<h2>PRESERVES, JELLIES, &c.</h2>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>To Clarify Sugar.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>To every four pounds of sugar put a quart of water and the whites of
two
eggs; if you put in the egg after it gets hot, it will cook before it
has the desired effect; when it comes to a boil, and the scum rises,
pour in a little cold water; let it boil up; take it off to settle, and
skim it well; let it boil up, and skim it three times, when it will be
fit to preserve with. You should always clarify white Havana sugar.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Apples.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Apples should be preserved in November, and they will keep till
June.
Take firm pippins, pare them and take out the cores, leaving them
whole;
or after you have cored them, cut them across in two pieces, they will
then be in rings; put them in cold water as fast as they are pared, to
keep them from turning dark; make a syrup of a pound of loaf-sugar, and
half a pint of water to each pound of apples; wipe the apples, and put
in as many as will go in, without one laying on another; let them boil
swiftly till they look clear, then take them up carefully on dishes,
and
put in some more; when all are done, if the syrup should seem too thin,
boil it up after the apples are taken out; cut the peel of several
lemons in thin rings, boil them in a little water till they are soft,
and throw them in the syrup after the apples are taken out; put the
syrup in a bowl, and set all away till the next day, when put the
apples
in glass jars or large bowls, spread the lemon peel about them and put
the syrup on the top; paste several thicknesses of paper over, and set
them in a dry cool closet.</p>
<p>If you only want the apples to keep a few weeks, they may be done
with
half a pound of sugar to a pound of apples, and will look and taste
quite as well.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Apples with Brown Sugar.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Pare and halve your apples, either pippins, red-streaks or
wine-saps;
make a syrup of light-brown sugar, allowing half a pound to a pound of
the fruit; after boiling and clarifying the syrup, pour it over the
fruit, and set it by for two days, then cook them, and seasoned with
green ginger root they are excellent; they will not require much
cooking, and should be of a light-brown color.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Crab Apples.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Put the crab apples in a kettle with grape leaves in and around
them,
with some alum; keep them at scalding heat for an hour, take them out,
skin them, and take out the seeds with a small knife, leaving on the
stems; put them in cold water, make a syrup of a pound of sugar to a
pound of apples; wipe the apples and put them in; let them stew gently
till they look clear; take them out, and let the syrup boil longer.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Currants.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Make a syrup of one pint of currant juice to three pounds of sugar;
if
it is brown sugar, put in the white of an egg to clarify it; let it
boil
and skim it; have three pounds of currants picked and stemmed; put them
in the syrup, and let them boil slowly, about twenty minutes; take them
up and let the syrup boil longer.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Pine Apples.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Pare and slice the pine apples, and make a syrup of a pound of sugar
and
half a pint of water to a pound of fruit; clarify and skim it, then put
in the apples and let them cook gently for half an hour; if you do not
want to keep them long, much less sugar will do.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Blackberries.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Allow a pint of currant juice and a pint of water to six pounds of
blackberries; give them their weight in brown sugar; let them boil till
they appear to be done, and the syrup is rich. Blackberry jelly can be
made as currant jelly, and is good for sick children, mixed with water.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Blackberry Flummery.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Stew three pints of blackberries with one pint of sugar--soak a
tea-cup full of ground rice--and when the berries have been stewing
about fifteen minutes, stir in the rice, and stir the whole time
until it becomes thick. This should be eaten cold with cream, and
will keep two days.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Cherries.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>To preserve four pounds of cherries, take one pint of currant juice,
into which put five pounds of sugar; when this boils up, take off any
scum that rises, and put in half of the cherries, with part of each
stem
on; when they look so clear that you can see the stone, they are done;
take these up on a dish and put in the rest, and let them do slowly the
same length of time; take them up and let the syrup boil a few minutes
longer; do not put them in the jars till they are quite cold. Glass
jars
are the best to keep all early fruits in, as you can then see if they
begin to ferment; if they do, you must boil them over; always put them
in a window where they will be exposed to the sun.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Common Cherries.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Stone the light-colored common cherries, and to every pound of
fruit, allow a pound of sugar, which boil up with the juice; after
you have skimmed it, throw in the cherries, and let them boil till
the syrup is rich.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Cherries for Common Use.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Stone twelve pounds of morel cherries; allow half a pound of brown
sugar
to each pound of fruit, after it is stoned, let them cook slowly for
two
hours; examine them through the summer, and if they show any signs of
fermentation, set them in a brick-oven, after the bread is done, or in
a
dutch-oven of hot water, which keep at boiling heat for an hour.</p>
<p>It is a good plan to know the weight of your preserving kettle, as
you
