A Little Preserving Book For A Little Girl - free ebook by Amy Harlow (Lane) Waterman

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A Little Preserving Book For A Little Girl

Amy Harlow (Lane) Waterman

149 chapters

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149 chapters

A LITTLE PRESERVING BOOK FOR A LITTLE GIRL

A LITTLE PRESERVING BOOK FOR A LITTLE GIRL

There were two long and very wide shelves, besides a good-sized bench that had a shelf underneath, in mother's preserve closet. Before these stood two little girls, Jessie May and Adelaide. Jessie May was Adelaide's most intimate friend, who had been away the whole summer long. To be sure, they had written to one another regularly, and in each letter that Adelaide sent to Jessie May she hinted at a wonderful secret. Now they were together again, the one longing to hear and the other eager to tel

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Orange Marmalade

Orange Marmalade

Mother told Adelaide to wash the oranges and lemons thoroughly and to wipe them dry, then, using the little sharp knife, cut the fruit into quarters, lengthwise. This made it easy to remove the seeds and cut out the thick parts of each center or core. For this Adelaide used a small, smooth board (in fact, it was the cover of a five-pound butter box) upon which to cut the fruit, and she sliced each quarter, peel and all, very, very thinly across (not lengthwise this time), then put them into a bo

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Orange and Grapefruit Marmalade

Orange and Grapefruit Marmalade

This was prepared in exactly the same manner as the previous recipe, except that Adelaide grated the rind of the grapefruit instead of cutting it into thin slices. The oranges, lemon, and grapefruit were all washed thoroughly and wiped. Adelaide cut the oranges and lemon lengthwise into quarters, removing the seeds and thick skin at the centers. Each quarter was then sliced as thinly as possible with a sharp little knife, and put into a bowl until all were ready to be measured. The rind of the g

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Orange and Rhubarb Marmalade

Orange and Rhubarb Marmalade

Adelaide found this marmalade much more simple to make. The oranges and sticks of rhubarb were thoroughly washed, the oranges then cut into quarters lengthwise, and all seeds and tough centers removed. After this, they were put through the meat chopper and the rhubarb was skinned and cut into one-half inch pieces. Putting these together, Adelaide measured them to see how many cups of fruit she had and emptied each cup in the saucepan. To each cup of fruit she added one-fourth cup of cold water,

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Peach Marmalade

Peach Marmalade

What little girl does not love peaches? Adelaide was no exception, and this marmalade was very simply made. First, mother told Adelaide to put the peaches in a pan and completely cover them with boiling water and let them stand for a minute or two, or until the skins would slip off easily. Pouring off the water, she then proceeded to remove the skins with a small silver fruit knife (a steel knife would discolor the fruit), and to take out the stones. Next, Adelaide weighed the saucepan (in which

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Peach Marmalade No. 2

Peach Marmalade No. 2

Adelaide scalded the peaches with boiling water, then removed the skins. Then she cut the peaches into small pieces, put them in the saucepan with the water, and boiled slowly until the fruit was thoroughly soft. Adelaide stirred the fruit frequently with the wooden spoon. Next she rubbed the cooked fruit through a strainer, returned the peaches to the saucepan, added the sugar and lemon juice, and let the mixture cook slowly another half hour, stirring it occasionally. When the marmalade was fi

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Apricot Marmalade

Apricot Marmalade

From the apricots Adelaide did not remove the skins, she simply cut them in halves and took out the stones, put them in the saucepan, added the water, and boiled slowly until the fruit was very soft, stirring frequently with the wooden spoon. When sufficiently cooked she rubbed the fruit through a wooden strainer, put it back in the saucepan, added the sugar and lemon juice, and let it cook slowly for about half an hour. Adelaide stirred occasionally to be sure that the marmalade did not burn, a

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Quince Marmalade

Quince Marmalade

Mother told Adelaide to wash the quinces thoroughly, wipe, remove blossom ends, cut in quarters and remove seeds, then cut in small pieces; to put into saucepan, add water, and let cook slowly until very tender, stirring with the wooden spoon frequently; to then rub fruit through a strainer, return to saucepan, add sugar and lemon juice, and cook slowly one half-hour. This she did, and when the quinces were properly cooked, Adelaide poured them at once into the sterilized tumblers she had ready

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Plum Marmalade

Plum Marmalade

Adelaide first wiped the plums and removed the stones, then put the fruit into a saucepan, added the water and cooked until very soft, stirring every little while with the wooden spoon. Next she rubbed the fruit through a strainer, returned it to saucepan, added the sugar and lemon juice, and cooked slowly one half-hour. The sterilized tumblers were waiting, and into these Adelaide poured the marmalade. When the jars were cool she wiped the tumblers clean, poured over melted paraffin, shook gent

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Prune Marmalade

Prune Marmalade

The prunes, mother said, would have to be thoroughly washed in several waters, then soaked over night in the cup of water. This Adelaide did, and the next morning put them on the stove in her little saucepan to boil until thoroughly cooked. With two silver forks Adelaide then removed the stones and rubbed the fruit through a strainer; returning the fruit to the saucepan, she added the sugar and lemon juice, cooked it slowly one half-hour, poured into sterilized tumblers, and let cool. When cold,

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Apple Marmalade

Apple Marmalade

These were nice tart apples of fine flavor. Adelaide washed them well, cut into quarters (removing stem and blossoms only), put in saucepan, and added enough water to almost, though not quite, cover the apples. These she cooked slowly until very soft, then pressed them through a strainer. She next measured the fruit, returned it to the saucepan, and to each cup of fruit added three-fourths of a cup of sugar. Returning the saucepan to the fire, Adelaide let it boil gently for three-quarters of an

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Strawberry Jam

Strawberry Jam

Mother told Adelaide to empty the strawberries into the colander and place in a pan of cold water, then to dip the colander up and down so as to thoroughly cleanse the berries; next to change the water two or three times until it was clear, then lift out the colander and drain. Mother also said that you should never wash berries after they were hulled, because if you did you lost part of the juice. After Adelaide felt sure they were clean, and after mother had carefully inspected them, she comme

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Raspberry Jam

Raspberry Jam

Adelaide picked over the raspberries before washing them, and mother told her to keep a sharp look-out for little worms that sometimes curled themselves up in the center, and you may be sure Adelaide's keen eyes never missed one if there were any. Next she put them in the colander, and then dipped the colander up and down in a pan of clear cold water several times. When all possible dirt had been washed away, Adelaide stood the colander to drain, after which she poured the berries into the sauce

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Raspberry and Red Currant Jam

Raspberry and Red Currant Jam

First, Adelaide picked over the raspberries very carefully and placed them in the colander, then she removed the stems from the currants and added them to the raspberries. These she then dipped in clear cold water several times and set aside to drain. Next she weighed the fruit, and to each pound she added a pound of sugar. She mashed the fruit well with the wooden masher in the saucepan and poured over the sugar. After a few minutes the juice began to run and she put the saucepan on the stove,

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Red Currant Jam

Red Currant Jam

The red currants Adelaide removed from their stems and put in the colander to be thoroughly washed. This was done by dipping the colander up and down in a pan of clear cold water. If they were very dusty, she changed the water several times. After draining the currants sufficiently, she weighed them and put them into the saucepan. To each pound of fruit Adelaide added one pound of sugar. With the wooden masher she mashed the currants and stirred them well with the sugar. Putting the saucepan on

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Black Currant Jam

Black Currant Jam

Adelaide found that when she used red currants, the picking off of the stems consumed a lot of time, so she was glad to find the black currants come already stemmed. Putting the black currants in the colander, she proceeded to wash them thoroughly by dipping the colander up and down in a pan of clear cold water several times. If they were very dusty she changed the water two or three times until it was clear. After weighing the currants she poured them into a saucepan, mashed them with the woode

