PRESERVING AND CANNING
"MOTHER," questioned Adelaide, "what is the difference between
'preserving' and 'canning'?"
"Well, dear, according to the cook books, preserved fruits are cooked
with from three-fourths to an equal weight of sugar, while canned
fruits have only sufficient added to sweeten. Some fruits are often
canned without sugar, as it is not the sugar that keeps the fruit, but
the perfect sterilization of fruit and jars. Sterilizing, you remember,
is the killing of all germs by boiling."
"Some fruits I much prefer canning without sugar, such as apples,
peaches, blueberries and rhubarb. When you open the jars in the winter
time and add the sugar as you need it the flavor is almost like that of
fresh fruit," answered mother.
"Oh, I see, so that is why our peaches taste so much better to me than
anybody else's!" exclaimed Adelaide.
Adelaide began with strawberries, but first she read the "general
rules" again that she had written down in the beginning, because she
did not wish to make a single mistake.
Canned Strawberries
Strawberries, 1 quart
Sugar
Emptying the berries into the colander she dipped it up and down
several times in a pan of clear cold water, then let them drain
thoroughly. The berries were hulled, weighed, and put into the
saucepan, which she placed over the fire, heating the fruit through
very gradually. It was better, mother said, to let them stand at the
back of the range until the juice began to run, before bringing the
berries to the boiling point. These boiled slowly five minutes, and
then Adelaide added one-third their weight in sugar. The sugar had
been standing in an earthenware dish at the back of the range, to heat
through, but not brown.
While Adelaide added the sugar very gradually she stirred the fruit
gently with the wooden spoon, and was very careful not to break the
berries.
It did not take long for the fruit and sugar to come to the boiling
point, and then Adelaide filled to overflowing the sterilized pint jar
at once, inserted the silver knife between the jar and fruit to let
the air bubbles rise and break, put on the new rubber smoothly, sealed
quickly and stood the jar upside down out of the way of any draft.
The next morning she inspected the jar carefully, to be sure it did not
leak, then wiped away all stickiness with a damp cloth, pasted on the
label and stored it away in the preserve closet.
Canned Raspberries
Raspberries, 1 quart
Sugar
Mother was delighted with this quart of raspberries, they were just
ripe enough, large, and almost every one perfect. It did not take
Adelaide long to pick these over, and she could see each center very
easily. There wasn't a single bug or worm.
She weighed the raspberries before putting them in the colander to dip
up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water. When they had
drained, she emptied the berries into the saucepan and stood it on the
back of the range to let the juice run. She also placed a third of
their weight of sugar in an earthenware dish at the back of the range,
to heat through, but not brown.
When the juice had run sufficiently, Adelaide moved the saucepan
forward, the berries came slowly to the boiling point, and continued
to boil very slowly for five minutes. It was then time to add the warm
sugar, stirring very gently while it dissolved. Adelaide was very
careful not to break the fruit. As soon as the fruit boiled again it
was ready to pour into the sterilized pint jar.
Adelaide filled the jar to overflowing, inserted a silver knife between
the jar and the berries to let all air bubbles come to the top and
break, put on the new rubber smoothly, sealed quickly, then stood the
jar upside down out of the way of any draft.
In the morning she made sure that the jar had not leaked, then with
a damp cloth she wiped away all stickiness, pasted on the label and
stored the jar away in the preserve closet.
Canned Raspberries and Currants
Raspberries, 1 quart
Currants, 1 pint
Sugar, 2 cups
Adelaide picked over the raspberries and currants very carefully,
washed and drained them in the usual manner, but kept them separate.
The currants she placed in the saucepan and mashed with the wooden
potato masher. Next she cooked them very slowly until the currants
looked white, then she strained them through two thicknesses of cheese
cloth. Returning the juice to the saucepan, she added the sugar,
stirring until it was all dissolved, and let it boil slowly twenty
minutes, then she poured in the raspberries carefully and boiled them
three minutes.
The sterilized pint jar Adelaide filled to overflowing at once,
inserted the silver knife to force the air bubbles to the top, placed
the new rubber on smoothly, sealed quickly and stood upside down out of
the way of any draft.
In the morning she wiped off all stickiness with a damp cloth, made
sure the jar did not leak, pasted on the label and stored it away in
the preserve closet.
