Civic League Cook Book Part 18

"Preserving the sweetness of proportion and expressing itself beyond expression."--Ben Jonson.

CANNED BERRIES.--Fill the gla.s.s cans with the cleaned berries as full as you can crowd them in the jars. Make a syrup of sugar and water, allowing a pint of sugar to each pint of water for the sour berries and a quarter less sugar for the sweet fruits. Boil to a medium thick syrup. Fill the cans of fruit with this syrup and seal, but not air tight. (Put the tops lightly on). Stand the jars in a large dish pan or preserving kettle half filled with boiling water. Cover and let the water boil for twenty minutes, then remove the jars and seal as tight as possible. Invert the cans and let them stand over night then place cans each in a paper bag to exclude the light and pack in a cool dry place. It is better to use wash boiler if much fruit is canned at a time and a cloth should be laid on the bottom of the boiler to prevent breaking of the cans. Fruit canned this way retains its shape, color and flavor. Strawberries, cherries, red or black raspberries, black berries, currants, gooseberries, huckleberries, grapes and plums are best canned by this method. If peaches, pineapple, apricots, pears and crab apples are canned this way they should cook twenty minutes longer to a.s.sure tender fruit. They are perhaps more satisfactory cooked in a thick syrup in an open kettle and then canned, as they are not soft enough to lose their shape and it is more convenient to test them and judge as to tenderness and flavor.--Mrs. B. G. Whitehead.

BERRY JAM.--Weight the cleaned berries and take an equal weight of sugar for the sour fruit and crush and beat together until well mixed in the preserving kettle, then boil steadily and gently over the fire until thick, stirring frequently. Gooseberries should be boiled in water to cover until the skins break, then add the sugar slowly and cook half an hour. Currants should be cooked only long enough to let the fruit get tender, as the juice jellies easily anyway, and the currants get hard and tough if cooked too long. Red raspberries are nice combined with currant juice and sugar.--Mrs. Whitehead.

MARMALADES.--Marmalade differs from jam because the fruit is cooked in water to cover and when soft and tender is pressed through a colander or sieve. Then the sugar is added and the pulp is cooked to a smooth, thick consistency over a steady fire, stirring often to prevent the fruit from sticking to the kettle. The fruit is weighed before cooking and an equal weight of sugar is used. Fruit "b.u.t.ters" are thick marmalades but they are usually not sweetened as much as marmalades and are cooked longer. Sour fruits like cherries, gooseberries, plums, peach and apples make the best "b.u.t.ters." Black berries, oranges, apricots, grapes, peaches and pears make the best marmalades. The hard seeds of blackberries and grapes are nicely disposed of in marmalade and yet the pulp and fine flavor of the fruit is retained. Cook them as long as you would jelly.--Mrs. Whitehead.

CURRANT JELLY.--Wash the currants, steam them and fill a large preserving kettle with two pints of water added. Wash the fruit and boil five minutes. Strain through a jelly bag and measure the juice, allowing a pint of sugar to each pint of juice. Put the juice over the fire and boil steadily twenty minutes. Warm the sugar in the oven, add it to the boiling juice and stir well. Boil three minutes. Try a little on a saucer. If it "jells," pour into jelly gla.s.ses, placing a silver spoon in each to prevent cracking the gla.s.s. Set in the sun until it is firm, then cover with melted paraffine. Another method is to boil the strained juice ten minutes, then add the sugar and boil ten more minutes. This makes a stiff, firm jelly but the first method makes more delicate jelly. Make grape jelly the same as currant, using green grapes if possible. Grapes must be fresh and not over ripe or they will not "jell" nicely.--Mrs. Whitehead.

RASPBERRY JELLY.--Select red raspberries that are firm and if possible, not quite ripe. Set them over a slow fire after crus.h.i.+ng them with a potato masher. Boil five minutes, then strain through a jelly bag and measure. Use the same measure of sugar. Boil the juice fifteen minutes, add the sugar and boil five minutes. Or to each three pints of raspberry juice add one pint of currant juice and proceed as for currant jelly. Strawberries are used the same as raspberries, selecting firm, solid fruit that is practically ripened, if possible. It may also be combined with apple juice instead of currant juice, if liked.--Mrs.

Whitehead.

CRAB APPLE JELLY.--Wash and quarter fresh, firm crab-apples and cover with water allowing one quart of water to each pound of fruit. Cover the kettle and boil twenty minutes. Drain in jelly bag over night.

Allow half a pound of sugar to each pint of juice. Boil juice ten minutes, add warm sugar, boil up once and try the jelly, which should jelly instantly.--Mrs. Whitehead.

