Good Things to Eat as Suggested by Rufus Part 18

-GREEN GRAPE MARMALADE---If, as often happens, there are many unripened grapes still on the vines and frost threatens, gather them all and try this green grape marmalade. Take one gallon stemmed green grapes, wash, drain and put on to cook in a porcelain kettle with one pint of water.

Cook until soft, rub through a sieve, measure and add an equal amount of sugar to the pulp. Boil hard twenty-five minutes, watching closely that it does not burn, then pour into jars or gla.s.ses. When cold cover with melted paraffin, the same as for jelly.

-GREEN TOMATOES CANNED FOR PIES---To fifteen pounds round green tomatoes sliced thin allow nine pounds granulated sugar and a quarter pound ginger, washed, sc.r.a.ped and cut very thin, and four lemons scrubbed and sliced thin, removing all seeds. Put this mixture over the fire with a pint of water and cook about half an hour, taking care the contents of the kettle do not scorch. Turn into sterilised gla.s.s jars and seal air tight. A tablespoonful of cinnamon and a half tablespoonful each of cloves and allspice may be added to the sauce while cooking if desired.

-PEAR AND BLUEBERRY PRESERVES---Pick over and wash two quarts of blueberries, add water to nearly cover and stew them half hour. Mash them well, when all are broken turn into a bowl covered with cheese cloth. Drain well and when cool squeeze out all the juice. Put the blueberry juice on to boil, add one pint of sugar to each pint of juice and remove all sc.u.m. Allow one quart of sliced pears to one pint of juice. Use hard pears not suitable for canning. Cook them in the syrup, turning over often and when soft and transparent skim them out into the jars. Boil down the syrup and strain over the fruit. Fill to overflowing and seal.

-PRESERVED CURRANTS---Weigh seven pounds of currants before picking over, then stem them and throw out all that are not perfect. Put seven pounds of sugar with three pints of currant juice and boil three minutes, add the currants, one pound of seeded raisins, and cook all twenty minutes. Seal in small jars.

-PRESERVED STRAWBERRIES---The following method for preserving strawberries is highly recommended. Weigh the berries and allow an equal amount of sugar. As two cups weigh a pound, the sugar can be measured.

Put the sugar into the preserving kettle with enough cold water to moisten it, but not enough to make it a liquid. Set the kettle on the back of the range, and when the sugar has entirely dissolved lay in the fruit and heat. As soon as it boils skim and cook five minutes. Do not stir or mash the berries. Now spread them around on deep platters or enameled pans and cover with panes of window gla.s.s. Set in the sun, and the syrup will gradually thicken. Turn into small jars and seal.

-RHUBARB JAM---Add to each pound of rhubarb cut without peeling, a pound of sugar and one lemon. Pare the yellow peel from the lemon, taking care to get none of the bitter white pith. Slice the pulp of the lemon in an earthen bowl, discarding the seeds. Put the rhubarb into the bowl with the sugar and lemon, cover and stand away in a cool place over night. In the morning turn into the preserving kettle, simmer gently three-quarters of an hour or until thick, take from the fire, cool a little and pour into jars.

-SPICED CRABAPPLES---Wash the crabapples, cut out the blossoms end with a silver knife. To four pounds of fruit take two pounds of sugar, one pint of vinegar, one heaping teaspoon each of broken cinnamon, ca.s.sia buds and allspice, add one scant tablespoon whole cloves. Tie the spices in a thin bag and boil with the vinegar and sugar five minutes. Skim them, add the apples and simmer slowly until tender; which will take about ten or fifteen minutes. Skim out the apples, putting them in a large bowl or jar. Boil the sugar five minutes longer and pour over the fruit. Next day drain off the syrup, heat to the boiling point and pour again over the apples. Do this for the next two days, then bottle and seal while hot.

-SPICED CRABAPPLE JELLY---With crabapples still on hand a nice spiced jelly can be made to serve with meats. Cook the apples without peeling until tender. Strain through a jelly bag, add vinegar to taste with cloves and cinnamon. Cook twenty minutes, add an equal quant.i.ty of sugar that has been heated in the oven. Boil five minutes, skim and turn in gla.s.ses.

