Fruit recipes

Allow a gallon of water to each quart of stripped flowers, and to each gallon of water three pounds of sugar. Make a good syrup of sugar and water, skimming well, and pouring while boiling over the flowers. To each gallon of this liquor add the juice of one lemon and a heaping dessertspoon of ‘‘home-brewed hop-yeast,” stirring thoroughly. Place in wooden or earthen receptacle, covered with a heavy cloth, and let ferment three days. Then strain and add the beaten white of one egg, stirring well through the liquid. Allow for each gallon of wine a little over a pound of raisins, chopping them and placing on the bottom of the cask. On them pour the wine; close the bung, and in six months it will be found ready for use. ELDERBERRY BRANDY For each gallon of berries allow a gallon of brandy and let’ stand a month before using. Spice may be added if wished. ELDER-FLAVOURED ALE Allow a bushel of the berries to a cask of ale and eight ounces each of cinnamon, candied lemon or orange peel, nutmeg, mace, cloves, and ginger. ELDERBERRY CATSUP (For Fish or Flavouring Meat Sauces) Place a gallon of ripe berries in a jar and pour over them one gallon boiling vinegar, letting stand in this over night on back of warm stove. In the morning strain and place the vinegar in preserving kettle to heat. Crush and rub berries through sieve and add to the vinegar a teaspoon each of grated nutmeg, clove and cinnamon, one-half teaspoon each salt and ginger, and two blades of mace. Boil for ten minutes, then bottle (spice and all) while hot. Let stand five or six weeks, then strain; re-heat to boiling point and re-bottle. ELDERBERRY JELLY This may be made of the elderberries alone, plain, spiced, or with lemon juice added, or half and half, with green or ripe grapes (former preferably), gooseberries, or currants. ELDER-FLOWER PANCAKES AND JUNKET The finest flowers of the elder blossoms, stripped, may be whipped lightly into pancakes or muffins just before baking, a half-cupful to each ‘‘batch”’ of ordinary quantity This gives both lightness and flavour. A plain junket should have added one-fourth part flowers to quantity of cream or milk used. ELDERBERRY TARTS The elderberry is equal to the huckleberry for tarts but should have spices or lemon added to flavour. ELDERBERRIES DRIED Sun-dry the berries as for strawberries. (In some parts of Europe peasants use these in soups through the winter.) ELDER-FLOWER WATER To five pounds of flowers take one gallon water and onehalf ounce rectified spirits. Distil off a half-gallon. WHITE ELDER OINTMENT Boil equal weight of elder flowers and fresh sweet lard or suet and strain through a cloth into boxes or jars. This is considered a cooling application. PRIED BARBERRIES Dry as for other berries in a loose layer in the sun. BARBERRIES PRESERVED (Cold) Place bunches of barberries in jars (uncooked); fill up with cold molasses, and seal tight. PRESERVED BARBERRIES COOKED Place berries in double boiler for two hours ar till heated through. Remove and weigh. Allow equal weight of berries and sugar but cook berries with no water (on replacing) twenty minutes befare adding sugar. When sugar has dissolved, berries soften and juice begins to jell, remove to jars and seal. BARBERRY JAM Allow one-quarter pound sugar to each quart ripe berries. Mash them; mix with sugar (no water) and boil till no seum rises. Cook an hour or over, always, The jam may be put up as itis, or made into marmalade, mashed through a coarse sieve. Added to fig or pear or apple the jam proves a source of pleasing variety in flavour. SYRUP OF BARBERRIES (For Drinks, etc.)