The American Housewife Part 16

302. _Mola.s.ses Syrup, for preserving._

Mix eight pounds of light sugar-house or New-Orleans mola.s.ses, eight pounds of water, one pound of powdered charcoal. Boil the whole together twenty minutes, then strain it through a flannel bag. When lukewarm, put in the beaten whites of a couple of eggs, and put it on the fire. As soon as it boils, take it from the fire, and skim it till clear--then put it on the fire, and let it boil till it becomes a thick syrup--strain it for use. This syrup does very well to preserve fruit in for common use.

303. _To clarify Syrup for Sweetmeats._

Put your sugar into the preserving kettle, turn in the quant.i.ty of cold water that you think will be sufficient to cover the fruit that is to be preserved in it. Beat the whites of eggs to a froth, allowing one white of an egg to three pounds of sugar--mix the whites of the eggs with the sugar and water, set it on a slow fire, and let the sugar dissolve, then stir the whole up well together, and set it where it will boil. As soon as it boils up well, take it from the fire, let it remain for a minute, then take off the sc.u.m--set it back on the fire, and let it boil a minute, then take it off, and skim it again. This operation repeat till the syrup is clear--put in the fruit when the syrup is cold. The fruit should not be crowded while preserving, and if there is not syrup enough to cover the fruit, take it out of the syrup, and put in more water, and boil it with the syrup before putting back the fruit.

304. _Directions for making Sweetmeats._

A pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, is sufficient to preserve most kinds of fruit. Some kinds of fruit require more, and some will do with less, than an equal weight of sugar. White sugar makes the most delicate sweetmeats--nice brown sugar answers very well for most kinds of fruit.

The West India sugar-house syrup is better than sugar to preserve fruit, on account of its never fermenting. When brown sugar is used, clarify it, as in direction for clarifying syrup, No. 303, then put in the fruit. Nice white sugar does not need clarifying. All kinds of fire-proof ware will do to preserve in, excepting iron ware. The fruit should not be crowded while preserving, and should boil gently. The fruit should be turned out of the preserving kettles as soon as done, and set away in a cool place, otherwise they will not be nice. Keep the sweetmeats in stone or china jars, that have never been used for other purposes. Gla.s.s jars are the best for delicate sweetmeats, such as strawberries or cherries. Preserves should be covered tight, and kept in a cool place. A paper wet in brandy, and laid over the sweetmeats, has a tendency to keep them from fermenting. They should be looked to frequently, to see that they do not ferment. Whenever they do, the syrup should be turned from them, scalded, and turned back on them while hot.

305. _To Preserve Quinces._

Quinces, if very ripe, are best preserved in the following manner: Pare and cut them in slices, an inch thick--take out the cores carefully, so as to have the slices in the form of a ring. Allow a pound of nice white sugar for each pound of the fruit--dissolve it in cold water, having a quart of the latter to a pound of sugar, then put in the sliced quinces, and let them soak in it ten or twelve hours. Put them in a preserving kettle, and put it on a moderate fire--cover them over, and let the quinces boil gently--there should be more than enough syrup to cover the quinces. When a broom splinter will go through them easily, take them from the fire, and turn them out. In the course of a week, turn the syrup from them, and boil it down, so that there will be just enough to cover the fruit. Quinces preserved in this manner retain their natural flavor better than when preserved in any other manner, but they must be very ripe to preserve in this way, otherwise they will not be tender.

When not very ripe, pare and cut them either in rings or quarters, take out the cores, and boil the quinces in fair water, till they begin to grow tender--take them up, and strain the water in which they are boiled--put in either brown or white sugar--add a little cold water.