Canned Cherries
Cherries, 1 quart
Sugar
Mother liked to have her cherries cut in halves and the stones taken
out, though she told Adelaide many people preferred them canned whole.
Adelaide followed mother's way, so the large ripe cherries she placed
in the colander, and washed thoroughly by dipping it up and down
several times in a pan of clear cold water.
Next she removed the stems, and cut the cherries in halves with a
silver knife, taking out the stones. Then she weighed the fruit. If
they were tart, she used one-half their weight of sugar, but if they
were of the sweet variety, she needed only one-third of their weight of
sugar.
The cherries and sugar Adelaide put in the saucepan together and stood
at the back of the range to heat gradually. As the sugar began to melt
and the juice to run, she removed the saucepan forward and stirred the
fruit gently with the wooden spoon. Adelaide was careful not to break
the halves, and boiled the cherries slowly twenty minutes.
She filled the sterilized pint jar to overflowing, inserted the silver
knife to bring the air bubbles to the top, placed the new rubber on
smoothly, sealed quickly and stood the jar upside down out of the way
of any draft.
In the morning she wiped off all stickiness with a damp cloth,
inspected the jar carefully to see that it did not leak, pasted on the
label and stored the jar away in the preserve closet.
Canned Blackberries
Blackberries, 1 quart
Sugar
These were great big blackberries, firm but ripe, and Adelaide poured
them into the colander. She could not resist popping the biggest one
into her mouth, but mother told her that that was a very bad practice
to begin. Adelaide sighed, but she realized mother was right, so she
stopped eating any more and proceeded to wash the blackberries. She
dipped the colander up and down several times in a pan of clear cold
water, drained thoroughly, then weighed the fruit. Weighing one-third
their weight of sugar, she put it in an earthenware dish and placed it
at the back of the range to heat through, but not brown.
The saucepan containing the blackberries was also stood toward the
back of the range until the juice began to run, when it was moved
forward, and Adelaide watched it while it came slowly to the boiling
point.
For five minutes the berries boiled very slowly, then the warm sugar
was added a little at a time, and Adelaide stirred gently with the
wooden spoon, being careful not to break the blackberries.
They were ready to put in the sterilized pint jar as soon as they
boiled up again. Adelaide filled the jar to overflowing, inserted a
silver knife to bring all bubbles to the top, placed on the new rubber
smoothly, sealed quickly, and stood the jar upside down, out of the
way of any draft. The next morning she examined the jar carefully to
see that it did not leak, wiped off the stickiness with a damp cloth,
pasted on the label, then stored the jar away in the preserve closet.
Canned Blueberries
Blueberries, 1 quart
Sugar
The blueberries that mother bought were almost as large as currants and
they were firm and dry.
Adelaide picked them over carefully, put them into the colander, which
she placed in a pan of clear cold water, dipping it up and down several
times to cleanse the berries thoroughly, then set aside to drain. The
berries were then weighed, put into the saucepan and heated gradually.
To each pound of berries Adelaide added one-third of a pound of sugar,
setting it in an earthenware dish at the back of the range to heat
through, but not brown. When the berries had boiled slowly for five
minutes, Adelaide added the sugar very gradually, stirring gently until
it had all dissolved. The fruit was ready to can as soon as it boiled
up again, and at once Adelaide filled to overflowing the sterilized
pint jar. She inserted a silver knife between the fruit and the sides
of the jar to bring all air bubbles to the top, then placed the new
rubber on smoothly, sealed quickly and stood the jar upside down out of
the way of any draft.
In the morning Adelaide removed all stickiness from the jar with a damp
cloth, inspected it thoroughly to see that it did not leak, pasted on
the label and stored the jar away in the preserve closet.
Canned Blueberries (without sugar)
Blueberries, 1 quart
Water, 2 tablespoons
Mother let Adelaide put up a jar of blueberries without sugar. They
made delicious pies in the winter.
Adelaide picked over the berries carefully into the colander, then she
dipped it up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water to
cleanse them from all dust. After they had drained thoroughly, Adelaide
poured them into the saucepan, with two tablespoons of cold water (this
was to prevent burning), then she placed the saucepan over the fire and
let the berries heat through very gradually. It was necessary to stir
occasionally with the wooden spoon. They needed to boil but a minute or
two, as they had softened sufficiently while heating through.