can then weigh the fruit in it, with a pair of steelyards.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Apricots.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Pour boiling water on the apricots and wipe them dry; then cut them
in
half and take out the stone; make a syrup of their weight in sugar, and
a little water; when this has boiled, put in the fruit, and let it cook
slowly till it is clear, and the syrup is rich.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Ginger.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Scrape the outside from the green ginger, and boil it in a little
water,
till it is soft; then take it out, and scrape off any spots that are on
it; make a syrup of half a pint of water to a pound of sugar and a
pound
of ginger; let it boil slowly about half an hour; take it up and boil
the syrup a little longer.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Green Gage Plums.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Take an equal quantity of fruit and sugar, pour boiling water on the
plums, and wipe them dry; stick them over with a pin; make a syrup of
the sugar and some water, and when it boils, put in half of the
plums; let them do slowly till they are clear, then take them out and
put in the rest; if the syrup should be thin, let it boil longer. Do
not put them in the jars till the next day. Egg plums may be done in
the same way.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Green Lemons.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Take the young lemons, cut them in half, scrape them, and take out
the
pulp; cut them in such shapes as you please; put them in a preserving
kettle and cover them with water; put in a little alum to green them,
and let them boil till they are transparent, then take them out and
drain them on a cloth; give the kettle another cleansing, and put them
in with their weight in sugar; let them stew gently, but be careful
that
they do not boil; let them cook till the syrup is rich.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Raspberries.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Boil three pounds of raspberries in a pint of currant juice, for ten
minutes; put in four pounds of sugar, and let them boil half an hour,
or
until it is a jelly. Paste paper over the jar.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Citron Melon.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Pare the melon and cut it in slices half an inch thick, without the
seeds; let it lay in salt and water for an hour, then wash the salt
off,
and boil it in strong ginger tea; make a thin syrup and boil it again,
then make a syrup of a pound of loaf-sugar to a pound of citron, and
boil it in this till it is clear; season it with mace and lemon peel.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Watermelon Rinds.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Cut the rinds in any form you please; put them in strong salt and
water,
with cabbage leaves over and around them, and set them in a warm place
till they become yellow; then wash them, and put them in a kettle with
alum and water, and grape or cabbage leaves over and through them; set
them on the fire, and keep it at scalding heat for two hours--but do
not
let them boil. If they are not of a fine green color, change the water
and leaves; when they are green enough, put them in cold soft water for
three days, changing the water twice a day; then make a syrup of rather
more than a pound of sugar to a pound of melon, some sliced ginger, the
peel of a lemon, and a little mace; let them boil slowly fifteen
minutes, take them up, and boil them again at the end of a week.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Cantelopes, Cucumbers, or Melons.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Take young watermelons, cucumbers or cantelopes; scrape the melons,
and
cut the rinds in shapes--leave the cucumbers whole; put them in a
preserving kettle with alum and water; cover them, and let them boil
till they are transparent; take them out, wash them in cold water, and
wipe each piece separately; have your kettle nicely cleaned, and give
them rather more than their weight in sugar; put a layer of sugar, and
a
layer of melon, some slices of green ginger, and the rind and juice of
a
lemon; let them stew over the fire till the syrup is rich; take them
up,
and stew them over again in about a week.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Cranberries.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>To preserve cranberries, allow them their weight in sugar; make a
syrup
of the proportions of half a pint of water to two pounds of the sugar;
boil and skim it before you put the fruit in; then let them boil until
clear. To make sauce to eat with roast fowls, put three-quarters of a
pound of sugar to a pound of fruit.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Gooseberries.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Take the large gooseberries, pick off the stems and blossoms, give
them their weight in sugar; put them in the kettle alternately, with
the sugar, and pour over them a pint of water to four pounds of fruit;
let them boil gently till the scum arises; when this is taken off, let
them cook faster; when clear, take them up on dishes, and boil the
syrup longer.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Peaches.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Have sweet, white clingstone peaches--pare and stone them; to each
pound, take a pound of sugar made in a syrup, put the peaches in, and
when they look clear, take them up on dishes; let the syrup boil
longer.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>A New Mode of Preserving Peaches.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Pare, halve and weigh the peaches; put them in a preserving kettle
of
boiling water, and to six pounds of peaches, put a tea-spoonful of soda
or pearl-ash; let them boil one minute; then take them out, and throw
them in cold water; scrape off the black scum which adheres to the
peaches; wipe and lay them on a dish; have the kettle cleaned, and put
the peaches in layers, with half their weight in sugar; they will not
require any water; let them cook slowly at first, then boil till
clear--when take them out, and let the syrup boil till it becomes rich.
