Make a syrup of clean brown sngar, clarify it as directed
in these recipes; when perfectly clear and boiling hot, poor
it over the plums, having picked oat all ansound ones, and
stems; let them remain in the syrup two days, then drain
it off; make it boiling hot, skim it and pour it over again;
let them remain another day or two, then put them in a
preserving-kettle over the fire and simmer gently until the
Mother's Cook Book. 211
syrup is reduced and thick or rich. One pound of sogar
for each pound of plums. Small damsons are very fine,
preserved as cherries or any other ripe fruit; clarify the syrap
and when boiling hot pnt in the plums, let them boil very
gently until they are cooked and the syrup rich, Pnt them
in pots or jars; the next day secure as directed.
PRESERVED GREENGAGES IN SYRUP.
To every pound of fruit allow one pound of loaf-augur,
one-quarter pint of water. Boil the sugar and water to-
gether for about ten minutes; divide the greengages, take
out the stones, pnt the fruit into the syrup, and let it simmer
gently until nearly tender. Take it off the fire, put it into
a large pan, and, the next day, boil it up again for about ten
minutes with the kernels from the stones, which should be
blanched. Put the fruit carefully into jars, poor it over the
syrup, and, when cold, cover down, so that the air is quite
excluded. Let the syrup be well skimmed both the first
and second day of boiling, otherwise it will not be dear.
TO PRESERVE CHERRIES IN SYRUP.
Four pounds of cherries, three pounds of sugar, one pint
of white-currant juice. Let the cherries be as clear and as
transparent as possible, and perfectly ripe; pick off the
stalks, and remove the stones, dam aging the fruit as little aa
you can. Make a syrup with the above proportion of sugar,
mix the cherries with it, and boil them for about fifteen min-
utes, carefully skimming them ; turn them gently into a pan,
and let them remain till the next day; then drain the cher-
ries on a sieve, and put the syrup and white-currant juice
into the preserving-pan again. Boil these together until
the syrup is somewhat reduced and rather thick; then put
in the cherries, and let them boil for about five minutes;
212 Motheb'b Coos Book.
take them off the fire, skim the syrup, put the cherries into
small pots or wide-mouthed bottles; poor the syrup over,
and when quite cold, tie them down carefully, so that the
air is quite excluded.
PRESERVED PEARS.
To six pounds of pears, four pounds of sugar, two coffee*
cups of water, the juice of two lemons, and the rind of
one, a handful of whole ginger; boil all together for twenty
minutes, then pnt in your pears and boil till soft, say
about a quarter of an hour; take them out and boil your
syrup a little longer; then pnt back your fruit and give it
a boil; bottle while hot; add a little cochineal to give them
a nice color.
TO PRESERVE PEACHES.
Peach oa for preserving may be ripe but not soft; cut them
in halves, take oat the atones, and pare them neatly; take
as many pounds of white sugar as of fruit, put to each
pound of sugar a teacup of water; stir it until it is dissolved.
Bet it over a moderate fire, when it is boiling hot, put in the
peaches, let them boil gently until a pure, clear, uniform
color; turn those at the bottom to the top carefully with a
skimmer several times; do not hurry them; when they are
clear, take each half up with a spoon, and spread the halves
on flat dishes to become cold; when all are done, let the
syrup boil until it is quite thick, pour it into a large
pitcher, and let it set to cool and settle. When the
peaches are cold, put them carefully into jars, and pour the
syrup over them, leaving any sediment which has settled
at the bottom, or strain the syrup. Some of the kernels
from the peach stones may be put in with the peaches while
boiling. Let them remain open one night, then cover.
Mother's Cook Boos. 213
Page 89
Presented as published in 1902. 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
Make a syrup of clean brown sngar, clarify it as directed in these recipes; when perfectly clear and boiling hot, pour it over the plums, having picked out all unsound ones, and stems; let them remain in the syrup two days, then drain it off; make it boiling hot, skim it and pour it over again; let them remain another day or two, then put them in a preserving-kettle over the fire and simmer gently until the
[illustration: Mother's Cook Book. 211]
syrup is reduced and thick or rich. One pound of sogar for each pound of plums. Small damsons are very fine, preserved as cherries or any other ripe fruit; clarify the syrap and when boiling hot put in the plums, let them boil very gently until they are cooked and the syrup rich, Put them in pots or jars; the next day secure as directed.
PRESERVED GREENGAGES IN SYRUP.
To every pound of fruit allow one pound of loaf-sugar, one-quarter pint of water. Boil the sugar and water together for about ten minutes; divide the greengages, take out the stones, put the fruit into the syrup, and let it simmer gently until nearly tender. Take it off the fire, put it into a large pan, and, the next day, boil it up again for about ten minutes with the kernels from the stones, which should be blanched. Put the fruit carefully into jars, pour it over the syrup, and, when cold, cover down, so that the air is quite excluded. Let the syrup be well skimmed both the first and second day of boiling, otherwise it will not be dear.
TO PRESERVE CHERRIES IN SYRUP.
Four pounds of cherries, three pounds of sugar, one pint of white-currant juice. Let the cherries be as clear and as transparent as possible, and perfectly ripe; pick off the stalks, and remove the stones, damaging the fruit as little as you cann. Make a syrup with the above proportion of sugar, mix the cherries with it, and boil them for about fifteen minutes, carefully skimming them ; turn them gently into a pan, and let them remain till the next day; then drain the cherries on a sieve, and put the syrup and white-currant juice into the preserving-pan again. Boil these together until the syrup is somewhat reduced and rather thick; then put in the cherries, and let them boil for about five minutes;
[illustration: 212 Motheb's Cook Book.]
take them off the fire, skim the syrup, put the cherries into small pots or wide-mouthed bottles; pour the syrup over, and when quite cold, tie them down carefully, so that the air is quite excluded.
PRESERVED PEARS.
To six pounds of pears, four pounds of sugar, two coffee cups of water, the juice of two lemons, and the rind of one, a handful of whole ginger; boil all together for twenty minutes, then put in your pears and boil till soft, say about a quarter of an hour; take them out and boil your syrup a little longer; then put back your fruit and give it a boil; bottle while hot; add a little cochineal to give them a nice color.
TO PRESERVE PEACHES.
Peaches for preserving may be ripe but not soft; cut them in halves, take out the stones, and pare them neatly; take as many pounds of white sugar as of fruit, put to each pound of sugar a teacup of water; stir it until it is dissolved. Set it over a moderate fire, when it is boiling hot, put in the peaches, let them boil gently until a pure, clear, uniform color; turn those at the bottom to the top carefully with a skimmer several times; do not hurry them; when they are clear, take each half up with a spoon, and spread the halves on flat dishes to become cold; when all are done, let the syrup boil until it is quite thick, pour it into a large pitcher, and let it set to cool and settle. When the peaches are cold, put them carefully into jars, and pour the syrup over them, leaving any sediment which has settled at the bottom, or strain the syrup. Some of the kernels from the peach stones may be put in with the peaches while boiling. Let them remain open one night, then cover.
[illustration: Mother's Cook Book. 213]