Girl's home manual of cookery, home management, home nursing and laundry

(6.) Measure juice and to each pint of juice allow from 34, to 1 lb. of granulated sugar, that is, 114 to 2 cups sugar, according to the sweetness of juice. (7.) Heat sugar on a flat dish in oven with the door open, stirring sugar occasionally. (8.) Reheat strained juice to boiling point and boil juice gently from five to twenty minutes, according to the thickness and sweetness of it. Thin, sour juice, like that of some apples, requires fifteen to twenty minutes. (9.) Add heated sugar to boiling juice, stir well until sugar is dissolved, ' boil gently one to three minutes and skim carefully... The time varies with fruit and season. Directly the juice jells slightly as it drips from stirring-spoon it is ready to remove from fire. Pour into clear glass jelly jars. Finish as for preserves, or cover with melted paraffin wax, make air-tight with screw covers. Stand jelly in a sunny window for a few hours, as this brightens it. ‘Note. A scented geranium leaf at the bottom of a jar of apple jelly gives it a good flavour. If apples are lacking flavour, a few whole cloves may be added whilst apples are cooking, or a few strips of yellow lemon rind. Currants and raspberries mixed make a good jelly. In a recent bulletin issued by the Cornell Reading Course the results ot interesting experiments in jelly making are given; and the following test for pectin in fruit juice: “Test. Take equal quantities) say two tablespoons, of fruit juice and grain alcohol, mix well and cool. A gelatinous mass will appear in the liquid if pectin is present.” ‘From this we may deduce the following rule: If fruit juice does not jell well, as for example, rhubarb, boil it (before adding the sugar) with the white pith from lemons or oranges, as this contains large quantities of pectin. PICKLING Pickling is preserving with salt and an acid, generally vinegar. Spices arfd peppercorns are added, and also sugar to some pickles. The vegetables are covered with a weak brine for twenty-four hours. This should be well drained “off before the acid is added, otherwise the pickle will be too salt. All pickles should be kept a few weeks before being eaten. ‘Spiced Pickle Plums and Pears. 7 Vb ert 2 oz. whole cloves. . > 4 lb. brown sugar. 1 quart vinegar. 2 oz. stick cinnamon. Wash fruit and remove stalks. If pears are-used, peel and quarter if large. Small pears are suitable. Put spices, tied in cheesecloth, with vinegar and sugar to boil for ten minutes. Cook fruit in the syrup in small quantities until tender. Place cooked fruit in jars, boil up syrup and fill jars. Make air-tight. Crabapples may be done in the same way. They are usually washed but not peeled. Green Tomato Pickle (Chow Chow). 8 quarts green tomatoes. 1 tbsp. allspice. 6 onions. 4 tbsp. cloves. 6 green peppers. YZ tbsp. pepper. 1 Ib. brown sugar. 4 cup mustard. 1 tbsp. cinnamon. 3° quarts vinegar. Y% pint grated horseradish. 1 cup salt. Chop tomatoes, onions and peppers finely. Spread on a dish and sprinkle with one cup salt. Let stand over night. Next day drain off brine, add spices and vinegar, heat to boiling point and stew gently one hour. Fill jars with the hot pickle and make air-tight. Red Cabbage Pickle. Wash cabbage thoroughly. Slice very finely with a sharp knife, spread on a dish, sprinkle with salt, leave for twenty-four hours. Next day drain off brine. Boil vinegar with spices twenty minutes and cool. Fill jars with uncooked cabbage, pour over the cold boiled vinegar and spices. Make air-tight. This is a cheap and excellent pickle. The cabbage should be crisp and a fine colour when pickled. Proportions. ¢ ‘ 2 quarts vinegar. 2 blades mace. . | Oz. peppercorns. 2 oz. bruised ginger root. Boil together ten minutes. Use cold. Pickled Beetroot.