Part 16

This can be made from almost any kind of ripe fruit. Blackberries, strawberries or raspberries are especially suited for this form of preserve. You must weigh your fruit (say blackberries), and allow three quarters of a pound of good sugar to each pound of fruit. Crush the fruit and sugar, with a biscuit beater, until they are well mashed; add a gill of water to each pound of fruit; boil gently (not rapidly like jelly) until it becomes a jelly-like mass, and when done, put it into glasses, or small earthenware pots and when cold, cover up like jelly. This is an excellent medicine in summer for dysentery; but if intended for invalids, you must spice it, and add a gill of brandy--fourth proof--to each pound of jam.

TOMATO JAM

Take nice ripe tomatoes, skin them, take out all their seeds, but save the juice to put with the sugar. Weigh the fruit, and to each pound, add three-fourths of a pound of sugar; boil some lemons soft, take one for each pound of tomatoes, mash them fine, take out the pips, and put the lemons to the sugar and tomatoes; boil slowly and mash the jam smooth with a silver spoon. When smooth and jelly-like, it is done. Put it away in glasses carefully.

ORANGE MARMALADE. DELICIOUS

Quarter the oranges and take out the seeds and white strings. To every pound of pulp, add a cup of cold water, and let it stand thus for twenty-four hours. Boil some of the peel in several waters until quite tender; then to each pound of pulp, add one-quarter of a pound of boiled peel, and one and a quarter pounds of white sugar. Boil this slowly until it jellies, and the bits of peel are quite transparent.

ORANGE MARMALADE MADE WITH HONEY

Quarter a dozen large ripe oranges; remove the rind, seeds and filaments, but save all the juice. Put the juice and pulp into a porcelain kettle, with an equal quantity of strained honey, adding one-third as much sugar as honey. Boil until very thick, sweet and clear. When cold, put it in small jars.

MARMALADE

This jam can be made of any ripe fruit, boiled to a pulp with a little water; the best are peaches, quinces, apples, oranges and cranberries. It is usual to crush the fruit. Put in three quarters of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, add a _little_ water (half a cup to a pound), and boil until it is a jellied mass. When done, put it in glass or white earthenware.

TO CANDY FRUIT

After peaches, quinces, plums, or citron, have been preserved, take them from the syrup, and drain them on a sieve. To a pound of loaf sugar, put a small cup of water, and when it is dissolved, set it over a moderate fire, and let it boil; when it boils, put in the fruit to be candied, and stir continually until the sugar granulates over the fruit; then take it up, and dry it in a warm oven. If not sufficiently candied, repeat the operation.

CANDIED PUMPKIN

Peel a piece of pumpkin, and cut it in thin slices. Make a nice, thick syrup of brown sugar and water, and put the pumpkin into it, with a little of the juice of the lemon. Boil this until the pumpkin is nicely candied. Mace, or other spices, may be used for flavoring instead of lemon, if preferred. It may be eaten hot with meats at dinner, and is equally nice, when cold, for supper or lunch.

ORGEAT SYRUP WITHOUT ORANGE FLOWERS

Make a syrup of a pound of sugar to every pint of water; boil this a few minutes, skim it clear, and when cold, to every four pounds of sugar used, allow a gill of orange water, or rose water, and two tablespoonfuls of pure essence of bitter almonds. Serve it in iced water.

ORANGE SYRUP

This syrup is so easily made, and oranges are so abundant here, that it is advantageous to make this syrup in the season of orange harvest, in Louisiana. To make it, you must select ripe and thin-skinned fruit; squeeze the juice, and to every pint, add a pound and a quarter of white sugar; boil it slowly, and skim as long as any scum rises; you may then take it off, let it grow cold, and bottle it. Be sure to secure the corks well. This is nice for a summer drink for delicate persons; it is also very convenient for pudding sauces, as half a cup of this syrup, mixed with melted butter, is admirable, where wine is not used. The flavor is so fine, it requires very little spicing to make it agreeable.