As soon as they were done, Adelaide filled the sterilized pint jar to
overflowing, inserted a silver knife to let all air bubbles rise to the
top, then break, placed the new rubber on smoothly, sealed quickly and
stood it upside down out of the way of any draft.
After inspecting the jar next morning to be sure it did not leak, she
wiped it carefully with a damp cloth to remove all stickiness, pasted
on the label and stored the finished product away in the preserve
closet.
Canned Peaches No. 1
Peaches, 1 dozen
Sugar, 1 cup
Water, 2 cups
There were three different ways mother told Adelaide that she might
put up peaches, two ways with sugar and one without. Adelaide put up a
dozen peaches at a time.
The first dozen Adelaide placed in a pan and covered with boiling water
and let them stand a few minutes. It was then easy for her to remove
the skins with a silver knife, cut in halves and take out the stones.
The peaches were large, and mother said they should fill two pint jars.
So Adelaide washed and sterilized two jars. Into a saucepan Adelaide
measured two cups of water and one cup of sugar, which she placed over
the fire and let boil ten minutes, then she dropped the peaches in
carefully and let them cook until you could pierce them with a silver
fork. When they were done she lifted each half peach out with great
care and put twelve of them in one pint jar, and the remaining twelve
in the other pint jar. Next she filled the jars to overflowing with
the syrup, inserted a silver knife between the fruit and the sides of
the jars, to let the air bubbles rise to the top and break, placed new
rubbers on smoothly, sealed quickly and stood both jars upside down out
of the way of any draft.
The next morning she inspected them carefully to see that they did not
leak; then Adelaide wiped off all stickiness with a damp cloth, pasted
on the labels and stored the jars away in the preserve closet.
Canned Peaches No. 2
Peaches, 1 dozen
Sugar
Water, 2 cups
The second dozen of peaches Adelaide prepared in the same manner. She
placed them in a pan, covered them with boiling water, let them stand
a few minutes, removed their skins with a silver knife, cut them in
halves, took out the stones, then weighed the peaches. Placing them
carefully in the saucepan, Adelaide poured over the peaches one-third
of their weight of sugar, and let them stand over night.
In the morning she added two cups of cold water and stood the saucepan
over the fire, letting it come slowly to the boiling point.
From then on the peaches simmered slowly, until they could be pierced
easily with a silver fork, Adelaide stirring occasionally in a careful
manner with a wooden spoon so as not to break the fruit.
When they were sufficiently cooked, she picked out the fruit with
the fork, putting twelve halves in each pint jar, filled them to
overflowing with the syrup, then inserted a silver knife between the
fruit and the jars to let all air bubbles rise to the top and break,
placed the new rubbers on smoothly, sealed quickly, and stood the jars
upside down out of the way of any draft.
In the morning she examined each jar carefully to be sure they did not
leak, wiped off all stickiness with a damp cloth, pasted on the labels,
then stored the peaches away in the preserve closet.
Canned Peaches (without sugar)
Peaches, 1 dozen
Water, 2 cups
After Adelaide had covered the peaches with boiling water and let them
stand a few minutes, she removed the skins with a silver knife, cut
them in halves, took out the stones and placed them carefully in the
saucepan.
To these she added two cups of cold water, put the saucepan over the
fire, let the peaches heat through gradually, stirring occasionally
with the wooden spoon, and then boiled them very gently for twenty
minutes, or until they could be pierced easily with a silver fork.
Lifting the peaches out carefully with a fork, Adelaide put twelve
halves in each sterilized pint jar, and filled them to overflowing with
the juice.
Inserting a silver knife between the fruit and the sides of the jars,
she let the air bubbles rise to the top and break. Next she placed the
new rubbers on smoothly, sealed quickly and stood each jar upside down
out of the way of any draft.
Next morning Adelaide examined each jar carefully to be sure they did
not leak, wiped off all stickiness with a damp cloth, pasted on the
labels and stored away the jars in the preserve closet.
