water to cover and when soft and tender is pressed through a colander
or sieve. Then the sugar is added and the pulp is cooked to a smooth,
thick consistency over a steady fire, stirring often to prevent the
fruit from sticking to the kettle. The fruit is weighed before cooking
and an equal weight of sugar is used. Fruit "butters" are thick
marmalades but they are usually not sweetened as much as marmalades and
are cooked longer. Sour fruits like cherries, gooseberries, plums,
peach and apples make the best "butters." Black berries, oranges,
apricots, grapes, peaches and pears make the best marmalades. The hard
seeds of blackberries and grapes are nicely disposed of in marmalade
and yet the pulp and fine flavor of the fruit is retained. Cook them as
long as you would jelly.--Mrs. Whitehead.
CURRANT JELLY.--Wash the currants, steam them and fill a large
preserving kettle with two pints of water added. Wash the fruit and
boil five minutes. Strain through a jelly bag and measure the juice,
allowing a pint of sugar to each pint of juice. Put the juice over the
fire and boil steadily twenty minutes. Warm the sugar in the oven, add
it to the boiling juice and stir well. Boil three minutes. Try a little
on a saucer. If it "jells," pour into jelly glasses, placing a silver
spoon in each to prevent cracking the glass. Set in the sun until it is
firm, then cover with melted paraffine. Another method is to boil the
strained juice ten minutes, then add the sugar and boil ten more
minutes. This makes a stiff, firm jelly but the first method makes more
delicate jelly. Make grape jelly the same as currant, using green
grapes if possible. Grapes must be fresh and not over ripe or they will
not "jell" nicely.--Mrs. Whitehead.
RASPBERRY JELLY.--Select red raspberries that are firm and if possible,
not quite ripe. Set them over a slow fire after crushing them with a
potato masher. Boil five minutes, then strain through a jelly bag and
measure. Use the same measure of sugar. Boil the juice fifteen minutes,
add the sugar and boil five minutes. Or to each three pints of
raspberry juice add one pint of currant juice and proceed as for
currant jelly. Strawberries are used the same as raspberries, selecting
firm, solid fruit that is practically ripened, if possible. It may also
be combined with apple juice instead of currant juice, if liked.--Mrs.
Whitehead.
CRAB APPLE JELLY.--Wash and quarter fresh, firm crab-apples and cover
with water allowing one quart of water to each pound of fruit. Cover
the kettle and boil twenty minutes. Drain in jelly bag over night.
Allow half a pound of sugar to each pint of juice. Boil juice ten
minutes, add warm sugar, boil up once and try the jelly, which should
jelly instantly.--Mrs. Whitehead.
WILD PLUM JELLY.--Sprinkle the washed plums with a little soda; cover
with boiling water and stand ten minutes; then drain and cover with
fresh boiling water and cook thoroughly, to a mush. Squeeze through a
jelly bag and proceed as in making currant jelly. Cultivated plums are
cooked in a little water until soft and tender and then strained in a
jelly bag and used like currants. Many colors are possible from the
different varieties of plums and as many fine flavors.
FANCY JELLIES.--Three pints of pineapple juice to one pint of apple
juice and an equal measure of sugar makes nice pineapple jelly. A rose
geranium leaf in each glass of apple jelly is liked by many. A
delicious mint flavor may be given to apple jelly by lining the bottom
of a jelly glass with mint leaves or the juice may be flavored with
essence of mint or winter green before it is boiled with the sugar.
Even red peppers are boiled in their own juice by chopping them and
placing them in a double boiler and cooking until all of the juice is
extracted. Allow an equal measure of sugar and boil until it thickens
and put in small glasses, and serve with cold meats. The seeds of two
vanilla beans added to twelve pounds of apples made into jelly, just
before turning the jelly into the tumblers makes a delicious jelly for
cake fillings and desserts. Rhubarb, apricots and quinces are sometimes
used for jelly but are difficult to make unless combined with other
fruits rich in pectose like currants and apples.
PLUM CONSERVE.--Two baskets of blue plums, six large oranges. Use the
peeling of two. Two pounds of seeded raisins chopped. Use one half
pound of sugar to one pound of fruit. Boil one hour, stirring
constantly.--Mrs. Creaser.
CARROT MARMALADE.--Boil carrots with their skins on. When cooked remove
skins and put carrots through a sausage grinder. Take equal amounts by
weight of sugar and carrot pulp and boil again. Flavor with sliced
lemons and almond extract. Chopped nuts may also be added.--Mrs. H.