When lukewarm, put in the whites of eggs, and clarify it--let it cool, then put in the quinces, and boil them slowly for half an hour. Keep them covered over while boiling, if you wish to have them of a light color. Turn them out into pots as soon as preserved, and set them away in a cool place. Look at them in the course of a week, to see if they have fermented--if so, turn the syrup from them, boil it, and turn it back while hot. The parings and cores of the quinces can be used for marmalade, with a few whole ones. Some people preserve the quinces with the cores in, but the syrup will not look clear. The following is a cheap method of preserving quinces, and answers very well for common use: Pare, halve, and take out the cores of the quinces, and boil the parings in new cider till soft. Strain the cider, and for five pounds of quinces put in a pound of brown sugar, a quart of mola.s.ses, the beaten white of an egg--clarify it, then put in the quinces. There should be rather more than enough cider to cover the quinces, as it wastes a good deal while the quinces are boiling. The peel of an orange, cut in small pieces, and boiled with them, gives the quinces a fine flavor.

306. _Quince Marmalade._

Wash and quarter the quinces, without paring them--put them on the fire, with just water enough to stew them in. When soft, rub them through a sieve, and put to each pound of the strained quinces a pound of brown sugar. Set it on a few coals, and let it stew slowly, stirring it constantly. When it has stewed an hour, take a little of it out, let it get cold--if it then cuts smooth, it is sufficiently stewed.

307. _Pears._

Make a syrup, allowing three-quarters of a pound of sugar to each pound of the pears. If brown sugar is used for the syrup, clarify it, then put in the pears, and boil them till soft. A few slips of ginger, or powdered ginger, tied up in bags, and boiled with the pears, gives them a fine flavor. Choke and vergouleuse are the best pears for preserving.

308. _Pear Marmalade._

Boil the pears with the skins on. When soft, rub them through a sieve, and put to each pound of pulp three-quarters of a pound of brown sugar.

Stew it over a slow fire till it becomes a thick jelly. It should be stirred constantly.

309. _Peaches._

Take juicy peaches--pare them, allow for each pound of them, a pound of nice white sugar. Put just cold water enough to the sugar to saturate it. When dissolved, stir it up well, and put in the peaches, without crowding them, and boil them slowly about twenty minutes. A few peach meats, blanched and preserved with the peaches, are nice, and are quite ornamental to the peaches. These, as well as all other kinds of sweetmeats, should be turned out of the preserving kettle as soon as taken from the fire, and set away in a cool place. If allowed to remain near the fire, the syrup will not look clear. Cover them up tight--let them remain three or four days, then turn the syrup from them, scald it, and turn it back, while hot, on to the peaches.

310. _Peach Jam._

Inferior peaches, and those that are not fully ripe, are best preserved in the following manner: Pare and halve them, and take out the stones--lay the peaches in a deep dish, and to each layer of peaches put a layer of brown sugar. Three-quarters of a pound of sugar to a pound of the peaches, is sufficient. Let the peaches remain until the next day--then put them on a moderate fire, without any water, and let them stew slowly about twenty minutes. Peaches preserved in this way, are very nice for puffs.

311. _To Preserve Peaches in Brandy._

Procure peaches that are mellow, but not dead ripe--draw a pin round the seam of the peaches, so as to pierce the skin--cover them with French brandy, and let them remain a week--then make a syrup, allowing three-quarters of a pound of brown sugar to a pound of the peaches.

Clarify the syrup, then boil the peaches in it. When tender, take them out of the syrup, let it remain till cool, then mix it with the brandy, and turn the whole on to the peaches.

312. _To Preserve Raspberries._

Strain equal quant.i.ties of ripe currants and raspberries, to make a syrup to preserve the raspberries in. Dissolve white sugar in the syrup, by a gentle heat, using a pound of sugar to each pound of syrup and raspberries. When the sugar has dissolved, set the syrup where it will boil about ten minutes, then put in the raspberries, and let them boil five minutes. In the course of four or five days, turn the syrup from the raspberries--boil it away, so that there will be just enough of it to cover the berries--turn it on them while hot. Keep them in wide-mouthed bottles, corked and sealed up tight. Preserved raspberries are very nice to flavor ice creams and blanc mange.

313. _Cherries._

Procure cherries that are not quite dead ripe--allow for each pound of cherries a pound of white sugar. Make a rich syrup of the sugar--when it boils, put in the cherries, with the stems on--let them boil till transparent. Keep them in gla.s.s jars, or wide-mouthed bottles--cork and seal them tight. If you wish to preserve them without the stones, take those that are very ripe, take out the stones carefully, save the juice.

