water. Make a syrup of the sugar and water; bring to a boil; skim it and
draw the kettle aside where the syrup will keep hot but not boil. Pare
the peaches, cutting them in halves or not as desired; if in half leave
one or two whole peaches for every jar, as the kernel improves the
flavor. Put a layer of fruit in the kettle; when it begins to boil skim
carefully; boil gently, for ten minutes; put in jars and seal. Then cook
more of the fruit in similar fashion. If the fruit is not ripe it will
require a longer time to cook.
All fruit may be canned in this manner, if desired.
PINEAPPLE, No. 1
The large juicy pineapple is the best for this purpose. Have your scales
at hand, also a sharp-pointed knife and an apple-corer, a slaw-cutter
and a large, deep porcelain dish to receive the sliced pineapple. Pare,
do this carefully, dig out all the eyes as you go along. Lay the pared
pineapple on a porcelain platter and stick your apple-corer right
through the centre of the apple, first at one end and then at the other;
if it acts stubbornly put a towel around the handle of the corer and
twist it, the whole core will come out at once. Now screw the
slaw-cutter to the desired thickness you wish to have your pineapple
sliced. Slice into receiving dish, weigh one pound of fine granulated
sugar and sprinkle it all over the apple, and so on until all are pared
and sliced, allowing one pound of sugar to each very large pineapple.
Cover the dish until next day and then strain all the juice off the
apples and boil in a porcelain or bell metal kettle, skimming it well;
throw in the sliced pineapples, boil about five minutes and can. Fill
the cans to overflowing and seal immediately, not losing a moment's
time. As the cans grow cold screw tighter and examine daily, for three
or four days, and screw tighter if possible.
PINEAPPLE, No. 2
Prepare the pineapples as above, allowing half a pound of sugar to two
pounds of fruit. Steam the sliced pines in a porcelain steamer until
tender. In the meantime make a syrup of the sugar, allowing a tumblerful
of water to a pound of sugar. Skim the syrup carefully, put in your
steamed pineapples and can as above.
*JELLIES AND PRESERVES*
In making preserves or jellies use none but porcelain-lined or
bell-metal kettles, being very careful to have them perfectly clean.
Scour with sapolio or sand before using. Take plenty of time to do your
work, as you will find that too great hurry is unprofitable. Use glass
jars and the best white sugar, and do not have any other cooking going
on while preserving, as the steam or grease will be apt to injure your
preserves.
When fruit is preserved with a large amount of sugar (a pound of sugar
to a pound of fruit) it does not need to be sealed in airtight jars;
because bacteria do not readily form in the thick, sugary syrup. It is,
however, best kept in small sealed jars.
In damp weather jelly takes longer to form. Try to select a sunny, dry
day for jelly making. You can prepare your juice even if it is cloudy,
but wait for sunshine before adding the sugar and final boiling.
UTENSILS FOR JELLY MAKING
Large enamelled kettle, syrup gauge, two colanders, wooden masher,
wooden spoon, jelly glasses, one-quart measure, two enamelled cups, one
baking-pan, two earthen bowls, paraffin wax, enamelled dishpan for
sterilizing glasses and two iron jelly stands with cheese-cloth bags.
HOW TO TEST JELLY MADE AT HOME
Much waste of sugar and spoilage of jellies can be avoided by using a
simple alcohol test recommended by the Bureau of Chemistry, United
States Department of Agriculture. To determine how much sugar should be
used with each kind of juice put a spoon of juice in a glass and add to
it one spoon of ninety-five per cent grain alcohol, mixed by shaking the
glass gently.
Pour slowly from the glass, noting how the pectin--the substance in
fruits which makes them jell--is precipitated. If the pectin is
precipitated as one lump, a cup of sugar may be used for each cup of
juice; if in several lumps the proportion of sugar must be reduced to
approximately 3/4 the amount of the juice. If the pectin is not in
lumps, the sugar should be one-half or less of the amount of juice.
The housewife will do well before making the test to taste the juice, as
fruits having less acid than good tart apples probably will not make
good jelly, unless mixed with other fruits which are acid.
TO COVER JELLY GLASSES
There are three common methods of covering jelly tumblers: (1) Dip a
piece of paper in alcohol; place it on top of the tumbler as soon as the
jelly is cold; put on the tin cover and force it down firmly. (2) Cut a
piece of paper large enough to allow it to overlap the top of the
tumbler at least one-half inch on all sides; dip the paper in
slightly-beaten white of egg; cover the glass as soon as the jelly cools
and press down the paper until it adheres firmly. (3) When the jelly has
become cold, cover the top with melted paraffin to a thickness of
one-third of an inch.