WILD PLUM JELLY.--Sprinkle the washed plums with a little soda; cover with boiling water and stand ten minutes; then drain and cover with fresh boiling water and cook thoroughly, to a mush. Squeeze through a jelly bag and proceed as in making currant jelly. Cultivated plums are cooked in a little water until soft and tender and then strained in a jelly bag and used like currants. Many colors are possible from the different varieties of plums and as many fine flavors.

FANCY JELLIES.--Three pints of pineapple juice to one pint of apple juice and an equal measure of sugar makes nice pineapple jelly. A rose geranium leaf in each gla.s.s of apple jelly is liked by many. A delicious mint flavor may be given to apple jelly by lining the bottom of a jelly gla.s.s with mint leaves or the juice may be flavored with essence of mint or winter green before it is boiled with the sugar.

Even red peppers are boiled in their own juice by chopping them and placing them in a double boiler and cooking until all of the juice is extracted. Allow an equal measure of sugar and boil until it thickens and put in small gla.s.ses, and serve with cold meats. The seeds of two vanilla beans added to twelve pounds of apples made into jelly, just before turning the jelly into the tumblers makes a delicious jelly for cake fillings and desserts. Rhubarb, apricots and quinces are sometimes used for jelly but are difficult to make unless combined with other fruits rich in pectose like currants and apples.

PLUM CONSERVE.--Two baskets of blue plums, six large oranges. Use the peeling of two. Two pounds of seeded raisins chopped. Use one half pound of sugar to one pound of fruit. Boil one hour, stirring constantly.--Mrs. Creaser.

CARROT MARMALADE.--Boil carrots with their skins on. When cooked remove skins and put carrots through a sausage grinder. Take equal amounts by weight of sugar and carrot pulp and boil again. Flavor with sliced lemons and almond extract. Chopped nuts may also be added.--Mrs. H.

Hanson.

QUINCE HONEY.--Grate four large quinces in one quart of cold water. Add two pounds granulated sugar and boil until thick as jam.--Mrs. W. C.

McGuiness.

QUINCE HONEY.--To five pounds granulated sugar, add sufficient water to make a syrup, thick enough for pancake syrup. Pare six large quinces and grate them. After the syrup has thoroughly boiled add the grated quinces and boil all together until it becomes a reddish color, when it is ready to be put into jars for use.--M. E. Cooper.

MRS. ALLEMAN'S PINEAPPLE CONSERVE.--Two pounds of pineapple, four pounds of rhubarb, grind together and add twice as much sugar as you have fruit. Boil slowly until thick then put in jelly gla.s.ses. Good with game and cold meats.--Contributed.

GREEN TOMATO MARMALADE.--Peel and cut in small pieces six cups of green tomatoes, add two lemons, use the outside yellow, but remove the inside white skin and cut the pulp up in small pieces, add six cups of white sugar and cook until thick.

GINGER PEARS.--Pare and core large juicy pears and cut in small sections. To each quart of the fruit, use one pint of sugar, one piece of ginger root, one stick of cinnamon and one half of a lemon cut in small pieces. Cook very slowly until the pear is clear and the mixture like marmalade.--Mrs. Schollander.

GOOSEBERRY MARMALADE.--One pound of ripe gooseberries, one half pound of sugar, the shredded peel of one lemon or a stick of cinnamon. Weigh, wash, drain and mash ripe gooseberries. Press through a sieve. Boil the sugar with one half cupful of water and the spice to a syrup; add the sifted gooseberry and cook to a thick marmalade, stirring almost continually. Put up hot in air tight gla.s.ses.

ORANGE MARMALADE.--Remove the seeds from--but do not peel--twelve large or fifteen small oranges and six lemons. Cut both into thin slices.

Pour three quarts of cold water over them and let stand for forty eight hours. Put into a preserving kettle and cook slowly until tender. Add six pounds of sugar; if desired very sweet, add more, and cook until the consistency of ordinary marmalade.

ORANGE AND HONEY MARMALADE.--Peel the oranges, removing every particle of white pith. Cut small; to one quart of this pulp and juice add one pound of honey and one quarter pound of the thin yellow peel of the orange. Cut the peel into tiny bits, cover with half a pint of water and boil until tender; add to the pulp and honey, and cook together for half an hour, stirring frequently. Pour into small gla.s.ses and when perfectly cold, cover with paraffin.--Contributed.

ORANGE HONEY.--Remove the peel from oranges, and cut into small pieces with a pair of scissors; wash and soak for twenty four hours, then chop fine, and turn into a preserve kettle, using one cupful of sugar, and one cupful of water for every cupful of peel. Boil all together until it is a soft, thick mixture like honey, then bottle in screw top jars. Serve on hot biscuits or rolls, or use like ordinary honey.--Contributed.

