We have not space to go into these at any length. The following are one or
two of my "very own," as the children say, which are voted a great success.
Apple Jam.
Take quantity required--say 7 lbs.--tart crisp apples. Wash well and dry.
Pare and core, putting the trimmings in water to cover. Cut up the best of
the apples into small pieces--not too thin--and set aside, also covered with
cold water. Put on the trimmings to boil with some lemon rind and either a
few sticks of cinnamon or some cloves. Simmer for an hour or longer, till
all the goodness is drawn out, mashing freely with a wooden spoon. Turn
into jelly-bag and allow to drain without pressure. Pour the water off the
apples, measure that and the drained juice, and put into preserving pan.
Measure the apple chips also, and add when the liquid boils. Allow 14 ozs.
loaf sugar to each breakfast cupful, and boil till the apples are clear, but
not broken down--about 20 minutes. Skim and pot as usual. If ginger
flavouring is preferred, shave down about 6 ozs. preserved ginger, and add
when the juice is put on to boil.
Marmalade Jelly.
Take 3 lbs. fruit--6 bitter oranges, 3 sweet ones and 3 lemons. Remove the
rinds and grate them small, or put through a mincer. Cut up the oranges,
removing the seeds, which put in a tumbler of water. Cover the oranges,
&c., with 17 tumblers cold water, and let stand for at least 24 hours. Put
all in jelly-pan, including the water drained from the seeds, and let boil
gently, for about 2 hours, mashing frequently with a wooden spoon. Let
drain without pressure. Measure the juice, and to each pint allow 14 ozs.
sugar, which add after the liquid boils. Boil fast for a few minutes, try
if it will set. Skim and pot. But the pulp must not be thrown out, for it
makes an excellent, if rather homely,
Marmalade,
which comes in specially useful for steamed puddings, &c. Weigh the pulp,
and allow equal weight of sugar. Boil gently, taking great care not to
burn, till clear--20 to 30 minutes.
Green Gooseberry and Strawberry Jam.
This will be appreciated by those who find the ordinary strawberry jam
rather sweet and heavy. Take equal quantities of gooseberries and
strawberries--say 3 lbs. of each. Trim the gooseberries, which must be
firm and freshly pulled, and wash well. Put on to boil with a teacupful
water to each lb. of gooseberries, and boil for 10 minutes. Add the
strawberries and the sugar lb. for lb., and boil for 20 minutes longer, or
till it will "jell," as Meg would say.