RUSSIAN ICED TEA

Make tea for as many cups as desired, strain and cool. Place in ice-box, chill thoroughly and serve in tall glass with ice and flavor with loaf sugar, one teaspoon of rum or brandy, one slice of lemon or one teaspoon preserved strawberries, raspberries, cherries or pineapple, or loaf sugar may be flavored with lemon or orange and packed and stored in jars to be used later to flavor and sweeten the tea. Wash the rind of lemon or orange and wipe dry, then rub over all sides of the sugar.

HOT WINE (GLUEH)

Mix one quart claret, one pint water, two cups of sugar, one-half teaspoon of whole cloves, one teaspoon of whole cinnamon, lemon rind cut thin and in small pieces. Boil steadily for fifteen minutes and serve hot.

FRUIT DRINKS

The success of lemon-, orange- and pineapple-ades depends upon the way they are made. It is best to make a syrup, using one cup of granulated sugar to one cup of water. Put the sugar in cold water over the fire; stir until the sugar is dissolved; then cook until the syrup spins a fine thread. Take from the fire and add the fruit juices while the syrup is hot. If lemonade is desired, lemon should predominate, but orange or pineapple juice or both should be added to yield the best result. Small pieces of fresh pineapple, fresh strawberries and maraschino cherries added at time of serving will make the drink look pretty and will improve the flavor. Shaved or very finely cracked ice should be used.

PINEAPPLE LEMONADE

Pare and grate a ripe pineapple; add the juice of four lemons and a syrup made by boiling together for a few minutes two cups of sugar and the same quantity of water. Mix and add a quart of water. When quite cold strain and ice. A cherry, in each glass is an agreeable addition, as are a few strawberries or raspberries.

QUICK LEMONADE

Wash two lemons and squeeze the juice; mix thoroughly with four tablespoons of sugar, and when the sugar is dissolved add one quart of water, cracked ice, and a little fresh fruit or slices of lemon if convenient.

If the cracked ice is very finely chopped and put in the glasses just before serving it will make a better-looking lemonade. When wine is used take two-thirds water and one-third wine.

LEMONADE IN LARGE QUANTITIES

Take one dozen lemons, one pound of sugar and one gallon of water to make lemonade for twenty people.

FRUIT PUNCH FOR TWENTY PEOPLE

Take one pineapple, or one can of grated pineapple, one cup of boiling water, two cups of freshly made tea (one heaping tablespoon of Ceylon tea, steep for five minutes); one dozen lemons, three oranges sliced and quartered, one quart bottle apollinaris water, three cups of sugar boiled with one and one-half cups of water six to eight minutes, one quart of water, ice. Grate the pineapple, add the one cup of boiling water, and boil fifteen minutes. Strain through jelly-bag, pressing out all the juice; let cool, and add the lemon and orange juice, the tea and syrup. Add apollinaris water just before serving. Pieces of pineapple, strawberries, mint-leaves or slices of banana are sometimes added as a garnish.

MILK LEMONADE

Dissolve in one quart of boiling water two cups of granulated sugar, add three-fourths of a cup of lemon juice, and lastly, one and a half pints of milk. Drink hot or cold with pounded ice.

EGG LEMONADE

Break two eggs and beat the whites and yolks separately. Mix juice of two lemons, four tablespoons of sugar, four cups of water and ice as for lemonade; add the eggs; pour rapidly back and forth from one pitcher to another and serve before the froth disappears.

MARASCHINO LEMONADE

Take the juice of four lemons, twelve tablespoons of sugar, eight cups of water, one cup of maraschino liquor and a few cherries.

ORANGEADE

Take four large, juicy oranges and six tablespoons of sugar Squeeze the oranges upon the sugar, add a very little water and let them stand for fifteen minutes; strain and add shaved ice and water, and a little lemon juice.

CLABBERED MILK

One of the most healthful drinks in the world is clabbered milk; it is far better in a way for every one than buttermilk for it requires no artificial cult to bring it to perfection. The milk is simply allowed to stand in a warm place in the bottles just as it is bought, and when it reaches the consistency of a rich cream or is more like a jelly the same as is required for cheese, it is ready to drink. Pour it into a glass, seasoning it with a little salt, and drink it in the place of buttermilk.

COLD EGG WINE

To each glass of wine allow one egg, beat up, and add sugar to taste. Add wine gradually and grated nutmeg. Beat whites separately and mix.

SODA CREAM

Take three pounds of granulated sugar and one and one-half ounces of tartaric acid, both dissolved in one quart of hot water. When cold add the well-beaten whites of three eggs, stirring well. Bottle for use. Put two large spoonfuls of this syrup in a glass of ice-water, and stir in it one-fourth of a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. Any flavor can be put in this syrup.

MULLED WINE

Put cinnamon and allspice (to taste) in a cup of hot water to steep. Add three eggs well beaten with sugar. Heat to a boil a pint of wine, then add spice and eggs. Stir for three minutes and serve.

STRAWBERRY SHERBET

Crush a quart of ripe strawberries, pour a quart of water over them, and add the juice of two lemons. Let this stand about two hours, then strain over a pound of sugar, stir until the sugar is dissolved, and then set upon ice. You may add one tablespoon of rose-water. Serve with chopped ice.

DELICIOUS AND NOURISHING SUMMER DRINK

Pare thinly the rind of three large lemons, put it into a large jug with one pound of raisins stoned and finely chopped, one pound of sugar, and the juice of the lemons. Add one gallon of boiling water, leave to stand for five days, stirring well every day. Then strain and bottle for use.

SHERRY COBBLER

It is best to mix this in a large bowl and fill in glasses just before serving, and put a little of each kind of fruit in each goblet with pounded ice. To begin with, cut pineapple in slices and quarters, a few oranges and a lemon, sliced thin; one cup of powdered sugar and one tumbler of sherry wine. A few berries, such as black and red raspberries, and blackberries are a nice addition. Cover the fruit with the sugar, laid in layers at the bottom of your bowl with pounded ice; add the wine and twice as much water as wine; stir all up well before serving.

CLARET CUP

Squeeze into a glass pitcher the strained juice of one and one-half lemons, add two tablespoons of powdered sugar, one tablespoon of red curacao; then pour in three cups of claret, and one cup of apollinaris water. Mix thoroughly, add a few slices of orange or pineapple, or both, and a few maraschino cherries. Cut the rinds from two cucumbers without breaking them, hang them on the inside of the pitcher from the top; drop in a good-sized lump of ice and serve at once in thin glasses. Place a bunch of mint at the top of the pitcher.

CORDIAL

Two quarts of water and two and three-quarter pounds of sugar. Boil thirty minutes. Take off stove and add one quart of alcohol. Color and flavor to taste.

EGG-NOG

Separate the whites and yolks of the eggs. To each yolk add one tablespoon of sugar and beat until very light. Beat whites to a stiff froth. One egg is required for each glass of egg-nog. Add two tablespoons of brandy or rum, then one-half cup of milk or cream to each glass, lastly the whites of the eggs. Pour in glass, put a spoon of whipped cream over and grated nutmeg on top.

UNFERMENTED GRAPE JUICE

Wash and stem ten pounds of Concord grapes, put them in a preserving kettle and crush slightly. Bring to the boiling point and cook gently for one-half hour. Strain through cheese-cloth or jelly bag, pressing out all the juice possible; return to fire and with two pounds of sugar conk for fifteen minutes; strain again, reheat and pour into sterilized bottles thoroughly heated. Put in sterilized corks and dip the necks of the bottles in hot sealing-wax. If you can get the self-sealing bottles, the work of putting up grape juice will be light. Sterilize bottles and corks.

OTHER FRUIT JUICES

Raspberry, blackberry and strawberry juice may be made by following the recipe for grape juice but doubling the quantity of sugar. For currant juice use four times as much sugar as for grape juice.

FRUIT SYRUPS

Fruit syrups may be made like fruit juices, only using more sugar—at least half as much sugar as fruit juice.

RASPBERRY VINEGAR

Put two quarts of raspberries in a bowl and cover them with two quarts of vinegar; cover and stand in a cool place for two days. Mash the berries; strain the vinegar through cheesecloth; pour it over two quarts of fresh raspberries; let stand for another two days; strain and put in a preserving kettle with sugar, allowing a pound of sugar to a pint of juice. Heat slowly, skimming when the vinegar begins to boil. Boil twenty minutes and put in sterilized bottles. Serve as a drink, using two tablespoons to a glass of water.

BLACKBERRY WINE

Measure your berries and bruise them; to every gallon add one quart of boiling water; let the mixture stand twenty-four hours (stirring occasionally), then strain off all the liquor into a cask; to every gallon add two pounds of sugar; cork tightly and let stand till the following October.

BLACKBERRY CORDIAL

Simmer the berries until they break, then strain and to each quart of juice add one pound of sugar. Let this dissolve by heating slowly, then add one tablespoon each of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and if desired, allspice. Simmer altogether twenty minutes. Bottle and seal.

CHERRY SYRUP

Mash and pound the cherries until the stones are all broken, then press through a cloth. Use a pound of sugar to a quart of juice; boil, skim and bottle. When cold, seal.

CHERRY BRANDY

To one gallon of brandy allow two quarts of cherries. Mash and pound them until all the stones are broken, put in the brandy and add a pound of cut loaf sugar. Set in the sun for two or three weeks, shake daily, strain and bottle.

CHERRY BOUNCE

The little wild cherry is excellent for this purpose, as the stone kernels contain alcohol. Wash carefully, sugar plentifully, and add whole spice, cloves (with the heads removed) and stick cinnamon. Fewer cloves than the other spices. Get good whiskey and allow one-half as much cherries as whiskey. To a quart bottle allow scant half pint sugared cherries to one and one-half pints of whiskey. Bottle and seal. Let stand at least two months. Open, shake bottle well and taste, and if necessary add more sugar. Seal again, and let stand another month. Is not good under three months and the older it gets the finer it becomes.

