APPERT (Nicolas).
L'art de conserver, pendant plusieurs anées, toutes les substances animales et végétales.
THE FIRST BOOK ON CANNING
A lovely copy, signed by the author on the verso of the half-title. The plate is clean and bright.
Appert was a French chef, who invented the method of preserving food by sealing it in airtight containers. In 1796, having heard of the French Directory’s prize (at Napoleon’s behest) for anyone who could find a way to preserve food during transport, he began experimenting and spent 14 years reaching his conclusions. This book was published by order of the French Minister of the Interior in 1810. Appert was awarded 12,000 francs for his findings.
The book includes a full explanation of the process of canning, developed to assist the French military forces, along with instructions for preserving everything from pot-au-feu, to petit pois to peche.
Bitting, p13; Vicaire, 34.