BAR DE LUC CURRANTS.--Take selected red (or white) currants of large size, one by one, carefully make an incision in the skin one fourth of an inch in size, with tiny embroidery scissors. Through this slit, with a sharp needle, remove the seeds, separately, preserving the shape of the fruit. Take the weight of the currants in strained honey and, when hot, add the currants. Let simmer a minute or two, then seal as jelly.

The currants retain their shape, are of a beautiful color and melt in the mouth. Should the currant liquify the honey too much, carefully skim them out, reduce the syrup at a gentle simmer to desired consistency and store as before after adding the fruit.--Contributed.

SWEET PICKLE OF PINEAPPLE.--Peel a pineapple, removing the eyes. Tear the fruit from the core with a silver fork. For six pounds of fruit boil together a pint of vinegar and three pounds of sugar. Put into the vinegar a bag containing two level teaspoons each of powdered cinnamon and mace, half a teaspoon of cloves and a piece of green ginger root about a half inch long. When scalding pour over the fruit, which should be in a large crock or earthen dish. Let all stand for twenty four hours, drain off the syrup, bring it to the boiling point and pour over the fruit. Repeat for two more successive days, then seal.--Contributed.

SUN PRESERVED STRAWBERRIES.--Select ripe, clean, perfect fruit. It spoils the fruit to wash it; if, however, this is necessary, put about one quart of berries in a wire basket or colander; put them carefully down in a pan of cold water; move the basket gently just a moment; lift and drain; then stem the berries. Weigh, and to each pound allow one pound of sugar. Select large stoneware or granite platters; heat them quite hot; cover with half an inch sugar, a layer of strawberries, and the remaining sugar over the top of the berries. Stand the platters in a "cold frame", or cover them with gla.s.s and stand them in the hot sun.

As soon as the sun becomes too cool bring them in; don't lift the covers, but stand them aside until morning. Next morning put them out in the hot sun again. By this time the berries should be soft and transparent, but perfectly whole and of a brilliant color. Lift each berry carefully with a fork; put it in the tumbler; fill all the necessary tumblers and cover them for a moment with gla.s.s. Put the syrup over the fire and boil rapidly until it is sufficiently reduced just to cover the fruit; pour it over the fruit while it is hot; protect the tumblers and stand them aside to cool. When cold put over the top of each a tablespoonful of melted paraffin; cover the tops of the tumblers with two thicknesses of tissue paper and fasten firmly around the edge with library paste. When the paper is thoroughly dry brush it with cold water. In drying the paper will tighten and form an exceedingly good covering.--Contributed.

APPLE b.u.t.tER.--Boil cider down to two thirds its original quant.i.ty, and turn into this as many peeled and sliced apples as the liquid will cover. Simmer, stirring often until soft and broken. Strain out the cooked apples, add more fresh ones and cook in the same way. Do this until the cider is absorbed. Set all aside in a stone crock for twelve hours, then boil to a soft brown ma.s.s and pack in stone jars.--Contributed.

CANNED WHOLE GOOSEBERRIES.--Take stem and blossom ends from large firm gooseberries. Fill fruit can with them, cover with boiling water, let stand until following day; drain, add boiling water again repeating for three days in succession. Then fill with boiling water and seal. When ready to use cook and sweeten. Fine for winter pies.

SUNNED CURRANTS.--Cover large red, stemmed currants with granulated sugar; spread on a platter and stand over night. Cover with a pane of gla.s.s and stand in the sun three days in succession. Seal in jelly gla.s.ses. Use equal weights of sugar and fruit. Same recipe is nice with red raspberries and with large, firm strawberries. The juice jellies around the fruit which retains its shape and rich color.

CANNED GRAPE JUICE.--Stem, wash and drain concord grapes, cook until soft; strain through jelly bag. Add a pint of sugar to each gallon of juice. Cook only until sugar is dissolved and seal.

PEACH PRESERVES.--Use four cups of sugar to each quart of peeled peaches. Make a thick syrup of the sugar and water. Pour hot over fruit and stand over night. Drain syrup and boil thick again. Drop in peaches and cook tender. Pack them in jars, covering with the syrup.

CHOKE CHERRY AND CRAB APPLE JELLY.--Cover choke cherries with water and stew until soft. Strain through jelly bag. Prepare crab apples likewise. Use twice as much apple juice as cherry. Mix and boil twenty five minutes. Add one cup sugar to each cup juice and boil ten minutes more.

