FoodNet

Domestic science, principles and application

1914

Page 90 · 6 recipe records on this page

Presented as published in 1914. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Materials for Pickles. — Cucumbers, green tomatoes, watermelon rind, apples, crab apples, peaches, and pears make the best pickles. Use only the purest spices and the best cider vinegar. Whole spices are better to use than ground spices. If ground spices are used, tie them in a tiny muslin bag. General Rules for Pickling. — 1. Never use brass, cop- per, or tin utensils in making pickles. 2. Clean the pickles thoroughly by washing in several waters, remove all stem ends and sort according to size. 3. A small portion of alum improves cucumber pickles, but too much is injurious. 4. Do not boil the vinegar too long, — not over 10 to 15 minutes, — for it loses its strength. 5. Keep the pickles covered with vinegar in good, clean glass or stone jars. A few pieces of horseradish added prevent scum from forming on the surface of the vinegar. 6. If cucumbers are soaked in a brine overnight before pickling they will be firmer, have more of the salt taste, 212 DOMESTIC SCIENCE and will keep better. A brine made of about J/^ cupful of salt to a quart of water is the proportion most commonly used. Sweet Pickle for Fruits 2}4: c. brown sugar 1 tsp. whole cloves 1 c. vinegar (medium sour) 14 oz. cinnamon Method. — Cook the sugar, vinegar, and spices together for about 15 to 20 minutes. Put in the fruit and cook until it begins to get tender. Remove from the fire and put into a large jar. The next day pour off the vinegar, reheat it, and pour again over the fruit. Do this several successive days until the fruit is tender. Weigh down a plate on top of the pickles to hold them under the vinegar. Sweet Pickle for Vegetables 2 lbs. sugar to 2 qts. of vinegar (medium sour) 2 tbsp. of cinnamon or stick cinnamon 2 tbsp. of cloves }4 lb. mustard seed 2 tbsp. ginger or allspice ^ tbsp. red pepper Method. — Cook pickle ingredients together until some- what boiled down, and pour over the vegetables. Reheat the pickle 3 or 4 successive mornings and return to the vegetables. APPLICATION 1. Pickled Green Tomato Method. — Wash and stem small green tomatoes and slice in 3^-inch slices. Cook in slightly salted water, (allow 1 teaspoonful of salt to a quart of water). Cook until tender, being careful not to mash the slices. Drain and put immediately into cold water to make crisp. Let stand an hour. Make a hot pickle as for vegetables and pour over the tomatoes on 3 successive days. If one desires a few slices of onion may be added to the tomatoes. PICKLING 213 2. Sweet Pickles— Peach ^ peck peaches 2 lbs. brown sugar 1 pt. vinegar 1 oz. stick cinnamon Method. — Make a pickle of sugar, vinegar, and cinna- mon. Scald the peaches and remove the wool by rubbing with a towel. Do not stick cloves into them. If very ripe, pour the hot sirup over them on 3 successive mornings. If hard, cook a few minutes in the hot pickle; then pour on the hot pickle on 2 successive days. 2. Sweet Pickled Pears Method. — Select sound fruit not too ripe, and pare and leave whole with stems on. Cook until tender and pour the hot pickle over them several successive mornings. Use same pickle as for peaches. 3. Watermelon Pickles Cucumber Pickles