Sarson's
Encyclopedia
Sarson's is a brand of vinegar
in the United Kingdom
. It is sold in pear shaped bottles with a flip top and the brand is currently owned by Premier Foods
.
, Shoreditch
, London. Two of Henry's sons, Henry Logsdail Sarson and Percival Stanley Sarson also joined the family buiness as vinegar brewers.
The company was taken over by Crosse & Blackwell
which in turn was taken over by Nestlé
and then Premier Foods
. As well as a condiment
vinegar can also be used to clean windows and many other uses have been suggested for it
A Sarson's Virgin Vinegar colour advertisement postcard survives form the 1900s for a campaign entitled "She would have Sarsons". And from the 1930s and 1940s there is a photograph of a Sarson's vinegar truck and 49 photographs of the works, in a collection created by British Vinegars Limited and are held in the London Metropolitan Archives
.
The slogan used to advertise the product is now "Don't say vinegar - say Sarson's".
Vinegar
Vinegar is a liquid substance consisting mainly of acetic acid and water, the acetic acid being produced through the fermentation of ethanol by acetic acid bacteria. Commercial vinegar is produced either by fast or slow fermentation processes. Slow methods generally are used with traditional...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It is sold in pear shaped bottles with a flip top and the brand is currently owned by Premier Foods
Premier Foods
Premier Foods plc is a British food manufacturer headquartered in St Albans, Hertfordshire. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
.
History and uses
The vinegar was first created by Thomas Sarson in 1794 from malt barley. James Thomas Sarson was a vinegar maker living at Brunswick Place, Shoreditch in 1841. Sales rocketed when his son Henry James Sarson took over. It was renamed "Sarson's Virgin Vinegar" in 1884, referencing a Biblical story of The Wise and Foolish Virgins, by which he was inspired, as opposed to the purity of the product, but this name was soon dropped. In 1893, the company was trading under the name of Henry Sarson and Sons from "The Vinegar Works", Catherine Street, City RoadCity Road
City Road or The City Road is a road that runs through inner north and central London. The northwestern extremity of the road is at the Angel, Islington where it forms a continuation of Pentonville Road. Pentonville Road itself is the modern name for London's first bypass, the New Road from...
, Shoreditch
Shoreditch
Shoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney in England. It is a built-up part of the inner city immediately to the north of the City of London, located east-northeast of Charing Cross.-Etymology:...
, London. Two of Henry's sons, Henry Logsdail Sarson and Percival Stanley Sarson also joined the family buiness as vinegar brewers.
The company was taken over by Crosse & Blackwell
Crosse & Blackwell
Crosse & Blackwell is a food production brand which has been in existence since 1706.Originally trading under the Jackson brand and then West and Wyatt, the company was purchased in 1830 by Edmund Crosse and Thomas Blackwell...
which in turn was taken over by Nestlé
Nestlé
Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
and then Premier Foods
Premier Foods
Premier Foods plc is a British food manufacturer headquartered in St Albans, Hertfordshire. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
. As well as a condiment
Condiment
A condiment is an edible substance, such as sauce or seasoning, added to food to impart a particular flavor, enhance its flavor, or in some cultures, to complement the dish. Many condiments are available packaged in single-serving sachets , like mustard or ketchup, particularly when supplied with...
vinegar can also be used to clean windows and many other uses have been suggested for it
Advertising
A print of a cartoon dates from 1893 entitled "The Irony of Circumstance", featuring 'acetic faced women' in front of sign which reads "Virgin Vinegar".A Sarson's Virgin Vinegar colour advertisement postcard survives form the 1900s for a campaign entitled "She would have Sarsons". And from the 1930s and 1940s there is a photograph of a Sarson's vinegar truck and 49 photographs of the works, in a collection created by British Vinegars Limited and are held in the London Metropolitan Archives
London Metropolitan Archives
The London Metropolitan Archives are the main archives for the Greater London area. Established in 1997, having previously been known as the Greater London Record Office, they are financed by the City of London Corporation....
.
The slogan used to advertise the product is now "Don't say vinegar - say Sarson's".
Varieties
- Malt and Distilled Vinegar
- Lemon Vinegar
- Light Malt Vinegar
- Pickling Strength Malt Vinegar