Preservation. Raw fruit is perishable, some
.kinds more so than others. Cooking destroys
both the enzymes which produce the ripen¬
ing changes and the microorganisms which
cause other types of spoilage. It is therefore a
useful means of preserving fruit when sup¬
plies on hand cannot be used before they
become overripe. .
Methods of Cooking. Fruits should be so
prepared as to retain as much as possible of
their volatile flavors. An apple baked in
the skin tends to retain its flavor. The use
of a covered utensil in cooking saves some
of the volatile flavors. In all methods, use
the minimum amount of water required to
soften and prevent sticking and cook only
until tender.
Baking is a desirable method for cooking
fruits like apples and pears which have a
heavy outside peel. The peel holds in the
steam necessary to soften the cellulose and
keeps in the volatile flavors. Other fruits
A Versatile Fruit Dish • Fresh fruits whole,
halved, quartered, or sliced are tempting as a first
course, as dessert, or in between as a fruit salad
may be baked in a tightly covered baking
dish with no added water or only a minimum
amount.
Stewing or cooking in added water is by
far the most common method used in cook¬
ing fruit. A pressure sauce pan is useful for
this purpose since it requires a minimum of
water and reduces the cooking time. With
this method of cooking the juice should
always be used with the fruit in order to
avoid any loss of soluble nutrients. Sugar
is added at the beginning of the cooking
period when it is desirable to retain the
shape of the pieces of fruit. When a sauce
is desired, the sugar is added after the fruit
has been cooked.
CANNED FRUIT
Canned fruit has been cooked and sealed
in an airtight container to preserve it for
later use.
Appearance and Palatability. The appear¬
ance and flavor of canned fruits are similar to
those of stewed fruits. Flavor is dependent
mainly upon selection of the proper variety
for canning at the right stage of maturity, a
judicious use of sugar, and the conservation
of the juice. The temperature used in proc¬
essing influences the flavor, brings about
changes in texture, and may cause changes in
color. Modern methods of canning produce
canned fruits with a minimum of these
changes.
Kinds Available. Many fruits commonly
eaten fresh are now available canned. Cer¬
tain kinds and varieties of these yield superior
products and have come to be especially
popular.
Peaches are the most po'pular of the canned
fruits and lead all other fruits in the amount
produced. Peaches are packed whole, sliced,
or in halves.
Pineapples come next to peaches in quan¬
tity canned. Canned pineapple brings to
[54]
consumers a popular tropical fruit ready to
use. The major part of the domestic produc¬
tion of canned pineapple comes from Hawaii;
Puerto Rico supplies some. It is canned in
whole or broken slices, diced or "tidbits,”
"fingers,” or lengthwise strips, crushed, or
shredded, or as pineapple juice.
Apples are canned in New York, Penn¬
sylvania, the Virginias, and the Pacific North¬
west. They are canned peeled, halved, quar¬
tered, sliced, as applesauce, and as apple
juice.
Page 49
Presented as published in 1935. 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
Preservation. Raw fruit is perishable, some .kinds more so than others. Cooking destroys both the enzymes which produce the ripen¬ ing changes and the microorganisms which cause other types of spoilage. It is therefore a useful means of preserving fruit when sup¬ plies on hand cannot be used before they become overripe. .
Methods of Cooking. Fruits should be so prepared as to retain as much as possible of their volatile flavors. An apple baked in the skin tends to retain its flavor. The use of a covered utensil in cooking saves some of the volatile flavors. In all methods, use the minimum amount of water required to soften and prevent sticking and cook only until tender.
Baking is a desirable method for cooking fruits like apples and pears which have a heavy outside peel. The peel holds in the steam necessary to soften the cellulose and keeps in the volatile flavors. Other fruits
[illustration: A Versatile Fruit Dish • Fresh fruits whole, halved, quartered, or sliced are tempting as a first course, as dessert, or in between as a fruit salad]
may be baked in a tightly covered baking dish with no added water or only a minimum amount.
Stewing or cooking in added water is by far the most common method used in cook¬ ing fruit. A pressure sauce pan is useful for this purpose since it requires a minimum of water and reduces the cooking time. With this method of cooking the juice should always be used with the fruit in order to avoid any loss of soluble nutrients. Sugar is added at the beginning of the cooking period when it is desirable to retain the shape of the pieces of fruit. When a sauce is desired, the sugar is added after the fruit has been cooked.
CANNED FRUIT
Canned fruit has been cooked and sealed in an airtight container to preserve it for later use.
Appearance and Palatability. The appear¬ ance and flavor of canned fruits are similar to those of stewed fruits. Flavor is dependent mainly upon selection of the proper variety for canning at the right stage of maturity, a judicious use of sugar, and the conservation of the juice. The temperature used in proc¬ essing influences the flavor, brings about changes in texture, and may cause changes in color. Modern methods of canning produce canned fruits with a minimum of these changes.
Kinds Available. Many fruits commonly eaten fresh are now available canned. Cer¬ tain kinds and varieties of these yield superior products and have come to be especially popular.
Peaches are the most po'pular of the canned fruits and lead all other fruits in the amount produced. Peaches are packed whole, sliced, or in halves.
Pineapples come next to peaches in quan¬ tity canned. Canned pineapple brings to
[54]
consumers a popular tropical fruit ready to use. The major part of the domestic produc¬ tion of canned pineapple comes from Hawaii; Puerto Rico supplies some. It is canned in whole or broken slices, diced or "tidbits,” "fingers,” or lengthwise strips, crushed, or shredded, or as pineapple juice.
Apples are canned in New York, Penn¬ sylvania, the Virginias, and the Pacific North¬ west. They are canned peeled, halved, quar¬ tered, sliced, as applesauce, and as apple juice.