ripe apples and quinces. Use one peck of juicy cooking apples and two
quarts of sugar. Pare the quinces and cut out the cores. Put the parings
and cores into a preserving kettle with two quarts of water and boil
gently for forty-five minutes. Meanwhile, cut the quinces into eighths,
put them into a kettle with three pints of water and simmer until the
fruit can be pierced with a straw; then lift the fruit from the water
and lay them on a platter to drain. Strain the water in which the
parings and cores have cooked into the water in which the quinces have
cooked, and after adding the sugar boil for ten minutes. Pare, core and
quarter the apples, and place in the syrup with the cooked quinces. Cook
slowly for fifteen minutes and seal immediately in sterilized jars. The
combined flavors of the quince and apple are very pleasing.
CHERRY CONSERVE
Take three and 1/2 pounds of large red cherries, stone them and cook for
fifteen minutes. Heat two and 1/2 pounds of sugar in the oven; add it to
the cherries; also 1/4 pound of seeded raisins and the juice and pulp of
three oranges. Cook until the mixture is as thick as marmalade.
APPLE BUTTER
Boil down any desired quantity of sweet cider in your preserving kettle
to 2/3 the original quantity. Pare, core and slice as many wine apples
as you wish to use. Boil slowly, stirring often with a silver or wooden
spoon. Spice with stick cinnamon and cloves, and sweeten to taste. Boil
from four to five hours; take from the fire, pour all together into a
large crock. Cover and let it stand overnight, then return it to the
preserving kettle and boil down, stirring all the while until it is the
consistency of mush, and of a dark brown color.
GRAPE PRESERVES
Squeeze the pulp into one bowl and put the skins into another. Press the
pulp through a sieve, weigh the grapes before you squeeze them and allow
three-quarters of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. Put the strained
pulp and sugar on to boil, the skins also, and boil slowly until thick.
It will be much easier for you to heat the pulp before straining.
GERMAN PRUNE BUTTER
Remove pits and wash prunes, take three-quarters of a pound of sugar to
a pound of fruit, and enough water to keep from burning; do not stir but
remove from the sides of the kettle occasionally. Let boil for hours;
when done, place in glasses. Let cool; cover with paraffin.
CHERRY MARMALADE
To three pounds of sweet and one pound of sour cherries allow two pounds
of sugar. Weigh the cherries when stemmed and pitted. Make a syrup of
the sugar, add cinnamon bark and cloves. Put in the sweet cherries
first, adding the sour ones half an hour later; boil down thick and
cover the jars with brandied paper.
GRAPE CONSERVE
Remove the stems and skins from five pounds of grapes and boil the pulp
until tender; then press it through a sieve. Boil the skins of three
juicy oranges until tender, then chop fine. Put the grape skins and the
pulp into a saucepan; add the orange juice, the boiled skins, five
pounds of sugar, one pound of raisins--the muscat seeded--and one pound
of shelled walnuts and boil until quite thick.
PLUM CONSERVE, No. 1
Wash five pounds of blue plums or German Prunes, cut them in halves and
remove the stones. Peel four oranges, slice them fine and cut each slice
in half. Cut the rind of two of the oranges into small squares, add one
pound of seeded raisins. Take a measure of sugar and a measure of the
mixture, place in preserving kettle on the stove and let come slowly to
the boiling point and cook steadily for several hours until the fruit is
clear and thick. Put in jelly glasses or jars.
PLUM CONSERVE, No. 2
Wash three pounds of German prunes, remove the stones and cut them into
small pieces. Mix one pound of seeded raisins, two oranges cut in small
pieces, the juice of two lemons, one pound English walnuts broken in
chunks, and three pounds of sugar. Place all the ingredients in the
preserving kettle on the stove and let come slowly to the boiling point
and cook steadily until the fruit is clear and thick. Put in jelly
glasses or jars.
PEACH SYRUP
This is very nice for all kinds of griddle cakes. Use the peelings of
your peaches when you are through canning and preserving. Add 1/3 of the
peach kernels and put all on to boil in a stone jar on the back of the
stove with a little water. When soft, strain through a jelly-bag by
letting it drip all night. In the morning add the juice of two or three
lemons and boil as you would jelly. Set a pint of juice on to boil and
boil for five minutes. Add a pound of sugar and boil five minutes more,
but it must boil very hard. Bottle in wide-mouthed bottles or jars.
Seal.
PEACH BUTTER
Weigh the peaches after they are pared and pitted. Allow a pound of
sugar to a pound of fruit. Cook the peaches alone until soft, then add
1/2 of the sugar and stir frequently. In half an hour put in the
remaining sugar. Now watch carefully, stirring almost constantly for two
hours. Boil slowly, and add 1/4 of the peach kernels. Spice with
cinnamon and cloves, using whole spices.
