Fruit recipes

The seeds and flowers of peaches are used in the manufacture of a liqueur called Persico and the bruised pits give to almost any alcoholic liquor the flavour of Noyeau. The flowers were formerly steeped to be used as a tea for their laxative quality and it is also thought they exert “"to a moderate extent, a sedative influence over the nervous system"(U. §S. Dispensatory). Sometimes, according to the same authority, they have been given in infusion for "irritability of the bladder, sick stomach, and whooping-cough." As for the blossoms, it should be remembered that they have been known to cause fatal cases of poisoning among children although in the hands of physicians they are safely used (as a vermifuge), and "a syrup preparedfrom them is considerably used in infantile cases, on the continent of Europe."’ The leaves, when rubbed or steeped in hot water, give out a strong almond flavour greatly esteemed in many countries. From both the leaves and kernels, when distilled, is extracted oil, that from the kernels being frequently used as an adulterant of almond oil. The apricot is supposed to have originated in Armenia. The nectarine, once puzzling to botanists, is but a variation of the peach. (All recipes for peaches may be applied to nectarines and apricots.) PEACHES HALVED (Uncooked) Select large freestones; drop into boiling water for two minutes, then into iced water, and the fruit will easily slip out of the skin. Halve the peaches; remove pits and place the fruit on ice. When ready to serve fill the centres with powdered sugar, or sugar and melted marshmallows; join each two halves with short, fine, toothpicks, and place in the serving dishes or glasses. Pass with them whipped cream. PEACH SALADS Peaches may be served half and half with bananas, or with almonds (one-fifth almonds), with celery and walnuts, or fine-chopped.apple or pear, with French dressing, simple, or flavoured with a cordial. PEACH SOUP No. 1 (Hot) Remove skins and pits from twelve ripe peaches and stew the fruit with two or three of the cracked kernels, a cup of sugar, and two teaspoons of sago, till tender and the sago clear. Rub through a sieve then return to the saucepan; add half as much claret.as there is juice just before serving. PEACH AND PRUNE SOUP See Prune Soup No.2. PEACH SOUP No. 2 (Cold) Pare, stone, and chop peaches. Sprinkle over them sugar in quantity desired and let stand an hour. To a pint of juice add one-third pint of claret; place in a jug and cover with ice one hour. Serve with shaved ice in glasses, BAKED PEACHES Pare and place the whole fruit in baking-dish, using sugar generously if the fruit is tart. Add a few bits of butter and half a pint of hot water; sprinkle with chopped nuts and bake till tender. Serve cold. STEWED PEACHES See stewed apples and pears. PEACH SHORT CAKE Make and serveas for strawberry shortcake, slicing peaches rather fine, or pulping, and letting stand with sugar over them for an hour before using. PEACH SUET PUDDING OR_PONE Wash, then dry a pint of dried peaches and dredge with flour. Heata quart of milk and mix with a pint of Orleans molasses, then let cool. Add to this one-fourth pound chopped suet and four eggs beaten light, a teaspoon each of ginger and cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg. Add yellow Indian meal to make a thick batter and into this stir the peaches. Place in pudding cloth dipped in hot water then dredged with flour, leaving room to swell. Boil hard for five hours. (See Apple Pone.) Serve with hard sauce. This, like plum pudding, may be made the day before using. DUTCH PEACH CAKE Make as for German Apple Cake—No. 1, No. 2, No. 3. DUTCH FRUIT MOONS (With Peaches)