Hanson.
QUINCE HONEY.--Grate four large quinces in one quart of cold water. Add
two pounds granulated sugar and boil until thick as jam.--Mrs. W. C.
McGuiness.
QUINCE HONEY.--To five pounds granulated sugar, add sufficient water to
make a syrup, thick enough for pancake syrup. Pare six large quinces
and grate them. After the syrup has thoroughly boiled add the grated
quinces and boil all together until it becomes a reddish color, when it
is ready to be put into jars for use.--M. E. Cooper.
MRS. ALLEMAN'S PINEAPPLE CONSERVE.--Two pounds of pineapple, four
pounds of rhubarb, grind together and add twice as much sugar as you
have fruit. Boil slowly until thick then put in jelly glasses. Good
with game and cold meats.--Contributed.
GREEN TOMATO MARMALADE.--Peel and cut in small pieces six cups of green
tomatoes, add two lemons, use the outside yellow, but remove the inside
white skin and cut the pulp up in small pieces, add six cups of white
sugar and cook until thick.
GINGER PEARS.--Pare and core large juicy pears and cut in small
sections. To each quart of the fruit, use one pint of sugar, one piece
of ginger root, one stick of cinnamon and one half of a lemon cut in
small pieces. Cook very slowly until the pear is clear and the mixture
like marmalade.--Mrs. Schollander.
GOOSEBERRY MARMALADE.--One pound of ripe gooseberries, one half pound
of sugar, the shredded peel of one lemon or a stick of cinnamon. Weigh,
wash, drain and mash ripe gooseberries. Press through a sieve. Boil the
sugar with one half cupful of water and the spice to a syrup; add the
sifted gooseberry and cook to a thick marmalade, stirring almost
continually. Put up hot in air tight glasses.
ORANGE MARMALADE.--Remove the seeds from--but do not peel--twelve large
or fifteen small oranges and six lemons. Cut both into thin slices.
Pour three quarts of cold water over them and let stand for forty eight
hours. Put into a preserving kettle and cook slowly until tender. Add
six pounds of sugar; if desired very sweet, add more, and cook until
the consistency of ordinary marmalade.
ORANGE AND HONEY MARMALADE.--Peel the oranges, removing every particle
of white pith. Cut small; to one quart of this pulp and juice add one
pound of honey and one quarter pound of the thin yellow peel of the
orange. Cut the peel into tiny bits, cover with half a pint of water
and boil until tender; add to the pulp and honey, and cook together for
half an hour, stirring frequently. Pour into small glasses and when
perfectly cold, cover with paraffin.--Contributed.
ORANGE HONEY.--Remove the peel from oranges, and cut into small
pieces with a pair of scissors; wash and soak for twenty four hours,
then chop fine, and turn into a preserve kettle, using one cupful of
sugar, and one cupful of water for every cupful of peel. Boil all
together until it is a soft, thick mixture like honey, then bottle in
screw top jars. Serve on hot biscuits or rolls, or use like ordinary
honey.--Contributed.
BAR DE LUC CURRANTS.--Take selected red (or white) currants of large
size, one by one, carefully make an incision in the skin one fourth of
an inch in size, with tiny embroidery scissors. Through this slit, with
a sharp needle, remove the seeds, separately, preserving the shape of
the fruit. Take the weight of the currants in strained honey and, when
hot, add the currants. Let simmer a minute or two, then seal as jelly.
The currants retain their shape, are of a beautiful color and melt in
the mouth. Should the currant liquify the honey too much, carefully
skim them out, reduce the syrup at a gentle simmer to desired
consistency and store as before after adding the fruit.--Contributed.
SWEET PICKLE OF PINEAPPLE.--Peel a pineapple, removing the eyes. Tear
the fruit from the core with a silver fork. For six pounds of fruit
boil together a pint of vinegar and three pounds of sugar. Put into
the vinegar a bag containing two level teaspoons each of powdered
cinnamon and mace, half a teaspoon of cloves and a piece of green
ginger root about a half inch long. When scalding pour over the
fruit, which should be in a large crock or earthen dish. Let all
stand for twenty four hours, drain off the syrup, bring it to the
boiling point and pour over the fruit. Repeat for two more successive
days, then seal.--Contributed.