RAISIN COMPOTE
Peel six oranges (California), cut the skin in very small narrow strips,
or run through a food chopper. Slice the oranges very thin and quarter
the slices. Let it stand overnight in three pints of cold water. Place
this in a preserving kettle with three pounds of seeded raisins, three
quarts of currants (picked and washed) and three pounds of granulated
sugar. Boil all together for two hours and put in glass jars, closing
them while hot.
If preferred, three pints of currant juice strained may be used instead
of the whole fruit. This compote will keep perfectly well after the jar
is opened.
PICKLED PEACHES
Brush but do not peel the peaches. Select medium-sized ones. When all
are well brushed, stick each peach quite full of cloves.
Make a thick syrup of half a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. Cook
the peaches in the syrup until they may be easily pierced with a broom
splint. Then carefully skim them from the syrup and after they have
cooled on the platters put them in glass jars or stone crocks. To the
syrup in the kettle add a few pieces of stick cinnamon and a few whole
allspice. Add half a pint of good cider vinegar and a tablespoon of
tarragon vinegar to each quart of syrup, and when the syrup just comes
to a boil after adding the vinegar pour it over the peaches. Delicious
with cold chicken.
SPICED GRAPES
Pulp seven pounds of Concord grapes; cook the pulp and skins until soft;
put them through a fine sieve; then add four and one-half pounds of
granulated sugar, one pint of cider vinegar, two tablespoons of ground
cinnamon, and two tablespoons of ground cloves. Bring to a boil; then
cook slowly for one and one-half hours. Put in an earthen crock when
cool.
This recipe may also be used with currants; use five pounds of sugar
instead of four and one-half pounds.
GREEN OR YELLOW PLUM TOMATO PRESERVES
Wash and dry four pounds of small yellow or green tomatoes and prick
each one in five or six places. Stir three pounds of sugar in one-half
cup boiling water until dissolved; add the tomatoes and cook until
clear. When half done add the juice and the rind of two lemons sliced
very thin. When the fruit is clear remove it with a skimmer; put in
small jars, filling them two-thirds full. Boil the syrup fast for a few
minutes longer or until thick and syrupy, fill up the jars; cover with a
cloth until the next day; then cover closely and stand away in a cool
place.
SPICED OR PICKLED APPLES
Pare the apples, "Pound Sweets" are best; crab-apples may be pickled the
same way, but do not pare. Leave on the stems and put into a kettle with
alternate layers of sugar; take four pounds of white sugar to nine
pounds of fruit, and spice with an ounce of cinnamon bark and half an
ounce of cloves, removing the heads. Heat slowly to a boil with a pint
of water; add the vinegar and spices, and boil until tender. Take out
the fruit with a perforated skimmer and spread upon dishes to cool. Boil
the syrup thick; pack the apples in jars and pour the syrup over them
boiling hot. Examine them in a week's time, and should they show signs
of fermenting pour off the syrup and boil up for a few minutes, and pour
over the fruit scalding, or set the jars (uncovered) in a kettle of cold
water and heat until the contents are boiling, and then seal.
PRESERVED BLACKBERRIES
Weigh the fruit and allow a pound of sugar to every pound of fruit. Tie
spices in a bag, such as cloves and cinnamon, and make a thick syrup of
the sugar before you put in the berries. Boil half an hour and seal when
cold.
PICKLED CRAB-APPLES
Select tart, firm, red or yellow crab-apples, three quarts; remove all
decayed spots but leave the stems. Put three cups of cider vinegar,
three cups of sugar, and one cup of water in preserving kettle; let boil
two minutes, add two tablespoons of cloves and two sticks of cinnamon
broken; these spices must be tied in a bag, and let cook ten minutes.
Lift out carefully with perforated skimmer, put in glass jars. When all
the apples have been cooked, pour over enough syrup to cover; set spice
bag away in a cup. Cover jars and let stand twenty-four hours. Pour off
syrup and boil again. Wait two days, then boil apples, sugar, with spice
bag until apples are tender but firm. Place apples in jars; cover to
keep hot. Boil down syrup a little and fill the jars to overflowing with
the hot syrup and seal.
