Pressing Autumn Leaves

Ingredients

• Procure from the druggist smooth pieces or cakes of fine spermaceti
• Put a board on the ironing-table
• Use old muslin, and have plenty on hand.

Method

1. 1

   Iron the leaves with spermaceti, ensuring the iron is just hot enough to hiss when touched with a wet finger.

2. 2

   Move the iron quickly over the leaves until they are dry.

3. 3

   For final polish, run a fresh iron quickly over the leaves.

As published

This recipe was extracted from The household (of the Detroit free press) (1886) by Goff, May Perrin,, page 278. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

PRESSED AUTUMN LEAVES. Many think that the frosts must come and touch the leaves before they are ready for collection ; that the tints are not perfected at that time ; but this is a mistake. As soon as a leaf is turned it may be gath- ered, but must be perfectly dry — that is, no atmospheric damp upon it, or the leaf will shrivel and wrinkle, losing its bright color. Do not press the leaves at all, but use them fresh from the tree and iron them with spermaceti, not wax, as the latter makes them dull-looking, and does not bring out the colors. If properly done, they will look as bright as if just gathered ; and it is surprising how long they will retain their beauty in spite of dust, light and heat. Procure from the druggist smooth pieces or cakes of fine spermaceti (don't take a candle as some do), as they go so much farther. Put a board on the ironing-table, as the grease spoils everything, and have as many thicknesses as for ordinary ironing. Use old muslin, and have plenty on hand.

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.