SUN PRESERVED STRAWBERRIES.--Select ripe, clean, perfect fruit. It
spoils the fruit to wash it; if, however, this is necessary, put about
one quart of berries in a wire basket or colander; put them carefully
down in a pan of cold water; move the basket gently just a moment; lift
and drain; then stem the berries. Weigh, and to each pound allow one
pound of sugar. Select large stoneware or granite platters; heat them
quite hot; cover with half an inch sugar, a layer of strawberries, and
the remaining sugar over the top of the berries. Stand the platters in
a "cold frame", or cover them with glass and stand them in the hot sun.
As soon as the sun becomes too cool bring them in; don't lift the
covers, but stand them aside until morning. Next morning put them out
in the hot sun again. By this time the berries should be soft and
transparent, but perfectly whole and of a brilliant color. Lift each
berry carefully with a fork; put it in the tumbler; fill all the
necessary tumblers and cover them for a moment with glass. Put the
syrup over the fire and boil rapidly until it is sufficiently reduced
just to cover the fruit; pour it over the fruit while it is hot;
protect the tumblers and stand them aside to cool. When cold put over
the top of each a tablespoonful of melted paraffin; cover the tops of
the tumblers with two thicknesses of tissue paper and fasten firmly
around the edge with library paste. When the paper is thoroughly dry
brush it with cold water. In drying the paper will tighten and form an
exceedingly good covering.--Contributed.
APPLE BUTTER.--Boil cider down to two thirds its original quantity, and
turn into this as many peeled and sliced apples as the liquid will
cover. Simmer, stirring often until soft and broken. Strain out the
cooked apples, add more fresh ones and cook in the same way. Do this
until the cider is absorbed. Set all aside in a stone crock for twelve
hours, then boil to a soft brown mass and pack in stone
jars.--Contributed.
CANNED WHOLE GOOSEBERRIES.--Take stem and blossom ends from large firm
gooseberries. Fill fruit can with them, cover with boiling water, let
stand until following day; drain, add boiling water again repeating for
three days in succession. Then fill with boiling water and seal. When
ready to use cook and sweeten. Fine for winter pies.
SUNNED CURRANTS.--Cover large red, stemmed currants with granulated
sugar; spread on a platter and stand over night. Cover with a pane of
glass and stand in the sun three days in succession. Seal in jelly
glasses. Use equal weights of sugar and fruit. Same recipe is nice with
red raspberries and with large, firm strawberries. The juice jellies
around the fruit which retains its shape and rich color.
CANNED GRAPE JUICE.--Stem, wash and drain concord grapes, cook until
soft; strain through jelly bag. Add a pint of sugar to each gallon of
juice. Cook only until sugar is dissolved and seal.
PEACH PRESERVES.--Use four cups of sugar to each quart of peeled
peaches. Make a thick syrup of the sugar and water. Pour hot over fruit
and stand over night. Drain syrup and boil thick again. Drop in peaches
and cook tender. Pack them in jars, covering with the syrup.
CHOKE CHERRY AND CRAB APPLE JELLY.--Cover choke cherries with water and
stew until soft. Strain through jelly bag. Prepare crab apples
likewise. Use twice as much apple juice as cherry. Mix and boil twenty
five minutes. Add one cup sugar to each cup juice and boil ten minutes
more.
SUN PRESERVED STRAWBERRIES.--Wash and stem berries. Take an equal
weight of sugar, add a very little water and dissolve. When boiling add
the berries. Let come to a boil and cook three minutes. Pour into
platters or shallow dishes and set in the sun until thick. Three days
will suffice if the weather is clear. If the dishes are covered with
glass the fruit cooks more quickly. When thick put in tumblers, cover
with paraffin and put in a dark place.
CONSERVES.--One quart of rhubarb (do not peel), one pint of red
raspberries, one pint red currants, one pound raisins, one pound
English walnuts, two oranges (sliced very thin), two lemons (sliced
very thin); a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. Cook until thick as
jelly. Put in jelly glasses and cover with paraffin. (Delicious.)
APPLE BUTTER.--Fill a preserve kettle with peeled, cored and sliced
apples. Add a slight flavoring of cloves, allspice and cinnamon. Cover
with fresh, sweet cider and boil slowly, stirring frequently until the
whole becomes a dark brown jam with only juice enough to keep it soft
and buttery. Remove from fire and place in covered jars or seal. Do
not use for several weeks. Good spread for bread for children. Select
firm apples that cook to a soft, smooth apple sauce. Bell-flowers,
Greenings, Baldwin or Maiden Blush apples make good apple butter.--Mrs.
Whitehead.