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Blackberry Jam

Blackberry Jam

Mother explained to Adelaide that the flavor of the blackberry was delicious, but you did not enjoy it so much if the seeds were allowed to remain, so that jam was prepared a little differently. After picking the blackberries over carefully, Adelaide put them in the colander, then dipped it up and down in a pan of cold water and set aside to drain. Afterwards, she put the fruit in the saucepan and with the wooden masher mashed it well. Then she stood the saucepan over the fire and let the fruit

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Gooseberry Jam

Gooseberry Jam

"The jams with a nice tart flavor," Adelaide said, "are the ones Daddy likes best." He was especially fond of gooseberry jam and for that reason Adelaide decided to surprise him. The gooseberries Adelaide put in the colander and dipped up and down in a pan of clear cold water until thoroughly clean, then she drained them. With the strawberry huller she pulled off the tops, though she could have used the little sharp knife; next she weighed the gooseberries and put them in the saucepan to be mash

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Large Blue Plum Jam

Large Blue Plum Jam

The large blue plums, Adelaide's mother said, made delicious jam. Adelaide washed and wiped each plum carefully, then slit each one with a silver knife and took out the stone. After weighing them and putting the plums in the saucepan she added three-fourths of a pound of sugar to each pound of fruit, letting them stand until the juice ran. Placing the saucepan over the fire, she stirred the fruit occasionally until it reached the boiling point, after which she let it boil slowly, for forty-five

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Green-Gage Plum Jam

Green-Gage Plum Jam

The green-gage plums, Adelaide found, came later in the season, but they were worth waiting for. These she cut open with a silver knife, after having washed and wiped them carefully, and removed the stones. Weighing the plums, she put them in the saucepan, and to each pound of fruit she added three-quarters of a pound of sugar. When the juice began to run she placed the saucepan over the fire, and let the jam come slowly to the boiling point, stirring it every little while; continuing to cook th

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Damson Plum Jam

Damson Plum Jam

Compared to the large blue plums and the green-gage plums Adelaide found the damson plums quite small, and mother told her they would have to be cooked first before she could remove the stones easily. So Adelaide washed the Damson plums carefully, and with a silver knife slit each one before putting them into the saucepan. This was to let the juice run. But, first, Adelaide measured two tablespoons of cold water into the saucepan, then poured in the plums. Of course she had weighed the plums as

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Barberry Jam

Barberry Jam

Barberries make a very tasty jam. Adelaide put them in the colander, which she dipped up and down in a pan of clean cold water until free from all dust, then carefully picked them over. Into the saucepan she poured one-half a cup of cold water, then added the barberries. Placing the saucepan over the fire, she let the barberries become just warm, then Adelaide pressed the fruit through a wire strainer and measured. To each cup of fruit she added a cup of sugar, which she returned to the saucepan

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Rhubarb and Fig Jam

Rhubarb and Fig Jam

An English friend gave this recipe to Adelaide, and it proved to be very "tasty." The friend said to choose the pretty pink rhubarb, then wash and wipe it thoroughly, and cut with a sharp knife into one-inch pieces. The figs were looked over carefully and Adelaide cut out the hard little part near the stem, then she put them through the meat chopper and added them to the rhubarb. When she had weighed the prepared fruit and put it into the saucepan she poured over it three-fourths its weight of s

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Red Currant Jelly

Red Currant Jelly

The large cherry currants were the ones mother bought, and she told Adelaide that they made the most delicious jelly. Adelaide emptied the currants into the colander, which she dipped up and down in a pan of clear cold water until the currants were thoroughly cleansed, then she drained them. Picking them over but not removing the stems, Adelaide poured a few at a time into the saucepan (which contained two tablespoons of cold water), and mashed them with the wooden potato masher; this she contin

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Red Currant and White Currant Jelly

Red Currant and White Currant Jelly

The red and white currants Adelaide found made the jelly a beautiful color and more delicate in flavor. These she washed carefully in the colander by dipping it up and down in a pan of clear cold water, then she picked them over without removing the stems. Into the saucepan she measured two tablespoons of water, added the currants a few at a time, and mashed them with the wooden potato masher until all were used. Next the saucepan was placed over the fire and the currants boiled until the red cu

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Red Currant and Raspberry Jelly

Red Currant and Raspberry Jelly

Of all the jellies this was mother's favorite. Adelaide picked over the raspberries (looking in each centre to be sure there were no little worms), poured them into the colander, dipped them up and down in a pan of clear cold water to cleanse thoroughly, and after draining emptied them into the saucepan with two tablespoons of cold water. The currants were washed in the same manner as the raspberries, and Adelaide picked them over but did not remove the stems. These were added to the raspberries

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Blackberry Jelly

Blackberry Jelly

Adelaide picked the blackberries very carefully into the colander. This she dipped up and down in a pan of clear cold water several times to thoroughly cleanse the berries. When they were well drained she poured them into the saucepan with two tablespoons of cold water, and mashed the berries with the wooden potato masher. Placing the saucepan over the fire, she let the blackberries heat through slowly until they were soft, then she poured them into the jelly bag and the juice dripped all night.

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Spiced Blackberry Jelly

Spiced Blackberry Jelly

The blackberries Adelaide picked over carefully and put in the colander to wash thoroughly by dipping them up and down several times in a pan of cold water. After they were well drained she poured them into a saucepan with two tablespoons of cold water, and mashed them with the wooden potato masher. Placing the saucepan over the fire, she let the blackberries simmer until they were soft, then poured them into the jelly bag to drip. To each cup of juice she measured a cup of sugar which she stood

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Black Currant Jelly

Black Currant Jelly

Black currant jelly, mother told Adelaide, was what her mother gave her when she was a little girl if ever she complained of a sore throat. After Adelaide had tasted it she said, "Mother, I should think you would have felt almost glad to have a sore throat, it is so good." The black currants Adelaide picked over and washed thoroughly in the usual way by pouring them into the colander, then dipping it up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water. After draining them well, she emptied th

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Green Gooseberry Jelly

Green Gooseberry Jelly

The gooseberries were easily picked over and washed. Adelaide put them in the colander, dipped it up and down in a pan of clear cold water, and stood it aside to drain. She measured two tablespoons of cold water into the saucepan, added the gooseberries and mashed them with the wooden potato masher. Placing the saucepan over the fire she let the gooseberries simmer until they were soft, not forgetting to stir with the wooden spoon to keep them from burning. Pouring the fruit into the jelly bag c

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Wild Cherry Jelly

Wild Cherry Jelly

After picking the cherries carefully into the colander, Adelaide dipped it up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water, then stood it aside to drain. Into the saucepan she measured two tablespoons of cold water, added the cherries and mashed them with the wooden potato masher. Placing the saucepan over the fire, she let the cherries simmer until they were soft, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, after which she poured the fruit into the jelly bag and let the juice drip over nig

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Wild Grape Jelly

Wild Grape Jelly

The wild grapes Adelaide poured into the colander, dipped it up and down several times in cold water and stood it to drain. Next, she picked them over carefully, pinched each grape to break the skin, and dropped them into the saucepan containing two tablespoons of cold water. Placing the saucepan over the fire, she let the grapes simmer until soft, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, then poured them into the jelly bag to drip over night. In the morning she measured the juice and an equal

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Wild Plum Jelly

Wild Plum Jelly

The wild plums that Adelaide used were brought to her by a friend who lived in the country. They were about the size of large cherries. The flavor of the jelly was most delicious and a general favorite with everybody. Adelaide washed the plums after emptying them into the colander, by dipping the colander up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water, after which she drained them. Into the saucepan she had measured two tablespoons of cold water, and as she picked over the plums she slit

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Damson Plum Jelly

Damson Plum Jelly

Adelaide wiped and picked over the Damson Plums, and slit each one with a silver knife before placing them in the saucepan with two tablespoons of cold water. These she let boil until very soft, stirring occasionally with the wooden spoon to prevent burning. When the fruit had cooked sufficiently, she poured it into the jelly bag and let it drip over night. The next morning she measured the juice, and to each cup she measured three-fourths the amount of sugar. It (the juice) was boiled rapidly f