BRANDIED FRUITS, WINES AND CORDIALS

PEACHES IN BRANDY

Soak fine peaches in lye until you can remove the fuzzy outside; wipe them, and turn them into cold water. When you have prepared as many as you desire, weigh them, and to every pound of fruit, put three quarters of a pound of white sugar. Make a syrup like that for preserves, only using less water; boil the peaches in the syrup until they are tender; then take them out of the kettle, and place them in jars; fill up the jars with a brandy syrup, made of a pint of brandy, to a pint of the sugar syrup from the peaches. Cook them very carefully, and dip the mouths of the jars in rosin melted, and keep them in a cool dark place.

APRICOTS IN BRANDY

Peaches and apricots are brandied the same way. Gather them as fresh as possible. Apricots should be taken from the tree as soon as ripe, as they soften so rapidly. Rub each one with a coarse towel, but do not peel it. Make a syrup of half the weight of the fruit in sugar, and just water enough to dissolve it. When the syrup is prepared and hot, put in the apricots, let them simmer until tender; then take the fruit out, and place it on dishes, then expose them to the sun, or in a warm oven to dry and harden. Boil the syrup again, after the fruit is out, until it is quite rich and thick. Skim it carefully. When the apricots are cold and firm, put them in white earthen preserve-jars and fill up with syrup and brandy, half and half. Tie up with bladder skin.

PEACHES AND APRICOTS IN BRANDY

Take nice smooth peaches not too ripe, put them in a vessel and cover them with weak lye; take them out in two hours, and wipe carefully to get off the down and outside skin, and lay them in cold water. Weigh the fruit, add their weight in sugar, and half a pint of water to each pound of sugar; boil and skim this syrup, put in the peaches; when the syrup is clear of scum, let them boil for twenty minutes or half an hour, then take them out and lay them on dishes to cool. Boil the syrup for an hour longer, or until reduced one-half and quite thick. When cold, put the peaches or apricots in jars, and cover them with equal quantities of the syrup and French brandy. If it is apricots, cook them very gently, or they will come to pieces in the syrup; ten minutes is long enough to stew them before bottling.

APRICOT AND PEACH WINE

Mash the apricots or peaches in a mortar, remove the stones, and to eight pounds of the pulp, add one quart of water; let this stand twenty-four hours; then strain, and to each gallon of the juice, add two pounds of loaf sugar. Let it ferment, and when perfectly clear, bottle it. Peach wine is very nice, and may have a few of the kernels added for flavoring, if wished.

RAISIN WINE WITH ELDER FLOWERS

Boil six pounds of raisins in six gallons of water. When soft, rub them to a pulp, and pass through a colander to get rid of the stones; add this pulp to the water it was boiled in, put to it twelve pounds of white sugar and a half-pint of yeast. When clear, suspend half a pound of elder flowers in it to flavor the wine; withdraw the flowers and bottle off the wine.

ORANGE AND LEMON WINE

Take the outer rind of one hundred oranges pared, so that no white appears; pour upon them ten gallons of boiling water, let it stand ten hours and keep slightly warm. While still warm, add the juice of the oranges, mixed with twenty-five pounds of lump sugar, and a few tablespoonfuls of good yeast; let it ferment five days, or until the fermentation has ceased, and the wine is clear; then bottle. Lemon wine can be made in the same way.

SOUR ORANGE WINE

Take one gallon juice of sour oranges, four gallons of water, and twenty pounds of sugar. Boil this mixture in a vessel large enough to hold it, and skim it as it boils until no more scum rises. Pour it into a flannel bag and strain; then put it in a cask, adding to it a quart of uncooked orange juice. Let it ferment, and when clear, bottle it. This will require about six months to finish. Keep in a cool closet or cellar during fermentation.

MIXED FRUIT WINE

Cherries, black currants and raspberries, mixed together, make a good wine. Dilute the juice and add the usual amount of sugar, and let it ferment; then bottle.

