Boston Cooking-School cook book

Pick over currants but do not remove stems; wash and drain. Mash a few in the bottom of a preserving kettle, using a wooden potato masher; so continue until berries are all used. Cook slowly until currants look white. Strain through a coarse strainer, then allow juice to drip through a jelly bag. Measure, bring to boiling * General Directions, p. 744. point, and boil 5 minutes; add 2g as much sugar as juice, stir until sugar is dissolved, boil rapidly to jelly stage (p. 743). Skim, fill glasses, cool, seal, label, and store.* Blackberry Jelly. Use blackberries in place of currants. Barberry Jelly. Pick fruit before frost comes, while some of the berries are still green, to obtain a firm jelly of good flavor. Damson Jelly. Wipe and pick over. Prick several times with a large pin. CURRANT AND RASPBERRY JELLY Use equal quantities of raspberries and currants. Use about 2% quarts or 344 pounds of mixed fruit. Wash fruit, leaving on stems of currants. Crush thoroughly, heat slowly while stirring, and bring fruit just to boiling point. Extract juice (p. 742) and _ follow directions for jelly, using 24 as much sugar as juice (p. 743). GRAPE JELLY Pick over, wash, and remove stems before putting in preserving kettle. Heat to boiling point, mash, and boil 30 minutes; then proceed as for Currant Jelly. Wild grapes make the best jelly. Green Grape Jelly. Pick when just beginning to turn. VENISON JELLY OR WILD GRAPE JELLY 1 peck wild grapes 4 cup whole cloves 1 quart vinegar Y% cup stick cinnamon 6 pounds sugar Put first 4 ingredients into preserving kettle, heat slowly to boiling point, and cook until grapes are soft. Strain through double thickness of cheesecloth or a jelly bag, and boil liquid 20 minutes; then add sugar, heated, and boil 5 minutes or until jelly tests (p. 743). Fill glasses, cool, seal, label and store.* * General Directions, p. 744. JAMS, MARMALADES AND CONSERVES Jams and marmalades are made from fruit and sugar cooked together until the sirup is jelly-like. A conserve is usually a mixture of fruits and nuts. Many fruits not suited to jelly making may be used for jams and marmalades, since a firm texture is not required. Hot Scones with Raspberry Jam and Mock Devonshire Cream FRUIT JAM Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Loganberries, Cherries, Plums, Peaches, etc. Pick over fruit. Measure. Combine fruit with 24 as much sugar by measure. Stir the mixture over the heat until sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Boil rapidly to preserve the bright color and natural flavor of the fruit. Boil the mixture until it has a thick consistency and the fruit has become clear. Str to avoid burning. When the jelly stage (p. 743) is reached, remove the kettle from the fire and cool slightly to stiffen the mixture. ‘The fruit will then be evenly distributed when poured into the glasses. Jams and marmalades do not shrink appreciably when cold. Fill glasses to within )4 inch of top. Rhubarb may be used with fruit in equal amount by weight without noticeable change in texture or flavor. 4 Cool, fill glasses, seal, label, and store.* APPLE AND RASPBERRY JAM 6 cups chopped sour apples, pared and cored 9 cups sugar 3 cups raspberries 2 cups water Boil the sugar and water until it spins a thread. Add apples. Boil 2 minutes. Add raspberries and boil 10 minutes. Cool, fill glasses, seal, label, and store.* APPLE GINGER I Sour apples V4 ounce ginger root 11% pounds light brown sugar Few grains salt Juice and rind 14% lemons Water Wipe, quarter, core, pare, and chop apples to make 214 pounds. Add sugar, juice and rind, ginger root, salt, and enough water to prevent apples from burning. Cover and cook slowly 4 hours, adding water as necessary. Apple Ginger may be kept for several weeks. APPLE GINGER II