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Apple Jelly

Apple Jelly

The apples that made the best jelly, mother told Adelaide, were the "porter apples," the "gravenstein apples," the "maiden's blush," and the "fall pippins." Adelaide wiped each apple thoroughly with a damp cloth and removed the stems and blossom ends. With a silver knife she cut them in quarters. Placing them in the saucepan, she added cold water until it came nearly to the top of the apples. Covering the saucepan, she stood it over the fire and let the apples cook slowly until they were very so

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Crab Apple Jelly

Crab Apple Jelly

The crab apples make a very handsome jelly, and as they are very small, mother did not think two dozen would be too many for Adelaide to prepare. These, mother said, you only needed to wipe clean with a damp cloth and remove the stem and blossom end. It was not necessary to cut them, just put them into the saucepan and nearly cover them with cold water. Standing the saucepan over the fire, Adelaide put on the cover and let the apples cook slowly until very soft, stirring occasionally to keep fro

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Barberry Jelly

Barberry Jelly

Mother saw to it that the barberries were bought just before any frost came, and she liked a few of the berries to be green. The reason for this, she told Adelaide, was to make the jelly firmer and a much better color. Adelaide poured the barberries into the colander, and dipped them up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water, to rinse off all dust, then she picked them over and put them into the saucepan with two tablespoons of cold water; next she mashed the barberries with the woo

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Quince Jelly

Quince Jelly

Quinces are very hard to cut, so Adelaide found it necessary to use the little sharp knife, after washing and wiping them thoroughly. In preparing these, Adelaide removed the blossom ends and seeds, cut each quince into small pieces, nearly covered the fruit with cold water, placed the saucepan on the fire and let the quinces cook very slowly until soft, stirring occasionally with the wooden spoon to prevent burning. As soon as they had finished cooking she poured the fruit into the jelly bag an

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Quince and Apple Jelly

Quince and Apple Jelly

The apples and quinces Adelaide wiped thoroughly clean with a damp cloth, and removed the stems and blossom ends. The apples she cut into quarters, but the quinces were cut into very small pieces. When she emptied the fruit into the saucepan she nearly covered it with cold water, then stood it over the fire, put on the cover and let it boil gently until very soft. Occasionally Adelaide stirred it with the wooden spoon to prevent burning. As soon as the fruit was sufficiently soft she poured it i

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Cranberry Jelly

Cranberry Jelly

After Adelaide had emptied the cranberries into the colander, then dipped them up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water, she picked them over. While her little fingers worked quickly she told mother the cranberries made her long for Thanksgiving Day to come, and especially this year, as she wanted her "cranberry jelly" served with the turkey. Mother said she would feel very proud to have it grace the "festive board." When the cranberries were all in the saucepan, Adelaide poured en

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Cranberry and Apple Jelly

Cranberry and Apple Jelly

After wiping the apples thoroughly with a damp cloth, Adelaide removed the stems and blossom ends and cut into quarters. The cranberries Adelaide placed in the colander, dipped up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water, set aside to drain, then picked them over. Putting the apples and cranberries into the saucepan she nearly covered them with water, placed them over the fire to cook slowly, stirred occasionally with the wooden spoon, then when they were very soft and mushy, Adelaide

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Canned Strawberries

Canned Strawberries

Emptying the berries into the colander she dipped it up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water, then let them drain thoroughly. The berries were hulled, weighed, and put into the saucepan, which she placed over the fire, heating the fruit through very gradually. It was better, mother said, to let them stand at the back of the range until the juice began to run, before bringing the berries to the boiling point. These boiled slowly five minutes, and then Adelaide added one-third their

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Canned Raspberries

Canned Raspberries

Mother was delighted with this quart of raspberries, they were just ripe enough, large, and almost every one perfect. It did not take Adelaide long to pick these over, and she could see each center very easily. There wasn't a single bug or worm. She weighed the raspberries before putting them in the colander to dip up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water. When they had drained, she emptied the berries into the saucepan and stood it on the back of the range to let the juice run. Sh

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Canned Raspberries and Currants

Canned Raspberries and Currants

Adelaide picked over the raspberries and currants very carefully, washed and drained them in the usual manner, but kept them separate. The currants she placed in the saucepan and mashed with the wooden potato masher. Next she cooked them very slowly until the currants looked white, then she strained them through two thicknesses of cheese cloth. Returning the juice to the saucepan, she added the sugar, stirring until it was all dissolved, and let it boil slowly twenty minutes, then she poured in

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Canned Cherries

Canned Cherries

Mother liked to have her cherries cut in halves and the stones taken out, though she told Adelaide many people preferred them canned whole. Adelaide followed mother's way, so the large ripe cherries she placed in the colander, and washed thoroughly by dipping it up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water. Next she removed the stems, and cut the cherries in halves with a silver knife, taking out the stones. Then she weighed the fruit. If they were tart, she used one-half their weight

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Canned Blackberries

Canned Blackberries

These were great big blackberries, firm but ripe, and Adelaide poured them into the colander. She could not resist popping the biggest one into her mouth, but mother told her that that was a very bad practice to begin. Adelaide sighed, but she realized mother was right, so she stopped eating any more and proceeded to wash the blackberries. She dipped the colander up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water, drained thoroughly, then weighed the fruit. Weighing one-third their weight of

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Canned Blueberries

Canned Blueberries

The blueberries that mother bought were almost as large as currants and they were firm and dry. Adelaide picked them over carefully, put them into the colander, which she placed in a pan of clear cold water, dipping it up and down several times to cleanse the berries thoroughly, then set aside to drain. The berries were then weighed, put into the saucepan and heated gradually. To each pound of berries Adelaide added one-third of a pound of sugar, setting it in an earthenware dish at the back of

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Canned Blueberries (without sugar)

Canned Blueberries (without sugar)

Mother let Adelaide put up a jar of blueberries without sugar. They made delicious pies in the winter. Adelaide picked over the berries carefully into the colander, then she dipped it up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water to cleanse them from all dust. After they had drained thoroughly, Adelaide poured them into the saucepan, with two tablespoons of cold water (this was to prevent burning), then she placed the saucepan over the fire and let the berries heat through very graduall

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Canned Peaches No. 1

Canned Peaches No. 1

There were three different ways mother told Adelaide that she might put up peaches, two ways with sugar and one without. Adelaide put up a dozen peaches at a time. The first dozen Adelaide placed in a pan and covered with boiling water and let them stand a few minutes. It was then easy for her to remove the skins with a silver knife, cut in halves and take out the stones. The peaches were large, and mother said they should fill two pint jars. So Adelaide washed and sterilized two jars. Into a sa

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Canned Peaches No. 2

Canned Peaches No. 2

The second dozen of peaches Adelaide prepared in the same manner. She placed them in a pan, covered them with boiling water, let them stand a few minutes, removed their skins with a silver knife, cut them in halves, took out the stones, then weighed the peaches. Placing them carefully in the saucepan, Adelaide poured over the peaches one-third of their weight of sugar, and let them stand over night. In the morning she added two cups of cold water and stood the saucepan over the fire, letting it

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Canned Peaches (without sugar)

Canned Peaches (without sugar)

After Adelaide had covered the peaches with boiling water and let them stand a few minutes, she removed the skins with a silver knife, cut them in halves, took out the stones and placed them carefully in the saucepan. To these she added two cups of cold water, put the saucepan over the fire, let the peaches heat through gradually, stirring occasionally with the wooden spoon, and then boiled them very gently for twenty minutes, or until they could be pierced easily with a silver fork. Lifting the