Canned Apricots
Apricots, 1-1/2 dozen
Sugar
Water, 1 cup
The apricots are so much smaller than peaches that one dozen, mother
said, should just fill a pint jar, but, to be on the safe side, she
would let Adelaide prepare eighteen. Mother also said she was surprised
that more people did not can this fruit, it was of such a rich and
delicate flavor.
Adelaide washed and wiped each apricot thoroughly, cut it in halves
and removed the stone. After weighing the apricots she put them in the
saucepan and added one-third their weight in sugar and one cup of water.
Placing the saucepan over the fire, Adelaide let the fruit come slowly
to the boiling point, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to
prevent burning. After they had boiled gently twenty minutes (Adelaide
stirred all the time being very careful not to break the apricots) she
filled the sterilized pint jar at once.
Adelaide picked the apricots out with a silver fork and placed them in
the jar first, then she poured in the juice so that it overflowed.
Using a silver knife, she inserted it between the fruit and the jar, to
let all air bubbles rise to the top and break. Next she placed a new
rubber, which had been dipped in boiling water, on the jar smoothly,
sealed quickly and stood the jar upside down out of the way of any
draft.
In the morning the jar was carefully inspected to see that it did not
leak, and Adelaide used a damp cloth to wipe away all stickiness. After
pasting on the label she stored the jar away in the preserve closet.
Canned Pears
Pears, 1 dozen
Sugar
Water
Adelaide prepared a dozen large pears, although mother said eight were
quite sufficient (if large) to fill a pint jar. It was not a good plan
to crowd such fruit as peaches, pears, and apricots in too closely,
because you might break the fruit.
With the little sharp knife Adelaide peeled the pears very thinly and
cut them in halves, removing the cores. The stems she left on. After
weighing the fruit, she placed it in the saucepan and measured one cup
of water to each pound of fruit. If the pears were tart, she weighed
one-half their weight of sugar; if they were sweet she weighed only
one-third their weight of sugar.
The sugar was put in an earthenware dish at the back of the range to
heat through, but not brown.
Placing the saucepan containing the pears and water over the fire,
Adelaide let them come slowly to the boiling point. With the wooden
spoon she stirred them frequently, being careful not to break the
fruit. If, after twenty minutes of gentle boiling, the pears were
easily pierced with a silver fork, Adelaide added the warm sugar
gradually and stirred carefully and constantly until it boiled up again.
Into the sterilized pint jar Adelaide lifted each half pear with
a silver fork, then poured in the juice until it overflowed. The
inserting of a silver knife between the fruit and the jar, to let all
the bubbles rise to the top and break, was the next thing to be done,
after which she placed a new rubber smoothly on the jar, sealed it
quickly, then stood the jar upside down out of the way of any draft.
In the morning Adelaide wiped off all stickiness from the jar with a
damp cloth, and examined it carefully to be sure that it did not leak.
Next she pasted on the labels and stored the fruit away in the preserve
closet.
Mother told Adelaide that some people found pears a little too flat for
their taste, and in that case a tablespoon of lemon juice was added
with each dozen pears.
Canned Crab Apples
Crab Apples, 1 dozen
Sugar
Water
These crab apples made one of the prettiest jars Adelaide put up. She
did not have to peel the crab apples, just wash and wipe the fruit
thoroughly and remove the blossom ends. The crab apples, of course,
needed to be absolutely perfect.
They were weighed, placed in the saucepan, and a cup of water poured
over to each pound of fruit. One-half their weight of sugar Adelaide
placed in an earthenware dish at the back of the range to warm through,
but not brown. The saucepan she placed on the fire and let the crab
apples and water come slowly to the boiling point, stirring frequently
with the wooden spoon.
When the crab apples could be pierced easily with a silver fork
Adelaide added the sugar gradually and let the fruit boil up again. She
stirred constantly until they had boiled quietly five minutes more,
then she picked the crab apples out with the silver fork and placed in
the sterilized pint jar.
With a silver knife, which she inserted between fruit and jar, Adelaide
let the air bubbles rise to the top and break. The new rubber, after
being dipped in boiling water, was placed on the jar smoothly, then she
sealed it quickly and stood it upside down out of the way of any draft.
In the morning the jar was carefully inspected for any possible leaks,
and Adelaide wiped off all stickiness with a damp cloth. Next she
pasted on the labels and stored the canned fruit away in the preserve
closet.