CURRANT COMPOTE.--Pick nice large red currants from stems after washing
well. Put one half of them into a preserve kettle. Press juice out of
remaining half; add enough sugar to make a syrup, heat until sugar is
dissolved. Cool slightly and pour over the currants in preserve kettle.
Bring to a boil and seal in pint jars. The currants will be whole and
taste much like fresh fruit with jellied juice around them.--Mrs.
Whitehead.
Wines
"A cup of wine sir?
A cup of wine that's brisk and fine."--Shakespeare.
GRAPE WINE.--For five gallons of wine use twelve and one half pounds of
concord grapes, twelve and one half pounds of wild grapes, twelve and
one half pounds sugar. Wash the grapes then pick from stems and put in
stone jars and mash; let stand from seven to ten days, then press
through wine press or jelly bag. Add sugar and water enough to fill a
five gallon keg. Put in cool cellar; let bung hole remain open but
cover it with cheese cloth and let grapes ferment; change cloth
frequently and after six weeks cork the keg tightly and let lie until
March, then seal in bottles. May be made from bull berries or other
fruit by same process. Same recipe for choke cherries.--Mrs. J.
Bruegger.
RHUBARB WINE.--Take five pounds of rhubarb and cut into small pieces,
add one gallon of cold water and put in a crock for eight days,
stirring it well two or three times a day, then strain and to every
gallon add four pounds of white sugar, the juice and half the rind of
one lemon. Dissolve half an ounce of gelatine in a little of the liquid
and add. Cover it for a month, then strain through a muslin bag and
bottle.--Mrs. Schollander.
CHOKE CHERRY WINE.--To one gallon of fruit allow two gallons of water,
mash fruit to get the juice, let stand nine days, then press through a
fruit press. When the juice is all extracted strain through a cloth. To
each gallon of juice allow three pounds of granulated sugar, or loaf
sugar, let stand several days and when thoroughly mixed, the sugar all
dissolved, strain through flannel bag, into keg or jug, leaving it
uncorked, but should be covered with some perforated cover or cloth to
avoid dirt or flies, or anything to get into the keg. Let this ferment
until it stops, which takes several weeks and be sure to keep it full,
there is always loss when it bubbles over, therefore it is advisable to
reserve a quart of juice to fill up with (plain sugar water will answer
the same purpose). When it ceases to ferment cork tight, (air tight),
let alone until the month of March then draw into bottles, cork tight
and it will be ready for use.--Mrs. George Bruegger.
Salads
FRUIT SALADS.--There is a large variety of dressings considered
appropriate for fruit salads. Boiled frosting is perhaps one of the
most popular foundations with varying flavors of fruit, wine, etc.
Sugar and lemon juice, sugar and fruit juice, boiled custard, plain
whipped cream sweetened and flavored, are all used, as well as a cooked
dressing made in this way: Add to the yolks of four eggs well beaten,
two tablespoonfuls of sugar, one tablespoonful of butter, one half
teaspoonful of salt, a pinch of cayenne and four tablespoonfuls of
vinegar. Cook in a double boiler, stir constantly and cook rather
slowly to prevent curdling. Let this get thoroughly cold and just
before serving add one pint of whipped cream unsweetened. Mix well and
pour over the salad.--Contributed.
GOLDEN DRESSING.--Beat two eggs, and a quarter cupful of any light
colored fruit juice, quarter cupful lemon juice, and a quarter cupful
of sugar. Put in a double boiler, stir until thickened, cool and pour
over sliced fruit.--Contributed.
FRUIT SALAD.--For the salad itself all sorts of combinations are
possible. Malaga grapes cut in halves, seeded, and mixed with a third
of the same quantity of shelled pecans in one happy mixture.
Pineapples, oranges and bananas go well together, as also pitted ripe
sour cherries with nuts. Orange, lettuce, lemon, nuts and water cress
are congenial companions, while preserved fruit may be used with fresh
fruit. Prunes are delicious in a salad, stuffing them with nuts or
cheese, covering with mayonnaise. The prunes should be washed, soaked
over night, then cooked until tender before they are pitted. Apricots,
either fresh or canned, sliced ripe pears are two new favorites used
with nuts and served with a nice boiled salad dressing, and garnished
with shredded lettuce.--Contributed.