CIDER EGG NOG

Break six eggs, put the yolks in one dish, the whites in another. To each yolk add a tablespoon of granulated sugar, beat the yolks and sugar to a foam; then flavor with a little grated nutmeg, stirring it well through the mixture; then add a half pint of hot sweet cider to each egg, beat it well through and pour into a hot punch bowl. Beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth with a little sugar and cover the surface of the punch. Serve in cups.

TOM AND JERRY (Non-Alcoholic)

Beat six eggs and six tablespoons of sugar to a stiff froth, add four cups of unfermented grape juice and the same amount of sweet cider. Have two porcelain pitchers as hot as possible, pour the mixture into one of them. Then pour the mixture back and forth from one pitcher to the other five or six times, and pour the foaming beverage into hot cups and serve.

HOT MILK PUNCH

Beat one egg to a stiff froth with two tablespoons of sugar; add to it two tablespoons of home-made grape wine; stir all well together, put in a large drinking glass and fill with hot milk. Grate a little nutmeg on the top and serve.



*CANNED FRUITS*

GENERAL RULES

All fruits should, if possible, be freshly picked for preserving, canning, and jelly making. No imperfect fruit should be canned or preserved. Gnarly fruit may be used for jellies or marmalades by cutting out defective portions. Bruised spots should be cut out of peaches and pears. In selecting small-seeded fruits, like berries, for canning, those having a small proportion of seed to pulp should be chosen. In dry seasons berries have a larger proportion of seeds to pulp than in a wet or normal season, and it is not wise to can or preserve such fruit unless the seeds are removed. The fruit should be rubbed through a sieve that is fine enough to keep back the seeds. The strained pulp can be preserved as a puree or marmalade.

When fruit is brought into the house put it where it will keep cool and crisp until you are ready to use it.

Begin by having the kitchen swept and dusted thoroughly, that there need not be a large number of mold spores floating about. Dust with a damp cloth. Have plenty of hot water and pans in which jars and utensils may be sterilized. Have at hand all necessary utensils, towels, sugar, etc.

Prepare only as much fruit as can be cooked while it still retains its color and crispness. Before beginning to pare fruit have some syrup ready, if that is to be used, or if sugar is to be added to the fruit have it weighed or measured.

Decide upon the amount of fruit you will cook at one time, then have two bowls—one for the sugar and one for the fruit—that will hold just the quantity of each. As the fruit is pared or hulled, as the case may be, drop it into its measuring bowl. When the measure is full put the fruit and sugar in the preserving kettle. While this is cooking another measure may be prepared and put in the second preserving kettle. In this way the fruit is cooked quickly and put in the jars and sealed at once, leaving the pans ready to sterilize another set of jars.

The preserving kettle should be porcelain-lined, and no iron or tin utensils should be used, as the fruit acids attack these metals and so give a bad color and metallic taste to the food.

STERILIZING JARS, ETC.

The success of canning depends upon absolute sterilization and not upon the amount of sugar or cooking. Any proportion of sugar may be used, or fruit may be canned without the addition of any sugar.

It is most important that the jars, covers, and rubber rings be in perfect condition. Examine each jar and cover to see that there is no defect in it. Use only fresh rubber rings, for if the rubber is not soft and elastic the sealing will not be perfect. Each year numbers of jars of fruit are lost because of the false economy in using an old ring that has lost its softness and elasticity.

Have two pans partially filled with cold water. Put some jars in one, laying them on their sides, and some covers in the other. Place the pans on the stove where the water will heat to the boiling point. The water should boil at least ten or fifteen minutes. Have on the stove a shallow milk pan in which there is about two inches of boiling water. Sterilize the cups, spoons, and funnel, if you use one, by immersing in boiling water for a few minutes. When ready to put the prepared fruit in the jars slip a broad skimmer under a jar and lift it and drain free of water.

There are several methods of canning; the housekeeper can use that method which is most convenient.

The three easiest and best methods are: Cooking the fruit in jars in an oven; cooking the fruit in jars in boiling water; and stewing the fruit before it is put in the jars.

CANNING FRUIT BAKED IN OVEN

In this method the work is easily and quickly done and the fruit retains its shape, color and flavor. Particularly nice for berries.

Sterilize jars and utensils. Make the syrup; prepare the fruit the same as for cooking. Fill the hot jars with the fruit, drained, and pour in enough hot syrup to fill the jar solidly. Run the handle of a silver spoon around the inside of the jar. Place the hot jars, uncovered, and the covers, in a moderate oven.

Cover the bottom of the oven with a sheet of asbestos, the kind plumbers employ in covering pipes, or put into the oven shallow pans in which there are about two inches of boiling water. Cook berries to the boiling point or until the bubbles in the syrup just rise to the top; cook larger fruits, eight to ten minutes or according to the fruit. Remove from the oven, slip on rubber, first dipped in boiling water; then fill the jar with boiling syrup. Cover and seal. Place the jars on a board and out of a draft of air. If the screw covers are used tighten them after the glass has cooled.

Large fruits, such as peaches, pears, quince, crab-apples, etc., will require about a pint of syrup to each quart jar of fruit. The small fruit will require a little over half a pint of syrup.

BAKED CRANBERRIES OR CHERRY PRESERVES

Pick over, wash and drain four quarts of large, perfect cranberries; or stem and then stone four pounds of large cherries, use a cherry pitter so cherries remain whole. Place a tablespoon of hot water in a jar, then alternately in layers cherries or cranberries and sugar (with sugar on top), cover closely. This amount will require four pounds of sugar. Bake in a very slow oven two hours. Let stand. Then keep in a cool, dry place. The cranberries will look and taste like candied cherries, and may be used for garnishing.

BAKED CRAB-APPLE PRESERVES

Wash, wipe and remove the blossom ends of one-half peck of perfect red Siberian crab-apples. Pour one tablespoon of water in bottom of one gallon stone jar, then place in alternate layers of apples and sugar, using four pounds altogether (with sugar on top). Cover with two thicknesses of Manila paper, tied down securely or with close fitting plate. Bake in a very slow oven (that would only turn the paper a light brown), two or three hours; let stand to cool, keep in cool, dry place.

BAKED SICKEL PEARS

May be prepared the same way. Flavor, if desired, with ginger or lemon juice.

BAKED QUINCES

Quinces may be wiped, cored, and quartered; sugar filled in the cavities, and baked same as crab-apples, in a very slow oven three or more hours until clear and glassy.

CANNING FRUIT IN A WATER BATH

Canned fruits may be cooked over the fire, but they are, on the whole, very much better if cooked in a water bath. Prepare fruit and syrup as for cooking in a preserving kettle and cook the syrup ten minutes. Sterilize the jars and utensils; fill the jars with fruit; then pour in enough syrup to fill the jars completely. Run the blade of a silver-plated knife around the inside of the jar and put the covers on loosely.

Have a wooden rack, slats, or straw in the bottom of a wash boiler; put in enough warm water to come to about four inches above the rack; place the filled jars in the boiler, being careful not to let them touch. Pack clean white rags or cotton rope between and around the jars to prevent their striking one another when the water begins to boil. Cover the boiler and let the fruit cook as directed, counting from the time the surrounding water begins to boil. (This cooking is called sterilizing.)

Draw the boiler aside and remove the cover. When the steam passes off, lift out one jar at a time and place it in a pan of boiling water beside the boiler; fill to overflowing with boiling syrup; wipe the rim of the jar with a cloth wrung from boiling water; put on rubbers and cover quickly; stand the jar upside down and protected from drafts, until cool; then tighten the covers if screw covers are used, and wipe off the jars with a wet cloth. Paste on labels and put the jars on shelves in a cool, dark closet.

The time given for sterilizing is for quart jars; pint jars require three minutes less.

BLUEBERRIES

To twelve quarts of berries take one quart of sugar and one pint of water. Put water, berries, and sugar in preserving kettle; heat slowly. Boil sixteen minutes, counting from the time the contents of the kettle begins to bubble.

CANNED RASPBERRIES

To six quarts of berries take one quart of sugar. Put one quart of the fruit in the preserving kettle; heat slowly, crushing with a wooden potato masher; strain and press through a fine sieve. Return the juice and pulp to the kettle; add the sugar; stir until dissolved; then add the remaining quarts of berries. Boil sixteen minutes, counting from the time they begin to boil. Skim well while boiling, and put into jars as directed.

BLACKBERRIES

The same as for raspberries.

CURRANTS

To twelve quarts of currants take four quarts of sugar. Treat the same as raspberries.

RASPBERRIES AND CURRANTS

To ten quarts of raspberries and three quarts of currants take two and one-half quarts of sugar. Heat, crush and press the juice from the currants and proceed as directed for raspberries.

CANNED GOOSEBERRIES

To six quarts of berries take three pints of sugar and one pint of water.

Dissolve the sugar in the water, using three pints of sugar if the gooseberries are green and only half the quantity if they are ripe. Add the fruit and cook fifteen minutes.

Green gooseberries may also be canned like rhubarb without sugar and sweetened when used.

CANNED STRAWBERRIES

After washing and hulling berries, proceed as with raspberries.

CANNED PEACHES

Wash peaches, put them in a square of cheese-cloth or wire basket. Dip for two minutes in kettle of boiling water. Plunge immediately into cold water. Skin the peaches; leave whole or cut as preferred. Pack peaches in hot jars. Fill hot jars with hot syrup or boiling water. Put tops in position. Tighten tops but not airtight. Place jars on false bottom in wash-boiler. Let the water boil sixteen minutes. Seal as directed. To eight quarts of peaches take three quarts of sugar, two quarts of water.

Apricots, plums and ripe pears may be treated exactly as peaches.

QUINCES

To four quarts of pared, cored and quartered quinces take one and one-half quarts of sugar and two quarts of water.

Rub the fruit hard with a coarse, crash towel, blanch for six minutes. Pare, quarter, and core; drop the pieces into cold water. Put the fruit in the preserving kettle with cold water to cover it generously. Heat slowly and simmer gently until tender. The pieces will not all require the same time to cook. Take each piece up as soon as it is so tender that a silver fork will pierce it readily. Drain on a platter. Strain the water in which the fruit was cooked through cheese-cloth. Put two quarts of the strained liquid and the sugar into the preserving kettle; stir over the fire until the sugar is dissolved. When it boils skim well and put in the cooked fruit. Boil gently for about forty minutes.

