Mother's Remedies Part 210

Raspberry and Currant Preserves.--

3 lbs. Currants. 3 lbs. Sugar. 4 qts. Raspberries.

Pick over, wash and drain the currants. Put into a preserving kettle and mash. Cook one hour and strain through cheesecloth. Return to the kettle, add the sugar, heat to the boiling point, cook 20 minutes. Add the raspberries and cook until soft. Fill jars to over-flowing and seal. If the seeds of the currants are not objectionable the mixture need not be strained.

JELLIES.--Fruits to be used in making jelly should be underripe, rather than over-ripe. Green fruit contains two substances, called "pectase" and "pectose" and, by the action of the sun in ripening, these substances change into pectin which makes fruit jelly. If the fruit is over-ripe the pectin breaks down into pectosic acid which has not the power of jellying; and as a result the fruit does not jell. If the fruit is a little under-ripe pectin is formed through cooking, and it is often advisable to add some green fruit to the ripe fruit in making jelly. Nearly all failures in jelly making are due either to over-ripe fruit or to the use of too much heat, because in both cases the pectin is lost.

To Prepare Gla.s.ses for Jelly.--Wash the gla.s.ses, put in a kettle of cold water, heat the water gradually to the boiling point, and boil for fifteen minutes. Remove the gla.s.ses and drain; place, while filling, on a cloth wrung out of hot water. If the gla.s.ses are wrapped in brown paper with the mouths uncovered they will not break.

[DOMESTIC SCIENCE 823]

To Cover Jelly Gla.s.ses.--First: with paraffin. Melt the paraffin over hot water and pour over the jelly when cold about one-fourth inch thick. Be sure to use hot water in melting the paraffin, as it is apt to explode if heated to too high a degree.

Second.--Cut two pieces of white paper, one just the size of the gla.s.s and the other larger; dip the first cover in brandy or alcohol and press down tightly over the jelly. White of egg or water may be used, but it is not so good. Then cover with the second paper, sealing edges with white of egg. A tin cover could be used in place of the last paper.

To Make a Jelly Bag.--Take a piece of flannel about three quarters of a yard long, fold the opposite corners together and sew in the shape of a cornucopia, rounding at the end; if the seam is felled it will be more secure. Bind the top with tape and finish with two or three heavy loops by which it may be hung.

Good Fruits for Making Jelly.--Crab apples, snow apples, early summer apples, grapes, currants, blackberries, raspberries, quinces, barberries are the fruits most commonly used for making jellies.

General Directions for Making Jelly.--Wash the fruit, remove the stems and imperfections. Cut large fruit into pieces. With fruit such as apples or quinces add enough water to cover them, but with watery fruits, such as grapes and currants, omit any water. Cook the fruit, until the juice flows, keeping it just below the boiling point. Remove from the fire and strain through a pointed bag, hung at some height. Allow all the juice possible to drip through before squeezing the bag and keep this juice by itself. Then squeeze the bag and use the juice thus obtained for second grade jelly, which, while it is not as clear as the first lot, can be used for jelly cakes, etc. Measure the juice, bring to the boiling point, boil slowly two or three minutes, then add an equal quant.i.ty of heated sugar.

Boil until the jelly thickens when dropped upon a cold plate. Pour slowly into sterilized jelly gla.s.ses and set away to harden. The jelly bags should be sterilized before using.

Apple Jelly.--Wipe the apples, remove the stem and blossom ends and cut into quarters. Put into granite or, porcelain lined preserving kettle and add enough cold water to come nearly to the top of the apples. Cook slowly until the apples are soft. Mash and strain through a coa.r.s.e sieve. Allow the juice to drip through a jelly bag. Boil slowly for about 20 minutes, add an equal quant.i.ty of heated sugar, cook for about five minutes or until the jelly will harden when dropped on a cold saucer. Pour into sterilized jelly gla.s.ses and seal when cold. If the apples are pared a very light colored jelly is obtained.

Crab Apple Jelly.--Follow the recipe for apple jelly and use red cheeked crab apples, if possible.

[824 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

Quince Jelly.--Follow the recipe for apple jelly, subst.i.tuting quinces for apples. Remove the seeds from the fruit. Sometimes apples and quinces are used in combination and make an excellent jelly.