-SPICED RIPE TOMATO---Peel ripe tomatoes and weigh. For each seven pounds allow two cups of vinegar, seven cups of sugar, one ounce of whole allspice, the same of stick cinnamon and one-half ounce of whole cloves. Cook the tomatoes half an hour or until soft, cutting to pieces while cooking. Add the vinegar, sugar and spices tied in a muslin bag.

Cook until thick like marmalade. Serve with cold meats.

-TOMATO FIGS---Scald eight pounds of yellow tomatoes and remove the skins. Pack them in layers with an equal weight of sugar. After twenty-four hours drain off the juice and simmer five minutes, add the tomatoes and boil until clear. Remove the fruit with a skimmer and harden in the sun while you boil down the syrup until thick; pack jars two-thirds full of the tomatoes, pour the syrup over and seal. Add the juice of four lemons, two ounces of green ginger root tied up in a bag and the parboiled yellow rind of the lemons to the juice when boiling down.

-WILD GRAPE b.u.t.tER---If the wild frost grapes are used, take them after the frost has ripened them. Stem and mash, then mix with an equal quant.i.ty of stewed and mashed apple. Rub the mixture through a sieve, add half as much sugar as there is pulp and cook until thick, being careful that it does not burn. It is a good idea to set preserves and fruit b.u.t.ters in the oven with the door ajar to finish cooking as there is then much less danger of burning or spattering.

-YELLOW TOMATO PRESERVES---Allow a pound sugar to each pound tomatoes and half cup of water to each pound fruit. Cover the tomatoes with boiling water, then skim. Make a syrup with the sugar, and when boiling skim and add the tomatoes. Have ready a sliced lemon that has been cooked in boiling water and a little sliced ginger. Add to the tomatoes.

Cook until the tomatoes are clear, remove, pack in jars, cook the syrup until thick, pour over and seal.

-MINCE MEAT---One peck sour apples, three pounds boiled beef, two pounds suet, one quart canned cherries, one quart grape juice, one pint cider, one pint apple b.u.t.ter, one gla.s.s orange marmalade, half pound candied orange peel, half pound citron, two pounds currants, two pounds raisins, two tablespoonfuls salt. Put all together and boil up well. This may be canned for future use.

SOUFFLES

-ASPARAGUS SOUFFLE---Only very tender asparagus should be used. Cut it fine and boil tender in salted water. Add the well beaten yolks of four eggs, one tablespoonful of soft b.u.t.ter, a saltspoon of salt and a little pepper. Then fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs and bake in a steady oven. Canned asparagus can be subst.i.tuted for fresh.

-CABBAGE SOUFFLE---Chop a solid white head of cabbage and cook in salted water until tender. Drain and place in a b.u.t.tered dish in layers with a sprinkling of grated cheese between. Mix two tablespoonfuls each of flour and b.u.t.ter, add one cupful of rich milk, the beaten yolks of two eggs and a saltspoon of salt and mustard, stir over the fire until it boils. Then add the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs, pour over the cabbage and bake for half an hour.

-CHEESE SOUFFLE---Mix together one-half cup breadcrumbs, a quarter teaspoon salt, a half teaspoonful mustard and a dash of cayenne. Add a tablespoonful b.u.t.ter, a cup and a half milk and cook over hot water.

When heated remove. Add while hot two cups grated cheese and the well beaten yolks of three eggs. Cool. When ready to bake add the beaten whites of four eggs and a cup of whipped cream. Fill individual cups half full, set in a pan of hot water and bake fifteen minutes in a quick oven.

-CORN SOUFFLE---To one pint of sweet grated corn (canned corn) drain and run through a food chopper (may be used), add the well beaten yolks of two eggs, one pint of sweet milk, one small teaspoonful of salt, one and one-half tablespoonfuls of sugar and the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. Mix well and bake in a b.u.t.tered ca.s.serole or ramequins for forty minutes.

-GUERNSEY CHEESE SOUFFLE---Pin a narrow folded paper thoroughly b.u.t.tered on the inside, around six or eight ramequins and b.u.t.ter the ramequins thoroughly. Melt two tablespoonfuls b.u.t.ter and in it cook two tablespoonfuls of flour and a quarter teaspoonful each of salt and paprika. When the mixture looks frothy stir in half a cup of milk and stir until boiling. Then add four ounces grated cheese and the beaten yolks of three eggs. Lastly fold in the stiffly whipped whites of three eggs. Put the mixture into the ramequins letting it come up to the paper or nearly to the top of the dishes. Set the ramequins on many folds of paper in a dish, pour in boiling water to half fill, and let bake in a moderate oven until the mixture is well puffed up and firm to the touch.

