[Illustration: FIG. 1]
12. NECESSARY EQUIPMENT.--In the making of jelly, as in the preparation
of many other foods, numerous utensils will be found convenient and may,
if desired, be supplied to make the work easier. However, the necessary
ones are comparatively few in number and, for the most part, are found
in almost every kitchen. In Fig. 1 are shown assembled practically all
the equipment used in the making of jelly, and if a housewife is
provided with these things or substitutes for them, she will be well
equipped for her work.
13. KETTLES.--As will be observed, two kettles are required in jelly
making. The larger one is used for cooking the fruit, and the smaller
one, to cook the juice and the sugar. These should have a perfectly
smooth surface, and may be made of almost any material used for such
utensils, except tin or iron. These two metals are undesirable, as they
are liable to lend to the jelly a disagreeable flavor and in all
probability an unattractive color. The one used to cook the fruit should
generally be a little larger than the other. As about 6 glassfuls of
jelly may be cooked at one time, the kettle in which the juice is boiled
should be of adequate size to cook this amount without danger of its
boiling over. When fruit juice and sugar are boiled together, the
mixture often boils up and runs over if the vessel is not large enough.
14. JELLY BAG.--The jelly bag, which is used for straining the boiled
fruit and thus obtaining the juice, may be a home-made one or, as shown
in the illustration, one that is purchased for the purpose. If the bag
is made at home, a heavy, closely woven material, such as flannel,
should be selected, so as to prevent the tiny particles of fruit from
passing through with the juice. A liquid strained in this manner will be
much clearer and will make better looking jelly than that which has been
run through a coarse material, such as cheesecloth. The juice can be
strained very conveniently if the bag is attached to a wire arrangement,
like the one shown, or to an upright standard that can be fastened to a
chair or a table, for then the bag is held securely over the vessel into
which the juice drips. Sometimes, especially when more than one
extraction of the juice is to be made, the first extraction is made by
means of a strainer or a colander and the juice thus obtained is then
strained through the bag.
15. ADDITIONAL UTENSILS.--As accurate measurements are absolutely
essential in jelly making, a measuring cup should be included in the
equipment. Then, too, a quart measure will be found very convenient,
especially if large quantities of materials are to be cooked at one
time. A large spoon or two for stirring, skimming, and testing should
also be provided. The spoon used for skimming will produce better
results if the bowl contains holes that will permit the juice to drop
back into the vessel, for then none of the juice will be wasted.
16. CONTAINERS FOR JELLY.--Various types of receptacles in which to keep
jelly are in use, some turning out more attractive molds than others.
The shape of the mold, however, is a matter of minor importance. Almost
any wide-mouthed glass receptacle with comparatively smooth sides will
do very well, since the sealing of jelly is not a difficult thing to do.
Therefore, new receptacles should not be purchased if there is a supply
of any suitable kind on hand, for many other containers besides
purchased jelly glasses may be used for this purpose. The most
convenient type, which may be bought in any store selling kitchen
utensils, is that shown in Fig. 1. As will be observed, these are
somewhat broad and not very tall. A mold of jelly turned from a tall,
narrow glass does not stand up so well as that turned from a flat, wide
one. Then, too, a tall glass is much more likely to tip and spill than a
more shallow one.
17. Metal covers that fit the tops of the glasses, like the ones shown,
are the most convenient kind that can be used, but they are not an
absolute necessity. In their place may be used paper caps that fit the
glasses, or the tops of the glasses may be covered with paper and then
tied. Before a cover of any kind is put on a glass, paraffin, several
cakes of which are arranged on a plate in Fig. 1, is melted and poured
in a thin layer over the top of the jelly itself.
To designate the kind of jelly, it is advisable to label the glasses
with neat labels, a box of which is included in the equipment
here shown.
18. Paraffin-covered paper cups have been recommended to take the place
of jelly glasses, and while they do very well in the case of scarcity of
containers they have some disadvantages. In the first place, they can be
used only once, as it is impossible to wash them. In addition, it will
be necessary to wait until the jelly is partly cold before pouring it
into such cups, as hot jelly will melt the paraffin on the surface of
the paper.