My Pet Recipes, Tried and True Part 23

CELERY SAUCE.

MRS. THEOPHILUS OLIVER.

Fifteen ripe tomatoes, two peppers, five large onions, seven and a half tablespoonfuls of white sugar, two and one half tablespoonfuls of salt, three cups of vinegar, two heads of celery, chop celery onions, and peppers, and boil all together an hour and a half.

MUSTARD PICKLE.

MRS. J. MACNAUGHTON.

Six ounces ground mustard, two ounces corn starch, one and one half ounces of turmeric, one ounce curry powder, two quarts white wine vinegar. Mix the ingredients in cold vinegar and stir into the rest of the vinegar when boiling. Stir half an hour and pour over the pickles which have been covered with a strong brine of salt and boiled for three minutes, then strained and put in bottles or jars. This is nice for cauliflower and is sufficient for one large head which must be cut into small pieces. Other vegetables such as gherkins may be used.

PICKLE FOR CORN BEEF.

MRS. HENRY THOMSON.

Two gallons of water (soft the best), two and one half pounds salt, one half pound sugar, two ounces of salt petre.

PICKLED PEACHES.

MISS EDITH HENRY.

Eight pounds of peaches, four pounds of white sugar, one quart of vinegar, one ounce of cinnamon, one ounce of cloves. Select large firm freestone peaches, remove the skins and put into a jar. Put the sugar, vinegar, and spices into a kettle, let it come to a boil, skim, and pour over the fruit. The next day pour off the syrup and boil again and pour over the peaches. Then the third day, put the fruit and all into the kettle and boil until tender, or about ten minutes. If you use ground spices put in cheese cloth bag.

SWEET TOMATO PICKLE.

MRS. JOHN JACK.

One peck of green tomatoes sliced, six large onions sliced, strew a teacupful of salt over them, let them remain over night, drain off in the morning, then take two quarts of water and one of vinegar, boil them in it fifteen or twenty minutes, put them in a sieve to drain, then take four quarts vinegar, two pounds brown sugar, half pound white mustard seed, two tablespoonfuls ground allspice, same of cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and mustard and one teaspoonful cayenne pepper. Put all in a kettle and cook fifteen minutes slowly. Follow directions, and you will p.r.o.nounce them capital.

TOMATO CATSUP.

MISS GREEN.

One peck of ripe tomatoes, one quart onions in an enamel kettle: boil till soft, mash and strain through a coa.r.s.e sieve. One quart or more vinegar and from two to three tablespoons of salt, one ounce of mace and one tablespoon each of black pepper, cayenne pepper, and ground cloves, one and one half pounds brown sugar. Mix and boil slowly for two hours.

Bottle and seal.

PRESERVES.

"Will't please your honor taste of these conserves."

--SHAKESPEARE.

CANNING FRUIT.

MISS M. SAMPSON.

To can strawberries, raspberries or plums: to each pound of sugar add one half pint of water, boil till you have a rich syrup, let stand till cold; have your jars packed full of raw fruit (not crushed) and fill with the cold syrup, put on the covers and screws, (not the rubber rings,) and place in cold water up to the neck of the jars, you will need straw or chips between the jars to prevent them touching each other or burning on the bottom, let the water boil for fifteen minutes, have some hot syrup to fill jars, put on rubber rings, screw up tightly and keep in a cool dark place.

CANNED FRUIT JUICES.

MRS. FARQUHARSON SMITH.

Fruit juice may be kept for a long time by canning the same as whole fruit. They are convenient for water ices and summer beverages. Mash the fruit and rub the pulp through a fine sieve. Mix about three pounds of sugar with one quart of fruit juice and pulp. Fill Mason's jars with the syrup, cover and place in a heater with cold water to cover nearly to the top of the jar. Let the water boil half an hour, then fill each jar to the brim, seal and cool in the water.

TO BRANDY PEACHES.

To three pounds of sugar add a pint and a half water; boil and skim it; prepare eight pounds of ripe clingstone peaches: wash and rub with a coa.r.s.e towel until all the down is off, then pierce them with a fork and throw them into the syrup and boil them until a sharp straw can punctuate them: as they soften put them into your jar, which must be kept closely covered. Boil your syrup until it thickens, while hot, add a quart of the best brandy and throw it over your peaches, tie the jar down closely.

CURRANT JELLY.

Currants should not be over ripe. Equal parts of red and white currants or currants and raspberries make a delicately colored and flavored jelly. Pick over and remove the leaves and poor fruit, and if filthy wash and drain them but do not stem them. Mash them in a porcelain kettle, with wooden pestle without heating as that makes the jelly dark.

Let them drain in a flannel bag over night. _Do not_ squeeze them, or the jelly will be cloudy. In the morning measure a bowl of sugar for each bowl of juice, and heat the sugar carefully in an earthern dish in the oven. Stir it often to prevent burning: boil the juice twenty minutes and skim thoroughly. Add the hot sugar and boil from three to five minutes or till it thickens on a spoon when exposed to the air.

Turn at once into gla.s.ses and let them remain in the sun several days then cover with paper dipped in brandy and paste paper over the tops of the gla.s.ses. One who is authority on this subject recommends covering with melted paraffine, or putting a lump of paraffine in the jelly while still hot. After draining the juice, the currants may be squeezed and a second quality of jelly made, it may not be clear but will answer for some purposes.

CANDIED PEEL.

MRS. DAVID BELL.

Put the lemon or orange skins, in strong salt and water, when they are soft enough to pa.s.s a straw through, take them out and soak them changing the water till all the salt taste is gone, then simmer them in thin brown sugar syrup till clear; take them out, place on a dish, and let them remain for a day or two. Boil the syrup till thick, then fill the skins with it and put away to dry.

LEMON HONEY. (Filling.)

MRS. FRANK GLa.s.s.

One pound of b.u.t.ter, four pounds of sugar, two dozen eggs leaving out eight whites, rind and juice of one dozen lemons. Put all together, and let simmer until it thickens like honey. Put into jars, can be kept for years.

PUMPKIN JAM.

MRS. HENRY THOMSON.

Peel and seed, then, cut into pieces two or three inches square, lay on a dish to dry till next day, then put into the preserving pan and barely cover with mola.s.ses. To a medium sized pumpkin put one ounce cloves and about a dessertspoon of ginger or as much as will taste; let it boil until the pumpkin is quite soft. One half dozen apples (sour) just cored not peeled is a great improvement. The mola.s.ses must only come to the top of your pieces, not nearly cover them.