To mark jelly glasses sealed with paraffin, have the labels ready on
narrow slips of paper not quite as long as the diameter of the top of a
glass, and when the paraffin is partially set, but still soft, lay each
label on and press gently.
*JELLIES*
CURRANT JELLY
Pick over half ripe currants, leaving stems on. Wash and place in
preserving kettle. Pound vigorously with wooden masher until there is
juice enough to boil. Boil slowly until fruit turns white and liquid
drops slowly from the spoon. Stir to prevent scorching.
Remove from fire. Take an enamelled cup and dip this mixture into the
jelly bags, under which large bowls have been placed to catch the drip.
Drip overnight.
Next morning measure the juice. For every pint allow a pint of
granulated sugar, which is put in a flat pan. Juice is put in kettle and
allowed to come to boiling point. Sugar is placed in oven and heated.
When juice boils add sugar and stir until dissolved.
When this boils remove from fire and skim. Do this three times. Now test
liquid with syrup gauge to see if it registers twenty-five degrees.
Without gauge let it drip from spoon, half cooled, to see if it jells.
Strain into sterilized jelly glasses. Place glasses on a board in a
sunny exposure until it hardens Cover with melted paraffin one-fourth
inch thick.
RASPBERRY AND CURRANT JELLY
Follow the recipe for Currant Jelly, using half raspberries and half
currants.
RASPBERRY JELLY
Follow the recipe for Currant Jelly.
BLACKBERRY JELLY
Follow the recipe for Currant Jelly.
STRAWBERRY JELLY
To five quarts of strawberries add one quart of currants and proceed as
with Currant Jelly; but boil fifteen minutes.
GRAPE JELLY
The Concord is the best all-round grape for jelly, although the Catawba
grape makes a delicious jelly. Make your jelly as soon as possible after
the grapes are sent home from the market. Weigh the grapes on the stems
and for every pound of grapes thus weighed allow three-quarters of a
pound of the best quality of granulated sugar.
After weighing the grapes, place them in a big tub or receptacle of some
kind nearly filled with cold water. Let them remain ten minutes, then
lift them out with both hands and put them in a preserving kettle over a
very low fire. Do not add any water. With a masher press the grapes so
the juice comes out, and cook the grapes until they are rather soft,
pressing them frequently with the masher. When they have cooked until
the skins are all broken, pour them, juice and all; in a small-holed
colander set in a big bowl, and press pulp and juice through, picking
out the stems as they come to the surface.
When pulp and juice are pressed out, pour them into a cheese-cloth bag.
Hang the bag over the preserving kettle and let the juice drip all
night. In the morning put the kettle over the fire and let the grape
juice boil gently for a half hour, skimming it frequently.
While the juice is cooking put the sugar in pans in a moderate oven and
let heat. As soon as the juice is skimmed clear stir in the hot sugar,
and as soon as it is dissolved pour the jelly in the glasses, first
standing them in warm water. Place glasses after filling them in a cool
dry place till jelly is well set, then pour a film of melted paraffin
over the top and put on the covers. Label.
CRAB-APPLE JELLY
Take eight quarts of Siberian crab-apples, cut up in pieces, leaving in
the seeds, and do not pare. Put into a stone jar, and set on the back of
the stove to boil slowly, adding four quarts of water. Let them boil,
closely covered all day, then put in a jelly-bag and let them drip all
night. Boil a pint of juice at a time, with a pound of sugar to every
pint of juice. Boil five minutes steadily, each pint exactly five
minutes. Now weigh another pound of sugar and measure another pint of
juice. Keep on in this way and you will be through before you realize
it. There is no finer or firmer jelly than this. It should be a bright
amber in color, and of fine flavor. You may press the pulp that remains
in the jelly-bag through a coarse strainer, add the juice of two lemons
and as much sugar as you have pulp, and cook to a jam.
APPLE JELLY
Take sour, juicy apples, not too ripe, cut up in pieces, leave the skins
on and boil the seeds also. Put on enough water to just cover, boil on
the back of the stove, closely covered, all day. Then put in jelly-bag
of double cheese-cloth to drip all night. Next morning measure the
juice. Allow a wineglass of white wine and juice of one lemon to every
three pints of juice. Then boil a pint at a time, with a pound of sugar
to every pint.
