Part 31

Cover the bottom of the oven with a sheet of asbestos, the kind plumbers employ in covering pipes, or put into the oven shallow pans in which there are about two inches of boiling water. Cook berries to the boiling point or until the bubbles in the syrup just rise to the top; cook larger fruits, eight to ten minutes or according to the fruit. Remove from the oven, slip on rubber, first dipped in boiling water; then fill the jar with boiling syrup. Cover and seal. Place the jars on a board and out of a draft of air. If the screw covers are used tighten them after the glass has cooled.

Large fruits, such as peaches, pears, quince, crab-apples, etc., will require about a pint of syrup to each quart jar of fruit. The small fruit will require a little over half a pint of syrup.

BAKED CRANBERRIES OR CHERRY PRESERVES

Pick over, wash and drain four quarts of large, perfect cranberries; or stem and then stone four pounds of large cherries, use a cherry pitter so cherries remain whole. Place a tablespoon of hot water in a jar, then alternately in layers cherries or cranberries and sugar (with sugar on top), cover closely. This amount will require four pounds of sugar. Bake in a very slow oven two hours. Let stand. Then keep in a cool, dry place. The cranberries will look and taste like candied cherries, and may be used for garnishing.

BAKED CRAB-APPLE PRESERVES

Wash, wipe and remove the blossom ends of one-half peck of perfect red Siberian crab-apples. Pour one tablespoon of water in bottom of one gallon stone jar, then place in alternate layers of apples and sugar, using four pounds altogether (with sugar on top). Cover with two thicknesses of Manila paper, tied down securely or with close fitting plate. Bake in a very slow oven (that would only turn the paper a light brown), two or three hours; let stand to cool, keep in cool, dry place.

BAKED SICKEL PEARS

May be prepared the same way. Flavor, if desired, with ginger or lemon juice.

BAKED QUINCES

Quinces may be wiped, cored, and quartered; sugar filled in the cavities, and baked same as crab-apples, in a very slow oven three or more hours until clear and glassy.

CANNING FRUIT IN A WATER BATH

Canned fruits may be cooked over the fire, but they are, on the whole, very much better if cooked in a water bath. Prepare fruit and syrup as for cooking in a preserving kettle and cook the syrup ten minutes. Sterilize the jars and utensils; fill the jars with fruit; then pour in enough syrup to fill the jars completely. Run the blade of a silver-plated knife around the inside of the jar and put the covers on loosely.

Have a wooden rack, slats, or straw in the bottom of a wash boiler; put in enough warm water to come to about four inches above the rack; place the filled jars in the boiler, being careful not to let them touch. Pack clean white rags or cotton rope between and around the jars to prevent their striking one another when the water begins to boil. Cover the boiler and let the fruit cook as directed, counting from the time the surrounding water begins to boil. (This cooking is called sterilizing.)

Draw the boiler aside and remove the cover. When the steam passes off, lift out one jar at a time and place it in a pan of boiling water beside the boiler; fill to overflowing with boiling syrup; wipe the rim of the jar with a cloth wrung from boiling water; put on rubbers and cover quickly; stand the jar upside down and protected from drafts, until cool; then tighten the covers if screw covers are used, and wipe off the jars with a wet cloth. Paste on labels and put the jars on shelves in a cool, dark closet.

The time given for sterilizing is for quart jars; pint jars require three minutes less.

BLUEBERRIES

To twelve quarts of berries take one quart of sugar and one pint of water. Put water, berries, and sugar in preserving kettle; heat slowly. Boil sixteen minutes, counting from the time the contents of the kettle begins to bubble.

CANNED RASPBERRIES

To six quarts of berries take one quart of sugar. Put one quart of the fruit in the preserving kettle; heat slowly, crushing with a wooden potato masher; strain and press through a fine sieve. Return the juice and pulp to the kettle; add the sugar; stir until dissolved; then add the remaining quarts of berries. Boil sixteen minutes, counting from the time they begin to boil. Skim well while boiling, and put into jars as directed.

BLACKBERRIES

The same as for raspberries.

CURRANTS

To twelve quarts of currants take four quarts of sugar. Treat the same as raspberries.

RASPBERRIES AND CURRANTS

To ten quarts of raspberries and three quarts of currants take two and one-half quarts of sugar. Heat, crush and press the juice from the currants and proceed as directed for raspberries.

CANNED GOOSEBERRIES

To six quarts of berries take three pints of sugar and one pint of water.

Dissolve the sugar in the water, using three pints of sugar if the gooseberries are green and only half the quantity if they are ripe. Add the fruit and cook fifteen minutes.

Green gooseberries may also be canned like rhubarb without sugar and sweetened when used.

CANNED STRAWBERRIES

After washing and hulling berries, proceed as with raspberries.