Make a syrup of the juice, white sugar, and very little water, then put in the cherries, and boil them to a thick consistency.

314. _Currants._

Take the currants when ripe and in their prime--let them remain on the stalks, picking off the bad ones. Make a syrup of sugar, and very little water, allowing a pound of sugar to each pound of currants. Clarify it, then put in the currants, and let them boil a few minutes. In the course of a few days turn the syrup from them, scald it, and turn it back, while hot, on to the currants. Preserved currants, mixed with water, is an excellent drink in fevers. Dried currants are also good for the same purpose, if made into a tea.

315. _To Preserve Prunes._

Pour boiling water on the prunes, and set them where they will keep hot, with a lemon, cut in small pieces. When swelled out to nearly the original size, put to each pound of the prunes half a pound of brown sugar, a stick of cinnamon, or a tea-spoonful of powdered cloves, and if there is not sufficient water remaining to cover the prunes, add more, and stew them in the syrup a quarter of an hour. Add, when taken from the fire, a wine gla.s.s of wine to every three pounds of the prunes.

316. _Cranberries._

For each peck of cranberries allow two pounds and a half of brown sugar, and half a pint of mola.s.ses. Make a syrup of the mola.s.ses, sugar, and a little water. When it boils, put in the cranberries, and let them boil till transparent. To make cranberry marmalade, boil the cranberries in just water enough to prevent their burning. Strain them when soft, and add to each pound a pound and a half of brown sugar. Stew it over a slow fire, stirring it constantly, till it becomes very thick jelly.

317. _Crab Apples._

Make a syrup, allowing the same weight of sugar as apples. Let it get cool, then put in the apples, a few at once, so that they will not crowd, and break to pieces. Boil them till they begin to break, then take them out of the preserving kettle carefully. Boil the syrup in the course of three or four days, and turn it while hot on to the apples.

This continue to do at intervals of two or three days, till the apples appear to be thoroughly preserved. If you wish to make a marmalade of the apples, boil them in just water enough to keep them from burning--strain them when soft, and put to them an equal weight of brown sugar--stew them over a slow fire, stirring them constantly. When of a thick consistency, take a little of it out, and set it where it will get cold. If it then cuts smooth and clear, take the whole from the fire, and turn it into deep dishes.

318. _Barberries._

Take them when fully ripe, let them remain on the stems. Make a rich syrup, allowing the same weight of sugar as barberries. When clarified, set it where it will get lukewarm, then put in the barberries. Boil them till the syrup appears to have entered them. Barberries preserved with mola.s.ses, and a little orange peel and sugar, are very good for common use. Allow for each pound of barberries a quarter of a pound of sugar, half a pint of mola.s.ses, and the rind of half an orange. Make them into a syrup with a little water--boil it a quarter of an hour before putting in the barberries. Preserved barberries, mixed with cold water, make a very refres.h.i.+ng drink in fevers.

319. _Tomatoes._

Take them when quite small and green--put them in cold clarified syrup, with an orange, cut in slices, to every two pounds of the tomatoes.

Simmer them gently, on a slow fire, two or three hours. There should be equal weights of sugar and tomatoes, and more than sufficient water to cover the tomatoes, used for the syrup. Another method of preserving them, which is very nice, is to allow a couple of fresh lemons to three pounds of the tomatoes--pare thin the rind of the lemons, so as to get none of the white part, squeeze out the juice, mix them with cold water sufficient to cover the tomatoes, and put in a few peach leaves, and powdered ginger, tied up in bags. Boil the whole together gently, for three-quarters of an hour--then take up the tomatoes, strain the liquor, and put to it a pound and a half of white sugar, for each pound of tomatoes. Put in the tomatoes, and boil them gently, till the syrup appears to have entered them. In the course of a week turn the syrup from them, heat it scalding hot, and turn it on to the tomatoes.

Tomatoes preserved in this manner appear like West Indian sweetmeats.