The Queen Cook Book: A Careful Compilation of Recipes and Practical ...

Select small nutmeg melons, a little green, not hard, neither quite ripe. . Cut them into sections as the rind is marked; pare, remove the seeds, scrape out clean; weigh the pieces. To each seven pounds allow four pounds of brown sugar and one pint of best vinegar* - The Queen Cook Book 231 Put the sugar and vinegar in a porcelain lined kettle ; put in a bag a half ounce each of whole cloves, green ginger and stick cinnamon. When hot put in the cantaloupe. Watch carefully until each piece is hot, but not soft. Cover the kettle and press the fruit down often. Lift each piece carefully and place in a stone jar. Put one teaspoon each of ground allspice, ground mace and cinnamon into a cup; mix; divide into fourths; tie each closely in a small piece of cheese cloth; put these in the jar, pour the syrup on the fruit and stand away till the next morning; then pour off all the liquor again; boil and strain it again for nine consecutive days. The last day take out the spices and boil the syrup down to the consistency of molasses; have enough syrup to cover well; press down; keep cool. Green Tomato Pickle. One peck green tamatoes, three onions, six green peppers; chop fine, squeeze the juice off through a colander; salt to taste; put on enough vinegar to scald up once; then let it cool and drain off the vinegar. Make a dressing of four cups of sugar, two tablespoons of mustard, two teaspoons black pepper, with vinegar enough to cover it well; heat and pour over. Spiced Peaches. 7 pounds peaches ' % cup whole cloves 4 pounds sugar }4 cup broken cinnamon I pint vinegar J^ pint water Put the sugar into the vinegar and water to dissolve, put spices in thin bag and let soak in hot syrup (after wetting them in hot water) while you rub the peaches hard with a coarse dry cloth to take off the fuzz; stick each peach with six cloves; put into the syrup to cook 232 The Queen Cook Book as many peaches at a time, as the syrup will cover; let simmer till tender, but they must not break, then fill the cans, shake down and fill up with the syrup, let stand ten minutes, shake down again, fill to the brim, put a double cloth on to keep the top covered with syrup and seal. Sliced Tomato Pickles. One peck green tomatoes, six large onions. Slice and cook for five minutes in one quart of vinegar and two quarts of water and two tablespoons of salt. Drain well, then tie in a cheese cloth three tablespoons of white mustard seed, two tablespoons each of ground cloves, cinnamon and ginger and three green peppers chopped fine; put the bag in two quarts of vinegar with the pickles and boil all together till well seasoned; then can tight. Tomato Salad. Scald and peel as many ripe tomatoes as you need; lay in ice water till very cold, then slice them, pour off the juice. Pare and slice very thin two cucumbers. Put some fresh lettuce leaves in the salad bowl with one small onion sliced fine; put all on the leaves and serve with a salad dressing. Tomato Sauce. Eight pounds of tomatoes, one quart of vinegar, three pounds sugar, one teaspoon cinnamon, one of cloves, one of English mustard and one of red pepper. Boil down till quite thick. The Queen Cook Book Cabbage Salad. Select a solid head and one that is white after the outside leaves are taken off. Lay on a board and with a sharp knife cut fine; set in ice box till ready to use. Serve with salad dressing. Gooseberry Catsup — Very Fine.