PRESERVE OF MIXED FRUITS.
Five pounds of ripe currants or cherries, five pounds of granulated sugar, two pounds of seeded raisins, the pulp of six oranges cut in small pieces, and the rind of two oranges cut fine. Boil three-quarters of an hour. Grapes can be used instead of currants or cherries.
RED CURRANT JAM.
Pick the currants from the stems, weigh them, and allow three-quarters of a pound of white sugar to a pound of the fruit. Put the currants in a preserving kettle, mash them a little to prevent them from sticking to the kettle, and boil for fifteen minutes, then add the sugar and boil rapidly for ten minutes. Bottle and seal tight.
RED CURRANT JELLY.
Berries for jelly must be picked when the weather is dry. Pick them over, taking out all leaves, etc., put them in the kettle and mash them a little to get enough juice to keep them from burning; stir constantly, and as soon as hot wring them dry through a cheese cloth. Measure the liquid and to every pint of juice allow one pound of sugar. Put the juice on the fire and boil fifteen minutes, then add the sugar and boil fifteen minutes more, skimming thoroughly. Pour into glasses while hot; let them stand until the next day and cover. Very often jelly is soft, and always from one of two reasons: either the berries have been picked immediately after a rain or the sugar is adulterated.
RED CURRANT SYRUP.
The currants must be fresh and perfectly ripe and picked in dry weather. Wash and put them in either a porcelain-lined or a granite-ware kettle, stir until they are tender, as for currant jelly, then remove from the fire and wring them as dry as possible in a cheese cloth. Measure the juice and return it to the fire, let it cook fifteen minutes, then add a pound of granulated sugar to each quart of juice, boil gently fifteen minutes, skimming as long as the scum rises. Bottle and cork well and keep in a dark place. Raspberry and strawberry syrup are made in the same way, only mashing and straining the fruit and measuring the juice before cooking.
BLACK CURRANT SYRUP.
Pick from the stems and mash them, a few at a time, in a bowl or granite saucepan with a potato masher, then put them in a stone jar and let them stand for two days, stirring well each day. Wring them through a cheese cloth, and if wanted sweet cook with sugar as red currant syrup. The juice can be bottled without sugar or cooking, and will keep for years. It is used for sauces or fruit soups, etc.
CRANBERRY JAM.
Put five quarts of cranberries in a preserving kettle with two quarts of water and boil gently until the fruit is tender, then add three pounds and three-quarters of granulated sugar, boil until the fruit is clear, skimming carefully. Put in glasses and when cold seal. It keeps well.
GOOSEBERRY JELLY.
Use the large English gooseberries and follow directions for currant jelly.
GOOSEBERRY JAM.
Three-quarters of a pound of sugar to every pound of fruit. Put the fruit on by itself in a porcelain-lined or granite-ware saucepan, mash and stir well to keep from burning, and boil one hour. Then add the sugar and boil one hour more.
GRAPE JAM.
Press with the fingers the pulp from grapes—Muscat or Concord grapes make the best jam—seed and measure them, allowing a cup of sugar to each cup of fruit. Put the skins on and cook until tender, when almost done add the pulp, and when all is tender add the sugar and boil until thick.
PINEAPPLE JAM.
Pare the fruit and carefully take out the eyes, then grate it on a coarse grater, rejecting the cores, weigh it, and to each pound of fruit take a pound of sugar. Sprinkle it over the grated pines, let it stand over night. In the morning, boil for ten or fifteen minutes over a quick fire. Put in tumblers and when cold cover.
RASPBERRY OR STRAWBERRY JAM.
Allow three-quarters of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. Put the fruit in a preserving kettle over the fire and boil fifteen minutes, mashing a little to prevent sticking to the kettle. Then add the sugar and boil ten minutes, skimming carefully; turn into glasses and seal when cold.
ORANGE MARMALADE.
Select smooth, thin-skinned, juicy oranges. Take twenty-one, and five lemons. Cut the rind very thin from a third of the fruit, and boil it in two quarts of water until it can be pierced easily with a broom straw. Drain from the water and cut in fine strips with scissors, add this to the pulp of the oranges and lemons after removing all the white bitter skin and pips from the fruit. Weigh and allow a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, put in a porcelain-lined or granite-ware kettle and cook until clear. Put in glasses and when cold cover with brandied paper and seal.
PUMPKIN CHIPS.
Slice very thin and chip about four pounds of pumpkin, put in an earthenware bowl, and cover it over night with four and a half pounds of granulated sugar and the juice of one dozen lemons. Boil the lemon peel until tender and cut in small thin chips and add to the juice, etc. In the morning, boil together until perfectly clear and crisp.