Canned Quinces
Quinces, 1/2 dozen
Sugar
Water
Six large orange quinces (these are of the best variety) Adelaide
washed and wiped thoroughly, peeled, cut into quarters, and removed
the cores. After weighing the quinces she measured into the saucepan
one and one-third cups of water to each pound of fruit.
Placing the saucepan over the fire she let the water just boil, and
then poured in the quinces. They boiled gently for about twenty
minutes, or until you could pierce them easily with a silver fork.
Adelaide lifted these out very carefully on to a large plate.
To the water in which the quinces had been cooked, she added one-half
their weight in sugar. This she stirred with the wooden spoon until it
was all dissolved and the syrup boiled. The quinces were gently dropped
into the boiling syrup (Adelaide took particular care not to break the
quarters) and when they had cooked slowly for five minutes she filled
the sterilized pint jar with the fruit and poured the syrup over it
until it overflowed. Next she inserted a silver knife between the fruit
and the jar, to let all air bubbles rise to the top and break.
The new rubber, after being dipped in boiling water, was placed
smoothly around the top, then she sealed the jar quickly and stood it
upside down out of the way of any draft.
In the morning the jar was carefully examined to be sure that it did
not leak, and Adelaide wiped off all stickiness from the outside.
Pasting on the label she stored it away in the preserve closet.
Mother had told Adelaide to save the peelings and cores of the quinces,
and put in a saucepan with just enough water to cover. These she let
boil slowly for about one hour, then she poured them into the jelly bag
to drain off the juice. This juice she used to cook her apples in when
she canned some the next day.
Canned Apples
Apples, 1 dozen
Sugar
Quince juice
After washing and peeling the apples, Adelaide cut them into quarters
and removed the cores.
The quince juice was made from the peelings and cores of the quinces
she had canned the day before, by just covering them with cold water
and boiling slowly for one hour. Then she drained them through the
jelly bag.
To each pound of apples Adelaide measured one and one-third cups of
quince juice into the saucepan, and she put one-fourth of their weight
of sugar into an earthenware dish, which she stood at the back of the
stove to warm but not brown.
The saucepan containing the apples and quince juice was placed over the
fire, and the fruit came slowly to the boiling point. Adelaide stirred
quite frequently with the wooden spoon, being careful not to break the
fruit. When you could easily pierce the apples with a silver fork, they
were ready to have the warm sugar added. This Adelaide poured in very
carefully and stirred until dissolved.
Five more minutes they needed to boil, being stirred constantly,
then Adelaide filled the sterilized pint jar at once. First the
fruit (lifted out with a silver fork), then the syrup poured in to
overflowing, then the silver knife inserted between fruit and jar, to
let the air bubbles rise to the top and break, then the new rubber
placed around the top smoothly, and lastly the quick sealing. Adelaide
stood the jar upside down out of the way of any draft. In the morning
she wiped off all stickiness with a damp cloth, from the outside of the
jar, examined it carefully to be sure that it didn't leak, pasted on
the label, then stored the jar away in the preserve closet beside her
steadily growing line of preserves.
The addition of the quince juice made the flavor of the apples
delicious.
Canned Apples (without sugar)
Apples, 1 dozen
Water
Wiping the apples clean, Adelaide pared them with the sharp knife, cut
them into quarters and removed the core. If the apples were very juicy
she did not need to cook them in very much water, otherwise the water
(which she poured over the apples _boiling_) came nearly to the top of
the apples.
Placing the saucepan over the fire, the fruit boiled slowly until
tender, then Adelaide at once filled to overflowing the sterilized pint
jar. Inserting a silver knife between the jar and the fruit, she let
the air bubbles rise to the top and break.
The new rubber, dipped in boiling water, was placed on smoothly, and
the jar sealed quickly, then Adelaide stood it upside down out of the
way of any draft. In the morning she wiped off all stickiness with a
damp cloth from the outside of the jar, inspected it carefully for
any possible leaks, pasted on the label and stored the apples in the
preserve closet.
Canned Pineapples No. 1
Pineapples (large), One
Sugar, 1 cup
Water, 2 cups
Mother had to show Adelaide how to remove the skin and eyes from the
pineapple. Adelaide found it a rather prickly thing to handle, but
after it was ready, she cut it into slices fairly thick, and removed
the little hard core with a sharp knife. Mother told her she could
leave the slices whole, or she could cut them into cubes. Adelaide said
that she preferred cutting them into cubes.