The flavor of the peach is retained, and they are not so sweet as in
the old way.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Damsons.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Weigh out as much sugar as you have fruit; if it is brown you must
clarify it; put a pint of water to three pounds of sugar, make a syrup,
wash the damsons, put them in and let them cook slowly for half an
hour; then take them out on dishes, and let them dry in the sun for two
days, taking them in the house at night; boil the syrup half an hour
after the fruit is taken out; when done in this way they will be whole
and clear. You can make a jam by boiling them slowly for two hours; or
a jelly as currants.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>To Preserve Strawberries.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Gather the strawberries in the mid-day, pick out the largest and
best,
stem them, and to each pound of strawberries put a pound of loaf-sugar
and a glass of white wine; let them stand four or five hours; take off
the syrup so as not to mash the fruit, and clarify it; then put in the
strawberries, and to each pound put as much fine alum as will lay on
the blade of a penknife; let them boil up several times, and shake
them round in the kettle, but do not stir them with a spoon, as that
will mash them; a few minutes boiling is sufficient; after you take
out the fruit, let the syrup boil up, and when it is nearly cold pour
it over them in the jar; put a piece of white paper over the top, and
pour a spoonful of brandy on it; paste several thicknesses of paper
over the jar.</p>
<p>If you like your preserved strawberries, cherries, or peaches, to
have a fine pale color, allow them to bob half the time recommended
in the receipt, then spread the fruit thin on dishes, with but little
syrup, pour the rest of the syrup also on dishes, and set them daily
in the sun; if the weather be clear and the sun hot, four days will
be sufficient. Preserves done in this manner do not ferment. You
should spread a piece of gauze or netting over them to keep out
insects or dust.</p>
<p></p>
<h4>Another Way.</h4>
<p></p>
<p>To each pound of the fruit take a pound of crushed sugar; put them
in
the preserving kettle, a layer of sugar and a layer of fruit; let them
stand a little while to make syrup before putting them over the fire;
they should boil fast for twenty minutes; watch them all the time,
taking off the scum as it rises; stir them gently without mashing the
berries; put them in jars, put brandy papers over them and paste or
tie them close. Preserves should never be put in jars that have had
pickles in them.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Tomatoes.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Take solid round tomatoes, scald and peel them, give them their
weight
in sugar, put a layer of sugar and of tomatoes alternately; let them
boil slowly till the syrup forms, then boil faster, till clear, and the
syrup is rich; season with lemon peel, ginger or mace; some prefer the
yellow tomato for preserving.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Quinces.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Pick out the finest quinces, pare them, and cut them in halves, or
in
rings; take the best of the parings and the seed, and boil them in
water
till they are very soft, strain the liquor, and have the kettle cleaned
again, wash and weigh the quinces, and give them their weight in sugar,
put the sugar in the water the parings were boiled in--skin it, and put
in the quinces, let them boil very slowly till clear, take them up on
dishes, and boil the syrup longer.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Green Peppers.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Get peppers that have a sweet taste, take out the seeds, leaving on
the
stems, lay them in salt and water for three days, changing the water
each day, then put them in a kettle with leaves around them, and a
small
piece of alum, let them scald, but not boil, for two hours, take them
out, and let them lay in water three days, changing it twice each day,
then boil them in sugar and water fifteen minutes, then make a syrup,
allowing them their weight in sugar, and boil them gently in it half an
hour, take them out and boil the syrup longer.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Pumpkin.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Choose a fine grained, high colored pumpkin, fully ripe, cut it in
thin
slices, about four inches long and two wide, to two pounds of pumpkin,
put two pounds of sugar in a bowl, cut the peel of two lemons in rings,
and squeeze the juice over the pumpkin, let it stand all night, the
next
day put it on to preserve with two tea cups of water, let it cook
gently
till the pumpkin seems clear and crisp, take it up, scald the lemon
peel, and boil it in the syrup, cool it on dishes, and put it in a jar.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Green Fox-Grape Jelly.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Fill a kettle with grapes, and let them boil with a pint of water