A SUPERIOR BLACKBERRY WINE

Bruise your berries, measure them, and to every gallon, add a quart of boiling water. Let this stand twenty-four hours, stirring it three or four times during this time. The third day strain off the juice, and to every gallon of this strained liquor, put two pounds of refined sugar. Cork it tight, and let it stand until cool weather; when you will have a wine that you will never voluntarily be without.

BLACKBERRY WINE

Mash the berries without boiling them; strain the juice, and to six pints of juice, add two pints of water and three pounds of sugar. Mix thoroughly and put it in a wide-mouthed stone jar to ferment. Cover it carefully with a cloth, to keep out all insects; open it and skim it every morning; then cover it up again carefully, for much of the bouquet of the wine depends on this. When it ceases to ferment, strain it and put it in a demijohn; do not cork it tightly, as it must have a little air, but cover the loose stopper with a piece of muslin or tarlatan, to keep out the insects. It will be ready to bottle in two months.

BLACKBERRY CORDIAL

Simmer nice ripe blackberries in water enough to cover them, and when they are tender take them out, mash them and strain them through a strong cloth; get all the juice out you can by squeezing, but do not let the pulp and seed come through the bag. Now add a little of the water they were boiled in, however not more than two tablespoonfuls to each pint of strained juice. To every pint of this liquor, add one pound of loaf sugar, one teaspoonful of mace, same of cloves and cinnamon. Boil all these together a few minutes, and strain it again to free it from the spice. When this syrup is cool, add to each pint a wineglass of good French brandy. If you cannot get brandy, substitute rum or whiskey, remembering to use twice as much as you would brandy. This is excellent for children during the prevalence of summer complaints, and an excellent tonic for all debilitated persons.

BLACKBERRY CORDIAL

Select fine, ripe fruit. Squeeze the berries without boiling, and to a quart of the strained juice, put a pound of loaf sugar; boil it for half an hour, and add a quart of brandy, some cloves and cinnamon, when on the fire. If the fruit thickens too rapidly while boiling, throw in a cup of hot water.

RASPBERRY CORDIAL

Squeeze the fruit through a flannel bag, and to every quart of juice to a pound of loaf sugar; put it in a stone jar and stir it constantly for half an hour; allow it to stand for three days, then strain it again and add to each quart of juice a quart of fine brandy.

TOMATO WINE

Let the tomatoes be very ripe; mash them well, let them stand twenty-four hours, strain, and to every quart of the tomato juice, add a pound of white sugar. This will ferment and should be allowed to do so, only keep it carefully covered from the flies. Skim off the foam as it rises, and when the liquor becomes clear, bottle it. This wine will be a pleasant acid, and should be served with sugar and water, in the tumbler with the wine.

ANOTHER TOMATO WINE

Bruise your berries, or small tomatoes; measure the juice, and add two pounds of sugar to each gallon; put it in a cask, adding two gallons of water to each four gallons of juice. Let it ferment like blackberry wine.

A FINE TEMPERANCE BEVERAGE

To the juice of a dozen lemons put one pound and a half of double refined sugar, and a picked quart of raspberries or strawberries; pare a ripe pineapple and slice it, put over it half a pound of sugar, stir the lemon juice with the sugar, crush in the berries slightly bruise the pineapple and chop it up in small pieces. Put the lemon juice in a large punch bowl, add to it three quarts of ice water, then put in the strawberry and pineapple juice, stir it until all the sugar is dissolved, and then set it on ice. Serve in punch glasses.

CHAMPAGNE PUNCH

Add to the above mixture a bottle of champagne, and a bottle of white wine, and you have a very delicious punch for festive occasions.

DELICATE PREPARATIONS FOR THE SICK AND CONVALESCENT

BARLEY WATER

Take four large tablespoonfuls of picked and washed pearl barley, and put it into a porcelain-lined kettle with two quarts of boiling water; let it boil slowly until the water is reduced one half, then strain it and season with salt, lemon, or sugar as may be agreeable to the sick.