Remove the b.u.t.tered paper, set the ramequins in place and serve at once.

A green vegetable salad seasoned with French dressing and a browned cracker may accompany the dish.

-SOUFFLE OF CARROTS---Boil the carrots and mash them fine, add a little sugar to taste, a pinch of salt, a spoonful of flour and a good lump of b.u.t.ter, the well beaten yolks of four eggs, and lastly fold in the stiffly beaten whites. Bake in a quick oven in the dish in which it may be served.

-TOMATO SOUFFLE---Stew three cupfuls of tomato down to two, add seasoning to taste and six eggs, the whites beaten stiff, and bake for ten or fifteen minutes or until set. Serve as soon as done.

FILLING FOR CAKES

-COFFEE CREAM FOR CHARLOTTE AND ECLAIR---Flavor one pint of rich thick cream with one-fourth cup of black coffee and one teaspoon of lemon, add about a half a cup of sugar, chill and whip it until thick enough to stand. Pour it into molds lined with thin sponge cake or lady fingers.

Fill them level and ornament the top with some of the cream forced through tube.

-FILLING---For the filling scald one cup of milk with three level tablespoons of ground coffee and let stand where it will be hot but not boil, for five minutes. Strain, add one-half cup of sugar, three level tablespoons of flour and a pinch of salt. Cook in a double boiler fifteen minutes, add one beaten egg and cook two minutes, stirring to keep smooth. Cool and add one-quarter teaspoon of vanilla flavoring.

Fill the cream cakes and cover with cream beaten thick, sweetened with powdered sugar and flavored with a few drops of vanilla.

-FILLING FOR CAKE---Soak a level tablespoon of gelatin in one tablespoon of cold water for half an hour, add one tablespoon of boiling water and stir. Beat one pint of cream stiff, then beat in the soaked gelatin, add powdered sugar to make sweet and a small teaspoon vanilla flavoring or enough to suit the taste. Put this filling in thick layers between the cakes and cover the top one with a white icing.

-FIG OR DATE FROSTING---These frostings are excellent to use upon any kind of cake, but as they are rather rich in themselves, they seem better suited for light white cake. If figs are preferred they should be chopped fine. If dates, the stones and as much as possible of the white lining should be removed and then they should be chopped fine. For a good size loaf of cake, baked in two layers, use a scant quarter of a pound of either the chopped dates or figs, put into a double boiler or saucepan with a very little boiling water, just enough to make the ma.s.s pliable. Let them stand and heat while the syrup is boiling. For this two cups of fine granulated sugar and half a cup of boiling water are required. Boil without stirring till the syrup taken upon the spoon or skewer will "thread." Do not allow it to boil too hard at first. When the sugar is thoroughly melted, move the saucepan to a hotter part of the stove so that it may boil more vigorously. Have ready the whites of two eggs beaten dry, now to them add the fig or date paste and pour the boiling syrup in a fine stream over the two, beating all the time. Beat occasionally while cooling, and when thoroughly cold add one teaspoonful of lemon extract, and it is ready for use. These frostings may be a trifle sticky the day they are made, especially if the syrup is not boiled very long, but the stickiness disappears by the second day, even if kept in a stone jar.

-LEMON JELLY---Grate two lemons, add the juice, one cup of white sugar, one large spoonful of b.u.t.ter and the yolks of three eggs. Stir constantly over the fire until it jellies, when cold spread between cakes.

-MAPLE ICING---Sc.r.a.pe half a pound of maple sugar and melt, add two tablespoons of boiling water. While hot pour over the cake. Be sure to melt the sugar before adding the water.

-MOCHA FILLING AND ICING---A rich but much liked filling for small cakes is made by boiling one cup of sugar and one-half cup of very strong or very black coffee together until the syrup will thread. In the meantime wash one cup of sweet b.u.t.ter in cold water to take out all the salt.

Put in a piece of cheesecloth and pat it until all the moisture is dried out. Beat until creamy, adding slowly the beaten yolk of one egg and the syrup. Spread this filling between layer cakes, but it is more often used to pipe over the top of small cakes.