which size jars one would want, and ensure that the jars are clean. Secondly, prep all of your ingredients for
your salads. Make sure that any
ingredient that was washed, such as romaine lettuce, is dry before assembly. When assembling the salad jars, start with
your dressing, while vinegar based dressings work best, ranch dressing can be
used just know that it may separate as your jars sit for the week. You will want to layer the bottom of the
Mason jars with your selected dressing.
Then add your firmer vegetables, such as carrots or cherry tomatoes,
then add your softer vegetables, such as onions or corn. Make sure that you have a good layer before
adding your lettuce, as you do not want lettuce to sitting in the dressing, making
the lettuce soggy. Then add your protein
or cheese to the every top, and close the lid tightly. Make sure that you press all of your
ingredients in tightly, as they will settle.
Another tip, do not shake or turn your jar over until you are ready to
eat. One can eat right out of the jar or
can dump everything into a bowl.
Mason jars are also good for storing
leftover food such as spaghetti, rice meals, or even soups. One can also freeze
Mason jars, too; just do not fill to the very top, fill to the shoulder,
allowing space for the food to expand.
Also, do not microwave or heat up a Mason jar with out reading jar instructions;
these methods if done improperly can cause the glass to explode.
Yet, if you are looking for some great
tips and dos and don’ts, or wanting some good recipes that are not canning
food, check out “150 Best Meals in a Jar,” by Tanya Linton. Linton covers soups, rice meal recipes, pasta
salads, to even fruit and vegetable salads.
For more uses of Mason jars or to
know more about the history of Mason jars, check out “Mason Jar Nation: The
Jars that Changed America and 50 Clever Ways to Use Them Today,” by Joann
Moser.
While I love Mason jars, and yes, I
have blue ones as décor around my home.
I love storing food, especially my lunches in Mason jars. One of my favorite recipes is doing a Chicken
BBQ Ranch Salad. Fill the bottom of a
pint-size jar with ranch dressing, I typically make my own, but store bought
will work. Add carrots, cherry tomatoes,
or black beans, and other hard vegetables of choice. Then add your soft vegetables such as corn,
cucumber, and red onion. Add romaine
lettuce, and top with shredded BBQ chicken and shredded cheddar cheese. When ready to eat, I just shake the jar, to
cover all ingredients with ranch dressing.
If you ever come in to the library
and you see a librarian carrying a Mason jar, it is probably me! If you find any other really cool uses or
have a great recipe perfect for Mason jars, feel free to stop and share.
Jennifer
Nicholson