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Canned Apricots

Canned Apricots

The apricots are so much smaller than peaches that one dozen, mother said, should just fill a pint jar, but, to be on the safe side, she would let Adelaide prepare eighteen. Mother also said she was surprised that more people did not can this fruit, it was of such a rich and delicate flavor. Adelaide washed and wiped each apricot thoroughly, cut it in halves and removed the stone. After weighing the apricots she put them in the saucepan and added one-third their weight in sugar and one cup of wa

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Canned Pears

Canned Pears

Adelaide prepared a dozen large pears, although mother said eight were quite sufficient (if large) to fill a pint jar. It was not a good plan to crowd such fruit as peaches, pears, and apricots in too closely, because you might break the fruit. With the little sharp knife Adelaide peeled the pears very thinly and cut them in halves, removing the cores. The stems she left on. After weighing the fruit, she placed it in the saucepan and measured one cup of water to each pound of fruit. If the pears

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Canned Crab Apples

Canned Crab Apples

These crab apples made one of the prettiest jars Adelaide put up. She did not have to peel the crab apples, just wash and wipe the fruit thoroughly and remove the blossom ends. The crab apples, of course, needed to be absolutely perfect. They were weighed, placed in the saucepan, and a cup of water poured over to each pound of fruit. One-half their weight of sugar Adelaide placed in an earthenware dish at the back of the range to warm through, but not brown. The saucepan she placed on the fire a

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Canned Quinces

Canned Quinces

Six large orange quinces (these are of the best variety) Adelaide washed and wiped thoroughly, peeled, cut into quarters, and removed the cores. After weighing the quinces she measured into the saucepan one and one-third cups of water to each pound of fruit. Placing the saucepan over the fire she let the water just boil, and then poured in the quinces. They boiled gently for about twenty minutes, or until you could pierce them easily with a silver fork. Adelaide lifted these out very carefully o

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Canned Apples

Canned Apples

After washing and peeling the apples, Adelaide cut them into quarters and removed the cores. The quince juice was made from the peelings and cores of the quinces she had canned the day before, by just covering them with cold water and boiling slowly for one hour. Then she drained them through the jelly bag. To each pound of apples Adelaide measured one and one-third cups of quince juice into the saucepan, and she put one-fourth of their weight of sugar into an earthenware dish, which she stood a

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Canned Apples (without sugar)

Canned Apples (without sugar)

Wiping the apples clean, Adelaide pared them with the sharp knife, cut them into quarters and removed the core. If the apples were very juicy she did not need to cook them in very much water, otherwise the water (which she poured over the apples boiling ) came nearly to the top of the apples. Placing the saucepan over the fire, the fruit boiled slowly until tender, then Adelaide at once filled to overflowing the sterilized pint jar. Inserting a silver knife between the jar and the fruit, she let

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Canned Pineapples No. 1

Canned Pineapples No. 1

Mother had to show Adelaide how to remove the skin and eyes from the pineapple. Adelaide found it a rather prickly thing to handle, but after it was ready, she cut it into slices fairly thick, and removed the little hard core with a sharp knife. Mother told her she could leave the slices whole, or she could cut them into cubes. Adelaide said that she preferred cutting them into cubes. The cup of sugar and two cups of water were measured into the saucepan, which she placed over the fire and let b

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Canned Pineapples No. 2

Canned Pineapples No. 2

Adelaide, after removing the skin and eyes from the pineapple, cut it into quarters lengthwise and removed the cores. Then she weighed it, after which she put the pineapple through the meat chopper. Into the saucepan she measured one-half its weight of sugar and added the chopped pineapple. Placing the saucepan over the fire, Adelaide let the fruit and sugar come slowly to the boiling point, stirring frequently with the wooden spoon to keep from burning. After the boiling point was reached, the

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Canned Plums

Canned Plums

The large blue plums, the green-gage plums, or the large red plums, were all put up in the same manner. Adelaide wiped each plum thoroughly with a damp cloth, cut it in halves with a silver knife, and removed the stone. Then she weighed them. To each pound of fruit Adelaide measured one cup of water and one cup of sugar. The plums and the water she placed in the saucepan over the fire and let them come slowly to the boiling point, while the sugar was heating at the back of the range in an earthe

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Canned Rhubarb

Canned Rhubarb

If the rhubarb is pretty in color and young and tender, mother told Adelaide that she did not need to peel the stalks, but just wash and wipe them clean and cut them in small pieces with the little sharp knife. Then she weighed the fruit and allowed one-half pound of sugar to each pound of rhubarb. Both sugar and rhubarb were put in the saucepan and placed over the fire to come very slowly to the boiling point. Adelaide stirred constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent burning, and as soon as it

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Canned Rhubarb (without sugar)

Canned Rhubarb (without sugar)

Adelaide washed and wiped each stalk thoroughly, then cut it into small pieces. These she put in the saucepan with a tablespoon of cold water to keep from burning, and stirred with a wooden spoon. She let the fruit heat very gradually and boiled slowly for fifteen minutes. It was then ready to can, and Adelaide poured the rhubarb into the sterilized pint jar at once, after which she inserted a silver knife between the jar and the fruit, to let all air bubbles rise to the top and break. Next came

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Damson Plum Preserves

Damson Plum Preserves

The Damson plums Adelaide wiped thoroughly, and pricked each one with a silver fork twice. Then she weighed the fruit. To each pound she measured three-quarters of a pound of sugar. To each pound of sugar Adelaide measured one cup of water. The sugar and water she put in the saucepan and placed over the fire. When the syrup boiled, Adelaide skimmed it and added the plums. The plums Adelaide cooked until they were tender, stirring them carefully with a wooden spoon so as not to break the fruit, t

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Preserved Currants

Preserved Currants

The currants Adelaide picked over carefully and put into the colander. This she placed in a pan of clear cold water and dipped up and down several times until quite clean. After they had drained well she weighed them, and to each pound of fruit she measured a pound of sugar. Half of the currants Adelaide put in the saucepan and placed on the fire to heat through. When they were thoroughly warmed she removed the saucepan from the fire and mashed the currants with the wooden potato masher, then sh

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Preserved Currants and Raspberries

Preserved Currants and Raspberries

The currants and raspberries Adelaide picked over and kept separate. She did not forget to look carefully in the center of each raspberry to be sure that there were no little worms. After washing the currants, placing them in the colander and dipping it up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water she poured them into the saucepan and mashed them with the wooden potato masher. Adelaide washed the raspberries in the same manner, but stood them aside to drain while the currants were cook

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Preserved Strawberries

Preserved Strawberries

Before hulling the strawberries, Adelaide put them into the colander and dipped it up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water to cleanse the berries thoroughly. After hulling the fruit she weighed it, and for each pound she weighed a pound of sugar. The strawberries were put into the saucepan and the sugar sprinkled over them and they stood until the juice ran freely. Then the saucepan was placed on the fire and the fruit and sugar heated through. Adelaide stirred with the wooden spo

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Preserved Blackberries

Preserved Blackberries

After picking over the blackberries Adelaide placed them in the colander and dipped it up and down in a pan of clear cold water several times to remove all dust and dirt. After weighing the berries she poured them into a saucepan and sprinkled over them an equal weight of sugar. These stood for an hour before Adelaide put the saucepan over the fire and let the berries and sugar come slowly to the boiling point. Adelaide stirred them gently with a wooden spoon, being careful not to break the frui

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Preserved Cherries

Preserved Cherries

Adelaide washed the cherries in the colander, which she dipped up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water. She took off the stems and removed the stones, weighed the cherries and added a pound of sugar to each pound of fruit. Then she let them stand over night, and the next morning put them into the saucepan to cook slowly until clear and tender, stirring carefully with a wooden spoon so as not to break the fruit. When they were done Adelaide picked out the cherries first with the sk

