Peter Cooper's gelatine

Although Peter Cooper (1791-1883) of New York City may be more well known for designing 'Tom Thumb', the first American steam locomotive that lost a race with a horse in 1830 on the early B&O Railroad line from Baltimore to Ellicott Mills (now Ellicott City, MD). But there is more... Cooper Union, glue, iron and ... gelatin.



1844 Refined American Isinglass in: Leslie, Eliza. Directions for Cookery. Philadelphia.

Improvement in the Preparation of Portable Gelatine, US Patent by Peter Cooper.  June 20, 1845.

Making a jelly "using Cooper's refined American isinglass or any other pure form of gelatine... it is then to be concentrated or condensed by the evaporation of the great part of the water to such consistency as will insure it to keep for any length of time in a state of perfect preservation; or, if preferred, the water may be entirely evaporated and the whole reduced to a solid form.   ... The transparent jelly, having been reduced by either of the above methods to a proper consistence, may, while yet hot, be drawn into jars or molds or any convenient form, and will be ready for sale.  To this concentrated or solidified jelly it is only necessary to add a sufficient quantity of hot water to produce at any time a jelly of any consistency that may be required."

Purity & Honesty 25 Ways with Peter Cooper's Gelatine booklet HERE

First image from Cooper Union school website HERE

Posts about Tom Thumb and if the race took place, and more info in my Ellicott City blog HERE

UPCOMING TALKS deleted


CALENDAR OF VIRTUAL FOOD HISTORY TALKS HERE

©2024 Patricia Bixler Reber
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