Hilda's "where is it?" of recipes

Scrape unripe figs, cut a slit across the top (not to0 large), lay in a basin of cold water in which has been put two tablespoonfuls of lime (this quantity to lOO figs). Lay a plate, with a weight on it, on the top of the figs, or they will drift on the water. About twelve hours after, take out, wash clean. Have ready a saucepan in which you have about three quarts of clean water, one teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, one tablespoonful of salt. Let the figs boil up in this, taking care to leave the saucepan open. Take out when soft enough to be easily pierced with a reed ; drain through a colander, or on a cloth. Take two P] PRESERVE (RIPE FIG— RIPE MELON). pounds of sugar more than the weight of fruit, make a clear syrup (one cup of water to one of sugar) ; when strained and cool, lay your figs in it for a night, the next day preserve on a slow fire till the fruit is quite clear. Cork in small jars. Time, three or four hours. Very good. PRESERVE {RIPE FIG). Take six pounds of ripe figs, lay them for a few hours in lime water (two spoonfuls of lime to a basin of water) ; take six pounds of sugar, boil a clear syrup ; alter straining, let it boil till thick before adding the figs ; then preserve for two hours longer, slowly, till the figs look clear. Cork. Will keep well. PRESERVE i^' HOTTENTOT FIG," OR "SOUR FIG"). LLay the "figs" in boiling water till the hard skin is soft and will peel off easily. Take the weight of fruit in sugar, and boil a syrup. Put the fruit (after carefully peeling and cutting off the hard part at the bottom) into the syrup, and preserve slowly. (The Hottentot fig is the fruit of a kind of mesembryanthemum which grows wild at the Cape.)) PRESERVE {RIPE MELON). (A very old Cape Recipe.) Ingredients. 8 lbs. of Sugar, boiled with the same 6 lbs. of Melon, ripe, quantity of Water into a Syrup i oz. of White Ginger, clarified with an Egg. Take a large ripe melon (not too soft) ; cut into large slices ; prick with a fork, peeling the slices very thinly and removing the seeds. Lay the pieces in a basin, cover with cold water, in which is a teaspoonful of salt, and put a plate on the top to keep the pieces under water. Let it remain in water four or five days ; then wash it carefully; put the fruit into boiling water, and let it boil up once ; 17$ PRESERVE (WATER MELON PEEL— MELON). [P lay the slices of melon on a cloth to drain. Now boil the syrup, and pour it boiling hot on the slices of melon, repeating this process every morning for a week ; the last two days put the slices of melon in the preserving pot in which you heat the syrup, and let it boil gently for ten minutes or more, then let it cool. Repeat the next day, and go on till the fruit is quite clear and firm, and the syrup nice and thick. This process diminishes the syrup greatly, and you might make a little more if necessary. This mode of making preserve is rather tedious, but repays one for the trouble ; it will keep for years, and becomes beautifully clear and quite firm. (The ginger to be put in a muslin bag, and boiled with the preserve, and taken out the last thing.) PRESERVE {WATER MELON PEEL).