The Ideal cook book

First prepare the syrup. For canned fruits, one quart of granulated sugar to two quarts of water is the proper proportion ; to be increased or lessened according to the quantity of fruit to be canned, but always twice as much water as sugar. Use a porcelain kettle, and, if possible, take care that it is kept solely for canning and preserving — nothing else. Have another porcelain kettle by the side of the first, for boiling water (about three quarts). Put the peaches, a few at a time, into a wire basket, such as is used to cook asparagus, etc. See that it is perfectly clean and free from rust. Dip them, when in the basket, into a pail of boiling water for a moment and transfer immediately into a pail of cold water. The skin will then at once peel off easily, if not allowed to harden by waiting. This, besides being a neat and expeditious way of peeling peaches, also saves the best part of the fruit, which is so badly wasted in the usual mode of paring fruit. As soon as peeled, halve and drop the peaches into boiling water, and let them simmer —not boil hard —till a silver fork can be passed through them easily. Then lift each half out separately with a wire spoon — and fill the can made ready for use, pour in all the boiling syrup which the jar will hold, leave it a moment for the fruit to shrink while filling the next jar, then add as much more boiling syrup as the jar will hold, and cover and screw down tightly immediately. Continue in this way, preparing and sealing only one jar at a time, until all is done. If any syrup is left over, add to it the water in which the peaches were simmered, and a little more sugar, boil it down till it “ropes” from the spoon and you have a nice jelly, or, by adding some peaches or other fruit, a good dish of marmalade. Peaches or other fruit, good, but not quite nice enough for canning, can be ~ af CANNED Fruits, Etc. 235 used up in this way very economically. Peaches to be peeled as directed above should not be too green or too ripe, else, in the first place, the skin cannot be peeled off, or if too ripe, the fruit will fall to pieces. 331. (Another way), After peeling and halving as above directed, lay a clean towel or cloth in the bottom of a steamer over a kettle of boiling water and put the fruit on it, half filling the steamer. Cover tightly and let it steam while making the syrup. When that is ready, and the fruit steamed till a silver fork will pass through easily, dip each piece gently into the boiling syrup, then as gently place in the hot jar, and so continue till all have been thus scalded and put in the jar. Then fill full with syrup, cover and seal immmediately. While filling, be sure and keep the jars hot. 832. (Another way), Peel, halve, remove the stones, and prepare the syrup as directed, and when it is boiling drop in enough fruit for one jar, watch closely, and the instant they are sufficiently tender, take out each half with care and put into a hot jar till full. Then dip in all the boiling syrup it will hold. Cover tightly, set aside. and prepare for the next jar. Be sure and skim the syrup each time before adding more fruit. After jars are filled and the covers screwed on, before setting them away, every little while give the screw another twist until it cannot be moved farther. $33. Pears. The skin will not peel off so easily as the peach by dipping them in boiling water, but it will loosen or soften enough to be taken off with less waste of the fruit than if pared without scalding. Prepare the syrup and proceed as for peaches. They will require longer cooking, but as soon as a silver or wellplated fork will pass through easily, they are done. Longer cooking destroys the flavor. 534. Pineapples.