NEAPOLITAN JELLY
Take equal quantities of fully ripe strawberries, raspberries, currants
and red cherries. The cherries must be stoned, taking care to preserve
the juice and add to rest of juice. Mix and press through a jelly-press
or bag. Measure the juice, boil a pint at a time, and to every pint
allow a pound of sugar and proceed as with other fruit jellies.
QUINCE JELLY
Prepare the fruit and cook peels and cores as directed for preserving.
Cut the quinces in small pieces and let them boil in the strained water
for one hour with kettle uncovered. When cooked the desired length of
time, pour the whole into a jelly-bag of white flannel or double
cheese-cloth; hang over a big bowl or jar and let the liquor all drain
through. This will take several hours. When all the liquor is drained,
measure it and return to the kettle. To each pint of liquor weigh a
pound of sugar. While the liquor is heating put the sugar in the oven,
then add to the boiling hot liquor and stir it until sugar is melted.
When the whole is thick, and drops from the spoon like jelly, pour it
through a strainer into the jelly glasses; and when the jelly is cool,
put on the covers--first pouring a film of melted paraffin over the
surface.
A WINTER JELLY
One-half peck of tart apples, one quart of cranberries. Cover with cold
water and cook an hour. Strain through a jelly-bag without squeezing.
There should be about three pints of juice. Use a bowl of sugar for each
bowl of juice. When the juice is boiling add sugar which has been heated
in oven and boil twenty minutes. Skim and pour into glasses. Will fill
about seven.
CRANBERRY JELLY
Wash and pick ripe cranberries and set on to boil in a porcelain-lined
kettle closely covered. When soft strain the pulp through a fine wire
sieve. Measure the juice and add an equal quantity of sugar. Set it on
to boil again and let it boil very fast for about ten minutes--but it
must boil steadily all the time. Wet a mold with cold water, turn the
jelly into it and set it away to cool, when firm turn it into a glass
salver.
*PRESERVED FRUIT*
PRESERVED FIGS
Lay fresh figs in water overnight. Then simmer in water enough to cover
them until tender, and spread upon dishes to cool. Make a syrup of a
pound of sugar to every pound of fruit. Allow a small teacup of water to
a pound of sugar. Boil until a very clear syrup; remove every particle
of scum; put in the figs and boil slowly for ten minutes. Take them out
and spread upon dishes, and set them in the hot sun. Add the juice of as
many lemons as you have pounds of sugar, and a few small pieces of
ginger. Boil this syrup until thick. Boil the figs in this syrup for
fifteen minutes longer. Then fill in glass jars three-quarters full,
fill up with boiling syrup and cover. When cold, screw air-tight or
seal.
PRESERVED CHERRIES
The sour red cherries, or "Morellas," are the best for preserves. Never
use sweet ones for this purpose. Stone them, preserving every drop of
juice, then weigh the cherries, and for every pound take three-quarters
of a pound of sugar. Set the sugar and juice of the cherries on to boil,
also a handful of the cherry stones pounded and tied in a thin muslin
bag. Let this boil about fifteen minutes. Skim off the scum that rises.
Now put in the cherries, and boil until the syrup begins to thicken like
jelly. Remove from the fire, fill in pint jars, and when cold, cover
with brandied paper and screw on the cover tight.
PRESERVED PEACHES
Weigh one pound of sugar for each pound of fruit. After weighing them
brush each peach with a stiff whiskbroom. This should be done in putting
up peaches in any way. After brushing them peel the peaches very thin
with a sharp silver knife. Do not use a knife with a steel blade, as it
discolors the fruit. As fast as the peaches are peeled lay them on
porcelain platters. Put the peelings in the preserving kettle with
enough water to keep from sticking. Stand the kettle over rather a quick
fire and let the peelings boil with the kettle covered until very soft.
Then drain them through a colander and pour the juice strained back into
the kettle. Add sugar to this and let it simmer gently until it is a
thick syrup. During the time the syrup is cooking it must be frequently
stirred and skimmed. As soon as the syrup is thick enough, drop in the
peaches, twelve at a time if for quart jars, and six at a time if for
pint jars. Let the peaches cook gently until each one may easily be
pierced with a broom splint.
Then quickly skim them out and lay them on a platter to cool. Repeat
this process until all the peaches are done, then let the syrup cook
until thick as molasses. Skim it thoroughly. When cool put the peaches,
one at a time, in the jars with a spoon. When the syrup is sufficiently
thick, pour it through a strainer over the peaches in the jars until
they are full, then seal down quickly and stand them upside down for
several hours before putting them in the store-room.