till
the skins burst, mash and strain them, put a pound of sugar to a pint
of
juice, and let it boil half and hour. Ripe fox-grapes may be made into
very nice jelly in the same way, and is very good to drink in sickness,
mixed with water.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Pears.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Pare and core the fruit, but leave the stems on; put them in a syrup
of a pound of sugar, and a half a pint of water to a pound of pears,
with some green ginger or lemon peel; boil the syrup half an hour
after they are done.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Ripe Fox-Grape Jam.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>To two quarts of grapes, allow three pounds of brown sugar, and a
pint
of water; have the grapes picked over and washed; put them all together
and let them boil more than an hour; take them up on shallow dishes,
and
pick out as many seeds as you can with a spoon. This makes a good
common
preserve when other fruits are scarce; they are also very good for
pies.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Currant Jelly.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Pick the leaves from the currants and fill your kettle with them;
put a
tea-cup of water to keep them from sticking; cover them with a plate
and
let them boil slowly half an hour; take them out, and strain them
through a flannel bag; to every pint of juice put a pound of
loaf-sugar;
let it boil till it is a thick jelly, which will be in about fifteen
minutes, and put it in tumblers or jars.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Lemon Butter or French Honey.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Take half a pound of butter, melt it in an earthen dish and squeeze
in
the juice of six lemons; beat twelve eggs with two pounds of brown
sugar, stir it in with the rind of two lemons grated, mix it all
together, and let it boil twenty minutes, when it will be about the
consistency of honey; the flavor is agreeable, and it may be eaten on
bread, or as a sauce for boiled pudding.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Currant Syrup.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Prepare the currants as for jelly; to every pint of juice put a pint
of
water and a pound of sugar; let it boil half an hour and skim it well;
if the flavor of the raspberry is preferred, it may be added in the
proportion of one pint of it to four of currant juice. It is a very
pleasant drink mixed with water in warm weather.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Quince Jelly.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Wash and wipe the quinces; cut them in small pieces, and take out
the
seeds carefully; have your kettle cleaned and half full of water; throw
the quinces and seeds in till you get it full; cover them over and let
them boil till very soft; mash them well and strain them; to every pint
of juice put a pound of sugar; clean the kettle again, pour in the
juice
and sugar, and let it boil till it forms a jelly; it should be put into
tea-cups, if you want to turn it out whole, with brandy papers on top,
and pasted over. It is a nice jelly to use with whips or trifle.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Apple Jelly.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Pare and quarter a preserving kettle full of pippin apples; cover
them
with water, and lay a plate close over them; let them boil until
perfectly soft, taking the plate off to skim them; spread a coarse thin
cloth over a large bowl; pour the apples on the cloth, and let the
juice
run through, without squeezing; hold the towel by the corners, and move
it gently; take three-quarters of a pound of loaf-sugar to a pint of
the
juice, and boil it fast, skimming it, until it becomes jelly, which
will
be in from ten to fifteen minutes, pour it in tumblers or glass jars,
and when quite cold, paste them over. This will keep a year. Red streak
apples make a fine red jelly, boiled with the skins on them. If you
have
currant or grape jelly that has candied, they can be restored by making
some apple syrup, and mixing it hot; it will not require any more
sugar--about one-third apple juice; let it boil a few minutes. Very
sweet preserves that have candied can be improved by this process.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Apple Marmalade.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Apples make a very good marmalade when other fruits are scarce, and
can
be done at any time through the fall, or winter, pare the apples, cut
them up, and put them to boil, with some water and green ginger
scraped,
and tied up in a bag, after they have boiled an hour, take out the
ginger, and put in half a pound of sugar to one of fruit, let it cook
an
