Take large fine green gages that are not perfectly ripe. Weigh
them, and to each pound of fruit allow a pound and a half of loaf-sugar.
Put a layer of fresh vine leaves at the bottom of a
porcelain preserving kettle, place on it a layer of gages, then
cover them with a layer of vine leaves, and so on alternately,
finishing with a layer of leaves at the top. Fill up the kettle
with hard water, and set it over a slow fire. When the gages rise
to the top, take them out and peel them, putting them on a sieve
as you do so. Then replace them in the kettle with fresh vine
leaves and water; cover them very closely, so that no steam can
escape, and hang them up at some distance above the fire to green
slowly for six hours. They should be warm all the time, but must
not boil. When they are a fine green, take them carefully out,
spread them on a hair sieve to drain, and make a syrup of the
sugar, allowing a half pint of water to each pound and a half of
sugar. When it has boiled and been skimmed, put in the green gages
and boil them gently for a quarter of an hour. Then take them out
and spread them to cool. Next day boil them in the same syrup for
another quarter of an hour. When cold, put them into glass jars
with the syrup, and tie them up with brandy paper.
To preserve them whole without peeling, you must prick each at the
top and bottom, with a large needle.