Grape Jelly.--Pick over the grapes, wash and remove stems. Heat to the boiling point, mash and boil 30 minutes. Strain through a jelly bag, return the juice to the kettle and boil slowly for about five minutes. Add an equal quant.i.ty of heated sugar. Boil three minutes or until it hardens on a cold plate. Skim if necessary. Pour into sterilized jelly gla.s.ses; seal when cold. Be very sure the grapes are not over-ripe. It is very desirable to add a few green grapes. Wild grapes make excellent jelly to serve with game.

Barberry Jelly.--This is considered quite a delicacy, and is made the same as grape jelly, except that a very little water,--about one cup to one peck of berries--is sometimes added.

Currant Jelly.--Pick over the currants but do not remove the stems, wash and drain. Put into a preserving kettle and mash. Cook slowly for about 20 to 30 minutes. Strain through a coa.r.s.e strainer and then through a jelly bag. Follow directions for grape jelly.

A combination of currants and raspberries makes a good jelly.

Raspberry Jelly.--Follow the directions for grape jelly. Raspberry jelly is hard to make and should not be tried if the fruit is not perfectly fresh or if it is at all over-ripe.

JAMS.--The pulp, seeds and skins are all retained in jams; often material that is left from jellies, and so on, can be used in this way by adding spices and nuts to give flavor. Sterilization and the exclusion of air are not quite so important in this cla.s.s of preserving on account of the large amount of sugar used which takes away food from the bacteria. Equal amounts of sugar and fruits are used in making jams.

Raspberry Jam.--Pick over the raspberries, mash in a preserving kettle with a wooden masher. Heat slowly to the boiling point, and add an equal quant.i.ty of heated sugar. Cook slowly for about 45 minutes. Put into sterilized jars.

Strawberry Jam.--Wash and hull the berries. Add the sugar gradually so that the juice of the berries will dissolve it. Boil about 20 minutes, or until it will harden when dropped on a cold plate. Pour into sterilized gla.s.ses.

Grape Jam.--

8 Cups of Grapes. 4 Cups of Sugar.

Wash the grapes, remove the stems and squeeze the pulp from the skins into a preserving kettle. Put the skins on a granite plate and save them. Boil the pulp until the seeds separate easily, stirring constantly. Strain through a sieve, add the skins to the strained mixture, measure, return to the kettle, and add an equal amount of sugar. Boil gently for 15 minutes or until the jam is very thick. Pour into sterilized gla.s.ses and seal when cold. The mixture needs careful watching and stirring, as it will burn easily, especially after the sugar is added.

[DOMESTIC SCIENCE 825]

Rhubarb Conserve.--

2 lbs. rhubarb. 2 oranges.

3 lbs. sugar. 1 lb. sh.e.l.led nuts.

Juice of 3 Lemons.

Remove the leaves and pieces of root from the rhubarb and wash the stalks in cold water. Cut into one-inch pieces. Do not remove the skin unless it is fibrous. If the skin is removed do this before cutting in pieces. Wash the oranges and either grate the rind or cut the yellow into strips thin enough to be seen through. Wash the lemons and use only the juice. A little rind may be used, if desired, but it will take away from the orange flavor. The nuts need not be blanched, but should be broken into pieces of medium size. Any nut may be used, but walnuts are especially good. Mix all the materials, except the nuts, with the sugar. Cook slowly, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick,--about three-quarters of an hour.

After the first half hour's cooking, add the nuts. Pour into sterilized jelly gla.s.ses and seal when cold.

MARMALADES AND b.u.t.tERS.--Marmalades and b.u.t.ters are really strained jams and the same rules hold true as for jams.

Apple Marmalade.--Pare and core the apples. Cook until tender with just enough water to keep from burning. Force through a fine sieve, return to the fire with a scant pound of sugar and the juice and rind of one lemon for each pound of pulp. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon until the marmalade is thick when dropped on a cold saucer. Pour into sterilized gla.s.ses.

Peach Marmalade.--Follow the recipe for apple marmalade, adding spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

Crab Apple Marmalade.--When making crab apple jelly, core the apples and after straining, use the pulp that is left to make marmalade. Various seasonings can he added. Among the best are cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, grated rind and juice of oranges and lemons. When seasoned according to taste, add sugar to the pulp, and cook until of the desired consistency.

Seal in sterilized jars.

Rhubarb Marmalade.--

2 lbs. rhubarb. 3 lbs. sugar. Rind and pulp of 6 oranges.