hour longer.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Peach Marmalade.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Take soft yellow peaches, pare them, and cut them in quarters, give
them
their weight in sugar, put the peaches in the preserving kettle with a
pint of water, without the sugar, and let them boil till they are well
cooked, covered over with a plate, when done, mash them in the kettle
till very fine, and stir in the sugar, let them cook slowly an hour, or
they may be finished in a stone jar in the oven, or set in a stove
boiler, and the water kept boiling all the time, they are not then so
likely to burn as when finished over the fire, they will do with less
sugar, if they are dried in the sun two days previous to preserving.</p>
<p></p>
<h4>Another Way.</h4>
<p></p>
<p>Pare and quarter the peaches, and to eight pounds of peaches, allow
five
pounds of sugar, put them on, sugar and peaches at once, mixing them
through, let them stew slowly until a syrup forms, when they may cook
pretty fast for several hours, without once stirring, then take them
up,
and mash them well, if the marmalade is not thick enough, spread it on
dishes, and dry in your oven after the bread is taken out. Quinces and
apples may be done in the same way.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Quince Marmalade.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Pare the quinces and cut them up fine, put the parings and cores to
boil, then strain them, put in the quinces, and let them boil till
soft-when mash them fine, and put in three-quarters of a pound of sugar
to a pound of fruit, let them cook gently for two hours, and take them
up in pint bowls; when cold, put brandy papers on the top of each, and
paste them over, they will turn out whole to put on table.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Marmalade of Mixed Fruits.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Pare equal quantities of peaches, apples, pears and quinces, cut
them
fine, and put them to boil with a pint of water to six pounds of fruit,
let them cook thoroughly, but do not let them burn, take them out, and
mash them well, clean the kettle, and put them back, with half their
weight in sugar, let them cook very slowly for two hours.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Lemon Marmalade.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Soak the peel of lemons that have been left after making lemonade,
changing the water twice a day for three days, to extract the bitter,
boil them till soft, then mash and put in enough sugar to make it
pleasant to the taste; stew it a short time after the sugar is put in;
put it in a bowl, and when cold, cut it in slices for the table; it
will
keep several weeks.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>To Conserve Pears.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Have the nicest pears you can get, pare them, and leave on the
stems;
take half a pound of loaf-sugar to a pound of pears; put them in the
kettle together, with water enough to moisten the sugar; if the pears
are very juicy, they will not need any; cover them over with a plate,
and let them boil very gently for two hours; take them out on dishes,
and boil the syrup to jelly, and put it away by itself; set the pears
in
the sun, or in a moderately heated oven; when quite dry, sprinkle them
with loaf-sugar, and put them away in glass jars.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Peaches in Cider.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Scald and wipe the peaches; cut them from the stone, and dry them in
the
sun two days; boil a gallon of sweet cider half away; put in the
peaches, and let them stew slowly till done; they will keep without any
sugar, but you can put some in, if you wish them sweeter.</p>
<p>Pears can be kept in the same way.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Peaches, &c. in Brandy.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Take fresh yellow peaches, or large clingstones, pour boiling water
on
them, and wipe off the down; make a syrup of half a pound of sugar to
a pound of fruit, and boil and skim it; put in the peaches, and let
them cook for fifteen minutes; take them up without any syrup, and
cool them on dishes; boil the syrup down to half, and put an equal
quantity of peach or French brandy, pour this over the peaches after
they are in jars.</p>
<p>Plums or cherries may be done in the same way.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Grapes in Brandy.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Put some close bunches of grapes, not too ripe, in a jar, and prick
each
one with a needle, strew over them half their weight in pounded rock
candy, and fill up the jar with brandy.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>To Conserve Peaches.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Take the yellow peaches, pare them, and cut them from the stone in
one
piece, to six pounds of peaches have two pounds of sugar, make a syrup
of three-quarters of a pound of sugar, and a little water, put them in,