STRAWBERRIES IN THE SUN
To two pounds of berries take two pounds of sugar and three-quarters cup
of water. Put the syrup in the preserving kettle; bring it to a boil and
cook for about ten minutes, or until it begins to thicken. Add the
berries; cook for ten minutes and pour them out in shallow dishes or
meat platters. Cover with sheets of glass, allowing a little air for
ventilation; place in the sun until the juice is thick and syrupy. This
will take two days or more, but the rich color and delicious flavor of
the fruit will fully repay the effort expended. Put into small jars or
tumblers and cover according to directions.
PRESERVED STRAWBERRIES
To one pint of strawberries take one pint of sugar and one-half cup of
water. Unless strawberries are cooked in the sun they should be prepared
only in small quantities or they will be dark and unpalatable. If the
following directions are carefully observed the berries will be plump
and of a rich red color.
Bring the sugar and water to a boil; add the strawberries and cook ten
minutes. Remove the berries carefully with a skimmer and cook the syrup
until it is of the consistency of jelly. Return the berries to the
syrup; bring all to a boil and when cool put in glass tumblers.
STRAWBERRIES AND PINEAPPLE
Follow the recipe for Preserved Strawberries, using two-thirds pineapple
and one-third strawberries.
PRESERVED PINEAPPLE
To one pineapple take three-quarters of its weight in sugar and one cup
of water. Peel the pineapple and put it through the food-chopper. Weigh
and add three-quarters of the weight in sugar. Bring slowly to a boil
and simmer for about twenty minutes, or until the consistency of
marmalade.
PRESERVED DAMSON PLUMS
Pick the plums over carefully, removing every one that has a decayed
spot or blemish. Leave the stems on. After picking the fruit over, wash
it carefully in cold water; then weigh it and allow one pound of sugar
to each pound of fruit. Put a gill of water in the preserving kettle for
each pound of sugar, stand the kettle over a moderate fire and add the
sugar. Stir it almost constantly with a wooden spoon until the sugar
melts; then turn on a little more heat and let the melted sugar boil
gently until it is a thick syrup. Stir, and skim it frequently. When the
required thickness (which should be like syrup used for griddle cakes)
put the plums in the boiling syrup and let them cook gently for half an
hour; then skim out the plums and put them in glass jars, filling each
jar half full. Let the syrup boil till almost as thick as jelly, then
pour it in the jars, filling them quite full. Fasten the tops on and
stand the jars upside down until the preserves are cold; then put them
where they are to be kept for the winter.
DAMSON JAM
Weigh 3/4 of a pound of sugar for each pound of fruit. After washing the
plums carefully, put them in a preserving kettle with just enough water
to keep them from sticking to the bottom. Set them over a moderate fire
and let them simmer for half an hour; then turn them, juice and all,
into a colander, filling the colander not more than half full. Have the
colander set over a large earthen bowl. With a potato masher, press
juice and pulp through the colander into the bowl, leaving skins and
pits as dry as possible. Remove these from the colander and repeat the
process until all the pulp and juice is pressed out; then pour it into
the kettle and, while it is heating slowly, heat the sugar in the oven.
As soon as the juice and pulp begins to simmer stir in the hot sugar,
and when it drops from the spoon like a thick jelly pour it into the
glasses. This is one of the most delicious fruit preserves made and is
always acceptable with meat and poultry or as a sweetmeat at afternoon
teas.
RASPBERRY JAM
To five pounds of red raspberries (not too ripe) add five pounds of loaf
sugar. Mash the whole well in a preserving kettle (to do this thoroughly
use a potato masher). Add one quart of currant juice, and boil slowly
until it jellies. Try a little on a plate; set it on ice, if it jellies
remove from the fire, fill in small jars, cover with brandied paper and
tie a thick white paper over them. Keep in a dark, dry, cool place. If
you object to seeds, press the fruit through a sieve before boiling.
JELLIED QUINCES
Jellied quinces are made after the direction for preserved quinces, only
the fruit is cut in tiny little pieces and when put in the syrup is
allowed to cook twenty minutes longer, and is put in small glasses with
the syrup and not skimmed out as for preserves. Leave the glasses open
till the jelly sets, then cover.
QUINCE CHEESE
Wipe off each quince before paring, core and slice them, weigh your
fruit and sugar, allowing 3/4 of a pound of sugar for every pound of
fruit and set the sugar aside until wanted. Boil the skins, cores and
seeds in a clean vessel by themselves, with just enough water to cover
them. Boil until the parings are soft, so as to extract all the flavor,
then strain through a jelly-bag. When this water is almost cold, put the
quinces in the preserving kettle with the quince water and boil until
soft, mash with a wooden spoon or beetle. Add the juice of an orange to
every two pounds of fruit, being careful not to get any of the seeds
into the preserves. Now add the sugar and boil slowly for fifteen
minutes, stirring constantly; if not thick enough boil longer, being
very careful not to let it burn. Take off the fire and pack in small
jars with brandied paper over them.
