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Classic
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page 383
of the bottles, and set it over the fire until the water is nearly boiling, then
take it off; let it stand until the bottles are cold. Keep them in a cool place
until wanted, when the fruit will be found equal to fresh.
NEW METHOD OF PRESERVING FRUIT.
A new method of preserving fruit is practiced in England. Pears, apples and
other fruits are reduced to a paste by jamming, which is then pressed into cakes
and gently dried. When required for use it is only necessary to pour four times
their weight of boiling water over them, and allow them to soak for twenty
minutes, and then add sugar to suit the taste. The fine flavor of the fruit is
said to be retained to perfection. The cost of the prepared product is scarcely
greater than that of the original fruit, differing with the supply and price of
the latter; the keeping qualities are excellent, so that it may be had at any
time of the year, and bears long sea-voyages without detriment. No peeling or
coring is required, so there is no waste.
FRUIT JELLIES.
Take a stone jar and put in the fruit, place this in a kettle of tepid water,
and set on the fire; let it boil closely covered, until the fruit is broken to
pieces; strain, pressing the bag, a stout, coarse one, hard, putting in a few
handfuls each time, and between each squeezing turning it inside out to scald
off the pulp and skins; to each pint of juice allow a pound of loaf sugar; set
the juice on alone to boil, and while it is boiling, put the sugar into shallow
dishes or pans, and heat it in the oven, watching and stirring the sugar to
prevent burning; boil the juice just twenty minutes from the time it begins
fairly to boil; by this time the sugar should be very hot; throw the sugar into
the boiling juice, stirring rapidly all the time; withdraw the spoon when all is
thoroughly dissolved; let the jelly come to a boil to make all certain; withdraw
the kettle instantly from the fire; roll your glasses and cups in hot water, and
fill with the scalding liquid; the jelly will form within an hour; when cold,
close and tie up as you do preserves.
CURRANT JELLY.
Currants for jelly should be perfectly ripe and gathered the first week of the
season; they lose their jelly property if they hang on the bushes too long, and
become too juicy--the juice will not be apt to congeal. Strip them from the
stalks, put them into a stone jar, and set it in a vessel of hot water over the
fire; keep the water around it boiling until the currants are all broken,
stirring them up occasionally. Then squeeze them through a coarse cloth or
towel. To each pint of juice allow a pound and a quarter of refined sugar. Put
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