PEARS

If the fruit is ripe it may be treated exactly the same as peaches. If, on the other hand, it is rather hard it must be cooked until so tender that a silver fork will pierce it readily.

CHERRIES

Prepare in the same manner as you would for preserving, allowing half a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. After putting the cherries into the syrup do not let them boil more than five minutes; then fill your cans to overflowing, seal immediately and then screw tighter as they grow cold. Remove the little bag of stones which you have boiled with the syrup. The object in boiling the stones with the syrup is to impart the fine flavor to the fruit which cherries are robbed of in pitting.

CHERRIES FOR PIES

Stem the cherries—do not pit them,—pack tight in glass fruit jars, cover with syrup, made of two tablespoons of sugar to a quart of fruit, allowing one-half cup of water to each quart of cherries. Let them boil fifteen minutes from the time they begin to boil.

PINEAPPLE

Take off rind and trim. Cut into slices and divide into thirds. Fill into glass jars and dissolve sugar in water enough to cover the jars to overflowing, allowing half a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, and pour this sweetened water over the pineapples; proceed as in "Canning Fruit in a Water Bath" and let them boil steadily for at least twenty minutes. Draw the boiler aside or lift it off the coal range and allow the cans to cool in the water in which they were boiled even if it takes until the following day. Then remove each can carefully, screwing each can as tightly as possible. Wipe dry and put away in a cool place. All canned fruits should be examined carefully in one or two weeks' time after being put up. If any show signs of fermenting, just set them in a boiler of cold water and let them come to a boil slowly. Boil about ten minutes, remove boiler from the fire and allow the cans to cool in the boiler. When cold screw tight and put away.

CANNED RHUBARB READY TO USE

Strip the skins from the stalks, and cut into small pieces as you would for pies. Allow eight ounces of loaf sugar to every quart of rhubarb. Set the sugar over the fire with as little water as possible, throw in the rhubarb and boil ten minutes. Put in jars and seal.

CANNED RHUBARB

Wash the rhubarb thoroughly in pure water; cut it into pieces and pack it in sterilized jars. Cover with cold water; let it stand ten minutes; pour off the water; fill again to overflowing with fresh cold water; seal with sterilized rubber rings and covers, and set away in a cool, dark place.

CANNED PLUMS

To four quarts of plums take one quart of sugar and one cup of water.

Wash, drain and prick the plums. Make a syrup of the sugar and water; put part of the fruit in the boiling syrup; cook five minutes; fill and seal the jars. Put more fruit in the syrup; remove and continue the process until all the fruit has been cooked.

CANNING IN THE PRESERVING KETTLE

Canning in the preserving kettle is less satisfactory; but is sometimes considered easier, especially for small fruits. Cook the fruit according to the directions and see that all jars, covers and utensils are carefully sterilized. When ready to put the fruit in the jars, put a broad skimmer under one, lift it and drain off the water. Set it in a shallow pan of boiling water or wrap it well in a heavy towel wrung out of boiling water; fill to overflowing with the fruit and slip a silver-plated knife around the inside of the jar to make sure that fruit and juice are solidly packed. Wipe the rim of the jar; dip the rubber ring in boiling water, place it on the jar; cover and remove the jar, placing it upside down on a board, well out of drafts until cool. Then tighten the covers, if screw covers are used; wipe the jars with a wet cloth and stand on shelves in a cool, dark closet.

CANNED PEACHES

To eight quarts of peaches take one quart of sugar and three quarts of water. Make a syrup of the sugar and water; bring to a boil; skim it and draw the kettle aside where the syrup will keep hot but not boil. Pare the peaches, cutting them in halves or not as desired; if in half leave one or two whole peaches for every jar, as the kernel improves the flavor. Put a layer of fruit in the kettle; when it begins to boil skim carefully; boil gently, for ten minutes; put in jars and seal. Then cook more of the fruit in similar fashion. If the fruit is not ripe it will require a longer time to cook.

All fruit may be canned in this manner, if desired.

PINEAPPLE, No. 1

The large juicy pineapple is the best for this purpose. Have your scales at hand, also a sharp-pointed knife and an apple-corer, a slaw-cutter and a large, deep porcelain dish to receive the sliced pineapple. Pare, do this carefully, dig out all the eyes as you go along. Lay the pared pineapple on a porcelain platter and stick your apple-corer right through the centre of the apple, first at one end and then at the other; if it acts stubbornly put a towel around the handle of the corer and twist it, the whole core will come out at once. Now screw the slaw-cutter to the desired thickness you wish to have your pineapple sliced. Slice into receiving dish, weigh one pound of fine granulated sugar and sprinkle it all over the apple, and so on until all are pared and sliced, allowing one pound of sugar to each very large pineapple. Cover the dish until next day and then strain all the juice off the apples and boil in a porcelain or bell metal kettle, skimming it well; throw in the sliced pineapples, boil about five minutes and can. Fill the cans to overflowing and seal immediately, not losing a moment's time. As the cans grow cold screw tighter and examine daily, for three or four days, and screw tighter if possible.

PINEAPPLE, No. 2

Prepare the pineapples as above, allowing half a pound of sugar to two pounds of fruit. Steam the sliced pines in a porcelain steamer until tender. In the meantime make a syrup of the sugar, allowing a tumblerful of water to a pound of sugar. Skim the syrup carefully, put in your steamed pineapples and can as above.



*JELLIES AND PRESERVES*

In making preserves or jellies use none but porcelain-lined or bell-metal kettles, being very careful to have them perfectly clean. Scour with sapolio or sand before using. Take plenty of time to do your work, as you will find that too great hurry is unprofitable. Use glass jars and the best white sugar, and do not have any other cooking going on while preserving, as the steam or grease will be apt to injure your preserves.

When fruit is preserved with a large amount of sugar (a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit) it does not need to be sealed in airtight jars; because bacteria do not readily form in the thick, sugary syrup. It is, however, best kept in small sealed jars.

In damp weather jelly takes longer to form. Try to select a sunny, dry day for jelly making. You can prepare your juice even if it is cloudy, but wait for sunshine before adding the sugar and final boiling.

UTENSILS FOR JELLY MAKING

Large enamelled kettle, syrup gauge, two colanders, wooden masher, wooden spoon, jelly glasses, one-quart measure, two enamelled cups, one baking-pan, two earthen bowls, paraffin wax, enamelled dishpan for sterilizing glasses and two iron jelly stands with cheese-cloth bags.

HOW TO TEST JELLY MADE AT HOME

Much waste of sugar and spoilage of jellies can be avoided by using a simple alcohol test recommended by the Bureau of Chemistry, United States Department of Agriculture. To determine how much sugar should be used with each kind of juice put a spoon of juice in a glass and add to it one spoon of ninety-five per cent grain alcohol, mixed by shaking the glass gently.

Pour slowly from the glass, noting how the pectin—the substance in fruits which makes them jell—is precipitated. If the pectin is precipitated as one lump, a cup of sugar may be used for each cup of juice; if in several lumps the proportion of sugar must be reduced to approximately 3/4 the amount of the juice. If the pectin is not in lumps, the sugar should be one-half or less of the amount of juice.

The housewife will do well before making the test to taste the juice, as fruits having less acid than good tart apples probably will not make good jelly, unless mixed with other fruits which are acid.

TO COVER JELLY GLASSES

There are three common methods of covering jelly tumblers: (1) Dip a piece of paper in alcohol; place it on top of the tumbler as soon as the jelly is cold; put on the tin cover and force it down firmly. (2) Cut a piece of paper large enough to allow it to overlap the top of the tumbler at least one-half inch on all sides; dip the paper in slightly-beaten white of egg; cover the glass as soon as the jelly cools and press down the paper until it adheres firmly. (3) When the jelly has become cold, cover the top with melted paraffin to a thickness of one-third of an inch.

To mark jelly glasses sealed with paraffin, have the labels ready on narrow slips of paper not quite as long as the diameter of the top of a glass, and when the paraffin is partially set, but still soft, lay each label on and press gently.



*JELLIES*

CURRANT JELLY

Pick over half ripe currants, leaving stems on. Wash and place in preserving kettle. Pound vigorously with wooden masher until there is juice enough to boil. Boil slowly until fruit turns white and liquid drops slowly from the spoon. Stir to prevent scorching.

Remove from fire. Take an enamelled cup and dip this mixture into the jelly bags, under which large bowls have been placed to catch the drip. Drip overnight.

Next morning measure the juice. For every pint allow a pint of granulated sugar, which is put in a flat pan. Juice is put in kettle and allowed to come to boiling point. Sugar is placed in oven and heated. When juice boils add sugar and stir until dissolved.

When this boils remove from fire and skim. Do this three times. Now test liquid with syrup gauge to see if it registers twenty-five degrees. Without gauge let it drip from spoon, half cooled, to see if it jells. Strain into sterilized jelly glasses. Place glasses on a board in a sunny exposure until it hardens Cover with melted paraffin one-fourth inch thick.

RASPBERRY AND CURRANT JELLY

Follow the recipe for Currant Jelly, using half raspberries and half currants.

RASPBERRY JELLY

Follow the recipe for Currant Jelly.

BLACKBERRY JELLY

Follow the recipe for Currant Jelly.

STRAWBERRY JELLY

To five quarts of strawberries add one quart of currants and proceed as with Currant Jelly; but boil fifteen minutes.

GRAPE JELLY

The Concord is the best all-round grape for jelly, although the Catawba grape makes a delicious jelly. Make your jelly as soon as possible after the grapes are sent home from the market. Weigh the grapes on the stems and for every pound of grapes thus weighed allow three-quarters of a pound of the best quality of granulated sugar.

After weighing the grapes, place them in a big tub or receptacle of some kind nearly filled with cold water. Let them remain ten minutes, then lift them out with both hands and put them in a preserving kettle over a very low fire. Do not add any water. With a masher press the grapes so the juice comes out, and cook the grapes until they are rather soft, pressing them frequently with the masher. When they have cooked until the skins are all broken, pour them, juice and all; in a small-holed colander set in a big bowl, and press pulp and juice through, picking out the stems as they come to the surface.

