FoodNetArchive

The bride's cook book

1915

Page 93

Presented as published in 1915. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
The fruit will keep equally well which- ever liquid is used. The addition or the amount of sugar is a matter of taste. It can be added later when the fruit is used. The usual sugar syrup for apri- cots, peaches, plums and berries is made by dissolving 3^ pounds of sugar in a gallon of water. For apples, pears, quinces, prunes, and cherries 2^ pounds of sugar to the gallon is sufficient. If 122 BRIDE'S COOK BOOK neutral 65* grape syrup is used, from 5^ to 3y2 pounds should be used per gallon of water. 5. Place the full cans or jars with loose covers on the false bottom in the wash boiler, adding water to about two- thirds their height. With cans boiling water is best; with jars it should be simply warm. A second tier may be placed on a wooden rack resting on top of the first tier. 6. Place the cover on the boiler and heat to boiling. The boiling should con- tinue for twenty minutes for apricots, free-stone peaches, plums, berries, apples and cherries. For pears, cling-stone peaches, and unripe fruits, thirty minutes are necessary to cook the fruit. 7. The tops of the jars should be screwed down tight while still boiling hot and placed upside down or lying down on a table to cool. Wax-top cans should be removed quickly and sealed while boiling hot. HOT-PACK METHOD By this method, the fruit after prepara- tion is cooked in an open pot with the water or syrup. When cooked suth- ciently it is simply ladled while still boil- ing hot, into the cans or jars, which are then sealed immediately. Jars must be heated by placing in boiling water before being filled. In this way a larger quantity of solid fruit can be packed into a jar or can. The liquid remaining in the cooking pot may be used to cook a second lot of fruit. PRESERVATION OF FRUIT JUICES PRELIMINARY TREATMENT OF FRUIT Cut and crush apples, peel oranges and lemons, stem grapes, use berries as re- ceived. Heat slowly to 140°. Red grapes should stand about 12 hours after heat- ing to extract color. Use a thermometer. Do not heat citrus fruits. EXTRACTION OF JUICE The juice of berries and soft fruits can be squeezed through a cloth bag. Apples, pears and most grapes require a small press. Citrus juices are best extracted by means of a lemon cone. CLEARING THE JUICE Strain several times through a cloth bag. Standing for 12 hours before straining will settle some of the sedi- ment. A slight cloudiness does not in- jure the flavor. FILLING BOTTLES AND TYING CORKS Scald bottles and fill with the cleared juice to within V/i inches of the mouth. Close with corks which have been boiled in water for ten minutes and tie down corks with string. Ordinary preserving jars may also be used. Seal the jars after filling. STERILIZING Place the bottles on their sides or corks down in a boiler with enough water to cover them. A screen at the bottom of the boiler will prevent break- ing. Heat the water to 180° F. and keep at this temperature for 15 minutes. Higher or longer heating injures the flavor. PARAFFINING THE CORKS Remove the bottles, stand on end, dry the corks with a towel and when nearly cold dip the ends of the necks of the bottles into melted paraffin. Store up- right in a cool place. . SEALING WITH CROWN CAPS