The white ribbon cook book

Pineapples — Pare very carefully with a silver knife, as steel injures all fruit. With the sharp point of the knife dig out as neatly and with as little waste as possible all the " eyes " and black specks, then cut out each of the sections in which the "eyes" were, in solid pieces clear down to the core. By doing this all the real fruit is saved, leaving the core a hard, round, woody substance, but containing considerable juice. 242 White Ribbon Cook Book. Take this core and wring it with the hands as one wrings a cloth, till all the juice is extracted, then throw it away. Put the juice thus saved into the syrup; let it boil up 5 minutes, skim till clear, then add fruit. Boil as short a time as possible, and have the flesh tender. The pineapple loses flavor by over-cooking more rapidly than any other fruit. Fill into well-heated jars, add all the syrup the jar will hold; cover and screw down as soon as possible. Plums — Plums should be wiped with a soft cloth or dusted, never washed. Have the syrup all ready, prick each plum with a silver fork to prevent the skin from bursting, and put them into the syrup. Boil from 8 to 10 minutes, judging by the size of the fruit. Dip carefully into the hot jars, fill full, and screw on the cover immediately. Cherries may be put up in the same way. Strawberries (Canned) — Allow to each 1 lb. of fruit % lb. of sugar. Put berries and sugar into a large, flat dish and allow to stand about 3 hours, then draw off the juice and put into preserving-pan and allow to come to a boil, removing the scum as it rises; then put in the berries, and let them come to a boil. Put into warm bottles and seal quickly. Cherries (Canned) — To every 1 lb. of fruit 3^ lb. of sugar, 3 gills of water. Put the sugar and water on the fire to heat, and as soon as it comes to a boil put in the cherries and allow them to scald for ^ hour; put into bottles boiling hot and seal. A few of the kernels put in to scald with the fruit impart a fine flavor. Note — Be sure to skim well. Preserved Crab Apples — Select large, fine crab apples, prick the skins in several places; Canned Fruits, Etc, 243 put into your preserving-kettle ^ lb. of sugar to each pound of fruit and a cupful of water; let the syrup boil 20 minutes, skimming off the scum which rises to the top; then put in your fruit and cook gently until the apples can be pierced with a straw; then take them out and lay on plates; boil the juice 3^ hour longer; then put the fruit in jars, fill up with juice and seal. Fruit Jellies— The fruit should be placed in a jar, and the jar set in a stewpan of warm water, covered and allowed to boil until the fruit is broken; take a strong jelly bag and press a little of the fruit at a time, turning out each time the skins; allow 2 lbs. of sugar to 1 quart of juice, set on the stove to boil again. Many good cooks heat the sugar by placing in the oven and stirring now and then to prevent burning. When the juice begins to boil (watch that it does not boil over 25 minutes), then add the heated sugar; stir well and just bring to a boil, remove directly from the stove, dip the vessels to contain it in hot water, and set them upon a dish cloth wrung out of warm water, pouring the boiling liquid into them; cover in the usual manner.