When pulp and juice are pressed out, pour them into a cheese-cloth bag. Hang the bag over the preserving kettle and let the juice drip all night. In the morning put the kettle over the fire and let the grape juice boil gently for a half hour, skimming it frequently.

While the juice is cooking put the sugar in pans in a moderate oven and let heat. As soon as the juice is skimmed clear stir in the hot sugar, and as soon as it is dissolved pour the jelly in the glasses, first standing them in warm water. Place glasses after filling them in a cool dry place till jelly is well set, then pour a film of melted paraffin over the top and put on the covers. Label.

CRAB-APPLE JELLY

Take eight quarts of Siberian crab-apples, cut up in pieces, leaving in the seeds, and do not pare. Put into a stone jar, and set on the back of the stove to boil slowly, adding four quarts of water. Let them boil, closely covered all day, then put in a jelly-bag and let them drip all night. Boil a pint of juice at a time, with a pound of sugar to every pint of juice. Boil five minutes steadily, each pint exactly five minutes. Now weigh another pound of sugar and measure another pint of juice. Keep on in this way and you will be through before you realize it. There is no finer or firmer jelly than this. It should be a bright amber in color, and of fine flavor. You may press the pulp that remains in the jelly-bag through a coarse strainer, add the juice of two lemons and as much sugar as you have pulp, and cook to a jam.

APPLE JELLY

Take sour, juicy apples, not too ripe, cut up in pieces, leave the skins on and boil the seeds also. Put on enough water to just cover, boil on the back of the stove, closely covered, all day. Then put in jelly-bag of double cheese-cloth to drip all night. Next morning measure the juice. Allow a wineglass of white wine and juice of one lemon to every three pints of juice. Then boil a pint at a time, with a pound of sugar to every pint.

NEAPOLITAN JELLY

Take equal quantities of fully ripe strawberries, raspberries, currants and red cherries. The cherries must be stoned, taking care to preserve the juice and add to rest of juice. Mix and press through a jelly-press or bag. Measure the juice, boil a pint at a time, and to every pint allow a pound of sugar and proceed as with other fruit jellies.

QUINCE JELLY

Prepare the fruit and cook peels and cores as directed for preserving. Cut the quinces in small pieces and let them boil in the strained water for one hour with kettle uncovered. When cooked the desired length of time, pour the whole into a jelly-bag of white flannel or double cheese-cloth; hang over a big bowl or jar and let the liquor all drain through. This will take several hours. When all the liquor is drained, measure it and return to the kettle. To each pint of liquor weigh a pound of sugar. While the liquor is heating put the sugar in the oven, then add to the boiling hot liquor and stir it until sugar is melted. When the whole is thick, and drops from the spoon like jelly, pour it through a strainer into the jelly glasses; and when the jelly is cool, put on the covers—first pouring a film of melted paraffin over the surface.

A WINTER JELLY

One-half peck of tart apples, one quart of cranberries. Cover with cold water and cook an hour. Strain through a jelly-bag without squeezing. There should be about three pints of juice. Use a bowl of sugar for each bowl of juice. When the juice is boiling add sugar which has been heated in oven and boil twenty minutes. Skim and pour into glasses. Will fill about seven.

CRANBERRY JELLY

Wash and pick ripe cranberries and set on to boil in a porcelain-lined kettle closely covered. When soft strain the pulp through a fine wire sieve. Measure the juice and add an equal quantity of sugar. Set it on to boil again and let it boil very fast for about ten minutes—but it must boil steadily all the time. Wet a mold with cold water, turn the jelly into it and set it away to cool, when firm turn it into a glass salver.

*PRESERVED FRUIT*

PRESERVED FIGS

Lay fresh figs in water overnight. Then simmer in water enough to cover them until tender, and spread upon dishes to cool. Make a syrup of a pound of sugar to every pound of fruit. Allow a small teacup of water to a pound of sugar. Boil until a very clear syrup; remove every particle of scum; put in the figs and boil slowly for ten minutes. Take them out and spread upon dishes, and set them in the hot sun. Add the juice of as many lemons as you have pounds of sugar, and a few small pieces of ginger. Boil this syrup until thick. Boil the figs in this syrup for fifteen minutes longer. Then fill in glass jars three-quarters full, fill up with boiling syrup and cover. When cold, screw air-tight or seal.

PRESERVED CHERRIES

The sour red cherries, or "Morellas," are the best for preserves. Never use sweet ones for this purpose. Stone them, preserving every drop of juice, then weigh the cherries, and for every pound take three-quarters of a pound of sugar. Set the sugar and juice of the cherries on to boil, also a handful of the cherry stones pounded and tied in a thin muslin bag. Let this boil about fifteen minutes. Skim off the scum that rises. Now put in the cherries, and boil until the syrup begins to thicken like jelly. Remove from the fire, fill in pint jars, and when cold, cover with brandied paper and screw on the cover tight.

PRESERVED PEACHES

Weigh one pound of sugar for each pound of fruit. After weighing them brush each peach with a stiff whiskbroom. This should be done in putting up peaches in any way. After brushing them peel the peaches very thin with a sharp silver knife. Do not use a knife with a steel blade, as it discolors the fruit. As fast as the peaches are peeled lay them on porcelain platters. Put the peelings in the preserving kettle with enough water to keep from sticking. Stand the kettle over rather a quick fire and let the peelings boil with the kettle covered until very soft. Then drain them through a colander and pour the juice strained back into the kettle. Add sugar to this and let it simmer gently until it is a thick syrup. During the time the syrup is cooking it must be frequently stirred and skimmed. As soon as the syrup is thick enough, drop in the peaches, twelve at a time if for quart jars, and six at a time if for pint jars. Let the peaches cook gently until each one may easily be pierced with a broom splint.

Then quickly skim them out and lay them on a platter to cool. Repeat this process until all the peaches are done, then let the syrup cook until thick as molasses. Skim it thoroughly. When cool put the peaches, one at a time, in the jars with a spoon. When the syrup is sufficiently thick, pour it through a strainer over the peaches in the jars until they are full, then seal down quickly and stand them upside down for several hours before putting them in the store-room.

STRAWBERRIES IN THE SUN

To two pounds of berries take two pounds of sugar and three-quarters cup of water. Put the syrup in the preserving kettle; bring it to a boil and cook for about ten minutes, or until it begins to thicken. Add the berries; cook for ten minutes and pour them out in shallow dishes or meat platters. Cover with sheets of glass, allowing a little air for ventilation; place in the sun until the juice is thick and syrupy. This will take two days or more, but the rich color and delicious flavor of the fruit will fully repay the effort expended. Put into small jars or tumblers and cover according to directions.

PRESERVED STRAWBERRIES

To one pint of strawberries take one pint of sugar and one-half cup of water. Unless strawberries are cooked in the sun they should be prepared only in small quantities or they will be dark and unpalatable. If the following directions are carefully observed the berries will be plump and of a rich red color.

Bring the sugar and water to a boil; add the strawberries and cook ten minutes. Remove the berries carefully with a skimmer and cook the syrup until it is of the consistency of jelly. Return the berries to the syrup; bring all to a boil and when cool put in glass tumblers.

STRAWBERRIES AND PINEAPPLE

Follow the recipe for Preserved Strawberries, using two-thirds pineapple and one-third strawberries.

PRESERVED PINEAPPLE

To one pineapple take three-quarters of its weight in sugar and one cup of water. Peel the pineapple and put it through the food-chopper. Weigh and add three-quarters of the weight in sugar. Bring slowly to a boil and simmer for about twenty minutes, or until the consistency of marmalade.

PRESERVED DAMSON PLUMS

Pick the plums over carefully, removing every one that has a decayed spot or blemish. Leave the stems on. After picking the fruit over, wash it carefully in cold water; then weigh it and allow one pound of sugar to each pound of fruit. Put a gill of water in the preserving kettle for each pound of sugar, stand the kettle over a moderate fire and add the sugar. Stir it almost constantly with a wooden spoon until the sugar melts; then turn on a little more heat and let the melted sugar boil gently until it is a thick syrup. Stir, and skim it frequently. When the required thickness (which should be like syrup used for griddle cakes) put the plums in the boiling syrup and let them cook gently for half an hour; then skim out the plums and put them in glass jars, filling each jar half full. Let the syrup boil till almost as thick as jelly, then pour it in the jars, filling them quite full. Fasten the tops on and stand the jars upside down until the preserves are cold; then put them where they are to be kept for the winter.

DAMSON JAM

Weigh 3/4 of a pound of sugar for each pound of fruit. After washing the plums carefully, put them in a preserving kettle with just enough water to keep them from sticking to the bottom. Set them over a moderate fire and let them simmer for half an hour; then turn them, juice and all, into a colander, filling the colander not more than half full. Have the colander set over a large earthen bowl. With a potato masher, press juice and pulp through the colander into the bowl, leaving skins and pits as dry as possible. Remove these from the colander and repeat the process until all the pulp and juice is pressed out; then pour it into the kettle and, while it is heating slowly, heat the sugar in the oven. As soon as the juice and pulp begins to simmer stir in the hot sugar, and when it drops from the spoon like a thick jelly pour it into the glasses. This is one of the most delicious fruit preserves made and is always acceptable with meat and poultry or as a sweetmeat at afternoon teas.

RASPBERRY JAM

To five pounds of red raspberries (not too ripe) add five pounds of loaf sugar. Mash the whole well in a preserving kettle (to do this thoroughly use a potato masher). Add one quart of currant juice, and boil slowly until it jellies. Try a little on a plate; set it on ice, if it jellies remove from the fire, fill in small jars, cover with brandied paper and tie a thick white paper over them. Keep in a dark, dry, cool place. If you object to seeds, press the fruit through a sieve before boiling.

JELLIED QUINCES

Jellied quinces are made after the direction for preserved quinces, only the fruit is cut in tiny little pieces and when put in the syrup is allowed to cook twenty minutes longer, and is put in small glasses with the syrup and not skimmed out as for preserves. Leave the glasses open till the jelly sets, then cover.