WATERMELON PICKLE
Do not throw away the rind of melons. It can be preserved and will make
a delicious relish. Remove the green rind of watermelon and the inside
pink portion that is left on after eating it. Cut it into two-inch
pieces and pour over it a weak brine made in proportion of one cup of
salt to a gallon of hot water. Let this stand overnight, then drain and
add clear water and one level tablespoon of alum. Boil in this water
until the rind has a clear appearance. Drain and pour ice water over the
rind and allow it to stand a short time. In a bag put one teaspoon each
of cloves, allspice, cinnamon and ginger and place this in the preserve
kettle with the vinegar and sugar. Allow one cup of sugar and one cup of
vinegar (dilute this with water if too strong) to every pound of rind.
Thin slices of lemon will give it a pleasant flavor--allow one lemon to
about four pounds of rind. Bring this syrup to the boiling point and
skim. Add the melon and cook until tender. It is done when it becomes
perfectly transparent and can be easily pierced with a broom straw. A
peach kernel in the cooking syrup will improve the flavor. Housewives
who object to the use of alum can omit this and merely wash the rind
after removing from brine to free it from all salt and then cook it
slowly as per directions given above. The alum keeps the rind firm and
retains its color. In this case the rind will require long and steady
cooking; say 3/4 of an hour or longer. As soon as rinds are cooked they
should be put into the containers and covered with the syrup.
PICKLED PLUMS
Prick the plums with a large needle then weigh them, and to every seven
pounds of fruit use four pounds of white sugar, two ounces of stick
cinnamon, one ounce of cloves and a pint of best pickling vinegar. Boil
the vinegar, sugar and spices, and pour boiling hot over the fruit,
which must be packed in a large jar; repeat this three times. While the
vinegar boils the third time, pack the plums in glass jars and pour the
syrup over the plums. When cold seal.
PICKLED CANTALOUPE OR MUSKMELONS
Take fine, ripe melons, pare, take out the seeds and wash, cut into
slices about three inches long and two inches wide, lay them in a stone
jar and cover with vinegar for twenty-four hours or longer. Then lay the
fruit on a clean board to drip; and throw away one quart of the vinegar
to each quart remaining. Allow three pounds and 1/2 of white sugar to a
dozen small cantaloupes, three ounces of stick cinnamon, one ounce of
cloves (remove the soft heads) and two ounces of allspice (whole
spices). Boil the spices, vinegar and sugar, adding a pint of fresh
vinegar to the old. When well skimmed put in the melons, boil fifteen
minutes, twenty is still better; take out the fruit, put it in jars and
boil the syrup awhile longer. Skim it again and pour boiling hot upon
the fruit. Seal when cold.
PICKLED HUSK TOMATOES
This tomato looks like an egg-shaped plum and makes a very nice sweet
pickle. Prick each one with a needle, weigh, and to seven pounds of
tomatoes take four pounds of sugar and spice with a very little mace,
cinnamon and cloves. Put into the kettle with alternate layers of sugar.
Heat slowly to a boil, skim and add vinegar, not more than a pint to
seven pounds of tomatoes. Add spices and boil for about ten minutes, not
longer. Take them out with a perforated skimmer and spread upon dishes
to cool. Boil the syrup thick, and pack as you would other fruit.
SPICED OR PICKLED CHERRIES
Take the largest and freshest red cherries you can get, and pack them in
glass fruit jars, stems and all. Put little splints of wood across the
tops of the fruit to prevent rising to the top. To every quart of
cherries allow a cup of best pickling vinegar, and to every three quarts
of fruit one pound of sugar and three sticks of whole cinnamon bark and
one-half ounce of cloves; this quantity of spices is for all of the
fruit. Boil the vinegar and spices and sugar for five minutes steady;
turn out into a covered stoneware vessel, cover, and let it get cold.
Then pour over the fruit and repeat this process three days in
succession. Remove the heads of the cloves, for they will turn the fruit
black. You may strain the vinegar after the first boiling, so as to take
out the spices, if you choose. Seal as you would other fruit. Be sure
that the syrup is cold before you pour it over the cherries.
SPICED CUCUMBERS
Take nice firm cucumbers, slice thin and salt overnight. In the morning
take vinegar sufficient for covering the quantity prepared, mixed spices
and sugar according to taste. Put on to cook and when boiling put in the
cucumbers and cook for thirty minutes. Delightful as a relish, and can
be kept for a long time if put in airtight jars.
PICKLED PEARS
Pears should always be peeled for pickling. If large cut them in half
and leave the stems on. The best pear for this purpose, also for
canning, is a variety called the "Sickle Pear." It is a small, pulpy
pear of delicious flavor. Throw each pear into cold water as you peel
it. When all are peeled weigh them and allow four pounds and a half of
white sugar to ten pounds of fruit. Put into the kettle with alternate
layers of sugar and half a cup of water and one quart of strong vinegar.