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Rhubarb Conserve

Rhubarb Conserve

Mother picked out the pinkest, prettiest rhubarb she could find, then Adelaide washed and wiped each stalk and cut it into small pieces. When she had filled the cup with rhubarb twice she put it into the saucepan and poured over it two cups of sugar and a dessert spoon of lemon juice. Adelaide next measured out a fourth of a pound of seedless raisins. Upon these she poured boiling water which stood a minute or two, then she drained them. After looking them over carefully to remove any stems, she

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Apricot Conserve

Apricot Conserve

Adelaide wiped the apricots thoroughly with a damp cloth, then cut them in halves with a silver knife and removed the stones. These she placed in a saucepan, poured over them two cups of sugar, a dessert spoon each of lemon and orange juice, and the grated rind of half a lemon and half an orange. Next she measured out a fourth of a pound of seedless raisins and covered them with boiling water for a few minutes, after which she drained them and picked off any stems. Twelve or fourteen large walnu

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Peach Conserve

Peach Conserve

To remove the skins from the peaches easily, Adelaide poured boiling water over them. Letting them stand for a minute or two, she then peeled off the skins with a silver knife and sliced the peaches into small pieces, throwing away the stones. Placing the peaches into a saucepan she added two cups of sugar. After weighing out one-fourth of a pound of seedless raisins she covered them with boiling water for about a minute, drained, and picked off any stems. The walnuts (twelve or fourteen large o

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Plum Conserve

Plum Conserve

After washing and wiping the plums thoroughly, Adelaide cut them in halves with a silver knife, and removed the stones. Placing them in the saucepan she poured two cups of sugar and the grated rind of half an orange over them. Twelve or fourteen large walnuts were cracked and the meats taken out. Over the quarter of a pound of raisins (which she weighed) Adelaide poured boiling water. These stood thus for about a minute, then she drained off the water and picked out the stems. The raisins, the w

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Spiced Currants

Spiced Currants

Adelaide picked over the currants and removed the stems. Putting the currants into the colander, she dipped it up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water, then set it aside to drain. Into the saucepan she poured the currants, added one pound of sugar, a half a cup of vinegar, and a teaspoon each of cloves and cinnamon. Placing the saucepan over the fire, she let the currants heat through gradually, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, and when thoroughly scalded she lifted out

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Spiced Cherries

Spiced Cherries

Adelaide stemmed the cherries and washed them in the colander by dipping it up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water, after which she stoned them. Into a saucepan she measured one-half a cup of vinegar. To this she added a third of an ounce each of whole cloves and cinnamon tied up in a muslin bag. The vinegar and spices Adelaide let boil gently for fifteen minutes, then she added one pound of sugar and boiled the mixture ten minutes longer, stirring constantly with the wooden spoo

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Spiced Gooseberries

Spiced Gooseberries

From the gooseberries Adelaide removed the tops, then washed them in the colander, which she placed in a pan of clear cold water and dipped up and down several times. While these drained, Adelaide measured the half cup of vinegar and one and one-fourth pounds of sugar into the saucepan. Placing the saucepan on the fire she brought the sugar and vinegar to the boiling point, added the gooseberries, then removed the saucepan from the fire. The small piece of green ginger root she cut into small pi

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Spiced Pears

Spiced Pears

Mother said she found that when she put up "spiced pears" the year before that it took fifteen pears of medium size to fill a quart jar, so she told Adelaide to prepare eight pears. Adelaide washed, wiped, pared, quartered and removed the core from each pear. The cup of sugar, half cup each of water and vinegar, cinnamon stick and whole cloves were put into the saucepan and placed over the fire, then the teaspoon of mixed ground spices was also added; the latter were tied in a small piece of mus

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Spiced Peaches

Spiced Peaches

Adelaide put the pound of brown sugar and the cup of vinegar into the saucepan and added the ground spices (clove, cinnamon, and allspice) tied up in a small piece of muslin. The saucepan she placed over the fire and let the contents boil gently for ten minutes. While the syrup was boiling, Adelaide poured boiling water over the peaches, and after they had stood a minute she peeled them with a silver knife. Adelaide left the peaches whole, and stuck four or five cloves in each peach. As soon as

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Spiced Watermelon Rind

Spiced Watermelon Rind

One day when watermelons were in their prime Adelaide's mother bought a part of one for dessert. She told Adelaide to save all the rind and the next day she would show her how to make another tasty relish to be eaten with cold meats. In the morning Adelaide pared the rind neatly and cut it into many attractive shapes. The saucepan had been previously placed over the fire, containing the pound of sugar, the cup of vinegar, the piece of ginger root, the whole mace and the bay leaves. The ground sp

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Spiced Grapes

Spiced Grapes

Adelaide picked over and washed the grapes by placing them in the colander and dipping it up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water. After draining thoroughly she removed the skins and placed them in a dish which she stood aside. The pulps were put into the saucepan and cooked slowly until the seeds could be removed by pressing the grapes through a strainer. The strained pulp, the skins, the pound of sugar, the fourth of a cup of vinegar, and the teaspoon each of ground cinnamon and

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Spiced Blackberries

Spiced Blackberries

Adelaide put the pound of sugar, the half cup of vinegar, and the teaspoon each of ground cinnamon and cloves (the spices she tied in a piece of muslin) into the saucepan over the fire. While the syrup was coming slowly to the boiling point Adelaide picked over and washed the blackberries by placing them in the colander, which she dipped up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water. After the blackberries had drained well and the syrup had come to the boiling point Adelaide added the b

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Pickled Beets

Pickled Beets

Mother ordered her beets from a market gardener and he brought them to her fresh. Mother always asked for the very, very small ones. Adelaide cooked the beets until she could pierce them easily with a silver fork, plunged them into cold water, peeled and filled two sterilized pint jars. The half cup of vinegar, the fourth cup of sugar, and the cup of water, were put in a saucepan. Adelaide placed it over the fire and let it come to the boiling point. After boiling the mixture for two minutes, Ad

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Pickled Onions No. 1

Pickled Onions No. 1

This recipe was one that had been given to Adelaide's mother by a dear old friend. The onions were just the common variety but very small, not much larger than a good sized cherry. Adelaide poured boiling water on the onions, as it made them easier to peel, then she let the cold water run into the pan all the time she was peeling them. This was to prevent her wasting precious tears. The little sharp knife was the best one to use. A quart of onions does not sound very big, but before Adelaide fin

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Pickled Onions No. 2

Pickled Onions No. 2

The onions used in this recipe were what are called the "silver skins" or little white button onions. After Adelaide poured boiling water on the onions, so that she could peel them more easily, she let the cold water run in the pan and peeled the onions (with the little sharp knife) under running water to prevent the tears from falling. The onions she placed in a stone jar and poured over a brine made of two quarts of boiling water and one-half of a cup of salt. These she covered and let stand o

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Chili Sauce

Chili Sauce

Over the tomatoes and onions Adelaide poured boiling water, then peeled them. The red pepper she washed and wiped, cut in halves, and removed the seeds. Through the meat chopper she put the tomatoes, onions, and pepper, then emptied them into a saucepan. To these Adelaide added the tablespoon of salt, the one and one-half teaspoons of ground mixed spices, the half teaspoon of ground ginger, the pound of brown sugar and the one and one-half cups of vinegar. Placing the saucepan over the fire she

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Piccalilli

Piccalilli

Adelaide washed and wiped the tomatoes and peeled the onions. From the half of the green pepper she removed the seeds. Using an earthenware bowl Adelaide sliced the tomatoes, onions and half pepper, and arranged them in layers. Over each layer she sprinkled salt (she was careful not to sprinkle too much), then covered the bowl and let it stand over night. In the morning she drained off the water and emptied the contents of the bowl into the saucepan. Adelaide partly covered the tomatoes, onions

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Pepper Relish

Pepper Relish

The young lady who gave this recipe to mother was a graduate of the college that leads in the teaching of domestic science and was herself a teacher at the time. Mother said it was a nice change to eat with cold meats, only Adelaide must be sure not to make the mistake she did when she (mother) first made it. "What was that?" asked Adelaide. "Well, dear, I forgot to remove the seeds from the peppers, and we nearly burned our mouths, it was so hot," mother smilingly replied. Washing and wiping th