TOAST WATER

Cut two or three slices from a loaf of wheat bread, toast them very brown; while hot, put them in a small pitcher, and pour over them a pint and a half of water. Sugar may be added if liked, but when the stomach is affected it is better without it.

TO MAKE WATER GRUEL OF CORN MEAL OR OAT MEAL

Put a quart of water on to boil in a stew-pan. Take a tablespoonful of sweet corn meal, or oatmeal, make it into a batter with milk and salt, stir it in the boiling water and let it boil gently for half an hour. When served it may be sweetened and nutmeg grated over it. If wanted for a strengthening nourishment, a bit of butter and a glass of wine or brandy may be added. This is generally given after a dose of castor oil, or an emetic. Use very little salt.

BEEF TEA FOR INVALIDS

Cut tender lean beef into small pieces, free it from fat and strings, fill a junk bottle with it, cork it tight and put it in a kettle of boiling water; let it boil three hours. In that way you obtain the juices of the meat undiluted. This is especially nourishing and good when the stomach can bear but little liquid.

MILK PUNCH AS A RESTORATIVE

Take a large tumbler (it should hold a pint), half fill it with chopped ice, add to it a large tablespoonful of white sugar, beat it a little with the ice, then pour on it a wineglass of gin, rum or brandy, and fill up with fresh milk. It is generally very acceptable to an invalid who refuses other stimulants.

APPLE TEA, OR WATER, FOR INVALIDS

Cut some ripe apples into thin pieces, add the peel of a fresh lemon; pour boiling water over them and let it stand till cold, then sweeten with loaf sugar. This is a grateful and cooling drink.

BAKED APPLES

Bake them in a tin roaster, as iron discolors them; pour molasses over them and bake until soft. This is good for opening the bowels of patients who are a little constipated.

ARROW-ROOT BLANC MANGE FOR THE SICK

Put a pint of new milk to boil; make a smooth batter with an ounce of Bermuda arrow-root and cold milk; add a little salt, and when the milk is boiling stir in the batter; let the fire be gentle or it will scorch; sweeten this with fine white sugar, and let it boil a few minutes; flavor with lemon, or orange water, or if lemon is objected to, boil a vanilla bean in the milk before the arrow-root is put in. Take it off the fire, pour it in a mould and set it on ice; serve jelly or jam with the blanc mange, or eat it with cream if it agrees with the invalid.

ARROW-ROOT BLANC MANGE

Mix in a little cold water, two tablespoonfuls of arrow-root; sweeten a pint of milk with white sugar and put the arrow-root in the milk. Let it boil a few minutes, stirring it constantly; take it off, and if desired, you can let it cool and mould it in a bowl or jelly form; or it is nice to be eaten warm. Colored jelly over it is an improvement when moulded.

ARROW-ROOT GRUEL

Mix a tablespoonful of arrow-root, or for an infant, half as much; when mixed with cold water, stir in it half a pint of boiling water. Season with salt, sugar or nutmeg.

MILK PORRIDGE

Make a quart of milk boiling hot; make a tablespoonful of flour into a batter with cold milk, add a little salt and stir it in the boiling milk, stirring it constantly for five minutes while it boils; flavor with anything agreeable. Sweetened with loaf sugar, and nutmeg grated plentifully over it, it will make a most excellent remedy for looseness or dysentery.

TAPIOCA MILK

Wash and soak a large tablespoonful of tapioca, put it to a quart of sweet milk, add a little salt, cover it, and set it over a gentle fire for an hour. Take it up, add sugar and nutmeg, or cinnamon to taste.

TAPIOCA PUDDING

Put a coffee-cup of tapioca (soak it well first) into a pint and a half of milk, set it where it will get hot slowly, take it off when it boils, and when cool add four well-beaten eggs; flavor with lemon and peach, sweeten it to taste, and bake for an hour in a hot oven. If this is wanted for one person, take half the quantity of tapioca and milk.

