Cookery for every household

Peel the pears and cut them in small pieces, removing the core. Put them into a large basin in layers with the sugar, and let them stand overnight. Next day pour off the syrup and put it into a preserving pan with the ginger cut in small pieces. Bring to the boil, boil 10 minutes, and skim carefully. Now add the pieces of pear, and cook all gently until the syrup is thick and the fruit transparent. Skim again if necessary, and pot in the usual way. 2147. Plum Jam Plums. Preserving sugar. Wipe the plums, or wash them if necessary. Then weigh them, and allow from f to 1 lb. sugar, according to the acidity of the fruit. Score the plums across or, if time permits, cut them in halves and take out the stones. Spread the plums and sugar on a large dish in layers, and let them stand overnight. Then turn all into a preserving pan, bring to the boil, and boil steadily, stirring occasionally until the jam will set. All the stones which rise to the surface should be removed, if this has not already been done. If liked, a few of them may be cracked and the kernels blanched and added to the jam to improve the flavour. Pot and cover when ready. 2148. Pumpkin or Pie Melon Jam 9 lbs. melon. 3 oranges. I 10 lbs. sugar. 1 tea-sp. citric acid. | 31 pts. water. Skin the pie melon or pumpkin, remove the seeds and cut it into dice. Wipe the oranges and slice them as for marmalade. Then put the sugar and water into a preserving pan, bring them to the boil, and boil for 10 minutes. Add the prepared melon and oranges along with the citric acid, and boil all together about 2 hours, or until the jam will set. Pour into pots and cover. Notes. — Lemons may be used instead of oranges, or oranges and lemons in equal parts. Some preserved ginger cut in shoes may be added. Vegetable marrow jam can be made in the same way. 2149. Quince Marmalade Quinces. Water. Preserving sugar. Wipe and peel the quinces, then cut them in quarters and remove the cores. Put the cores and peelings into a preserving pan with enough cold water to cover them, let them boil slowly until all the goodness is extracted, then strain through a cloth or hair sieve, and allow the liquid to cool. Now weigh the quartered quinces, and put them into the preserving pan ; pour over them the liquid from the skins, &c., and let them cook until reduced to a pulp, pounding and crushing them with a large wooden spoon occasionally. When smooth and soft, add f lb. of preserving sugar for each pound of fruit, stir carefully until dissolved, and then boil until the marmalade will set. Pot and cover. 2150. Quince Jelly 1 lb. sugar to 1 pt. quince juice. Peel, quarter, and core the quinces. Then weigh the pieces and put them into a preserving pan with 2 tea-cupfuls of water to each pound of fruit. Simmer slowly until the fruit is quite soft, but not too pulpy, or the jelly will not be clear. Strain through a hair sieve or jelly cloth without pressing the pulp. Measure the juice and put it into a preserving pan with the above proportion of sugar. Bring to the boil, and boil quickly from 15 to 20 minutes. Note. — To use the pulp that is left, see under Apple Jelly (p. 467). 2151. Quince Honey 5 large quinces. 5 lbs. sugar. 1 pt. water.