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Mustard Pickles No. 1

Mustard Pickles No. 1

Each tiny cucumber was washed and wiped and placed in the saucepan. Adelaide covered the onions with boiling water for a few minutes, then let the cold water run into the pan while she peeled them—if you peel onions under running water you will not cry. These she added to the cucumbers. The cauliflower Adelaide stood in a pan of cold water, to which she had added a handful of salt (this mother explained was to draw out any worms if there were any). Then she separated the cauliflower into small f

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Mustard Pickles No. 2

Mustard Pickles No. 2

"You just wait, my dear, until Daddy finds out you have put up this special recipe of 'Mustard Pickles' and you'll have to hide them under lock and key, if you wish to keep any," said mother. "But I shan't tell him," laughed Adelaide. "I'll put them away and then surprise him next winter; perhaps I'll give him a jar for a Christmas present." So Adelaide smiled away to herself as she busily prepared the vegetables. The tiny cucumbers were washed and wiped carefully and placed in a large earthenwa

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Ripe Cucumber Pickles

Ripe Cucumber Pickles

Adelaide washed and wiped the cucumbers, cut them in quarters lengthwise and each quarter in halves. These she weighed, then placed in an earthenware bowl and covered with a weak brine made of one quart of cold water and one tablespoon of salt. After allowing them to stand for twelve hours, she rinsed the cucumbers thoroughly in several waters, then steamed them for twenty minutes. Putting the two-thirds of a cup of vinegar, the two cups of sugar, the teaspoon of whole cloves and the stick of ci

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Chopped Pickles

Chopped Pickles

After washing and wiping the tomatoes, and peeling the onion, Adelaide put them through the meat chopper. The green pepper was also washed and wiped and put through the meat chopper when she had removed the seeds. Placing these in an earthenware bowl, Adelaide sprinkled a tablespoon of salt over them, covered them, stood them aside for twenty-four hours and then drained them. The cup of vinegar, the one-fourth teaspoon of pepper, the scant half teaspoon of ground mustard, the one-half teaspoon e

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Chow Chow

Chow Chow

When Adelaide had washed and wiped the tomatoes she cut them into quarters. The small button onions she peeled under running water. The tiny cucumbers were washed and wiped, then cut in halves. The cauliflower was placed in a pan of cold water. She added one tablespoon of salt (this drew out any insects or small worms that might be there), then she broke off twelve small pieces. The two white stalks of celery she washed and cut into inch pieces. The string beans were washed, wiped, the strings r

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Pickled Red Cabbage

Pickled Red Cabbage

Adelaide stood the cabbage in a pan of cold water containing one tablespoon of salt. This was to draw out any insects or worms that are sometimes found among the leaves. After draining the cabbage she cut it into fine strips. The red pepper she wiped, removed the seed, and cut into small pieces. This with the one-half tablespoon of celery seed, the tablespoon of mustard seed, the one-half teaspoon of salt, the one-fourth teaspoon of pepper, and the cup of vinegar Adelaide put into a saucepan and

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Cucumber Pickles

Cucumber Pickles

Adelaide measured enough of the tiny cucumbers to fill a pint jar, washed and wiped them, then placed them in an earthenware bowl. These she covered with one quart of water and one-fourth of a cup of salt and let them stand twenty-four hours. At the end of this time Adelaide took out the cucumbers, wiped each one, and placed them in the sterilized pint jar. Measuring enough vinegar to fill the jar, Adelaide poured it into a saucepan, then added one slice of onion, a teaspoon of whole cloves, one

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Plum Tomato Pickles

Plum Tomato Pickles

First Adelaide measured out the cup of vinegar, the pound of sugar and the teaspoon each of cloves and cinnamon into a saucepan. While these were boiling for five minutes, Adelaide washed and wiped the tomatoes. Dropping them carefully into the syrup, Adelaide let the tomatoes simmer gently until they could be pierced easily with a silver fork. Taking care not to break the fruit, she lifted the tomatoes into the sterilized jar and poured on the syrup to overflowing. After inserting a silver knif

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Tomato Catsup

Tomato Catsup

Adelaide placed several large tomatoes in a pan and covered them with boiling water. It was then easy, she found, to remove the skins. After cutting them into quarters, she put the tomatoes into a saucepan and let them just come to the boiling point. Removing the saucepan from the fire, Adelaide poured the tomatoes into the colander, pressed them through, and then pressed them again through a sieve. To one pint of pressed tomatoes Adelaide added one-fourth of a cup of vinegar, one and one-half t

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Tomatoes

Tomatoes

Adelaide watched those tomatoes every day, and as soon as they were sufficiently ripe she picked them. Placing the tomatoes in a pan, she covered them with boiling water for about a minute, drained off the water, peeled them and cut them into quarters. Adelaide let these come just to the boiling point, then she filled the sterilized pint jars at once. In filling the jars Adelaide was careful not to let any of the little seeds of the tomatoes remain on the rubber as they might prevent the jar fro

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Single Period Cold-Pack Equipment

Single Period Cold-Pack Equipment

The Homemade Outfit. —A serviceable Single Period Cold-Pack canning outfit may be made of equipment found in almost any household. Any utensil large and deep enough to allow an inch of water above jars, and having a closely fitting cover, may be used for sterilizing. Into this utensil should be placed a wire or wooden rack to hold the jars off the bottom and to permit circulation of water underneath the jars. For lifting glass top jars use two buttonhooks or a similar device. For lifting screw-t

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Containers

Containers

For home use glass jars are more satisfactory for canning. Glass jars properly cared for will last for years. All types of jars which seal readily may be used. Jars having glass tops held in place by bails are especially easy to handle while they are hot. Tops for Economy jars must be purchased new each year. Small necked bottles can be used for holding fruit juices. Large mouthed bottles can be used for jams, marmalades and jellies....

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Tests for Jars and Rubbers

Tests for Jars and Rubbers

Jars should be tested before they are used. Some of the important tests are here given: Glass-top Jars. —Fit top to jar. If top rocks when tapped it should not be used on that jar. The top bail should not be too tight nor too loose. If either too tight or too loose the bail should be taken off and bent until it goes into place with a light snap. All sharp edges on top and jar should be filed or scraped off. Screw-top Jars. —Use only enameled, lacquered or vulcanized tops. Screw the top on tightl

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Grading

Grading

Vegetables and fruits should be sorted according to color, size and ripeness. This is called grading. It insures the best pack and uniformity of flavor and texture to the canned product, which is always desirable....

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Blanching and Cold-Dipping

Blanching and Cold-Dipping

The most important steps in canning are the preliminary steps of blanching, cold-dipping, packing in hot, clean containers, adding hot water at once, then immediately half sealing jars and putting into the sterilizer. Spoilage of products is nearly always due to carelessness in one of these steps. Blanching is necessary with all vegetables and many fruits. It insures thorough cleansing and removes objectionable odors and flavors and excess acids. It reduces the bulk of greens and causes shrinkag

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Steps in the Single Period Cold-Pack Method

Steps in the Single Period Cold-Pack Method

In canning by the Single Period Cold-Pack method it is important that careful attention be given to each detail. Do not undertake canning until you have familiarized yourself with the various steps, which are as follows: 1. Vegetables should be canned as soon as possible after being picked; the same day is best. Early morning is the best time for gathering them. Fruits should be as fresh as possible. 2. Before starting work have on the stove the boiler or other holder in which the sterilizing is

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Caution Against Freezing

Caution Against Freezing

Care should be taken to store canned vegetables and fruits where they will be protected from freezing. If the place of storage is not frost-proof the jars should be moved to a warmer place when the weather becomes severe....