QUINCE CHEESE

Wipe off each quince before paring, core and slice them, weigh your fruit and sugar, allowing 3/4 of a pound of sugar for every pound of fruit and set the sugar aside until wanted. Boil the skins, cores and seeds in a clean vessel by themselves, with just enough water to cover them. Boil until the parings are soft, so as to extract all the flavor, then strain through a jelly-bag. When this water is almost cold, put the quinces in the preserving kettle with the quince water and boil until soft, mash with a wooden spoon or beetle. Add the juice of an orange to every two pounds of fruit, being careful not to get any of the seeds into the preserves. Now add the sugar and boil slowly for fifteen minutes, stirring constantly; if not thick enough boil longer, being very careful not to let it burn. Take off the fire and pack in small jars with brandied paper over them.

PRESERVED QUINCES

The quince that comes first into the market is likely to be wormy and corky, and harder to cook than the better ones. It requires a good deal of skill to cook quince preserves just right. If you cook them too much they are red instead of a beautiful salmon shade, and they become shriveled, dry and tart, even in the sweetest syrup, instead of full and mealy, and sweet.

Weigh a pound of sugar for each pound of fruit. Wipe each quince carefully with a coarse linen towel. Peel, quarter and core the quinces. Put peels and cores in the preserving kettle with just water enough to cover them, and let them simmer with the kettle covered for two hours. Then strain the liquor through a fine sieve and return it to the kettle.

Cut the quartered quinces in small pieces and put as many of them in the kettle as the liquor will cover. Let them boil gently, with the kettle uncovered, until so tender they may be easily pierced with a broom splint. Take them out with a skimmer and lay on flat dishes to cool. Repeat this process until all the fruit is properly cooked; then put the sugar in the liquor and let it boil gently to a thick syrup; put in as many of the cooked quinces as the syrup will cover and let them cook in the syrup for twenty minutes; skim them out and lay on flat dishes to cool. Repeat this process until all the quinces are cooked in the syrup.

When they are cool put the quinces in glass jars, filling each one half full. Let the syrup boil until very thick, stirring it frequently and skimming it clear. Then pour it through a fine strainer, while very hot, over the fruit; and as soon as a jar is full, fasten on the cover. It is tiresome work to preserve quinces, but the result pays for all the trouble.

CITRON PRESERVE

Pare and core the citron; cut it into strips and notch the edges; or cut it into fancy shapes. Allow a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, and to six pounds of the fruit allow four lemons and a quarter of a pound of ginger root. Tie the ginger in a cloth, and boil it in a quart and a half of water until the flavor is extracted; then remove it, and add to the water the sugar and the juice of the lemons; stir until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup is clear; take off any scum; then add the citron and cook until it is clear, but not soft enough to fall apart. Can and seal while hot.

MARMALADES

Marmalades require great care while cooking because no moisture is added to the fruit and sugar. If the marmalade is made from berries the fruit should be rubbed through a sieve to remove the seeds. If large fruit is used have it washed, pared, cored, and quartered.

Measure the fruit and sugar, allowing one pint of sugar to each quart of fruit.

Rinse the preserving kettle with cold water that there may be a slight coat of moisture on the sides and bottom. Put alternate layers of fruit and sugar in the kettle, having the first layer fruit. Heat slowly, stirring frequently. While stirring, break up the fruit as much as possible. Cook about two hours, then put in small sterilized jars.

ORANGE MARMALADE

The white part between the yellow rind and the inner skin of the orange used to be most sedulously removed, but now we know that there is great economy in using it. By doing so we can use large quantities of water in proportion to fruit, for it has the property of converting this into jelly.

The Seville orange used to be the orange used in Scotland and England for marmalades because of its bitter flavor, but we can get the same effect by using the grapefruit. An all grapefruit marmalade is not nearly so attractive and pretty as one of combined fruits, nor does it have the zest that the grapefruit seems to give to a marmalade where it is only one of the constituents.

AMBER MARMALADE

Slice thin, skin and all, one grapefruit, one orange, one lemon. Add to this three times its measure of water and allow to stand overnight. Cook for ten minutes the next morning and then allow to stand until the next morning, when finish by adding as much sugar as there is liquid and boiling slowly until done, or until it jellies. The time commonly given is two hours, but a half hour less than this is ample.

RHUBARB AND ORANGE MARMALADE

Cut three pounds of pie plant into small pieces (unpeeled). Peel three oranges and cut into small pieces. Put with this two cups of sugar and the grated rind of one orange. Let stand overnight. Cook until clear, stirring often. Then add three pounds of granulated sugar heated in oven. Cook until clear; ten to twenty minutes. Pour into jelly glasses and cover with paraffin.

APPLE AND QUINCE CONSERVE

A novelty for the preserve closet and one that is very good is made from ripe apples and quinces. Use one peck of juicy cooking apples and two quarts of sugar. Pare the quinces and cut out the cores. Put the parings and cores into a preserving kettle with two quarts of water and boil gently for forty-five minutes. Meanwhile, cut the quinces into eighths, put them into a kettle with three pints of water and simmer until the fruit can be pierced with a straw; then lift the fruit from the water and lay them on a platter to drain. Strain the water in which the parings and cores have cooked into the water in which the quinces have cooked, and after adding the sugar boil for ten minutes. Pare, core and quarter the apples, and place in the syrup with the cooked quinces. Cook slowly for fifteen minutes and seal immediately in sterilized jars. The combined flavors of the quince and apple are very pleasing.

CHERRY CONSERVE

Take three and 1/2 pounds of large red cherries, stone them and cook for fifteen minutes. Heat two and 1/2 pounds of sugar in the oven; add it to the cherries; also 1/4 pound of seeded raisins and the juice and pulp of three oranges. Cook until the mixture is as thick as marmalade.

APPLE BUTTER

Boil down any desired quantity of sweet cider in your preserving kettle to 2/3 the original quantity. Pare, core and slice as many wine apples as you wish to use. Boil slowly, stirring often with a silver or wooden spoon. Spice with stick cinnamon and cloves, and sweeten to taste. Boil from four to five hours; take from the fire, pour all together into a large crock. Cover and let it stand overnight, then return it to the preserving kettle and boil down, stirring all the while until it is the consistency of mush, and of a dark brown color.

GRAPE PRESERVES

Squeeze the pulp into one bowl and put the skins into another. Press the pulp through a sieve, weigh the grapes before you squeeze them and allow three-quarters of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. Put the strained pulp and sugar on to boil, the skins also, and boil slowly until thick. It will be much easier for you to heat the pulp before straining.

GERMAN PRUNE BUTTER

Remove pits and wash prunes, take three-quarters of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, and enough water to keep from burning; do not stir but remove from the sides of the kettle occasionally. Let boil for hours; when done, place in glasses. Let cool; cover with paraffin.

CHERRY MARMALADE

To three pounds of sweet and one pound of sour cherries allow two pounds of sugar. Weigh the cherries when stemmed and pitted. Make a syrup of the sugar, add cinnamon bark and cloves. Put in the sweet cherries first, adding the sour ones half an hour later; boil down thick and cover the jars with brandied paper.

GRAPE CONSERVE

Remove the stems and skins from five pounds of grapes and boil the pulp until tender; then press it through a sieve. Boil the skins of three juicy oranges until tender, then chop fine. Put the grape skins and the pulp into a saucepan; add the orange juice, the boiled skins, five pounds of sugar, one pound of raisins—the muscat seeded—and one pound of shelled walnuts and boil until quite thick.

PLUM CONSERVE, No. 1

Wash five pounds of blue plums or German Prunes, cut them in halves and remove the stones. Peel four oranges, slice them fine and cut each slice in half. Cut the rind of two of the oranges into small squares, add one pound of seeded raisins. Take a measure of sugar and a measure of the mixture, place in preserving kettle on the stove and let come slowly to the boiling point and cook steadily for several hours until the fruit is clear and thick. Put in jelly glasses or jars.

PLUM CONSERVE, No. 2

Wash three pounds of German prunes, remove the stones and cut them into small pieces. Mix one pound of seeded raisins, two oranges cut in small pieces, the juice of two lemons, one pound English walnuts broken in chunks, and three pounds of sugar. Place all the ingredients in the preserving kettle on the stove and let come slowly to the boiling point and cook steadily until the fruit is clear and thick. Put in jelly glasses or jars.

PEACH SYRUP

This is very nice for all kinds of griddle cakes. Use the peelings of your peaches when you are through canning and preserving. Add 1/3 of the peach kernels and put all on to boil in a stone jar on the back of the stove with a little water. When soft, strain through a jelly-bag by letting it drip all night. In the morning add the juice of two or three lemons and boil as you would jelly. Set a pint of juice on to boil and boil for five minutes. Add a pound of sugar and boil five minutes more, but it must boil very hard. Bottle in wide-mouthed bottles or jars. Seal.

PEACH BUTTER

Weigh the peaches after they are pared and pitted. Allow a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. Cook the peaches alone until soft, then add 1/2 of the sugar and stir frequently. In half an hour put in the remaining sugar. Now watch carefully, stirring almost constantly for two hours. Boil slowly, and add 1/4 of the peach kernels. Spice with cinnamon and cloves, using whole spices.

RAISIN COMPOTE

Peel six oranges (California), cut the skin in very small narrow strips, or run through a food chopper. Slice the oranges very thin and quarter the slices. Let it stand overnight in three pints of cold water. Place this in a preserving kettle with three pounds of seeded raisins, three quarts of currants (picked and washed) and three pounds of granulated sugar. Boil all together for two hours and put in glass jars, closing them while hot.

If preferred, three pints of currant juice strained may be used instead of the whole fruit. This compote will keep perfectly well after the jar is opened.

PICKLED PEACHES

Brush but do not peel the peaches. Select medium-sized ones. When all are well brushed, stick each peach quite full of cloves.

