The Rural cook book

Fruit Vinegars, — Among suggestions for making vinegar given by a correspondent of Good Housekeeping, it is stated that half-gallon fruit jars are better than stone jugs to make it in, as a larger, surface is exposed to the light and air, and by shaking often, oxygenation, souring, is hastened. A cloth should, of course, be tied over (he top to keep out insects and dust. The jars should be set in the sun, and whenever the fluid has worked clear, strain off and leave it in a warm place until it is as sharp as desired. When mother forms, new vinegar can be made by simply adding sweetened water. Always use soft water, but if it is not available, boil the water and set it in the sun a day or two. To make vinegar from apple or peach parings, fill a jar half full of parings, add one-half teacup molasses, and fill up with water. Set in the sun and strain for use in about two weeks. Tomato vinegar is made by mashing and straining a quart of ripe tomatoes, putting in a jar with one cupful of sugar or molasses, then filling the jar with soft water, and keeping in a sunny place two weeks. In default of other material vinegar may be made from yeast. Dissolve half a teacupful of brown sugar in one pint of warm water, add one small yeast cake, and fill the jar with water. This must be left to work for two weeks. Gooseberry Vinegar. — Boil one gallon of water; when cold add three quarts of ripe gooseberries, mashed. Allow it to stand for four days, stirring every day. On the fourth day strain through a sieve to remove the seeds, then barrel. To etch gallon of the liquid add 1]4 pound sugar, and one-eighth cake of compressed yeast. We used to use barm (the foam from fermenting beer) which was the ordinary form of yeast years ago in communities where home brewing was practiced. Stir every day until the vinegar has done fermenting, then close the barrel. Green or amber gooseberries are best. This is a very superior vinegar. Honey Vinegar. — One friend says she uses i '/i pound of strained honey to a gallon of water, but Bulletin 146 of the Ontario (Canada) Deparlment of Agriculture advises l'/> ounce of honey to one gallon of dear, soft water. Store in a barrel with an opening to permit air circulation, in a warm place; at the end of a year it is ready for use. The Ontario bulletin says its keeping 'qualities are excellent, and the best of pickles can be made with it, while it is recommended for salads. Spiced Vinegar. — This gives a fine flavor to green vegetables, such as cucumbers, cabbage, cauliflower, beans, salads, etc. For each quart of vinegar slice a clove of garlic, a small onion, a two-inch root of horseradish, half an ounce of bruised ginger root, a teaspoonfu! each of unground black pepper, allspice and mustard seed. Put all in a stone jar and simmer on the rangt for five hours. Then strain and bottle for use. ITI TUB RURAL COOK BOOK. CATSUPS AND SAUCES. Barberry Catsap. — Stew three quarts of barberries with three cupfuls of water till well cooked, then strain through a sieve. In a separate saucepan stew four quarts of cranberries, a cupful of raisins, a large quince sliced, four smai! onions minced and a quart of water for half an hour, then pass through a sieve; mix with the barberry juice and add half a cupful of vinegar, one-fourth of a cupful of salt, two cupfuls of brown sugar, a dessertspoonful each of ground cloves and ground allspice, two tablespoonfuls each' of olack pepper and celery seed, one teaspoonful of cayenne, cinnamon and ginger j^d a grated nutmeg. Let the whole boil one minute. -If too thick add vinegar or water. This recipe is given by Miss Parlna; some cooks make the catsup omitting the quince and cranberries. ■. ■ ., _ Bordeaux Sauce.— Two quarts of cabbage chopped to a powder, one quart of clean tomatoes, drained free of juice, three small oniops chopped, a of vinegar, one-quarter ounce each of celery seed,