The cup of sugar and two cups of water were measured into the saucepan,
which she placed over the fire and let boil ten minutes, then the
pineapple was dropped in and cooked until tender, or until you could
pierce it easily with a silver fork.
As soon as it had cooked sufficiently, Adelaide filled the sterilized
pint jar, first with the fruit, and then poured in the syrup so that
it overflowed. Next she inserted a silver knife between the pineapple
and the jar, to let the air bubbles rise to the top and break. The new
rubber, which had been dipped in boiling water, was placed around the
top smoothly, then Adelaide sealed it quickly and stood the jar upside
down out of the way of any draft.
In the morning she wiped all stickiness off the jar with a damp cloth,
examined the jar carefully to be sure there were no leaks, pasted on
the label and stored the canned fruit away in the preserve closet.
Another way that mother liked to put up pineapples is as follows:
Canned Pineapples No. 2
Pineapple (large), One
Sugar
Adelaide, after removing the skin and eyes from the pineapple, cut it
into quarters lengthwise and removed the cores. Then she weighed it,
after which she put the pineapple through the meat chopper.
Into the saucepan she measured one-half its weight of sugar and added
the chopped pineapple.
Placing the saucepan over the fire, Adelaide let the fruit and sugar
come slowly to the boiling point, stirring frequently with the wooden
spoon to keep from burning. After the boiling point was reached, the
fruit cooked slowly for twenty minutes, and Adelaide put it into the
sterilized pint jar at once. The jar was filled to overflowing and a
silver knife inserted between the fruit and the jar, to let all air
bubbles rise to the top and break.
Next she placed a new rubber around the top smoothly, sealed it quickly
and stood it upside down out of the way of any draft.
In the morning she examined the jar carefully to see that it did not
leak, wiped off all stickiness with a damp cloth, pasted on the label
and stored the finished product away in the preserve closet.
Mother often used pineapple put up in this manner for pineapple ice
cream, or pineapple sherbet. It made a delicious dessert.
Canned Plums
Plums (large), 1-1/2 dozen
Sugar
Water
The large blue plums, the green-gage plums, or the large red plums,
were all put up in the same manner.
Adelaide wiped each plum thoroughly with a damp cloth, cut it in halves
with a silver knife, and removed the stone. Then she weighed them.
To each pound of fruit Adelaide measured one cup of water and one cup
of sugar. The plums and the water she placed in the saucepan over the
fire and let them come slowly to the boiling point, while the sugar was
heating at the back of the range in an earthenware dish.
Adelaide boiled the plums gently, stirring occasionally with a wooden
spoon, until they were tender or until you could pierce them with a
silver fork easily. It usually took twenty minutes. The sugar was
then ready to add to the fruit, and Adelaide stirred the mixture very
carefully until it was all dissolved. As soon as the fruit boiled up
Adelaide canned at once. She lifted each plum carefully with a silver
fork into the sterilized pint jar, then poured in the juice till it
overflowed. Inserting a silver knife between the fruit and the jar,
Adelaide let the air bubbles come to the top and break. The new rubber,
after being dipped in boiling water, was fitted on smoothly, then she
sealed the jar quickly and stood it upside down out of the way of any
draft.
In the morning, with a damp cloth she wiped off all stickiness from
the outside of the jar, inspected it carefully to be sure that it did
not leak, pasted on the label and stored the jar away in the preserve
closet.
Canned Rhubarb
Rhubarb, 2-1/2 lbs.
Sugar
If the rhubarb is pretty in color and young and tender, mother told
Adelaide that she did not need to peel the stalks, but just wash and
wipe them clean and cut them in small pieces with the little sharp
knife. Then she weighed the fruit and allowed one-half pound of sugar
to each pound of rhubarb. Both sugar and rhubarb were put in the
saucepan and placed over the fire to come very slowly to the boiling
point. Adelaide stirred constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent
burning, and as soon as it had boiled fifteen minutes she poured it
into the sterilized pint jar. The silver knife she inserted between the
jar and the fruit, to let all air bubbles rise to the top and break.
