FoodNetArchive

The hearthstone; or, Life at home

1883

Page 324 · 4 recipe records on this page

Presented as published in 1883. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Preserving Grapes with Honey. — Take seven pounds of sound grapes on the stems, have the branches as perfect as possible, and pack them snugly, without breaking, in a stout jar. Make a syrup of four pounds of honey and one pint of vinegarPreserving Grapes with Honey, with cloves and cinna- mon to suit, or about three ounces of each as a rule. Boil them well together for twenty minutes, and skim well, then turn while boiling hot over the grapes, and seal immediately. They will keep for years, and are exceedingly nice. Apples, peaches and plums may be preserved in the same way. Grapes Preserved in Pumpkins. — The Chinese have a method of preserving grapes so as to have them at hand during the entire year, by cutting a circular piece out of a ripe pumpkin, or gourd, making an aperture large enough to admit the hand. The interior is then completely cleaned out, the ripe grapes are then placed inside, and the cover replaced and pressed in firmly. The pumpkins are then kept in a cool place, and the grapes will be found to retain their fresh- ness for a very long time. Peaches Preserved in Brandy. — To every pound of fruit, weighed before being stoned, allow one-quarter pound of finely pounded loaf- sugaPeaches Preserved in Brandyr; brandy. Let the fruit be gathered in dry weather; wipe and weigh it, and remove the stones as carefully as possible, without in- juring the peaches much. Put them into a jar, sprinkle amongst them pounded loaf-sugar in the above proportion, and pour brandy over the fruit. Cover the jar down closely, place it in a saucepan of boiling water over the fire, and bring the brandy to the simrpering- point, but do not allow it to boil. Take the fruit out carefully with- out breaking it; put it into small jars, pour over it the brandy, and, when cold, exclude the air by covering the jars with bladders, or tissue-paper brushed over on both sisies with the white of an egg. Apricots may be done in the same manner, and, if properly prepared, will be found delicious. Time: From ten to twenty minutes to bring the brandy to the simmering-point. To Preserve Oranges. — Take those that are perfectly freshTo Preserve Oranges, and wrap separately in soft papers ; put them in glass jars or very light COOKERY RECIPES. 5O3 boxes, with white sand ; let the sand be well dried ; put the sand in so that the fruit will not touch each other ; close the jar tight, and put it in a cool, dry place, but where the fruit will not freeze. Lemons may be preserved in the same way. Raspberry Lily. — Boil rice so that the kernels will be as distinct as possible ; spread a spoonful upon a dessert-plate ; cover it all but the edges with ripe raspberries ; pour over it two spoonfuls of sweet- ened strawberry or raspberry juice; sprinkle over the whole some white sugarRaspberry Lily, and serve cold. Drying Fruit. — Commence as soon as fully mature. If large quantities are to be preserved in this way, it will pay to get a fruit- drier of some kind, but as most private families only dry enough for home use, the common method is to employ the heat of the sun. Where there are hot-bed sashes, these may be used to great advan- tage. A frame raised a foot or so from the ground upon legs, and covered with sashes, will dry fruit and vegetables rapidly and cheaply. Make ventilating holes and cover with gauze.