and let them stay till they are quite clear, then take them up
carefully
on a dish, and set them in the sun to dry, pound the sugar fine, and
strew over them, turning them over to let each part have some, do not
put much on at a time, and if any syrup is made, remove them to fresh
dishes, when they are sufficiently dry, lay them lightly in a jar, with
a little sugar between each layer.</p>
<p>If the peaches are sweet clings, three pounds of sugar to twelve of
peaches will be enough, if you dry them a day in the sun before they
are stewed.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Sauce of Cherries, or Damsons.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Allow half a pound of brown sugar to every pound of fruit, and to
each
seven pounds a pint of molasses, and one of strong vinegar, let them
cook slowly, so as not to break the skins, take them up in a jar, put
in
a few cloves, let the syrup boil longer, and pour it over.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Frosted Fruit.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Take large ripe cherries, apricots, plums or grapes; if cherries,
cut
off half of the stem; have in one dish some white of an egg beaten, and
in another some powdered loaf-sugar; take the fruit, one at a time, and
roll them first in the egg, and then in the sugar; lay them on a sheet
of white paper in a sieve, and set it on the top of a stove or near a
fire till the icing is hard.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Grapes for Pies.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>After the first frost, pick the wild grapes, and put them in a jar,
free
from stems; fill it with boiling molasses, and tie it up close; set it
on a hot hearth, or on the top of a stove, in a pan of water, for
several days. These are very useful to make common pies in the winter.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Green Tomatoes for Pies.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Pick the green tomatoes before they are much frosted; scald them and
take off the skins; put them in your kettle and let them boil for half
an hour; cut them up, and put in a pound of sugar to three pounds of
tomatoes, and let them cook for half an hour longer; season them with
the juice and peel of a lemon, and put them away in jars. They make
very
good pies in the winter, and resemble gooseberries.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Conserve of Roses.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Gather the leaves of the damask rose, while they are fresh; spread a
pound of loaf-sugar on your cake-board, and roll in about half a pound
of rose leaves, or as many as will work into it, have your kettle
cleaned, and stew them in it very gently for about half an hour; put it
in tumblers to use when you have a cough. It is very good for children
that are threatened with the croup; you should have some by the side of
the bed to use at night.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>To keep Damsons for Pies.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>To every twelve pounds of damsons take seven pounds of brown sugar;
put
them together in a stone jar, a layer of fruit and a layer of sugar;
tie
it up close, and set it in a heated oven; let it stay till it is cold,
and continue to set it in, after every baking, for several weeks; or
you
can cook them on the top of a stove, in a pan of hot water.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Dried Cherries, &c.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Dried cherries should be kept in a jar, with sugar sprinkled among
them;
they are very useful in sickness; a tea-cupful of cherries, with a
quart
of boiling water poured on them, and left to draw for half an hour,
with
sweetening, makes a very agreeable drink when you cannot get lemonade.</p>
<p>When stewed for pies you should allow them plenty of water, and not
put
in the sugar till they are nearly done.</p>
<p>Boiling water poured on dried apples also makes a good drink in
sickness.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Apple Butter.</h3>
<p></p>
<p><i>With Remarks on the Use of Earthen Vessels</i></p>
<p>Have your kettle well cleaned, and fill it early in the morning with
cider made of sound apples, and just from the press; let it boil half
away, which may be done by three o'clock in the afternoon; have pared
and cut enough good apples to fill the kettle; put them in a clean
tub, and pour the boiling cider over; then scour the kettle and put in
the apples and cider, let them boil briskly till the apples sink to
the bottom; slacken the fire and let them stew, like preserves, till
ten o'clock at night. Some dried quinces stewed in cider and put in
are an improvement. Season with orange peel, cinnamon or cloves, just
before it is done; if you like it sweeter, you can put in some sugar
an hour before it is done. If any thing occur that you cannot finish
it in a day, pour it in a tub, and finish it the next day; when it is
