Cassell's dictionary of cookery

necessary. If, however, they are dusty or not quite fresh, they may be cleansed and freshened Ijy taking them in handfuls and passing them quickly through a basin of cold water. They should not be allowed to remain in it one instant. If the strawberries have been gathered in rainy weather, it is very desirable that this ( leansing process should be performed. Strawberries are very delicious served with thick cream (Devonshire cream is the best) and finelypowdered sugar. These accompaniments should be sent to table separately, as if the sugar is put upon them, even for a short time, it will draw out their juice and change their colour. STRAWBERRIES. [illustration: 1. Keen's Seedling. 2. British Queen. 3. Big Hong. (Two-thirds the natural size.)] Strawberries, Bottled. — Gather the strawberries in dry weather when they are ripe, but not over-ripe. Pick them without bruising them, and put them into perfectly dry wide-mouthed bottles. Shake them down, and fill the bottles with clear syrup made by boiling three-quarters of a pound of refined sugar with half a pint of water. Cork the bottles tightly, and tie them down with string. Wrap straw round them to keep them from being broken, and put them into a large stewpan with cold water up to their necks. Let the water be made to boil, then draw the pan to the side, and let it simmer gently for ten minutes. Take the pan off the fire, and leave the bottles untouched till they are cold. Refit the corks, tie them down again, if necessary wax them over, and store for use. Time to simmer, ten minutes. Strawberries, Bottled, for Flavouring Purposes. — Gather the fruit in dry weather, pick it from the bolls, discard any bruised or unsound berries, and weigh it with an equal weight of finely-powdered sugar. Fill perfectly diy wide-mouthed bottles with alternate layers of fruit and sugar, and shake them gently to mix them. Cork the bottles closely, and cover the corks with bladder which has been cleaned, dried, and moistened with spirit on the side which is to be next the cork. Store in a cool dry place. The strawberries should be perfectly fresh when they are thus preserved. Strawberries, Compote of.— Take a pint of freshly-gathered ripe strawberries. Pick them, and put them into a bowl. Pour over them a little clear syrup which has been made by boiling a quarter of a pint of water with five ounces of sugar for ten minutes. Cover the bowl containing them with a plate, and let them stand for an hour or more. Drain off the syrup ; boil it for a few minutes, skim it, and strain it over the strawberries piled in the centre of a compote-dish. The flavour of this dish will be greatly improved if a wine-glassful of redcurrant juice is added to the syrup. When it is at hand, a glass of maraschino may also be added with advantage. For a superlative dish, the syrup, after being flavoured with maraschino or kirschenwasser, may bo set in ice till it is almost frozen, and in this condition poured over the fruit. Time to soak the strawberries, one hour. Probable cost, strawberries, 4d. to 8d. per pound.