Needless almost to say that the rules given for
canning vegetables apply equally to fruit, which can
be bottled either with sugar syrup or plain water, as
the operator chooses, only bearing in mind that in
the latter case they require far more boiling than in
the former, or rather it should be said cooking, for
as they must always be treated on the bain-marie
plan, the contents of the bottles themselves never
actually get beyond simmering point. We may
briefly recapitulate the two methods of bottling, then
proceed to individual recipes. The fruit must be in
perfect condition, gathered on a warm, dry day,
haived, stoned, and peeled, as may be required (this
is for such fruit as pears, apricots, &c.), and then
are either cooked in syrup and poured, as explained
before, boiling hot into the bottles, and at once
securely fastened up by screwing on the cap to its
uttermost, if the patent bottles are used; or by
stretching a bladder damped in a little spirit over
the mouth of the bottle, then forcing in the cork as
tightly as possible, and lastly covering it all over
closely with more damp bladder, or by dipping the
top or neck of the bottle into bottling wax. (This
24
PICKLES AND PRESERVES.
wax can be bought all ready, if necessary, but if it
must be home made, mix together one pound each of
beeswax and resin with half a pound of tallow,
melting it all together, colouring it with either red
or yellow ochre, as you please, and stirring it till
thoroughly amalgamated). The other method con-
sists in laying the fruit raw, but prepared by peeling,
coring, &c., as above, mto the bottles, filling these up
with either syrup or water, and finishing, as described
above, in the bain-marie. The first method is recom-
mended, especially if plain water is used, as preserving
the taste of the fruit more perfectly. The fruit pre-
served in syrup make delicious dessert dishes, for
winter use, but for this purpose they require some-
what different treatment. Select rich, ripe, stone
fruit of any kind ; if large they must be carefully
stoned by slipping the stone out with a corer or a
small knife, preserving the shape as much as possible ;
if small the stones can be left in, but then the fruit
must be pricked through and through with a darning
needle. As you stone or prick them, drop them into
a pan of cold water, and when all are done set this
pan on the fire and bring the water just to
the boil, lifting it off the fire at once just as it is on
boiling point ; lift out the fruit with a skimmer as
they rise to the surface of the water, and again drop
them into cold water, rinse, and drain on a sieve.
Have ready a plain syrup made with two parts of
sugar to one of water, brought to the boil, allowed
to boil for a minute, then well skimmed, returned to
the fire and gently boiled until on dipping the finger
and thumb into cold water and then into the syrup, a
CANNING AND BOTTLING.
25
Page 12
Presented as published in 1902. 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
Needless almost to say that the rules given for canning vegetables apply equally to fruit, which can be bottled either with sugar syrup or plain water, as the operator chooses, only bearing in mind that in the latter case they require far more boiling than in the former, or rather it should be said cooking, for as they must always be treated on the bain-marie plan, the contents of the bottles themselves never actually get beyond simmering point. We may briefly recapitulate the two methods of bottling, then proceed to individual recipes. The fruit must be in perfect condition, gathered on a warm, dry day, halved, stoned, and peeled, as may be required (this is for such fruit as pears, apricots, &c.), and then are either cooked in syrup and poured, as explained before, boiling hot into the bottles, and at once securely fastened up by screwing on the cap to its uttermost, if the patent bottles are used; or by stretching a bladder damped in a little spirit over the mouth of the bottle, then forcing in the cork as tightly as possible, and lastly covering it all over closely with more damp bladder, or by dipping the top or neck of the bottle into bottling wax. (This
wax can be bought all ready, if necessary, but if it must be home made, mix together one pound each of beeswax and resin with half a pound of tallow, melting it all together, colouring it with either red or yellow ochre, as you please, and stirring it till thoroughly amalgamated). The other method consists in laying the fruit raw, but prepared by peeling, coring, &c., as above, into the bottles, filling these up with either syrup or water, and finishing, as described above, in the bain-marie. The first method is recommended, especially if plain water is used, as preserving the taste of the fruit more perfectly. The fruit preserved in syrup make delicious dessert dishes, for winter use, but for this purpose they require somewhat different treatment. Select rich, ripe, stone fruit of any kind ; if large they must be carefully stoned by slipping the stone out with a corer or a small knife, preserving the shape as much as possible ; if small the stones can be left in, but then the fruit must be pricked through and through with a darning needle. As you stone or prick them, drop them into a pan of cold water, and when all are done set this pan on the fire and bring the water just to the boil, lifting it off the fire at once just as it is on boiling point ; lift out the fruit with a skimmer as they rise to the surface of the water, and again drop them into cold water, rinse, and drain on a sieve.
Have ready a plain syrup made with two parts of sugar to one of water, brought to the boil, allowed to boil for a minute, then well skimmed, returned to the fire and gently boiled until on dipping the finger and thumb into cold water and then into the syrup, a