WHITE WINE SYLLABUB

Season a pint of milk with sugar and wine, but not enough wine to curdle the milk. Fill your glasses nearly full, and crown them with sweetened whipped cream. Season the cream with extract of lemon.

SYLLABUB

Take the juice of a large lemon, and the yellow rind pared thin; one glass of brandy, two glasses of white wine, and a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar. Put these ingredients into a pan, and let them remain one night; the next day add a pint of thick cream, and the whites of two eggs beaten together; beat them all together to a fine froth, and serve in jelly glasses.

WINE SANGAREE OF PORT OR MADEIRA

Take half a glass of water, sweeten it with a tablespoonful of white powdered sugar, and stir well until dissolved; add a gill of Madeira or Port, some nutmeg grated and pounded ice. Serve with lady-cake or pound-cake, cut small.

STEWED PRUNES FOR SICKNESS

Wash the prunes, put them in a stew pan, cover them with water, and to each pound of prunes put a cupful of clear brown sugar. Cover the stew-pan and let them boil slowly, until the syrup is thick and rich.

WINE JELLY FOR THE SICK

Take one pint of Madeira wine, one pint of water, and one ounce of isinglass dissolved in a teacupful of water. Let the wine and water be boiling hot, then stir into it the dissolved isinglass, and sugar to taste; make it quite sweet; let it come to a boil, try it by taking a little in a saucer, and if not a good jelly when cold, boil it until it is so; if lemon is allowed, use the juice of two to flavor this jelly.

JAUNE MANGE

Break up and boil an ounce of isinglass in rather more than half a pint of water until it is melted; strain it; then add the juice of two large oranges, a gill of white wine, and the yolks of four eggs beaten and strained; sweeten to taste, and stir it over a gentle fire till it boils up; dip a mould into cold water and pour the preparation into it.

CARRIGEEN MOSS FOR INVALIDS

Wash and pick a tablespoonful of Irish moss and put it into a tin cup; pour on it half a pint of boiling water, and set it on the coals for a short time; when it is all dissolved add sugar and nutmeg to taste. This may be made with milk, to resemble custard, and is very nourishing. Delicate infants may be fed on it when they will take no other nourishment.

TARTARIC ACID AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEMONS

If lemons cannot be obtained to make either a lemonade or jellies for the sick, tartaric acid is a good substitute, and if used in conjunction with the extract of lemon, is a very agreeable one.

LEMON JELLY WITHOUT LEMONS

Take a box of Cox’s gelatine, pour over it one quart of boiling water, and stir until it is dissolved. Add a teaspoonful of tartaric acid, and four cups of sugar; let it dissolve and bring it to a boil; while boiling, stir in the beaten whites of three eggs; let this boil up once again and take it off the fire; when nearly cool, add to it a tablespoonful of good extract of lemon. Strain the mixture into moulds or cups, and set it in a cool place, or on ice, to become firm. It must be cool, or it will not jelly.

ORANGE SHERBET

Squeeze the juice from a dozen oranges; pour boiling water on the peel, and cover it closely. Boil water and sugar (a pint to a pound) to a syrup; skim it clear; when all are cold, mix the syrup, juice and peel with as much water as may be necessary to make a rich orangeade; strain it, and set the vessel containing it on ice. Or it may be made the same as lemonade, using one lemon with half a dozen oranges.

STRAWBERRY SHERBET

Take fifteen ounces of picked strawberries, crush them in a mortar, then add to them a quart of water; pour this into a basin, with a sliced lemon, and a teaspoonful of orange-flower water; let it remain for two or three hours. Put eighteen ounces of sugar into another basin, cover it with a cloth, through which pour the strawberry juice; after as much has run through as will, gather up the cloth, and squeeze out as much juice as possible from it; when the sugar is all dissolved, strain it again. Set the vessel containing it on ice, until ready to serve.

ALMOND CUSTARD