generations yet, I hope you will tell them how to do it according to the best methods. Many per- sons care little for cooked apples, I' think, for the simple reason that they are generally cooked so wretchedly. Sometimes we get them half-baked, and at others w^e have them in a wishy-washy, watery sauce, so overdosed with sugar and nut- meg, or other heavy spices, that they nauseate delicate stomachs." " Thank you, Emeline. You give me a hint for my book : Never sj^ice fruits lest you destroy their flavor, I always detested nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon, in apple-pies. I now see the reason. Rich spices and delicate-flavored fruits form an unsuitable and inartistic combination. Heavy spices belong legitimately to heavy sweetness, such as cake, custard, and pumpkin-pie. But the line, delicate flavor of fruits should be preserved as perfectly as possible ; and for this reason they should never be cooked in tin, or stirred with a metal spoon less pure than silver. A wooden spoon or spatula is the best for the purpose. "These are the directions I shall give : If it is desirable to add to the flavor of the fruit you are cooking, add the flavor of another fruit. For instance, flavor apples with either pineapple, strawberry, raspberry, quhice, lemon, or orange, etc. Even the perfume of flowers, like, rose- water, may add to the dellciousness of a dish of IN THE ORCHARD. 143 fruit. But to bury roses in cake, seems as inap- propriate and unnatural as to clcaclen fruit with spices. In cooking fruits of all sorts, whether for present or future use, aim to preserve the flavor of the fruit as far as possible ; and to this end, avoid all contact with tin or base metal, and all needless exposure to the air. Cook as soon as possible after the fruit is in proper condition. Cook in small quantities. Simmer gently, instead of boil- ing rapidly. The flavor of some fruits is pre- served better bv cannins: them without su^^ar. Peaches and blackberries' are finer flavored when canned without sugar. At the time of opening and serving, sugar can be added, if desired. Currants and raspberries, when made into jams and jellies, should be simmered until nearly cooked before the sugar is added. ' " There is a general impression that sugar is required for canning fruit. This is a mistake. The conveniences for canning are so perfect now- adays that it is not necessary to add sugar to fruit for the purpose of preserving, but only to render it palatable. All fruits wdll keep perfectly w^ell without sugar, v/hcn properly canned. They should be put up boiling hot, in air-tight glass cans; and, unless placed in a dark closet, should l)e wrapped in thick brow^n or dark paper, to exclude the light, which changes the color of some fruits, and injures the flavor of others. 144 COOKING AND CASTLE-BUILDING. Strawberries, and perhaps some other very acid fruits, are best when sugar is added at the time of cooking. Emeline, have you ever seen in any cook-book a recipe for making mushes or jellies of fruit b}^ the addition of arrowroot, corn-starch, or wheat flour ? " "No, I never heard of such a thing until you served us those delicious strawberry, raspberr}^ and blackberry mushes, as you called them. And you have never yet given us the method of pre- paring them. Will you repeat it for my benefit?"

AI-modernized reading of the original text

generations yet, I hope you will tell them how to do it according to the best methods. Many persons care little for cooked apples, I' think, for the simple reason that they are generally cooked so wretchedly. Sometimes we get them half-baked, and at others we have them in a wishy-washy, watery sauce, so overdosed with sugar and nutmeg, or other heavy spices, that they nauseate delicate stomachs." " Thank you, Emeline. You give me a hint for my book : Never spice fruits lest you destroy their flavor, I always detested nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon, in apple-pies. I now see the reason. Rich spices and delicate-flavored fruits form an unsuitable and inartistic combination. Heavy spices belong legitimately to heavy sweetness, such as cake, custard, and pumpkin-pie. But the line, delicate flavor of fruits should be preserved as perfectly as possible ; and for this reason they should never be cooked in tin, or stirred with a metal spoon less pure than silver. A wooden spoon or spatula is the best for the purpose. "These are the directions I shall give : If it is desirable to add to the flavor of the fruit you are cooking, add the flavor of another fruit. For instance, flavor apples with either pineapple, strawberry, raspberry, quince, lemon, or orange, etc. Even the perfume of flowers, like, rosewater, may add to the deliciousness of a dish of fruit. But to bury roses in cake, seems as inappropriate and unnatural as to deaden fruit with spices. In cooking fruits of all sorts, whether for present or future use, aim to preserve the flavor of the fruit as far as possible ; and to this end, avoid all contact with tin or base metal, and all needless exposure to the air. Cook as soon as possible after the fruit is in proper condition. Cook in small quantities. Simmer gently, instead of boiling rapidly. The flavor of some fruits is preserved better by canning them without sugar. Peaches and blackberries' are finer flavored when canned without sugar. At the time of opening and serving, sugar can be added, if desired. Currants and raspberries, when made into jams and jellies, should be simmered until nearly cooked before the sugar is added. ' " There is a general impression that sugar is required for canning fruit. This is a mistake. The conveniences for canning are so perfect nowadays that it is not necessary to add sugar to fruit for the purpose of preserving, but only to render it palatable. All fruits will keep perfectly well without sugar, when properly canned. They should be put up boiling hot, in air-tight glass cans; and, unless placed in a dark closet, should be wrapped in thick brown or dark paper, to exclude the light, which changes the color of some fruits, and injures the flavor of others. Strawberries, and perhaps some other very acid fruits, are best when sugar is added at the time of cooking. Emeline, have you ever seen in any cook-book a recipe for making mushes or jellies of fruit by the addition of arrowroot, corn-starch, or wheat flour ? " "No, I never heard of such a thing until you served us those delicious strawberry, raspberry and blackberry mushes, as you called them. And you have never yet given us the method of preparing them. Will you repeat it for my benefit?"

Cooking and castle-building