The "Queen" cookery books: Pickles and Preserves

bottles. For this wrap them in hay or old cloths, set them in a pan full of cold water, and bring this slowly to the boil; when it has well boiled up, lift the pan from the fire, or turn off the gas, and leave the bottles untouched in the water till thoroughly cold, when they can be taken out, dried, and put aside till wanted, bearing in mind that they must be well scalded out before pouring in the boiling fruit (or they would burst) ; a knife with a metal handle, or a silver fork, should be placed in the jar whilst filling it, to carry off some of the heat. Whilst filling, the glass jar should always be set on a damp, warm cloth, care being taken to fill up the hollow at the bottom of the jar with a wet towel. When you have filled the jars, lift them away carefully into a warm corner of the kitchen where they are safe from any draught or current of air, till the next day, when they will be cold, and you will find you can give an extra turn to the screw lid. The second method (and one much used in the large canning factories), is to pare, core, and if necessary halve, the fruit, and then pack it as closely as possible into the glass jars, filling these up when so packed, with a syrup made by boiling half a pound of cane loaf sugar in a quart of water for fifteen minutes ; now set these bottles covered with the patent tops, but without the rubber ring, in a kettle full of tepid water, separating the bottles with old cloths or hay, to prevent their knocking together when the water in the kettle boils, cover the pan closely, bring the water gently to the boil, and keep it boiling till the fruit is done; now lift out the bottles, standing them on a warm, wet towel, and after removing the lid of each singly, fill up directly with more boiling syrup, kept ready on the hob, and screw down tightly at once. Treat after this as in the previous recipe, being careful to test it to see if it is air-tight. Either fruit or vegetables can be done in this way, using boiled water instead of syrup, only of course it will take a considerably longer time. In syrup, berries and other small fruit will take ten to twelve minutes boiling to cook properly, whilst pears and such like will take two or three hours, according to their nature, and peaches or apricots will require from twenty to forty minutes ; but if water only is used, a longer time (quite double, in fact) must be allowed. If properly cooked, fruit will keep quite as well without, as with sugar, and for many purposes it is more suitable unsweetened. Be careful to remember that for all kinds of preserves and pickles, the fruit or vegetables must be gathered on a dry day, after the dew is off ; they must be perfect in condition, rather under than over ripe, and as even in size and shape as may be had. The liquid, whether syrup or water, in which they are preserved, must cover them thoroughly when bottled, and the bottles must be brimful. Fruit inferior in size and shape (but not in quality) can be used up for jam. It is difficult to give exact times for canning either fruit or vegetables, as seasons vary so much in this country ; either fruit or vegetables should, as a rule, be preserved when come to maturity, without being actually dead ripe ; if at all over ripe,