PRESERVED QUINCES
The quince that comes first into the market is likely to be wormy and
corky, and harder to cook than the better ones. It requires a good deal
of skill to cook quince preserves just right. If you cook them too much
they are red instead of a beautiful salmon shade, and they become
shriveled, dry and tart, even in the sweetest syrup, instead of full and
mealy, and sweet.
Weigh a pound of sugar for each pound of fruit. Wipe each quince
carefully with a coarse linen towel. Peel, quarter and core the quinces.
Put peels and cores in the preserving kettle with just water enough to
cover them, and let them simmer with the kettle covered for two hours.
Then strain the liquor through a fine sieve and return it to the kettle.
Cut the quartered quinces in small pieces and put as many of them in the
kettle as the liquor will cover. Let them boil gently, with the kettle
uncovered, until so tender they may be easily pierced with a broom
splint. Take them out with a skimmer and lay on flat dishes to cool.
Repeat this process until all the fruit is properly cooked; then put the
sugar in the liquor and let it boil gently to a thick syrup; put in as
many of the cooked quinces as the syrup will cover and let them cook in
the syrup for twenty minutes; skim them out and lay on flat dishes to
cool. Repeat this process until all the quinces are cooked in the syrup.
When they are cool put the quinces in glass jars, filling each one half
full. Let the syrup boil until very thick, stirring it frequently and
skimming it clear. Then pour it through a fine strainer, while very hot,
over the fruit; and as soon as a jar is full, fasten on the cover. It is
tiresome work to preserve quinces, but the result pays for all the
trouble.
CITRON PRESERVE
Pare and core the citron; cut it into strips and notch the edges; or cut
it into fancy shapes. Allow a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, and to
six pounds of the fruit allow four lemons and a quarter of a pound of
ginger root. Tie the ginger in a cloth, and boil it in a quart and a
half of water until the flavor is extracted; then remove it, and add to
the water the sugar and the juice of the lemons; stir until the sugar is
dissolved and the syrup is clear; take off any scum; then add the citron
and cook until it is clear, but not soft enough to fall apart. Can and
seal while hot.
MARMALADES
Marmalades require great care while cooking because no moisture is added
to the fruit and sugar. If the marmalade is made from berries the fruit
should be rubbed through a sieve to remove the seeds. If large fruit is
used have it washed, pared, cored, and quartered.
Measure the fruit and sugar, allowing one pint of sugar to each quart of
fruit.
Rinse the preserving kettle with cold water that there may be a slight
coat of moisture on the sides and bottom. Put alternate layers of fruit
and sugar in the kettle, having the first layer fruit. Heat slowly,
stirring frequently. While stirring, break up the fruit as much as
possible. Cook about two hours, then put in small sterilized jars.
ORANGE MARMALADE
The white part between the yellow rind and the inner skin of the orange
used to be most sedulously removed, but now we know that there is great
economy in using it. By doing so we can use large quantities of water in
proportion to fruit, for it has the property of converting this into
jelly.
The Seville orange used to be the orange used in Scotland and England
for marmalades because of its bitter flavor, but we can get the same
effect by using the grapefruit. An all grapefruit marmalade is not
nearly so attractive and pretty as one of combined fruits, nor does it
have the zest that the grapefruit seems to give to a marmalade where it
is only one of the constituents.
AMBER MARMALADE
Slice thin, skin and all, one grapefruit, one orange, one lemon. Add to
this three times its measure of water and allow to stand overnight. Cook
for ten minutes the next morning and then allow to stand until the next
morning, when finish by adding as much sugar as there is liquid and
boiling slowly until done, or until it jellies. The time commonly given
is two hours, but a half hour less than this is ample.
RHUBARB AND ORANGE MARMALADE
Cut three pounds of pie plant into small pieces (unpeeled). Peel three
oranges and cut into small pieces. Put with this two cups of sugar and
the grated rind of one orange. Let stand overnight. Cook until clear,
stirring often. Then add three pounds of granulated sugar heated in
oven. Cook until clear; ten to twenty minutes. Pour into jelly glasses
and cover with paraffin.
APPLE AND QUINCE CONSERVE