Foods and home making

How are jams made? In making preserves, we try to pre- serve the shape of the fruit. In making jams, the fruit is crushed. A finer flavor can be obtained in making jam, if the fruit is cooked without sugar until tender. Then the sugar is added and the cooking continued until the mixture is stiff. In cooking fruit for jam as little water as possible should be used. If we cut large fruits into very small pieces and crush berries and other small fruits, very little water needs to be added. JAM Pare or peel large fruits and cut them into small pieces. Mash small fruits. Add a very little water to the fruit and cook until tender. Measure the cooked fruit. For each cup of fruit measure f to 1 cup of sugar. Mix well. Cook; stir occasionally to prevent scorching. When the mixture falls in heavy drops from the spoon, the jam is 534 Food Preservation cooked enough. Pour into jelly glasses which have been scalded in the same way as jars. (See page 5x5.) Melt paraffin over hot water. Pour it over the hot jam. Set aside to cool ; then add more paraffin. Cover the glasses with lids. Wash the outside of the glasses. Label and store. What are marmalades and conserves ? In making jams, the seeds of berries and the skins of some fruits are used. In making marmalades, the fruit is cooked in water until tender. Then the mixture is strained to remove the seeds and skins. Finally the sugar — in the same proportion as used in making jams — is added. The mixture is then cooked until stiff. Orange marmalade is made from the rind and pulp of orange. Only the seeds are discarded. Rind in small pieces is left in the mixture. Conserves are mixtures of several fruits. Often nuts are added. They are made in the same way as jams. PEACH CONSERVE 1 peck peaches Sugar, as much by measure as 2 oranges — pulp and grated rind cooked fruit .2 lemons — juice 1 cup soft-shelled walnut meats Water, about 1 cup cut in pieces Pare the peaches. Cut them into small pieces. Add the fruit juices and grated rind. Stir well. Add a very small quantity of water. Cook the mixture until the fruit is tender. Measure the cooked fruit. Add an equal measure of sugar. Also add the nuts. Cook until the mixture is stiff, stirring occasionally. Pour into scalded glasses. Pour melted paraffin over the conserve. When cool, add more paraffin. Cover, label, and store. Yield : 15 glasses. WINTER CONSERVE 1 pound prunes 1 orange 2 lemon 1 quart water cups cranberries 2 2 cups sugar 1 cup soft-shelled walnut meats cut in pieces Wash the prunes. Cut the oranges and lemon (rind and pulp) into thin slices. Discard seeds. Mix the fruit ; add the water and soak to Preserves, Conserves, Jelly, Spiced Fruit 535 soften the prunes. Cook the fruits in this water until they are tender. Cool. Take the prunes from the mixture. Remove the stones. Re- turn the prunes to the cooked fruit. Add the cranberries, sugar, and nuts to the fruit mixture. Cook until the mixture is thick. Pour into scalded glasses. Add paraffin. When cool, add more paraffin. Cover and label. Yield : 6 glasses. RHUBARB-PINEAPPLE CONSERVE 3 pounds rhubarb 1 lemon, juice and grated rind 1 cup pineapple, shredded 1 orange, juice and grated rind 4 cups sugar Wash the rhubarb. Do not peel it. Cut it into inch pieces.