After the new rubber was dipped in boiling water and placed over the
jar smoothly, Adelaide sealed it quickly, then stood the jar upside
down out of the way of any draft. In the morning she inspected the jar
carefully to be sure that there were no leaks, wiped off all stickiness
with a damp cloth, pasted on the label and stored the jar away in the
preserve closet.
Sometimes mother canned rhubarb without sugar, so Adelaide tried a jar.
Mother said the flavor was much better and it was not so juicy, also
it was excellent for pies, shortcakes, etc., adding the sugar when you
used it.
Canned Rhubarb (without sugar)
Rhubarb, 2-1/2 lbs.
Water, 1 tablespoon
Adelaide washed and wiped each stalk thoroughly, then cut it into small
pieces. These she put in the saucepan with a tablespoon of cold water
to keep from burning, and stirred with a wooden spoon. She let the
fruit heat very gradually and boiled slowly for fifteen minutes. It was
then ready to can, and Adelaide poured the rhubarb into the sterilized
pint jar at once, after which she inserted a silver knife between the
jar and the fruit, to let all air bubbles rise to the top and break.
Next came the new rubber, which she dipped in boiling water, placed
over the top smoothly, then sealed quickly. Standing the jar upside
down she stood it out of the way of any draft. In the morning Adelaide
examined the jar carefully to be sure that it did not leak, wiped off
the outside with a damp cloth, pasted on the label and stored the jar
away in the preserve closet.
Damson Plum Preserves
Damson Plums, 1 quart
Sugar
Water
The Damson plums Adelaide wiped thoroughly, and pricked each one with
a silver fork twice. Then she weighed the fruit. To each pound she
measured three-quarters of a pound of sugar. To each pound of sugar
Adelaide measured one cup of water. The sugar and water she put in the
saucepan and placed over the fire. When the syrup boiled, Adelaide
skimmed it and added the plums. The plums Adelaide cooked until they
were tender, stirring them carefully with a wooden spoon so as not to
break the fruit, then filled the sterilized pint jar to overflowing.
A silver knife was inserted between the fruit and jar to let all
air bubbles rise to the top and break. The new rubber was dipped in
boiling water, placed over the top smoothly and the jar sealed quickly.
This Adelaide stood upside down out of the way of any draft. In the
morning the jar was carefully examined to see that it did not leak, all
stickiness was wiped off with a damp cloth, the label was pasted on,
and then Adelaide stored the jar away in the preserve closet.
Preserved Currants
Currants, 1 quart
Sugar
The currants Adelaide picked over carefully and put into the colander.
This she placed in a pan of clear cold water and dipped up and down
several times until quite clean. After they had drained well she
weighed them, and to each pound of fruit she measured a pound of sugar.
Half of the currants Adelaide put in the saucepan and placed on the
fire to heat through. When they were thoroughly warmed she removed the
saucepan from the fire and mashed the currants with the wooden potato
masher, then she strained the juice through the jelly bag.
The juice and sugar Adelaide put into the saucepan and boiled gently
for fifteen minutes, after which she added the other half of the
currants. It took the currants only five minutes to just cook through
and they remained whole in the jelly.
This was poured into sterilized tumblers. When cold the tumblers were
wiped free from all stickiness, and Adelaide sealed them by pouring
melted paraffin over the top, shaking it gently from side to side to
exclude all air. Pasting on the labels she stored them away in the
preserve closet.
Preserved Currants and Raspberries
Currants, 1 pint
Raspberries, 1 quart
Sugar
The currants and raspberries Adelaide picked over and kept separate.
She did not forget to look carefully in the center of each raspberry to
be sure that there were no little worms. After washing the currants,
placing them in the colander and dipping it up and down several
times in a pan of clear cold water she poured them into the saucepan
and mashed them with the wooden potato masher. Adelaide washed the
raspberries in the same manner, but stood them aside to drain while the
currants were cooking. The currants simmered slowly for half an hour
(or until the currants looked white), and then the juice was strained
through the jelly bag. Adelaide returned the juice to the saucepan,
and added the sugar. (The currants and berries had been weighed after
washing them, and to each pound of fruit she measured three-fourths of
a pound of sugar.)