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Time Table for Blanching and Sterilizing

Time Table for Blanching and Sterilizing

The following time table shows blanching time for various vegetables and fruits, and also sterilizing time. [1] Some peaches do not peel readily even if dipped in boiling water. In such cases omit dipping in boiling water and pare them. The time given in this table and in the special instructions is for quart jars. For pint jars deduct 5 minutes. For 2 quart jars add 30 minutes. The time here given is for 1 quart jars and fresh products at altitudes up to 1,000 feet above sea level. For higher

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SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR CANNING VEGETABLES

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR CANNING VEGETABLES

The addition of 1 level teaspoonful of salt to a jar of vegetables is for quart jars. For pint jar use ½ teaspoonful. For 2 quart jar use 2 teaspoonfuls....

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Asparagus

Asparagus

Wash, scrape off scales and tough skin. With a string bind together enough for one jar. Blanch tough ends from 5 to 10 minutes, then turn so that the entire bundle is blanched 5 minutes longer. Cold-dip. Remove string. Pack, with tip ends up. Add 1 teaspoonful of salt and cover with boiling water. Put on rubber top and adjust top bail or screw top on with thumb and little finger. Sterilize 120 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal and cool....

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Beets

Beets

Use only small ones. Wash and cut off all but an inch or two of root and leaves. Blanch 5 minutes, cold-dip and scrape off skin and stems. They may be packed in jar sliced or whole. Add 1 teaspoonful of salt and cover with boiling water. Put on rubber and top and adjust top bail or screw top on with thumb and little finger. Sterilize 90 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal and cool....

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Cabbage and Brussels Sprouts

Cabbage and Brussels Sprouts

The method is the same as for cauliflower, except that the vegetables are not soaked in salted water. Blanch 5 to 10 minutes. Sterilize 120 minutes in hot-water bath....

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Carrots

Carrots

Select small, tender carrots. Leave an inch or two of stems, wash, blanch 5 minutes and cold-dip. Then remove skin and stems. Pack whole or in slices, add 1 teaspoonful of salt and cover with boiling water. Put on rubber and top and adjust top bail or screw top on with thumb and little finger. Sterilize 90 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal and cool....

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Cauliflower

Cauliflower

Wash and divide head into small pieces. Soak in salted water 1 hour, which will remove insects if any are present. Blanch 3 minutes, cold-dip and pack in jar. Add 1 teaspoonful of salt and cover with boiling water. Put on rubber and top and adjust top bail or screw top on with thumb and little finger. Sterilize 60 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal and cool....

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Corn

Corn

Canning corn on the cob, except for exhibition purposes, is a waste of space. For home use remove the husks and silk, blanch tender ears 5 minutes, older ears 10 minutes, cold-dip, and cut from cob. Pack lightly to within ½ inch of the top of the jar, as corn swells during sterilization. Add 1 teaspoonful of salt and cover with boiling water, put on rubber and top, adjust top bail or screw top on with thumb and little finger. Sterilize 180 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal and coo

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Greens

Greens

Wash until no dirt can be felt in the bottom of the pan. Blanch in steam 15 minutes. (Mineral matter is lost if blanched in water.) Cold-dip, cut in small pieces and pack or pack whole. Do not pack too tightly. Add 1 teaspoonful of salt to each jar and cover with boiling water. Put on rubber and top and adjust top bail or screw top on with thumb and little finger. Sterilize 120 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal and cool....

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Lima Beans

Lima Beans

Shell. Blanch 5 to 10 minutes. Cold-dip, pack in jar, add 1 teaspoonful of salt and cover with boiling water. Put on rubber and top, and adjust top bail or screw top on with thumb and little finger. Sterilize 180 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal and cool....

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Okra

Okra

Wash and remove stems. Blanch 5 to 10 minutes, cold-dip and pack in jar. Add 1 teaspoonful of salt and cover with boiling water. Put on rubber and top, adjust top bail or screw top on with thumb and little finger. Sterilize 120 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal and cool....

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Parsnips

Parsnips

The method is the same as for carrots....

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Peas

Peas

Those which are not fully grown are best for canning. Shell, blanch 5 to 10 minutes and cold-dip. Pack in jar, add 1 teaspoonful of salt and cover with boiling water. If the jar is packed too full some of the peas will break and give a cloudy appearance to the liquid. Put on rubber and top and adjust top bail or screw top on with thumb and little finger. Sterilize 180 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal and cool....

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Peppers

Peppers

Wash, stem and remove seeds. Blanch 5 to 10 minutes, cold-dip and pack in jar. Add 1 teaspoonful of salt. Cover with boiling water, put on rubber and top and adjust top bail or screw top on with thumb and little finger. Sterilize 120 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal and cool....

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Pumpkin, Winter Squash

Pumpkin, Winter Squash

Remove seed. Cut the pumpkin or squash into strips. Peel and remove stringy center. Slice into small pieces and boil until thick. Pack in jar and sterilize 120 minutes in hot-water bath....

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Salsify

Salsify

Wash, blanch 5 minutes, cold-dip and scrape off skin. It may be packed whole or in slices. Add 1 teaspoonful of salt, and cover with boiling water. Put on top and rubber and adjust top bail or screw top on with thumb and little finger. Sterilize 90 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal and cool....

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String Beans

String Beans

Wash and remove ends and strings and cut into small pieces if desired. Blanch from 5 to 10 minutes, depending on age. Cold-dip, pack immediately in jar, add 1 teaspoonful salt and cover with boiling water. Put on rubber and top and adjust top bail or screw top on with thumb and little finger. Sterilize 120 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal and cool....

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Summer Squash

Summer Squash

Pare, cut in slices or small pieces and blanch 10 minutes. Cold-dip, pack in jars, add 1 teaspoonful of salt, cover with boiling water, put on rubber and top and adjust top bail or screw top on with thumb and little finger. Sterilize 120 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal and cool....

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Tomatoes

Tomatoes

Take medium sized tomatoes. Wash them, blanch until skins are loose, cold-dip and remove the skins. Pack whole in jar, filling the spaces with tomato pulp made by cooking large and broken tomatoes until done and then straining and adding 1 teaspoonful of salt to each quart of the pulp. Put on rubber and top and adjust top bail or screw top on with thumb and little finger. Sterilize 22 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal and cool. Tomatoes may be cut in pieces, packed closely into ja

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THE CANNING OF FRUITS

THE CANNING OF FRUITS

For fruits, as well as for vegetables, the Single Period Cold-Pack method is best. With some exceptions, as shown in the table, fruits should be blanched before canning. When fruits are intended for table use, syrup should be poured over them to fill the jars. In canning fruits to be used for pie-filling or in cooking, where unsweetened fruits are desirable, boiling water is used instead of syrup. When boiling water is thus used the sterilization period in hot-water bath is thirty minutes....

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Syrups

Syrups

In the directions given various grades of syrup are mentioned. These syrups are made as follows: Thin—1 part sugar to 4 parts water. Medium—1 part sugar to 2 parts water. Thick—1 part sugar to 1 part water. Boil the sugar and water until all the sugar is dissolved. Use thin syrup with sweet fruits. Use medium syrup with sour fruits. Thick syrup is used in candying and preserving....

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SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR CANNING FRUITS Apples

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR CANNING FRUITS Apples

Wash, pare, quarter or slice and drop into weak salt water. Blanch 1½ minutes, cold-dip, pack into jar and cover with water or thin syrup. Put on rubber and top and adjust top bail or screw top on with thumb and little finger. Sterilize for 20 minutes in hot-water bath. Apples shrink during sterilization and for this reason economy of space is obtained by canning them in the form of sauce instead of in quarters or slices. In canning sauce fill the jars with the hot sauce and sterilize 12 minutes

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Apricots

Apricots

Use only ripe fruit. Blanch 1 to 2 minutes. Wash, cut in half and remove pit. Pack in jar and cover with medium syrup. Put on rubber and top and adjust top bail or screw top on with thumb and little finger. Sterilize 16 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal, cool and store....

