The Edwardsville cook book

Mrs. James Whitbread. The general rule for preserving fruit is as follows : To i pound fruit use pound sugar, putting in the fruit and sugar in alternate layers. Pour pint of hot water over the top, enough to start it and prevent burning. Cover until it boils and cook fast until syrup is the desired thickness. For Peaches — Place fruit and sugar in layers for 2 hours before cooking. Use no water. For Quinces — Wash the parings and put on to boil, covered with cold water. Boil 30 minutes ; strain and pour over the quinces and cook until you can barely stick a fork into them. Then add sugar and cook fast until the syrup is a light jelly. For Strawberries— TJse i lb. sugar to i lb. fruit; use no water ; put in a large flat pan on a hot stove and boil fast for 15 or 20 minutes, stirring constantly from the moment you put them on to boil FRENCH PRESERVED FRUIT. Mrs. B R. Bonnell, Loveland, Colo. One pint alcohol and 5 cents’ worth salicylic acid mixed together. Put this mixture into a large earthen jar. Use all kinds of fruits as ^hey come in season, beginning with strawberries and fresh nineapples. Cut the latter into small dice shaped pieces. Use equal weight of fruit and sugar until toward the last, then diminish sugar so the fruit will not be too rich. The above mixture is enough for from 4 to 6 gallons of fruit. Put fruit and sugar into above mixture and stir gently every day with a wooden spoon. Leave fruit in jar 5 or 6 months, then put it into glass jars and seal. Serve in sherbet glasses with whipped cream over it. The following fruits can be used : Strawberries, fresh pineapples, cherries, black rasp- PRESERVES. berries, blackberries and oranges, cut in small pieces. Surplus juice can be bottled to use for ices or puddings. SPICED RAISINS. Mrs. Geo. A. Lytle, Springfield, 111. 1/2 lb. fruit. 1 cup sugar. , 1/2 cup vinegar. 1 medium sized bay leaf, 24 cloves. broken. 2 inch stick cinnamon. 3 tiny pieces mace. Seed raisins, leaving stems on. Make syrup of sugar and vinegar. Tie spices in cheese cloth bag; drop into syrup and bring to a boil. Then put in raisins and boil 15 minutes. Put the raisins in pint jars and make syrup thicker by boiling, if desired. SPICED PLUMS. Mrs. W. H. Hall. 8 lbs. plums. 1 small cup vinegar. 4 lbs sugar. 1 tablespoon each cinnamon and cloves. Cook until thick as jelly. SPICED CRANBERRIES. Mrs. E. F. Knollenberg. Boil together 3^ pounds sugar and 2 cups vinegar, 2 tablespoons cinnamon and cloves. When syrup boils add 5 pounds cranberries and simmer two hours. CITRON PRESERVES. Mrs. Elizabeth Friday. Peel the citron, cut out seed portion and cut into small pieces. To 2 measures of citron, heaped up, i even measure of sugar. Put the fruit in jar or other vessel and pour sugar on top. Let it stand overnight. Next morning pour into preserving kettle, add i quart water; cook until clear. Just before removing from the fire, slice into it i lemon, very thin. Let cool, and can. CITRON PRESERVES. Mrs. Wm. Ahrens. To every 6 pounds of citron add 2 pounds sugar; let stand over night. In the morning, strain, put the juice on stove and boil to a syrup. Add the citron, boil to 'a desired color. Then add 1/2 cup vinegar to almut 8 quarts preserves and lemons, sliced thin. Boil two hours longer. ORANGE MARMALADE. Miss Mary Kerr.