The juice and sugar boiled slowly for twenty minutes, then Adelaide
poured in the raspberries carefully and cooked three minutes more.
Into the sterilized pint jar she skimmed the raspberries, then added
the juice to overflowing. The silver knife was inserted between the jar
and the fruit, to let all air bubbles rise to the top and break, the
new rubber was placed on smoothly and Adelaide sealed the jar quickly.
It was then placed upside down out of the way of any draft. In the
morning the jar was carefully inspected for any leaks, wiped free from
all stickiness with a damp cloth and the label pasted on. Adelaide then
stored it away in the preserve closet.
Preserved Strawberries
Strawberries, 1 quart
Sugar
Before hulling the strawberries, Adelaide put them into the colander
and dipped it up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water to
cleanse the berries thoroughly. After hulling the fruit she weighed it,
and for each pound she weighed a pound of sugar.
The strawberries were put into the saucepan and the sugar sprinkled
over them and they stood until the juice ran freely. Then the saucepan
was placed on the fire and the fruit and sugar heated through.
Adelaide stirred with the wooden spoon, being careful not to break the
strawberries.
When the sugar was all dissolved and the berries thoroughly heated,
Adelaide skimmed the berries out into a dish. The syrup then boiled
for ten minutes slowly, after which the strawberries were dropped in
carefully and boiled two minutes. Into the sterilized pint jar Adelaide
skimmed all the berries, filled it to overflowing with the syrup,
inserted a silver knife between the fruit and the jar to let all air
bubbles rise to the top and break, placed on the new rubber smoothly,
sealed the jar quickly and stood it upside down out of the way of any
draft.
In the morning she examined the jar carefully to see that it did not
leak, wiped off all stickiness with a damp cloth, pasted on the label
and stored the preserved berries away in the preserve closet.
Preserved Blackberries
Blackberries, 1 quart
Sugar
After picking over the blackberries Adelaide placed them in the
colander and dipped it up and down in a pan of clear cold water several
times to remove all dust and dirt. After weighing the berries she
poured them into a saucepan and sprinkled over them an equal weight
of sugar. These stood for an hour before Adelaide put the saucepan
over the fire and let the berries and sugar come slowly to the boiling
point. Adelaide stirred them gently with a wooden spoon, being careful
not to break the fruit.
When they boiled up she skimmed out the blackberries into a dish and
the syrup cooked for five minutes.
Returning the blackberries to the syrup she put the saucepan at the
back of the range and let the fruit slowly heat without stirring.
After they had stood fifteen minutes she poured the berries at once
into the sterilized pint jar, filling it to overflowing. With a silver
knife, which she inserted between the jar and the fruit, she let all
air bubbles rise to the top and break. Placing a new rubber over the
top smoothly she sealed quickly and stood the jar upside down out of
the way of any draft. In the morning it was ready to be inspected
carefully for any leaks, and she wiped off all stickiness with a damp
cloth, pasted on the label and stored the fruit away in the preserve
closet.
Preserved Cherries
Cherries, 1 quart
Sugar
Adelaide washed the cherries in the colander, which she dipped up and
down several times in a pan of clear cold water. She took off the stems
and removed the stones, weighed the cherries and added a pound of sugar
to each pound of fruit. Then she let them stand over night, and the
next morning put them into the saucepan to cook slowly until clear and
tender, stirring carefully with a wooden spoon so as not to break the
fruit.
When they were done Adelaide picked out the cherries first with the
skimmer and dropped them into the sterilized pint jar, then she filled
it to overflowing with the syrup, inserted a silver knife between the
fruit and the jar to let all air bubbles rise to the top and break,
placed on a new rubber smoothly, sealed quickly and stood the jar
upside down out of the way of any draft.
In the morning she inspected the jar carefully to be sure that it did
not leak, wiped off all stickiness with a damp cloth, pasted on the
label and stored the jar away in the preserve closet.
"Mother," said Adelaide one morning, "it is not nearly as discouraging
to preserve as it is to just plain cook."
"Why, what do you mean, dear?" answered mother.
"Well, I've been thinking how quickly we eat up things you cook for us
every day, while my jams and jellies are still in the preserve closet,"
mused Adelaide.
"Just wait until next winter, young lady, then you'll see how quickly
they will disappear," laughed mother.