FROZEN SALAD.--Put into a bowl one cupful orange slices, one cupful
each bananas and pineapple, one cupful of mayonnaise, one cupful cream,
measured before whipping, and a teaspoonful gelatine that has been
softened in cold water, then dissolve over hot water, toss lightly,
place in a mould and freeze. When frozen, cut in slices and serve on
lettuce leaves.--Contributed.
PINEAPPLE SALAD.--Lay one thick slice of canned pineapple on a lettuce
leaf, spread with thick mayonnaise, cap with sweetened whipped cream
and sprinkle with ground pecans or English walnuts.--Mrs. Whitehead.
FRUIT SALAD.--One cup of diced apples, one cup diced pineapple, one cup
diced oranges, one and one half cups bananas, one cup white grapes,
(cut in half), seeds removed, one half cup walnut meats, one half cup
diced celery. Serve with a salad dressing or whipped cream.--Mrs. Aaron
J. Bessie.
MRS. ALLEMAN'S WALDORF SALAD.--One cup each of chopped apples, walnuts
and celery. Dress with following mayonnaise dressing: Mix one half
tablespoon salt, one half tablespoon mustard and three fourths of a
tablespoon of sugar, add one slightly beaten egg, two and one half
tablespoons of melted butter, three fourths of a cup of thin cream and
very slowly one fourth of a cup of vinegar. Cook in double boiler until
thick, then strain and cool.
FRUIT SALAD.--One pound of malaga grapes, washed, cut into halves and
seeded; six large slices of canned pineapple cut into small pieces;
four apples peeled, quartered and cut into small pieces; three bananas
sliced fine; one bunch of celery, cleaned and cut into small dice; one
cupful of chopped pecans or English walnuts. Mix all lightly together
and mix with mayonnaise salad dressing. As all people do not like olive
oil I usually make a boiled dressing as follows: Heat half a cupful of
vinegar with as much hot water and two large spoonfuls of butter. Beat
the yolks of four eggs very light with a scant half a cupful of sugar;
add one level teaspoonful of flour and stir well; add then one
tablespoonful of dry mustard, one teaspoonful of salt and one of celery
salt or celery seed; a dash of black and of red pepper, beat a little;
place over the fire and cook thick, beating well. Cook only a few
moments, then remove from the fire and beat until perfectly smooth.
When ready to use add one cupful of thick whipped cream. Mix with the
prepared fruit. A scant teaspoon of flour added to sugar and egg
mixture prevents curdling of the dressing and saves eggs at a season
when they are scarce while it assures a smooth dressing always. A dash
of sugar added to cream before whipping it will prevent its turning to
butter. Lemon juice sprinkled over the fruit will prevent discoloring
of apples and bananas.--Mrs. B. G. Whitehead.
BANANA SALAD.--Skin bananas and cut into halves. Roll each in chopped
peanuts. Lay on a lettuce leaf and serve with mayonnaise dressing
capped with whipped cream.--Contributed.
Serving Dinner
"Truth seeks some broader meeting place
For breed or clan or tribe or race
For saint and sinner;
But after all the noise and fuss
The issue paramount with us
Is--What for dinner?"--J. W. Foley.
SERVING A FORMAL DINNER.--In cities the usual hour for a dinner party
is seven o'clock; in country places it is frequently earlier in the
day. When the last guest has arrived, dinner is announced. The host
leads the way with the lady whom he wishes to honor and the hostess
comes last with the gentleman whom she wishes to honor. The giving of a
dinner is the most important of all the duties of a hostess. She must
not betray ignorance or show nervousness, for she alone is responsible
for its entire success. The serving maid should be trained to keep cool
and avoid accidents. The number invited and the outlay expended should
depend upon circumstances and one's means. The favorite form of serving
a formal dinner is called a la Russe. The articles of food are carved
by the servants at a side table or in the kitchen and brought to the
guests. This has one advantage; it allows the host and hostess more
time for social enjoyment with their guests. But it calls for well
trained servants to perform this duty satisfactorily. It requires about
one servant to every six guests; therefore, when dinner is served in
this fashion, where the help is inadequate, it is well to engage
outside assistance. For a home like, informal, dinner, where the host
does the carving, one servant can wait upon twelve persons and do it
well if properly trained. On a table or sideboard should be placed the
plates for the various courses, smaller spoons, finger-bowls, coffee
cups and saucers. As the plates from each course are removed, they
should be taken to the kitchen. The waiter should approach the guests
from the left except in serving water, coffee, or anything of a like
nature. The color and flavor of the various courses should be as
different from each other as possible, offering all the foods in their
respective seasons and of the finest quality.