The Times cook book, no. 2

NO. 87. CRYSTALLIZED CITRON. Mrs. A. F. Bates, Ontario, Cal.— Pick citron when turning from green to yellow; cut in halves, taking out seeds and pulp; place in strong brine for not less than three weeks, in a stone crock; at the end of this time place in clear water, changing it every day until all salt and bitter taste is removed. Cook in clear water until very tender, then put the citron back in stone crock and pour over it a thin syrup, boiling hot, pouring it off and boiling every day or two, adding sugar each time until citron is thoroughly saturated with heavy syrup. Then place on platters, filling each hollow center with syrup. Stand in the sun until crystallized. Orange peel prepared in the same way is excellent. NO. 36. CURRANT JELLY. Mary S. Welch, San Diego, Cal.— Use currants two-thirds ripe; crush, strain through flannel or thick cotton. Use one pint sugar to pint of juice. Do not cook. Fill glasses, set in sun, cover with netting. Very fine. NO. 97. FIG FARCIE. Miss C. Hernstein, 2302 Budlong avenue, Los Angeles— (A fascinating idea from the Orient.) Take largest and finest figs to be had; open with small, sharp knife, as skin is generally tough, and fill with halved English walnuts, blanched almonds, Brazil nuts, pistachios, candied cherries, bits of Angelica, pieces of candied ginger and bamboo, the last tit-bit to be had in the Chinese shops. Use small bits of the stuffing. Mass on a glass dish for serving. NO. 106. GUAVA JELLY. Mrs. Charles P. Hays, Long Beach, Cal.— Fill a medium-sized stone jar (about eight quarts) with guavas, not too ripe; set jar and contents into a pan of boiling water; cook until fruit is tender; squeeze all the juice you can through a jelly-bag; boil juice ten minutes; add sugar in the proportion of five cups sugar to six cups juice and boil ten minutes longer. Boil, don't simmer. Makes firm, beautiful and delicious jelly. NO. 118. LIME PRESERVES. L. Shields, Box 355, Los Angeles.— Lay limes in salt and water strong enough to bear an egg, closely covering them until warm weather is over; cut them enough to get out all seeds, and place in cold water for one day, changing the water often, so as to remove all the salt; boil in water in which soda has been added in the proportion of one teaspoonful to six quarts water, till tender enough to put a straw through; then soak again in cold water one day, changing the water often. To each pound of fruit allow two and a half pounds white sugar and three pints water. Boil the syrup fifteen minutes, put the fruit in, cook five minutes, remove, put into jars, let the syrup cook fifteen minutes longer, then pour over fruit. They will keep several years. NO. 37. ORANGE MARMALADE. Mary Stone Welch, San Diego, Cal.— Twelve fine thin-skinned oranges, not quite ripe; six lemons; wash well; slice thin; throw away thick ends. Soak in one gallon water thirty-six hours. Boil in granite until skin is tender.. Add eight pounds white sugar. (Better cook now in two kettles.) Cook rapidly until thick enough to jell, when cool. Watch closely toward last. If you like bitter taste, soak seeds and add water. Makes from five to six quarts.