CANNED PEACHES

Wash peaches, put them in a square of cheese-cloth or wire basket. Dip for two minutes in kettle of boiling water. Plunge immediately into cold water. Skin the peaches; leave whole or cut as preferred. Pack peaches in hot jars. Fill hot jars with hot syrup or boiling water. Put tops in position. Tighten tops but not airtight. Place jars on false bottom in wash-boiler. Let the water boil sixteen minutes. Seal as directed. To eight quarts of peaches take three quarts of sugar, two quarts of water.

Apricots, plums and ripe pears may be treated exactly as peaches.

QUINCES

To four quarts of pared, cored and quartered quinces take one and one-half quarts of sugar and two quarts of water.

Rub the fruit hard with a coarse, crash towel, blanch for six minutes. Pare, quarter, and core; drop the pieces into cold water. Put the fruit in the preserving kettle with cold water to cover it generously. Heat slowly and simmer gently until tender. The pieces will not all require the same time to cook. Take each piece up as soon as it is so tender that a silver fork will pierce it readily. Drain on a platter. Strain the water in which the fruit was cooked through cheese-cloth. Put two quarts of the strained liquid and the sugar into the preserving kettle; stir over the fire until the sugar is dissolved. When it boils skim well and put in the cooked fruit. Boil gently for about forty minutes.

PEARS

If the fruit is ripe it may be treated exactly the same as peaches. If, on the other hand, it is rather hard it must be cooked until so tender that a silver fork will pierce it readily.

CHERRIES

Prepare in the same manner as you would for preserving, allowing half a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. After putting the cherries into the syrup do not let them boil more than five minutes; then fill your cans to overflowing, seal immediately and then screw tighter as they grow cold. Remove the little bag of stones which you have boiled with the syrup. The object in boiling the stones with the syrup is to impart the fine flavor to the fruit which cherries are robbed of in pitting.

CHERRIES FOR PIES

Stem the cherries--do not pit them,--pack tight in glass fruit jars, cover with syrup, made of two tablespoons of sugar to a quart of fruit, allowing one-half cup of water to each quart of cherries. Let them boil fifteen minutes from the time they begin to boil.

PINEAPPLE

Take off rind and trim. Cut into slices and divide into thirds. Fill into glass jars and dissolve sugar in water enough to cover the jars to overflowing, allowing half a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, and pour this sweetened water over the pineapples; proceed as in "Canning Fruit in a Water Bath" and let them boil steadily for at least twenty minutes. Draw the boiler aside or lift it off the coal range and allow the cans to cool in the water in which they were boiled even if it takes until the following day. Then remove each can carefully, screwing each can as tightly as possible. Wipe dry and put away in a cool place. All canned fruits should be examined carefully in one or two weeks' time after being put up. If any show signs of fermenting, just set them in a boiler of cold water and let them come to a boil slowly. Boil about ten minutes, remove boiler from the fire and allow the cans to cool in the boiler. When cold screw tight and put away.

CANNED RHUBARB READY TO USE

Strip the skins from the stalks, and cut into small pieces as you would for pies. Allow eight ounces of loaf sugar to every quart of rhubarb. Set the sugar over the fire with as little water as possible, throw in the rhubarb and boil ten minutes. Put in jars and seal.

CANNED RHUBARB

Wash the rhubarb thoroughly in pure water; cut it into pieces and pack it in sterilized jars. Cover with cold water; let it stand ten minutes; pour off the water; fill again to overflowing with fresh cold water; seal with sterilized rubber rings and covers, and set away in a cool, dark place.

CANNED PLUMS

To four quarts of plums take one quart of sugar and one cup of water.

Wash, drain and prick the plums. Make a syrup of the sugar and water; put part of the fruit in the boiling syrup; cook five minutes; fill and seal the jars. Put more fruit in the syrup; remove and continue the process until all the fruit has been cooked.

CANNING IN THE PRESERVING KETTLE

Canning in the preserving kettle is less satisfactory; but is sometimes considered easier, especially for small fruits. Cook the fruit according to the directions and see that all jars, covers and utensils are carefully sterilized. When ready to put the fruit in the jars, put a broad skimmer under one, lift it and drain off the water. Set it in a shallow pan of boiling water or wrap it well in a heavy towel wrung out of boiling water; fill to overflowing with the fruit and slip a silver-plated knife around the inside of the jar to make sure that fruit and juice are solidly packed. Wipe the rim of the jar; dip the rubber ring in boiling water, place it on the jar; cover and remove the jar, placing it upside down on a board, well out of drafts until cool. Then tighten the covers, if screw covers are used; wipe the jars with a wet cloth and stand on shelves in a cool, dark closet.

CANNED PEACHES

To eight quarts of peaches take one quart of sugar and three quarts of 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