SPICES AND VINEGAR ARE PRESERVATIVES OF FOODS. Not all spices, however, have equal preservative power. It has been found that cinnamon and cloves aid in food preservation, but that pepper and ginger have very little, if any, preservative power. In the lesson on Flavoring Materials: Food Adjuncts, it was mentioned that spices and condiments should be used sparingly in the diet, hence spiced fruits and pickles should have only occasional use. There is no doubt that lemon juice or other tart fruit juices are better sources of acid-satisfying materials than vinegar.

SPICED PEARS

1/2 peck pears 3 pounds sugar 1 pint vinegar 1/2 ounce ginger root Rind of 1/2 lemon Whole allspice Stick cinnamon Whole cloves

Cut the pears in halves, remove the seeds, and pare. Into each piece of pear stick two or three cloves. Make a sirup of the vinegar and sugar. Divide the cinnamon, allspice, and ginger into two parts, tie in cheese- cloth bags, and add to the sirup. When the sirup begins to simmer, add the pears and lemon rind; bring to the boiling point, remove from the fire, and turn into a stone jar. Cover and stand in a cool place overnight. Next day bring the mixture to the boiling point, again place in the stone jar and stand overnight. The following day heat as before. Do this for five consecutive days. The last day, remove the fruit from the sirup, heat the sirup and evaporate it until there is just enough to cover the fruit. Add the fruit to the hot sirup, heat to the boiling point, then put in stone or glass jars or tumblers.

The pears may be finished in one day as follows: Cook the fruit until tender, then remove it, evaporate the sirup, add the fruit, reheat again, and finish as above. Fruit prepared by the first method has a finer flavor.

TOMATO CATSUP

12 ripe tomatoes 2 large onions 2 green peppers 2 tablespoonfuls salt 4 tablespoonfuls brown sugar 2 tablespoonfuls ginger 1 tablespoonful cinnamon 1 tablespoonful mustard 1 nutmeg grated 1 pint vinegar

Peel the tomatoes and onions. Chop the onions and peppers fine. Cook all the ingredients together for 3 hours, or until soft and broken. Stir frequently. Bottle and seal while hot. The mixture may be strained before bottling.

CELERY SAUCE

20 large ripe tomatoes 6 large onions 4 large stalks celery 3/4 cupful sugar 1 large red pepper 4 tablespoonfuls salt 2 cupfuls vinegar

Chop the vegetables, add the salt and vinegar, and cook for 2 hours. Then add the sugar. Allow it to reach the boiling point again. Turn into sterilized bottles or jars, and seal.

OIL PICKLES

2 dozen small cucumbers 2 dozen small onions 1/2 cupful olive oil 1/4 cupful sugar 1 pint vinegar 1/3 cupful salt 1/4 cupful mustard seed 1 pint vinegar 1 teaspoonful celery seed

Scrub the cucumbers. Cut them (without paring) into thin slices. Wash and cut the onions into thin slices. Mix the salt with these vegetables (to extract moisture), and let the mixture stand over night. Then drain the moisture from the vegetables so that the vinegar may not be diluted.

Mix the remaining ingredients. Pour the mixture over the onions and cucumbers. Mix well, cover, and set aside for a few hours. Then pour into sterilized jars. Fill the jar with liquid. (If necessary, more vinegar may be used.) To drive out the air, place the jars (with covers loosely adjusted) in a water bath at simmering temperature (180 degrees F.) and heat at this temperature for 15 minutes. Remove from the water bath and seal.

TO SEAL BOTTLES.—Melt together, over hot water, equal parts of shoemaker's wax and resin. When liquefied, dip the tops of corked bottles into it. Corks in bottles may be dipped also in hot paraffin. Dip several times.

QUESTIONS

What is the objection to excessive use of spiced foods?

Name some substitutes for pickles. Why is an excessive or continuous use of pickles objectionable in diet?