Add stick cinnamon and a few cloves (remove the soft heads). Heat
slowly and boil until tender, then remove them with a perforated
skimmer, and spread upon dishes to cool. Skim the boiling syrup and boil
fifteen minutes longer. Put the pears in glass jars or a large earthen
jar, the former being preferable, and pour the syrup and spices boiling
hot over the fruit. When cold seal.
GINGERED PEARS
Pare, core and cut small, eight pounds hard pears (preferably the fresh
green Bartlett variety), half as much sugar, quarter pound Canton
ginger. Let these stand together overnight. In morning add one pint of
water, four lemons, cut small. Cook slowly for three hours. Pour into
small jars. Seal when cold. Keeps indefinitely.
SPICED GERMAN PLUMS
Wash the plums, remove the stones and in place of the stones put in
almonds. Take the best wine vinegar, water and sugar to taste. Tie in a
bag some whole cinnamon, cloves, and allspice; boil together with
vinegar. After boiling, let it get lukewarm, then pour over the prunes.
Let stand, and each day for nine days let vinegar come to a boil and
pour over prunes. The last day cook the vinegar down some, then put in
the prunes and let come to a boil; there should be sufficient liquid to
cover them. Keep in a stone or glass jar. Grapes (Concord) may be spiced
the same way.
GOOSEBERRY RELISH
Cut the brush part from the berry, but leave the stem on, wash
thoroughly and let drip in colander overnight. For eight pounds of
berries prepare a syrup of six pounds of sugar and three cups of water.
When syrup has boiled till clear put in the berries and boil for
three-quarters of an hour. Put in jars or glasses.
PICKLED FIGS
Boil the figs in water one and one-half hours, then drain and weigh. To
seven pounds fruit use the following syrup: Three pounds of sugar, one
pint of vinegar, two ounces of whole cinnamon, two ounces of whole
peppers, one ounce of cloves, one orange, and two lemons sliced. Boil
syrup one-half hour, add fruit and boil slowly two hours.
*BRANDIED FRUITS*
MÉLANGE
This French fruit preserve is truly delicious, and should be put up in
the month of June. To every pound of fruit take one pound of sugar. It
requires no cooking at all, and is therefore easily made. Get the
largest and soundest berries in the market. Pick two quarts and lay them
in a new and perfectly clean two-gallon stone jar and cover with two
pounds of the finest granulated sugar. Stone as many pounds of red,
black, and white cherries as you wish to use, and add the same quantity
of sugar. You may also use bananas, pineapples or oranges. Seed the
latter carefully. Be sure to weigh all the fruit, and allow one pound of
sugar to every additional pound of fruit. Pour over the fruit a pint of
pure alcohol. Tie up the jar with thick paper, and in season add
peaches, apricots, raspberries, blackberries, large, red currants; in
fact, all kinds of fruit. Green-gages and purple and red plums also add
both to looks and taste. Be sure to add the same amount of sugar as you
do fruit, but no more alcohol. In the fall of the year pack in glass
jars; looks very pretty. Keep it in a dry, cool place. There is always a
surplus of juice, which makes excellent pudding sauce. Add a little
water and thicken.
FRENCH PRUNES IN COGNAC
Lay the prunes in white wine for two days; then put on a wire sieve to
drip, but do not squeeze them. When they look dry, which will be in
about half an hour, lay in glass jars with alternate layers of sugar and
stick cinnamon and a few pieces of mace and a very few cloves. When the
jars are full, fill up with cognac and seal. Set in the sunniest place
you can find for three days.
BRANDIED PEACHES
Select only the largest and finest quality of clingstone peaches. Allow
a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, and a pint of the best brandy to
every four pounds of peaches. Make a syrup of the sugar with enough
water to just dissolve it, and boil about half a dozen blanched peach
kernels with it. When the syrup boils put in the fruit and let it boil
about five minutes. Remove the fruit carefully upon platters, and let
the syrup boil fifteen or twenty minutes longer, skimming it well. Put
the peaches in wide-mouthed glass jars. If the syrup has thickened pour
in the brandy. Remove from the fire at once, pour over the fruit and
seal.
BRANDIED CHERRIES
Select the largest sweet cherries for this purpose, leaving the stems
on. Allow half a pound of sugar to every pound of fruit, and a pint of
good brandy for every five pounds of fruit. Make a syrup of the sugar,
using as little water as possible. Pour it over the cherries and let
them remain in the syrup all night. Next day put them in a preserving
kettle and heat slowly. Boil about eight minutes. Take up the cherries
with a perforated skimmer and boil the syrup fifteen minutes. Add the
brandy to the boiling syrup, remove from the fire and pour over the
cherries hot, and seal.