SUN PRESERVED STRAWBERRIES.--Wash and stem berries. Take an equal weight of sugar, add a very little water and dissolve. When boiling add the berries. Let come to a boil and cook three minutes. Pour into platters or shallow dishes and set in the sun until thick. Three days will suffice if the weather is clear. If the dishes are covered with gla.s.s the fruit cooks more quickly. When thick put in tumblers, cover with paraffin and put in a dark place.

CONSERVES.--One quart of rhubarb (do not peel), one pint of red raspberries, one pint red currants, one pound raisins, one pound English walnuts, two oranges (sliced very thin), two lemons (sliced very thin); a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. Cook until thick as jelly. Put in jelly gla.s.ses and cover with paraffin. (Delicious.)

APPLE b.u.t.tER.--Fill a preserve kettle with peeled, cored and sliced apples. Add a slight flavoring of cloves, allspice and cinnamon. Cover with fresh, sweet cider and boil slowly, stirring frequently until the whole becomes a dark brown jam with only juice enough to keep it soft and b.u.t.tery. Remove from fire and place in covered jars or seal. Do not use for several weeks. Good spread for bread for children. Select firm apples that cook to a soft, smooth apple sauce. Bell-flowers, Greenings, Baldwin or Maiden Blush apples make good apple b.u.t.ter.--Mrs.

Whitehead.

CURRANT COMPOTE.--Pick nice large red currants from stems after was.h.i.+ng well. Put one half of them into a preserve kettle. Press juice out of remaining half; add enough sugar to make a syrup, heat until sugar is dissolved. Cool slightly and pour over the currants in preserve kettle.

Bring to a boil and seal in pint jars. The currants will be whole and taste much like fresh fruit with jellied juice around them.--Mrs.

Whitehead.

Wines

"A cup of wine sir?

A cup of wine that's brisk and fine."--Shakespeare.

GRAPE WINE.--For five gallons of wine use twelve and one half pounds of concord grapes, twelve and one half pounds of wild grapes, twelve and one half pounds sugar. Wash the grapes then pick from stems and put in stone jars and mash; let stand from seven to ten days, then press through wine press or jelly bag. Add sugar and water enough to fill a five gallon keg. Put in cool cellar; let bung hole remain open but cover it with cheese cloth and let grapes ferment; change cloth frequently and after six weeks cork the keg tightly and let lie until March, then seal in bottles. May be made from bull berries or other fruit by same process. Same recipe for choke cherries.--Mrs. J.

Bruegger.

RHUBARB WINE.--Take five pounds of rhubarb and cut into small pieces, add one gallon of cold water and put in a crock for eight days, stirring it well two or three times a day, then strain and to every gallon add four pounds of white sugar, the juice and half the rind of one lemon. Dissolve half an ounce of gelatine in a little of the liquid and add. Cover it for a month, then strain through a muslin bag and bottle.--Mrs. Schollander.

CHOKE CHERRY WINE.--To one gallon of fruit allow two gallons of water, mash fruit to get the juice, let stand nine days, then press through a fruit press. When the juice is all extracted strain through a cloth. To each gallon of juice allow three pounds of granulated sugar, or loaf sugar, let stand several days and when thoroughly mixed, the sugar all dissolved, strain through flannel bag, into keg or jug, leaving it uncorked, but should be covered with some perforated cover or cloth to avoid dirt or flies, or anything to get into the keg. Let this ferment until it stops, which takes several weeks and be sure to keep it full, there is always loss when it bubbles over, therefore it is advisable to reserve a quart of juice to fill up with (plain sugar water will answer the same purpose). When it ceases to ferment cork tight, (air tight), let alone until the month of March then draw into bottles, cork tight and it will be ready for use.--Mrs. George Bruegger.

Salads

FRUIT SALADS.--There is a large variety of dressings considered appropriate for fruit salads. Boiled frosting is perhaps one of the most popular foundations with varying flavors of fruit, wine, etc.

Sugar and lemon juice, sugar and fruit juice, boiled custard, plain whipped cream sweetened and flavored, are all used, as well as a cooked dressing made in this way: Add to the yolks of four eggs well beaten, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, one tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter, one half teaspoonful of salt, a pinch of cayenne and four tablespoonfuls of vinegar. Cook in a double boiler, stir constantly and cook rather slowly to prevent curdling. Let this get thoroughly cold and just before serving add one pint of whipped cream unsweetened. Mix well and pour over the salad.--Contributed.

GOLDEN DRESSING.--Beat two eggs, and a quarter cupful of any light colored fruit juice, quarter cupful lemon juice, and a quarter cupful of sugar. Put in a double boiler, stir until thickened, cool and pour over sliced fruit.--Contributed.