done put it in stone jars. Any thing acid should not be put in earthen
vessels, as the glazing is poisonous. This way of making apple butter
requires but little stirring; you must keep a constant watch that it
does not burn.</p>
<p>Pears and peaches may be done in the same way, and if they are
sweet,
will not require sugar.</p>
<p></p>
<h4>Another Way.</h4>
<p></p>
<p>It is important to have a large copper or bell-metal kettle, into
which put the cider as soon as it comes from the press; put it over a
brisk fire, and boil it half away; then put the cider from the kettle
into clean stone jars, (warm the jars to prevent the danger of
breaking them;) have your apples pared and cut over night, as many as
would fill your kettle twice; have the kettle well cleaned, and in the
morning put in half the cider, and fill the kettle nearly full of
apples, and put it over a brisk fire; when they begin to boil up, stir
them down, which may be done two or three times, before you put in
your stick to stir constantly; then put in the rest of the apples and
cider, as fast as the kettle will take them, and boil it four hours
after the last apples are put in, stirring it all the time; you should
have for the purpose a stick made of hickory wood, somewhat like a
common hoe, with holes in it.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Candied Preserves, &c.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>If your preserves candy, set the jars in hot water for half an hour;
if
they are in glass jars put them in something else, as glass cracks
easily, when exposed to heat. Preserves made with white Havana sugar
are
not so liable to candy as others. Common preserves are improved, and
are
more certain to keep well, by being placed on flat dishes and set in a
brick-oven after the bread is taken out: they may remain two or more
hours without injury. When preserves are about to boil over, you should
have a common fan at hand and fan them, which will sometimes answer
instead of taking them from the fire.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Cider Marmalade.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Boil two gallons of sweet cider down to one gallon; have ready two
gallons of apples, pared and cut; pour the cider out of the kettle,
and clean it; then put in the apples, and pour the cider in, and two
or three pounds of sugar; if it will not hold all conveniently, add at
intervals; let them stew four hours; do not stir till they are nearly
done--stirring makes fruit stick to the kettle and burn; if you stir
once you must keep on. This is a pleasant sauce for dinner, or eaten
with bread and butter at tea, and will keep in a cool place through
the winter.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Tomato Figs.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Take six pounds of sugar, to one peck (or sixteen pounds) of ripe
tomatoes--the pear-shaped look best; put them over the fire (<i>without
peeling</i>) in your preserving kettle, their own juice being
sufficient
without the addition of water; boil them until the sugar penetrates and
they are clarified. They are then taken out, spread on dishes,
flattened
and dried in the sun, or in a brick-oven after the bread is taken out.
A
small quantity of the syrup should be occasionally sprinkled over them
whilst drying; after which, pack them down in jars, sprinkling each
layer with powdered sugar. The syrup is afterwards concentrated and
bottled for use. They retain surprisingly their flavor, which is
agreeable and somewhat similar to the best figs. Ordinary brown sugar
may be used, a large portion of which is retained in syrup.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Molasses Candy or Taffy.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Put a quart of good molasses (not sugar house) in a dutch-oven or
iron
pot, having previously greased it with butter; let it boil very fast,
stirring it all the time for fifteen minutes; then put in a tea-cup of
sugar and let it boil fifteen minutes longer, stirring all the time;
take a little out on a plate, and when it is brittle, pour it while hot
into tin plates rubbed with butter; put it in a cold place and break it
up when you want it for use; never put taffy in china or earthen
plates,
as they would probably be broken in taking it out. Some think it an
improvement to add the kernels of black walnuts, nicely picked--put
them
in just as you take up the taffy and give it one stir; a tea-cup of
kernels to a pint of molasses is a good proportion.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<h3>Walnut Cheese.</h3>
<p></p>
<p>Take a pint of nice kernels and pound them in a mortar with two
tea-cups
of brown sugar, and a table-spoonful of water; put it in cups or small
bowls and it will turn out like other cheese. It is a favorite
refreshment with some country children.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<hr>
<p></p>
<p></p>
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