BRANDIED QUINCES
Select large yellow, pear-shaped quinces, and peel and quarter them.
Take out the cores and throw into cold water, until all are pared. Then
boil until tender, so they can easily be pierced. Take them out with a
perforated skimmer and weigh. Then take three-quarters of a pound of
sugar to a pound of quinces, and boil in a little over half the quince
water. Add stick cinnamon and cloves (removing the soft heads). Boil
until quite a thick syrup. Pack the quinces in jars, add a pint of good
brandy to the syrup and pour boiling hot over the quinces and seal
immediately.
BRANDIED PEARS
Pare the fruit, leaving the stems on. Weigh. Proceed as with peaches.
*CANNED VEGETABLES*
Only young, tender, fresh vegetables should be canned.
Time your work by the clock, not by guess.
Weigh and measure all material accurately.
Take no risks. Food is too valuable.
Most fruits and vegetables require blanching; that is, all vegetables
and fruits, berries excepted, should be first plunged into boiling water
or steam after being picked over, and then, in turn plunged at once into
very cold water.
After blanching and packing in sterilized jars, add to all vegetables
salt in the proportion of a level teaspoon to the contents of a quart
jar. Carrots, parsnips and sweet potatoes require a teaspoon to the
pint.
Then fill jars to within quarter inch of top with boiling water, and put
in hot water bath--see "Canning Fruit in a Water Bath".
Cover boiler or kettle closely and sterilize or boil for the length of
time given below:
Do not close jars tight during sterilizing, or there will be no room for
the generated steam and it will burst the jars.
Asparagus, Beets, Carrots, Parsnips, Peas, Sweet Potatoes, and Turnips
require six minutes blanching, ninety minutes sterilizing. Asparagus
requires one hundred and twenty minutes.
Corn requires five minutes blanching on the cob; three minutes
sterilizing after being cut from the cob, or on the cob.
Lima or String Beans or Peas require five minutes blanching; two hours
sterilizing.
Pumpkin and Squash require five minutes blanching; one and one-half
hours sterilizing.
Tomatoes require two minutes blanching; twenty-two minutes sterilizing.
Tomatoes and Corn require separate blanching, time given above, then
ninety minutes sterilizing together. The acid of the tomatoes aids in
preserving the corn.
Corn and Beans (Succotash) require ten minutes blanching, ninety minutes
sterilizing.
*VEGETABLES PRESERVED IN BRINE*
EARLY FALL VEGETABLES
Take new firkins or large stone jars, and scald them well with boiling
water before using. Vegetables that are boiled before pickling in a
brass kettle always keep their fresh, green color. In salt pickling
cover your jars or kegs with a clean, white cloth, then a cover made of
wood and last a heavy stone to weigh it down. The cloth must be removed
every other day, washed and put back. In doing this, take hold of the
cloth at each corner, so that none of the slimy substance can get into
your pickle, and wash the top and sides of the jar also.
MOCK OLIVES
Take plums when just beginning to ripen, but still green. Make a brine
out of sea salt or rock salt strong enough to hold up an egg. Pour the
brine over the fruit, hot, cover and let stand twenty-four hours. Pour
off and make a new brine, heat, add the fruit, heat one minute and seal
in the hot brine.
STRING BEANS (RAW)
String the beans very carefully, and cut into fine short lengths; then
sprinkle salt over and through them, mixing thoroughly, say to
twenty-five pounds of beans, two pounds of salt. Let them remain in the
salt overnight. Then pack the shredded beans as tightly as possible into
jars or kegs, without any of their juice. In two weeks look them over,
remove the cloth and wash it, etc., as already described. When cooking
the beans, take out as many as may be required for a meal and soak them
in cold water overnight. In the morning set on to boil in cold water.
Boil for one hour. Pour off the water they were boiled in, add fresh
water, and prepare as you would fresh beans.
BOILED BEANS
Select small, young string beans, string them carefully and boil in salt
water, in a brass kettle, until tender, and throw them on a large, clean
board to drip. Next morning press them into a jar, with alternate layers
of salt and beans, and proceed as with string beans.
CORN
Boil the corn, cut it off the cobs, and pack in jars in alternate layers
of salt and corn. Use plenty of salt in packing. When you wish to cook
it soak in water overnight. Pack the corn in this way: First a layer of
salt, half an inch deep; then about two inches of corn; then salt again,
and so on. The top layer must be salt. Spread two inches of melted
butter over the top layer and bind with strong perforated paper
(perforate the paper with a pin). Keep in a cool cellar.
*PICKLES AND RELISHES*