Make a thick syrup of half a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. Cook the peaches in the syrup until they may be easily pierced with a broom splint. Then carefully skim them from the syrup and after they have cooled on the platters put them in glass jars or stone crocks. To the syrup in the kettle add a few pieces of stick cinnamon and a few whole allspice. Add half a pint of good cider vinegar and a tablespoon of tarragon vinegar to each quart of syrup, and when the syrup just comes to a boil after adding the vinegar pour it over the peaches. Delicious with cold chicken.

SPICED GRAPES

Pulp seven pounds of Concord grapes; cook the pulp and skins until soft; put them through a fine sieve; then add four and one-half pounds of granulated sugar, one pint of cider vinegar, two tablespoons of ground cinnamon, and two tablespoons of ground cloves. Bring to a boil; then cook slowly for one and one-half hours. Put in an earthen crock when cool.

This recipe may also be used with currants; use five pounds of sugar instead of four and one-half pounds.

GREEN OR YELLOW PLUM TOMATO PRESERVES

Wash and dry four pounds of small yellow or green tomatoes and prick each one in five or six places. Stir three pounds of sugar in one-half cup boiling water until dissolved; add the tomatoes and cook until clear. When half done add the juice and the rind of two lemons sliced very thin. When the fruit is clear remove it with a skimmer; put in small jars, filling them two-thirds full. Boil the syrup fast for a few minutes longer or until thick and syrupy, fill up the jars; cover with a cloth until the next day; then cover closely and stand away in a cool place.

SPICED OR PICKLED APPLES

Pare the apples, "Pound Sweets" are best; crab-apples may be pickled the same way, but do not pare. Leave on the stems and put into a kettle with alternate layers of sugar; take four pounds of white sugar to nine pounds of fruit, and spice with an ounce of cinnamon bark and half an ounce of cloves, removing the heads. Heat slowly to a boil with a pint of water; add the vinegar and spices, and boil until tender. Take out the fruit with a perforated skimmer and spread upon dishes to cool. Boil the syrup thick; pack the apples in jars and pour the syrup over them boiling hot. Examine them in a week's time, and should they show signs of fermenting pour off the syrup and boil up for a few minutes, and pour over the fruit scalding, or set the jars (uncovered) in a kettle of cold water and heat until the contents are boiling, and then seal.

PRESERVED BLACKBERRIES

Weigh the fruit and allow a pound of sugar to every pound of fruit. Tie spices in a bag, such as cloves and cinnamon, and make a thick syrup of the sugar before you put in the berries. Boil half an hour and seal when cold.

PICKLED CRAB-APPLES

Select tart, firm, red or yellow crab-apples, three quarts; remove all decayed spots but leave the stems. Put three cups of cider vinegar, three cups of sugar, and one cup of water in preserving kettle; let boil two minutes, add two tablespoons of cloves and two sticks of cinnamon broken; these spices must be tied in a bag, and let cook ten minutes. Lift out carefully with perforated skimmer, put in glass jars. When all the apples have been cooked, pour over enough syrup to cover; set spice bag away in a cup. Cover jars and let stand twenty-four hours. Pour off syrup and boil again. Wait two days, then boil apples, sugar, with spice bag until apples are tender but firm. Place apples in jars; cover to keep hot. Boil down syrup a little and fill the jars to overflowing with the hot syrup and seal.

WATERMELON PICKLE

Do not throw away the rind of melons. It can be preserved and will make a delicious relish. Remove the green rind of watermelon and the inside pink portion that is left on after eating it. Cut it into two-inch pieces and pour over it a weak brine made in proportion of one cup of salt to a gallon of hot water. Let this stand overnight, then drain and add clear water and one level tablespoon of alum. Boil in this water until the rind has a clear appearance. Drain and pour ice water over the rind and allow it to stand a short time. In a bag put one teaspoon each of cloves, allspice, cinnamon and ginger and place this in the preserve kettle with the vinegar and sugar. Allow one cup of sugar and one cup of vinegar (dilute this with water if too strong) to every pound of rind. Thin slices of lemon will give it a pleasant flavor—allow one lemon to about four pounds of rind. Bring this syrup to the boiling point and skim. Add the melon and cook until tender. It is done when it becomes perfectly transparent and can be easily pierced with a broom straw. A peach kernel in the cooking syrup will improve the flavor. Housewives who object to the use of alum can omit this and merely wash the rind after removing from brine to free it from all salt and then cook it slowly as per directions given above. The alum keeps the rind firm and retains its color. In this case the rind will require long and steady cooking; say 3/4 of an hour or longer. As soon as rinds are cooked they should be put into the containers and covered with the syrup.

PICKLED PLUMS

Prick the plums with a large needle then weigh them, and to every seven pounds of fruit use four pounds of white sugar, two ounces of stick cinnamon, one ounce of cloves and a pint of best pickling vinegar. Boil the vinegar, sugar and spices, and pour boiling hot over the fruit, which must be packed in a large jar; repeat this three times. While the vinegar boils the third time, pack the plums in glass jars and pour the syrup over the plums. When cold seal.

PICKLED CANTALOUPE OR MUSKMELONS

Take fine, ripe melons, pare, take out the seeds and wash, cut into slices about three inches long and two inches wide, lay them in a stone jar and cover with vinegar for twenty-four hours or longer. Then lay the fruit on a clean board to drip; and throw away one quart of the vinegar to each quart remaining. Allow three pounds and 1/2 of white sugar to a dozen small cantaloupes, three ounces of stick cinnamon, one ounce of cloves (remove the soft heads) and two ounces of allspice (whole spices). Boil the spices, vinegar and sugar, adding a pint of fresh vinegar to the old. When well skimmed put in the melons, boil fifteen minutes, twenty is still better; take out the fruit, put it in jars and boil the syrup awhile longer. Skim it again and pour boiling hot upon the fruit. Seal when cold.

PICKLED HUSK TOMATOES

This tomato looks like an egg-shaped plum and makes a very nice sweet pickle. Prick each one with a needle, weigh, and to seven pounds of tomatoes take four pounds of sugar and spice with a very little mace, cinnamon and cloves. Put into the kettle with alternate layers of sugar. Heat slowly to a boil, skim and add vinegar, not more than a pint to seven pounds of tomatoes. Add spices and boil for about ten minutes, not longer. Take them out with a perforated skimmer and spread upon dishes to cool. Boil the syrup thick, and pack as you would other fruit.

SPICED OR PICKLED CHERRIES

Take the largest and freshest red cherries you can get, and pack them in glass fruit jars, stems and all. Put little splints of wood across the tops of the fruit to prevent rising to the top. To every quart of cherries allow a cup of best pickling vinegar, and to every three quarts of fruit one pound of sugar and three sticks of whole cinnamon bark and one-half ounce of cloves; this quantity of spices is for all of the fruit. Boil the vinegar and spices and sugar for five minutes steady; turn out into a covered stoneware vessel, cover, and let it get cold. Then pour over the fruit and repeat this process three days in succession. Remove the heads of the cloves, for they will turn the fruit black. You may strain the vinegar after the first boiling, so as to take out the spices, if you choose. Seal as you would other fruit. Be sure that the syrup is cold before you pour it over the cherries.

SPICED CUCUMBERS

Take nice firm cucumbers, slice thin and salt overnight. In the morning take vinegar sufficient for covering the quantity prepared, mixed spices and sugar according to taste. Put on to cook and when boiling put in the cucumbers and cook for thirty minutes. Delightful as a relish, and can be kept for a long time if put in airtight jars.

PICKLED PEARS

Pears should always be peeled for pickling. If large cut them in half and leave the stems on. The best pear for this purpose, also for canning, is a variety called the "Sickle Pear." It is a small, pulpy pear of delicious flavor. Throw each pear into cold water as you peel it. When all are peeled weigh them and allow four pounds and a half of white sugar to ten pounds of fruit. Put into the kettle with alternate layers of sugar and half a cup of water and one quart of strong vinegar. Add stick cinnamon and a few cloves (remove the soft heads). Heat slowly and boil until tender, then remove them with a perforated skimmer, and spread upon dishes to cool. Skim the boiling syrup and boil fifteen minutes longer. Put the pears in glass jars or a large earthen jar, the former being preferable, and pour the syrup and spices boiling hot over the fruit. When cold seal.

GINGERED PEARS

Pare, core and cut small, eight pounds hard pears (preferably the fresh green Bartlett variety), half as much sugar, quarter pound Canton ginger. Let these stand together overnight. In morning add one pint of water, four lemons, cut small. Cook slowly for three hours. Pour into small jars. Seal when cold. Keeps indefinitely.

SPICED GERMAN PLUMS

Wash the plums, remove the stones and in place of the stones put in almonds. Take the best wine vinegar, water and sugar to taste. Tie in a bag some whole cinnamon, cloves, and allspice; boil together with vinegar. After boiling, let it get lukewarm, then pour over the prunes. Let stand, and each day for nine days let vinegar come to a boil and pour over prunes. The last day cook the vinegar down some, then put in the prunes and let come to a boil; there should be sufficient liquid to cover them. Keep in a stone or glass jar. Grapes (Concord) may be spiced the same way.

GOOSEBERRY RELISH

Cut the brush part from the berry, but leave the stem on, wash thoroughly and let drip in colander overnight. For eight pounds of berries prepare a syrup of six pounds of sugar and three cups of water. When syrup has boiled till clear put in the berries and boil for three-quarters of an hour. Put in jars or glasses.

PICKLED FIGS

Boil the figs in water one and one-half hours, then drain and weigh. To seven pounds fruit use the following syrup: Three pounds of sugar, one pint of vinegar, two ounces of whole cinnamon, two ounces of whole peppers, one ounce of cloves, one orange, and two lemons sliced. Boil syrup one-half hour, add fruit and boil slowly two hours.



