The Rural cook book

Asparagus.— Straight-sided quart glass jars, such as the "Royal," should be used for asparagus, so as to avoid breaking the stalks. Wash carefully, cut the right length to stand the whole stalk upright in the jar and pack in snugly, heads up; then pour in cold water slowly, until the jar is full to overflowing, and lay on the tops. Place straw or boards in the bottom of the wash-boiler, stand the jars on this, and pour in enough cold water to come half way up the jars; put the boiler over the fire, and when the water comes to a boil, boil steadily for three hours. Take up the jars, see that they are full to overflowing (if not fill up with boiling water) put on rubbers and screw or otherwise fasten the covers tight Keep in a cool, dark place. Another recipe recommends boiling the asparagus for 15 minutes, then putting in the jar, and boiling in the wash-boiler for V/i hour, but we think some of the stalks are very likely to be broken by this method. Beans.—String beans are cut in lengths, boiled for 10 minutes, then put into cans, which are stood in a kettle of water and boiled for two >■ liours. Add a teaspoonful of salt, fill the jar to overflowing with boiling I water, screw up, and keep in a cool dark place. Another plan is as follows : Wash and break each pod in two or three pieces, put on the stove in a saucepan of cold salt water and when it just commences to 1 bubble (don't let it boil) drain the beans out and put in cans that have t been washed and scalded. Have ready another saucepan of boiling salt 1 water and fill the cans nearly to the brim, leaving just room enough for ; one tablespoonful of hot vinegar, screw on the caps and set away. When t wanted for use pour off the brine and put in a saucepan of fresh water j with a pinch of soda added ; let them come to a boil and immediately i pour off the water, then cook as you would fresh beans. 1 Dried String Beans,— When fit for the table pick and prepare them i by removing the strings and breaking up into inch pieces ; put into a [ kettle of cold water and then bring to a scalding heat. Skim out, spread q ) on plates and dry in the oven or out of doors until all moisture is I removed. Put away in bags until snow flies, then take out a quart and soak in cold water over night. Next morning boil with a good-sized [piece of sweet salt pork until tender. i Beets, — Young beets are delicious canned; cook until tender in salted [water the same as for table use. Cut in thin slices, fill the cans and cover |with hot vinegar, sweetened and spiced, seal, Caulifiower. — Cauliflower may be canned either in vinegar or water. ' I Break into flowerets and cook until tender in a small quantity of water, tpack the cans as full as possible, add the salt, and fill to overflowing with ■hot liquor in which it was cooked, seal. When vinegar is used, steam the ^cauliflower until tender, fill into cans and pour over hot vinegar, sweet- 'ened and spiced. ' Corn. — For canned corn cut the kernels off the cob with a sharp '. knife, scraping out the pulp. Fill into the can a little at a lime, pressing ■it down firmly until the milk overflows the can. Add a teaspoonful of salt. When all are tilled place the cans in a boiler and cook half an ' hour with the covers laid loosely on. Remove from the fire and seal, -•■ Jhen cook two hours longer. The preliminary cooking permits the corn to swell without endangering the cans, which may burst if tightly sealed *rom the first. Succotash is canned by first half filling the cans with green Lima beans, then filling the remainder of the can with com, pressed down firmly. Add a teaspoonful of salt to each can, and cook like corn. Salted Corn. — This recipe has been highly endorsed by readers who have tried it. Have com "jnst right" for eating. While it may be t)roiight from the field the previous evening it should not be prepared