Moulds are spores floating in the air. They like moist, starchy or protein
foods and fruits. When a mould spore falls on such, it sends forth a thread
which branches and gradually travels all over the food, changing its colour as
it grows older, from whitish gray to blues, reds, or yellows. Moulds generally
only affect the top of jams, jellies and liquid foods and may be removed without
injury to the food, but if left long enough they will work their way through solid
food, such as bread or cheese.
CANNED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Fruits and vegetables are canned or preserved by sterilizing the food, the
Jars into which it is put, and sealing it so that all air is excluded, since food will
only remain good if kept free from the bacteria, yeasts and moulds found in the
air.
Canned fruit is cooked until tender in a weak sugar solution, it is then made
air-tight in sterilized jars. By this method the flavour of the fruit is better
preserved than when much sugar is used.
98 GIRLS’ HOME MANUAL
To Sterilize Jars.
Test. Before sterilizing, test jars to make sure they are perfect. Fill with
water, adjust rubber and cover and fasten tightly. Shake well and reject those
jars on which any moisture occurs. ‘
To sterilize, fill jars with cold water, place on a false bottom in a fish kettle
of cold water. Bars of wood or a piece of perforated zinc may be used as a false
bottom. Bring jars to boiling point and boil 15 minutes. Just before using empty
and fill whilst hot. Place covers in water also. Suspend rubber bands in boiling
water 5 minutes, Use new rubbers each year,
General Rules for Canning.
(1.) Fruit for preserving must be perfectly fresh, sound and dry, ripe but
not over-ripe. Remove all bruised parts. In over-ripe fruit the jellying sub-
stance called pectin has changed and lost its power of gelatinizing.
(2.) Kill all bacteria by sterilizing fruit, jars and utensils used.
(3.) Cook fruit in earthen or graniteware utensils, and use wooden or
silver spoons arid knives, because fruits contain acids which may form a poisonous
compound if exposed to air and brought into contact with tin or iron.
(4.) Prepare fruit as below.
(5.) When filling jars, stand jar ona cloth wrung out of hot water and wrap
a second damp cloth round jar, or the jars may stand in a pan containing two
inches of boiling water. Avoid all draughts, otherwise jars may crack.
(6.) Fill jars to the brim with syrup. If the supply is short, add boiling
water. Introduce a sterilized silver or wooden spoon between fruit and sides of
jar to free from air bubbles. Place sterilized rubber and cover on, make air-
tight. Cool on a board out of a draught. When cool retighten covers, as glass
shrinks as it cools.
(7.) Label jars with name, date and year.
(8.) Store all preserves in a cool, dry place.
To Prepare Fruit and Vegetables for Canning.
Aples. Wash, pare and core. Cook at once or cover with cold water. Wash
and remove stem and blossom, but do not peel for jelly, cut in quarters.
Pears. Wash, pare, half and core. Cover with cold water to preserve colour
until ready to cook.
Plums. Wipe with damp cloth and prick skins all over with a new wooden
toothpick, or the skins may be removed.
Peaches. Plunge into boiling water a few seconds (use a wire basket) then.
into cold. The skins may then be easily removed. Cover with cold water as
for pears.
Pineapple. Remove skin, eyes, and core, and cut in finger lengths or shreds.
Rhubarb. Wash, wipe, remove tough skin, cut in neat pieces. Fill steril-
ized jars with prepared fruit, place jar under faucet of cold running water twenty
minutes. Remove air bubbles with spoon. Make jar air-tight.
Currants. Strain and wash.
Cherries. Remove stalks, wash and, if possible, stone.
Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries. Remove stalks and wash
quickly and drain at once. .
Tomatoes. Remove skins as for peaches.
Page 61
Presented as published in 1913. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Moulds are spores floating in the air. They like moist, starchy or protein foods and fruits. When a mould spore falls on such, it sends forth a thread which branches and gradually travels all over the food, changing its colour as it grows older, from whitish gray to blues, reds, or yellows. Moulds generally only affect the top of jams, jellies and liquid foods and may be removed without injury to the food, but if left long enough they will work their way through solid food, such as bread or cheese.
Fruits and vegetables are canned or preserved by sterilizing the food, the Jars into which it is put, and sealing it so that all air is excluded, since food will only remain good if kept free from the bacteria, yeasts and moulds found in the air.
Canned fruit is cooked until tender in a weak sugar solution, it is then made air-tight in sterilized jars. By this method the flavour of the fruit is better preserved than when much sugar is used.
To Sterilize Jars.
Test. Before sterilizing, test jars to make sure they are perfect. Fill with water, adjust rubber and cover and fasten tightly. Shake well and reject those jars on which any moisture occurs. ‘
To sterilize, fill jars with cold water, place on a false bottom in a fish kettle of cold water. Bars of wood or a piece of perforated zinc may be used as a false bottom. Bring jars to boiling point and boil 15 minutes. Just before using empty and fill whilst hot. Place covers in water also. Suspend rubber bands in boiling water 5 minutes, Use new rubbers each year,
General Rules for Canning.
(1.) Fruit for preserving must be perfectly fresh, sound and dry, ripe but not over-ripe. Remove all bruised parts. In over-ripe fruit the jellying substance called pectin has changed and lost its power of gelatinizing.
(2.) Kill all bacteria by sterilizing fruit, jars and utensils used.
(3.) Cook fruit in earthen or graniteware utensils, and use wooden or silver spoons arid knives, because fruits contain acids which may form a poisonous compound if exposed to air and brought into contact with tin or iron.
(4.) Prepare fruit as below.
(5.) When filling jars, stand jar ona cloth wrung out of hot water and wrap a second damp cloth round jar, or the jars may stand in a pan containing two inches of boiling water. Avoid all draughts, otherwise jars may crack.
(6.) Fill jars to the brim with syrup. If the supply is short, add boiling water. Introduce a sterilized silver or wooden spoon between fruit and sides of jar to free from air bubbles. Place sterilized rubber and cover on, make airtight. Cool on a board out of a draught. When cool retighten covers, as glass shrinks as it cools.
(7.) Label jars with name, date and year.
(8.) Store all preserves in a cool, dry place.
To Prepare Fruit and Vegetables for Canning.
Aples. Wash, pare and core. Cook at once or cover with cold water. Wash and remove stem and blossom, but do not peel for jelly, cut in quarters.
Pears. Wash, pare, half and core. Cover with cold water to preserve colour until ready to cook.
Plums. Wipe with damp cloth and prick skins all over with a new wooden toothpick, or the skins may be removed.
Peaches. Plunge into boiling water a few seconds (use a wire basket) then. into cold. The skins may then be easily removed. Cover with cold water as for pears.
Pineapple. Remove skin, eyes, and core, and cut in finger lengths or shreds.
Rhubarb. Wash, wipe, remove tough skin, cut in neat pieces. Fill sterilized jars with prepared fruit, place jar under faucet of cold running water twenty minutes. Remove air bubbles with spoon. Make jar air-tight.
Currants. Strain and wash.
Cherries. Remove stalks, wash and, if possible, stone.
Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries. Remove stalks and wash quickly and drain at once. .
Tomatoes. Remove skins as for peaches.