If any bubbles of air chance to be left,
work them out with a fork or spoon handle, dipped fii-st
in boiling water, and then quickly introduced down the
sides of the jar and through the fruit in such a way
that not a bubble will remain. Fill the can to overflow-
ing, remembering that any vacuum invites the air to
enter ; use boiling water or sirup when there is not
enough juice. Skim all froth from the fruit, adding
more juice if necessary ; wipe the juice from the top of
the can, adjust the rubber, put on the top, and screw
it down as quickly as possible. If the fruit is cooked
in the cans, as soon as it is sufficiently heated, fill the
can completely full with boiling juice, sirup, or water ;
run the handle of a silver spoon around the inside of
the can, to make sure the juice entirely surrounds every
portion of fruit, and that no spaces for air remain, put
5
66 EVEKY-DAY DISHES,
on the rubbers, wipe off all juice, and seal quickly.
When the cans are filled, set them away from currents
of air aE(.d not on a very cold surface, to avoid danger
of their cracking.
As the fruit cools, the covers should be tightened,
this being done several times in the first twenty-four
hours after the fruit is sealed. When the tops have
finally been screwed down tightly, place them in a cool
place, bottom upward, and watch closely for a few days.
If the juice begins to leak out, or any appearance of fer-
mentation is seen, it is a sign that there has been some
failure, and the only thing to do is to open the can im-
mediately, boil the fruit, and use as quickly as possible ;
recanning will not save it unless boiled a long time.
If no signs of spoiling are observed within two or three
weeks, the fruit may be safely stored away in a dark,
cool place. If one has no dark storeroom, it is an
advantage to wrap each can in brown paper, to keep
out the light.
RECIPES.
To Can Strawberries. — These are generally considered more
difficult to can than most other berries. Use none but sound
fruit, and put up the day they are picked, if possible. Heat the
fruit slowly to the boiling point, and cook fifteen minutes or
longer, adding the sugar hot, if any be used, after the fruit is
boiling. Strawberries, while cooking, have a tendency to rise
to the top, and unless they are kept pushed down, will not be
cooked uniformly, which is doubtless one reason they sometimes
fail to keep well. The froth should also be kept skimmed off.
Fill the cans as directed on page 65, taking special care to let
out every air bubble, and to remove every particle of froth from
the top of the can before sealing. If the berries are of good size,
they may be cooked in the cans, a boiling sirup prepared with
one cup of water and one of sugar for each quart can of fruit
being added.
FRUIT. 67
If after the cans are cold, the fruit rises to the top, as it
frequently does, gently shake the cans until the fruit is well
saturated with the juice and falls by its own weight to the
bottom, or low enough to be entirely covered with the liquid.
Page 37
Presented as published in 1897. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
If any bubbles of air chance to be left, work them out with a fork or spoon handle, dipped first in boiling water, and then quickly introduced down the sides of the jar and through the fruit in such a way that not a bubble will remain. Fill the can to overflowing, remembering that any vacuum invites the air to enter ; use boiling water or sirup when there is not enough juice. Skim all froth from the fruit, adding more juice if necessary ; wipe the juice from the top of the can, adjust the rubber, put on the top, and screw it down as quickly as possible. If the fruit is cooked in the cans, as soon as it is sufficiently heated, fill the can completely full with boiling juice, sirup, or water ; run the handle of a silver spoon around the inside of the can, to make sure the juice entirely surrounds every portion of fruit, and that no spaces for air remain, put
on the rubbers, wipe off all juice, and seal quickly. When the cans are filled, set them away from currents of air and not on a very cold surface, to avoid danger of their cracking.
As the fruit cools, the covers should be tightened, this being done several times in the first twenty-four hours after the fruit is sealed. When the tops have finally been screwed down tightly, place them in a cool place, bottom upward, and watch closely for a few days. If the juice begins to leak out, or any appearance of fermentation is seen, it is a sign that there has been some failure, and the only thing to do is to open the can immediately, boil the fruit, and use as quickly as possible ; recanning will not save it unless boiled a long time. If no signs of spoiling are observed within two or three weeks, the fruit may be safely stored away in a dark, cool place. If one has no dark storeroom, it is an advantage to wrap each can in brown paper, to keep out the light.
To Can Strawberries. — These are generally considered more difficult to can than most other berries. Use none but sound fruit, and put up the day they are picked, if possible. Heat the fruit slowly to the boiling point, and cook fifteen minutes or longer, adding the sugar hot, if any be used, after the fruit is boiling. Strawberries, while cooking, have a tendency to rise to the top, and unless they are kept pushed down, will not be cooked uniformly, which is doubtless one reason they sometimes fail to keep well. The froth should also be kept skimmed off. Fill the cans as directed on page 65, taking special care to let out every air bubble, and to remove every particle of froth from the top of the can before sealing. If the berries are of good size, they may be cooked in the cans, a boiling sirup prepared with one cup of water and one of sugar for each quart can of fruit being added.
If after the cans are cold, the fruit rises to the top, as it frequently does, gently shake the cans until the fruit is well saturated with the juice and falls by its own weight to the bottom, or low enough to be entirely covered with the liquid.