*BRANDIED FRUITS*

MELANGE

This French fruit preserve is truly delicious, and should be put up in the month of June. To every pound of fruit take one pound of sugar. It requires no cooking at all, and is therefore easily made. Get the largest and soundest berries in the market. Pick two quarts and lay them in a new and perfectly clean two-gallon stone jar and cover with two pounds of the finest granulated sugar. Stone as many pounds of red, black, and white cherries as you wish to use, and add the same quantity of sugar. You may also use bananas, pineapples or oranges. Seed the latter carefully. Be sure to weigh all the fruit, and allow one pound of sugar to every additional pound of fruit. Pour over the fruit a pint of pure alcohol. Tie up the jar with thick paper, and in season add peaches, apricots, raspberries, blackberries, large, red currants; in fact, all kinds of fruit. Green-gages and purple and red plums also add both to looks and taste. Be sure to add the same amount of sugar as you do fruit, but no more alcohol. In the fall of the year pack in glass jars; looks very pretty. Keep it in a dry, cool place. There is always a surplus of juice, which makes excellent pudding sauce. Add a little water and thicken.

FRENCH PRUNES IN COGNAC

Lay the prunes in white wine for two days; then put on a wire sieve to drip, but do not squeeze them. When they look dry, which will be in about half an hour, lay in glass jars with alternate layers of sugar and stick cinnamon and a few pieces of mace and a very few cloves. When the jars are full, fill up with cognac and seal. Set in the sunniest place you can find for three days.

BRANDIED PEACHES

Select only the largest and finest quality of clingstone peaches. Allow a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, and a pint of the best brandy to every four pounds of peaches. Make a syrup of the sugar with enough water to just dissolve it, and boil about half a dozen blanched peach kernels with it. When the syrup boils put in the fruit and let it boil about five minutes. Remove the fruit carefully upon platters, and let the syrup boil fifteen or twenty minutes longer, skimming it well. Put the peaches in wide-mouthed glass jars. If the syrup has thickened pour in the brandy. Remove from the fire at once, pour over the fruit and seal.

BRANDIED CHERRIES

Select the largest sweet cherries for this purpose, leaving the stems on. Allow half a pound of sugar to every pound of fruit, and a pint of good brandy for every five pounds of fruit. Make a syrup of the sugar, using as little water as possible. Pour it over the cherries and let them remain in the syrup all night. Next day put them in a preserving kettle and heat slowly. Boil about eight minutes. Take up the cherries with a perforated skimmer and boil the syrup fifteen minutes. Add the brandy to the boiling syrup, remove from the fire and pour over the cherries hot, and seal.

BRANDIED QUINCES

Select large yellow, pear-shaped quinces, and peel and quarter them. Take out the cores and throw into cold water, until all are pared. Then boil until tender, so they can easily be pierced. Take them out with a perforated skimmer and weigh. Then take three-quarters of a pound of sugar to a pound of quinces, and boil in a little over half the quince water. Add stick cinnamon and cloves (removing the soft heads). Boil until quite a thick syrup. Pack the quinces in jars, add a pint of good brandy to the syrup and pour boiling hot over the quinces and seal immediately.

BRANDIED PEARS

Pare the fruit, leaving the stems on. Weigh. Proceed as with peaches.



*CANNED VEGETABLES*

Only young, tender, fresh vegetables should be canned.

Time your work by the clock, not by guess.

Weigh and measure all material accurately.

Take no risks. Food is too valuable.

Most fruits and vegetables require blanching; that is, all vegetables and fruits, berries excepted, should be first plunged into boiling water or steam after being picked over, and then, in turn plunged at once into very cold water.

After blanching and packing in sterilized jars, add to all vegetables salt in the proportion of a level teaspoon to the contents of a quart jar. Carrots, parsnips and sweet potatoes require a teaspoon to the pint.

Then fill jars to within quarter inch of top with boiling water, and put in hot water bath—see "Canning Fruit in a Water Bath".

Cover boiler or kettle closely and sterilize or boil for the length of time given below:

Do not close jars tight during sterilizing, or there will be no room for the generated steam and it will burst the jars.

Asparagus, Beets, Carrots, Parsnips, Peas, Sweet Potatoes, and Turnips require six minutes blanching, ninety minutes sterilizing. Asparagus requires one hundred and twenty minutes.

Corn requires five minutes blanching on the cob; three minutes sterilizing after being cut from the cob, or on the cob.

Lima or String Beans or Peas require five minutes blanching; two hours sterilizing.

Pumpkin and Squash require five minutes blanching; one and one-half hours sterilizing.

Tomatoes require two minutes blanching; twenty-two minutes sterilizing.

Tomatoes and Corn require separate blanching, time given above, then ninety minutes sterilizing together. The acid of the tomatoes aids in preserving the corn.

Corn and Beans (Succotash) require ten minutes blanching, ninety minutes sterilizing.



*VEGETABLES PRESERVED IN BRINE*

EARLY FALL VEGETABLES

Take new firkins or large stone jars, and scald them well with boiling water before using. Vegetables that are boiled before pickling in a brass kettle always keep their fresh, green color. In salt pickling cover your jars or kegs with a clean, white cloth, then a cover made of wood and last a heavy stone to weigh it down. The cloth must be removed every other day, washed and put back. In doing this, take hold of the cloth at each corner, so that none of the slimy substance can get into your pickle, and wash the top and sides of the jar also.

MOCK OLIVES

Take plums when just beginning to ripen, but still green. Make a brine out of sea salt or rock salt strong enough to hold up an egg. Pour the brine over the fruit, hot, cover and let stand twenty-four hours. Pour off and make a new brine, heat, add the fruit, heat one minute and seal in the hot brine.

STRING BEANS (RAW)

String the beans very carefully, and cut into fine short lengths; then sprinkle salt over and through them, mixing thoroughly, say to twenty-five pounds of beans, two pounds of salt. Let them remain in the salt overnight. Then pack the shredded beans as tightly as possible into jars or kegs, without any of their juice. In two weeks look them over, remove the cloth and wash it, etc., as already described. When cooking the beans, take out as many as may be required for a meal and soak them in cold water overnight. In the morning set on to boil in cold water. Boil for one hour. Pour off the water they were boiled in, add fresh water, and prepare as you would fresh beans.

BOILED BEANS

Select small, young string beans, string them carefully and boil in salt water, in a brass kettle, until tender, and throw them on a large, clean board to drip. Next morning press them into a jar, with alternate layers of salt and beans, and proceed as with string beans.

CORN

Boil the corn, cut it off the cobs, and pack in jars in alternate layers of salt and corn. Use plenty of salt in packing. When you wish to cook it soak in water overnight. Pack the corn in this way: First a layer of salt, half an inch deep; then about two inches of corn; then salt again, and so on. The top layer must be salt. Spread two inches of melted butter over the top layer and bind with strong perforated paper (perforate the paper with a pin). Keep in a cool cellar.



*PICKLES AND RELISHES*

Use none but the best vinegar, and whole spices for pickling. If you boil vinegar with pickles in bell metal do not let them stand in it one moment after taken from the fire, and be sure that your kettle is well scoured before using. Keep pickles in glass, stoneware, or wooden pails. Allow a cup of sugar to every gallon of vinegar; this will not sweeten the pickles, but helps to preserve them and mellows the sharpness of the vinegar. Always have your pickles well covered with vinegar or brine.

MOTHER'S DILL PICKLES

Examine the cucumbers carefully, discard all that are soft at the ends, and allow them to lay in water overnight. In the morning drain, and dry them with a clean towel. Then put them in a wooden pail or jar, along with the dill, putting first a layer of dill at the bottom then a layer of cucumbers, a few whole peppers, then a layer of dill again, and so on until all are used, and last lay a clean, white cloth on top, then a plate and a stone to give it weight, so that the pickles will be kept under the brine. To a peck of cucumbers use about a cup of salt. Dissolve the salt in enough cold water to cover them. You may add one or two tablespoons of vinegar to the brine. If the cucumbers are small, and if they are kept in a warm place, they will be ready for the table in five or six days. If salt pickles have turned out to be too salty, just pour off the old brine and wash the pickles and then examine them closely, and if they are spoiled throw them away. Lay those that are sound in a clean jar and pour over them a weak solution of salt water, into which put a dash of vinegar. Always examine the pickles weekly. Take off the cloth, wash it, and remove all the scum that adheres to the pail, and lay a clean cloth over the pickles again. Do not use more than a cup of salt in the new brine, which must be thoroughly dissolved. You will find among Salads a nice recipe wherein salt pickles are used. (See "Polish Salad," or "Salad Piquant.") It is a good way to make use of pickles in winter that have become too salty for ordinary use.

DILL PICKLES FOR WINTER USE

Take two or three dozen medium-sized cucumbers and lay them in salt water overnight. Wipe each one dry, discarding all that are soft and lay them in a wooden vessel (which is better than a stone one) along with grape leaves and green grapes, if you can get them, whole peppers, or one or two green peppers, a few bay leaves, a few pieces of whole ginger, a few cloves and a stick of horseradish sliced upon top of all. Use plenty of dill between each layer. Boil enough water to cover the pickles. Use about one pound of salt to six quarts of water, and one cup of vinegar. If you wish to keep them all winter, have your barrel closed by a cooper.

GREEN DILL TOMATOES

Select small firm green tomatoes, follow recipe for Dill Pickles, using the green tomatoes in place of the pickles.

SMALL DILL PICKLES

Select pickles of from two to three inches in length and scrub well with a small brush. Pack in layers in Mason jars, a layer of pickles, a layer of dill and a few mustard seeds, placing a bay leaf and a piece of alum the size of a pea on the top of each jar.

Let one cup of vinegar, two cups of water and one tablespoon of salt come to a boil. Pour boiling hot over the pickles and seal.

TEUFELSGURKEN (HOT PICKLES)

Pare large, green cucumbers, cut each one lengthwise, take out the seeds with a silver spoon and then cut each piece again so as to have four pieces out of one cucumber. When all are pared salt well and let them remain in the salt for twenty-four hours or more; then dry each piece, put in layers in a stone jar with whole white and black peppercorns, small pickling onions, which have been previously pared and salted overnight, pieces of horseradish, a few bay leaves, a little fennel, caraway seeds, a few cloves of garlic (use this sparingly) and also some Spanish pepper (use very little of the latter). Have a layer of the spices at the bottom of the jar. A handful of mustard seed put on the top layer will be an improvement. Boil enough pickling vinegar to cover well. Add a cup of sugar to a gallon of vinegar, boil and pour over hot. Boil again in three days and pour over the pickles after it gets cold, and in two days pour off the vinegar and boil again and pour over the pickles hot. Boil three times altogether.

MUSTARD PICKLES

Choose small cucumbers or gherkins for this purpose. Reject all that are specked or misshapen. Wash them thoroughly; drain off all the water, and allow them to lay in a tub overnight, thickly salted. In the morning; wipe the pickles carefully. Lay them in a stone jar or a wooden bucket, in this way: Put in a layer of pickles. Cut up a few green or red peppers; put a few pieces in each layer, also a few cloves (remove the soft heads) and a tablespoon of mustard seed, and one bay leaf, no more. Then proceed in this way until the pickles are used. Then take half a pound of the very best ground mustard, tie it in a cloth loosely (use double cheese-cloth for the purpose), and lay this mustard-bag on top of the pickles. Boil enough white wine vinegar in a bell metal kettle to just cover them; add a cup of sugar for every gallon of vinegar, this does not sweeten them, but tends to preserve them and cut the sharpness of the vinegar. If the vinegar is very strong, add a cup of water to it while boiling; it should not "draw" the mouth, but be rather mild. See that the pickles are well covered with the vinegar, and pour the vinegar hot over the pickles and mustard. If the vinegar does not completely cover the pickles, boil more and add. Lay a plate on top of all to keep the pickles under the vinegar, and when cold tie up. Look them over in a few weeks, if you find any soft ones among them, boil the vinegar over again, and pour it over them hot.

SALT PICKLES

(For immediate use.) Take nice, large cucumbers, wash and wipe them; lay them in a jar or wooden pail, sprinkle coarse salt over each layer, and add dill, whole peppers and grape leaves, if you have them, also a very few bay leaves. Cover with water up to the brim and lay a piece of rye bread in the jar; it will help to quicken the process of souring. Cover with a plate and put a clean, heavy stone on top of the plate, in order to keep them well covered with the brine. Set them in a warm place, say back of the kitchen stove, for the first three days. They will be ready to use in a week.

SALZGURKEN

Take half-grown cucumbers; lay them in water overnight, then wipe each one dry and reject all that are soft at the ends. Lay a layer of cucumbers in a new barrel or wine keg (a small vinegar barrel is best), then a layer of the following spices: Fennel, dill, bay leaves, a few whole peppers; then cover with grape and cherry leaves, and begin again with a layer of cucumbers and fill in alternate layers until all are used. Then boil enough salt and water to just cover them, test the strength of the water by laying an egg in it, if it rises the water has enough salt in it, if not, add more salt. Pour this over the cucumbers when cold. Get a cooper to tighten up the barrel, and roll it in the sun and allow it to stay there for two weeks, turning over the barrel once each day.

DELICIOUS MUSTARD PICKLES (SENFGURKEN)

Take about two dozen large, yellow pickles, pare them with a silver knife (to prevent them from turning dark), and cut lengthwise. Now take a silver spoon and remove all the seeds and soft inner pulp. Cut into strips about as long as your finger; sprinkle salt over them, and so on, until they are all cut up, then put in a wooden pail or large china bowl overnight. At the same time take about two quarts of small pickling onions, scald them with boiling water, remove the skins, also with a silver knife, and salt the same as you did the pickles. In the morning take a clean dish towel and dry each piece and lay them in a stone jar in the following manner: First a layer of pickles then a layer of onions, and then some horseradish, sliced, between the layers; a few whole peppers, a very few bay leaves, and sprinkle mustard seed, allspice and whole cloves between each layer. Remove the soft little heads of the cloves to prevent the pickles from turning dark; cover all with the best white wine vinegar; put a double cheese-cloth filled with mustard seed on top. In two weeks pour off the vinegar carefully and boil, and let it get perfectly cold before pouring over the pickles again. You may pack them in small glass jars if you prefer.

CHOW-CHOW

Take pickles, cauliflower, beans, little onions and a few green and red peppers. Cut all up fine, except the onions; salt well overnight, drain off next morning and put in a large jar. Now mix one gallon or more of best pickling vinegar with a pound of ground mustard (wet the mustard with cold water before using). Put in a bag the following spices: Cloves, whole peppers and mustard seed. Boil the vinegar and spices and then throw over pickles boiling. Add a tablespoon of curry powder, and when cold tie up, having previously put a cloth with mustard seed over all.

CUCUMBERS IN OIL

One hundred medium-sized cucumbers, sliced thin lengthwise, add one pint salt, let stand overnight, drain thoroughly in morning, add two pints of sliced onions, then add dressing, consisting of four tablespoons of black mustard seed, four of white mustard seed, two of celery seed, one-half pint of best olive oil, one-half pint of white vinegar. Put cucumbers and onions into this, add one teaspoon of powdered alum, dissolved in a little warm water, add enough vinegar to cover it well, let stand three weeks before using.

SWEET PICKLES

Soak five hundred tiny cucumbers in salt water for twenty-four hours, using one-half of a cup of salt to four quarts of water. Drain, pour hot water over them and drain very dry. Take two ounces of cloves, heads removed, four sticks cinnamon; tie these spices in a bag and heat with three pounds of brown sugar and one pint of cider vinegar slowly, nearly to the boiling-point, add the pickles and remove from the stove. Put in glass jars and cover with vinegar.

MIXED PICKLES

Wash one quart of large cucumbers, cut in cubes, one quart of small cucumbers left whole, one quart small silver-skinned onions, one quart small green tomatoes chopped coarse, two red peppers chopped fine, one large cauliflower broken in small pieces; pour over them a weak brine solution made of one quart of water and a cup of salt. Let stand twenty-four hours; bring to a boil in same solution, drain and make the dressing.

*Mixed Pickle Dressing.*—Mix six tablespoons of mustard, one tablespoon of turmeric, one cup of flour, two cups of sugar and two quarts of vinegar. These ingredients must be thoroughly mixed and then cooked until thick. Stir in the pickles; heat thoroughly; empty into glass jars and stand away until needed.

PICKLED CAULIFLOWER

Separate flowerettes of four heads of cauliflower, add one cup of salt, and let stand overnight. Place in colander, rinse with cold water and let drain. Tie one-quarter of a cup of mixed pickle spices in a thin bag and boil with two quarts of vinegar and two cups of sugar, throw in the cauliflower, boil a few minutes and pour to over flowing in wide-mouthed bottles or cans. Cork or cover and seal airtight.

PICKLED BEANS

Remove the strings and cut one pint of wax beans into one inch pieces; wash and cook in boiling salt water (one teaspoon of salt to one quart of water), until tender, but not soft. Drain beans and save the water in which they were cooked. Reserve enough of this bean liquor to fill cans, add one-half cup of sugar and one cup of vinegar, let just cook up add the drained beans, cook all together and pour boiling hot into the cans. Seal at once. Use as a salad or sweet sour vegetable.

PICKLED ONIONS

Pour hot salt water over the onions, which should be small and perfectly white. Peel them with a silver spoon (a knife would injure their color), and let them lay in a salt brine for two days. Then drain the onions and boil enough vinegar to cover them. Throw the onions in the boiling vinegar and let them boil only a few minutes. Take from the fire and lay them in glass jars, with alternate layers of whole white peppercorns and a few cloves (removing the soft heads, which would turn the onions black), a stick of horseradish sliced, and mustard seed and dill (used sparingly). When the jars are filled heat the vinegar and add a cup of sugar to a gallon of vinegar. Cover the jars to overflowing with the vinegar, and seal while hot.

GREEN TOMATO PICKLE (FRENCH PICKLE)

Wash thoroughly a peck of green tomatoes, eight large white onions and six green-bell peppers. Remove the seeds from the peppers. Slice all the vegetables very thin. Put them in a stone jar; sprinkle a pint of salt over them, add a pint of cold water. Cover them with a napkin and let stand overnight.

In the morning put as much of the pickle as it will hold in a colander; let cold water run over; drain the vegetables a moment, then turn them from the colander into a large preserving kettle. Repeat the process till all are in the kettle. Then add a quart of cider vinegar, a half pint of tarragon vinegar, a pound of granulated sugar, a half pound of yellow mustard seeds, four bay leaves, an ounce of stick cinnamon (broken in short lengths), six whole cloves and stand the kettle over a slow fire and let the whole simmer for an hour with the cover of the kettle drawn back two inches. Stir the mixture frequently. At the end of the hour put the pickle in a stone crock or in glass jars.

PEPPER MANGOES

Take large green peppers; extract the seeds and core with a penknife, being careful not to break the peppers. Chop up one head of cabbage after boiling it in salt water. When cold add one cup of mustard seed, two tablespoons of grated horseradish, one nutmeg grated, one clove of garlic grated, a pinch of ground ginger, one dozen whole peppercorns, half a tablespoon of prepared mustard, one teaspoon of sugar and half a teaspoon of best salad oil. Lay the peppers in strong salt brine for three days; then drain off the brine and lay them in fresh water for twenty-four hours. Fill the peppers with the above mixture, sew or tie them up with strong thread, pack them in a large stone jar and pour scalding vinegar over them. Repeat this process three times more, at intervals of three days. Then tie up the jar and set it away in a cool, dry place for three months.

PICCALILLI

Take one-half peck of green tomatoes, three red peppers, chopped; put in one cup of salt. Let stand overnight, then strain off the water. Five chopped onions, one pound of brown sugar, one-quarter ounce of allspice, and whole cloves put in a bag; one bunch of celery, one-half ounce of mustard seed. Cover with vinegar and boil three hours.

PREPARED MUSTARD

Rub together one teaspoon of sugar, saltspoon of fine salt and one tablespoon of best salad oil. Do this thoroughly. Mix two tablespoons of ground mustard with vinegar enough to thin it. Then add to the mixture of sugar, and if too thick, add a little boiling water.

BEET AND HORSERADISH RELISH

Take three cups of cold, boiled beets, grate and add one-half cup of grated horseradish; season with one-quarter teaspoon of pepper, one teaspoon of salt and two tablespoons of sugar. Add all the vinegar the horseradish and beets will absorb, and place in covered jar or glass and it is ready for use. Will keep a long time.