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Blackberries

Blackberries

Wash, pack closely and cover with medium syrup. Put on rubber and top and adjust top bail or screw on top with thumb and little finger. Sterilize 16 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal and cool....

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Blueberries Currants Loganberries Raspberries

Blueberries Currants Loganberries Raspberries

The method is the same as for blackberries. Sterilize 16 minutes in hot-water bath....

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Cherries

Cherries

Cherries should be pitted before being canned. Pack in jar and cover with medium syrup. Put on rubber and top and adjust top bail or screw on top with thumb and little finger. Sterilize 16 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal and cool....

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Pears

Pears

Peel and drop into salt water to prevent discoloration. Blanch 1½ minutes. Pack in jar, whole or in quarters, and cover with thin syrup. Put on rubber and top and adjust top bail or screw on top with thumb and little finger. Sterilize 20 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal and cool. A slice of lemon may be added to the contents of each jar for flavor....

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Peaches

Peaches

Blanch in boiling water long enough to loosen skins. Cold-dip and remove skins. Cut in half and remove stones. Pack in jar and cover with thin syrup. Put on rubber and top and adjust top bail or screw on top with thumb and little finger. If soft ripe, sterilize 16 minutes in hot-water bath; if flesh is very firm, 25 minutes. Remove, complete seal and cool. Some peaches do not peel readily even if dipped in boiling water. In such cases omit dipping in boiling water and pare them....

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Plums

Plums

Wash, pack in jar and cover with medium syrup. Put on rubber and top and adjust top bail or screw on top with thumb and little finger. Sterilize 16 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal and cool....

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Pineapples

Pineapples

Pare, remove eyes, shred or cut into slices or small pieces, blanch 3 to 5 minutes, and pack in jar. Cover with medium syrup. Put on rubber and top and adjust top bail or screw on top with thumb and little finger. Sterilize 30 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal and cool....

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Quinces

Quinces

The method is the same as for apples. They may be canned with apples. Sterilize 20 minutes in hot-water bath....

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Rhubarb

Rhubarb

Wash and cut into short lengths. Cover with boiling water or thin syrup. Put on rubber and top and adjust top bail or screw on top with thumb and little finger. Sterilize 20 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal and cool....

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Strawberries

Strawberries

Wash and pack closely in jar. Cover with medium syrup, put on rubber and top and adjust top bail or screw on top with thumb and little finger. Sterilize 16 minutes in hot-water bath. Remove, complete seal and cool....

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PRINCIPLES OF JELLY MAKING

PRINCIPLES OF JELLY MAKING

To be satisfactory, jelly must be made from fruit juice containing pectin and acid. Pectin is a substance in the fruit which is soluble in hot water and which, when cooked with sugar and acid, gives, after cooling, the right consistency to jelly. Fruits to be used should be sound, just ripe or slightly under-ripe, and gathered but a short time. Wash them, remove stems and cut large fruits into pieces. With juicy fruits add just enough water to prevent burning while cooking. In using fruits which

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Test for Pectin

Test for Pectin

To determine if the juice contains pectin, boil 1 tablespoonful and cool. To this add 1 tablespoonful of grain alcohol and mix, gently rotating the glass. Allow the mixture to cool. If a solid mass—which is pectin—collects, this indicates that in making jelly one part of sugar should be used to one part of juice. If the pectin collects in two or three masses, use 2 / 3 to ¾ as much sugar as juice. If it collects in several small particles use ½ as much sugar as juice. If the presence of pectin i

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Jelly Making without Test

Jelly Making without Test

The test for pectin is desirable, but it is not essential. In some states it is inconvenient because of the difficulty of obtaining grain alcohol. A large percentage of housewives make jelly without this test, and satisfactory results may be obtained without it if care is taken to follow directions and to use the right fruits. For the inexperienced jelly maker the safe rule is to confine jelly making to the fruits which are ideal for the purpose. These include currants, sour apples, crab-apples,

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Directions for Jelly Making

Directions for Jelly Making

Wash, remove stems, and with the larger fruits cut into quarters. Put into a saucepan and cover with water. Allow to simmer until the fruit is tender. Put into a bag to drain. If desired, test juice for pectin as described. Measure juice and sugar in proportions indicated by the test for pectin or as directed under "Jelly Making without Test." Add the sugar when the juice begins to boil. The sugar may be heated before being added. When the boiling juice reaches the jelly point, skim and pour int

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Winter Jelly Making

Winter Jelly Making

Fruit juices may be canned and made into jelly as wanted during the winter. Allow 1 cup of sugar to 6 cups of juice. Boil juice and sugar for 5 minutes. Pour into sterilized bottles or jars. Put into hot-water bath, with the water reaching to the neck of the containers. Allow to simmer 20 to 30 minutes. If jars are used half seal them during the simmering. Put absorbent cotton into the necks of bottles and when the bottles are taken from the bath put in corks, forcing the cotton into the neck. C

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FRUIT BUTTERS

FRUIT BUTTERS

Fruit butters may be made from good sound fruits or the sound portions of fruits which are wormy or have been bruised. Wash, pare and remove seeds if there are any. Cover with water and cook 3 or 4 hours at a low temperature, stirring often, until the mixture is of the consistency of thick apple sauce. Add sugar to taste when the boiling is two-thirds done. Spices may be added to suit the taste when the boiling is completed. If the pulp is coarse it should be put through a wire sieve or colander

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Apple Butter with Cider

Apple Butter with Cider

Four quarts of sweet or sterilized cider should be boiled down to 2 quarts. To this add 4 quarts of apples peeled and cut in small pieces. If the texture of the apples is coarse they should be boiled and put through a strainer before being added to the cider. Boil this mixture until the cider does not separate from the pulp. When two-thirds done add one pound of sugar. One-half teaspoonful each of cinnamon, allspice and cloves may be added. Pour into sterilized jars and sterilize 5 minutes in st

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Peach Butter

Peach Butter

Dip peaches in boiling water long enough to loosen the skins. Dip in cold water, peel and stone them. Mash and cook them without adding any water. Add half as much sugar as pulp and cook until thick. Pour into sterilized jars and sterilize 5 minutes in steam. Plum butter may be made following the directions for peach butter....

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Apple Butter with Grape Juice

Apple Butter with Grape Juice

To every 4 quarts of strained apple sauce add 1 pint of grape juice, 1 cup of brown sugar and ¼ teaspoonful of salt. Cook slowly, stirring often, until of the desired thickness. When done stir in 1 teaspoonful of cinnamon, pack in hot jars and sterilize 5 minutes in steam....

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Dried Peach Butter

Dried Peach Butter

Soak dried peaches over night. Cook slowly until tender. To each 2 pounds of dried peaches add 1 quart of canned peaches and 1¾ pounds of sugar. If a fine texture is desired, strain pulp through a colander. Cook slowly, stirring often, until thick. Pack in hot jars and sterilize 5 minutes in steam. A friend hearing of Adelaide's "Preserving efforts," said laughingly to the little girl, "I hope, dear, you have not forgotten eggs." "Oh, no," replied Adelaide, "we've already done those. Mother orde

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Water-Glass Method

Water-Glass Method

A good method for the preservation of eggs is the use of sodium silicate, or water glass. If the price of sodium silicate is about 30 cents a quart, eggs may be preserved at a cost of approximately 2 cents a dozen. It is not desirable to use the water-glass solution a second time. Use 1 quart of sodium silicate to 9 quarts of water that has been boiled and cooled. Place the mixture in a 5-gallon crock or jar. This will be sufficient to preserve 15 dozen eggs and will serve as a guide for the qua

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Lime Method

Lime Method

When water glass cannot be obtained, the following method may be used in its stead. Many consider this method entirely satisfactory, though instances are known where eggs so preserved have tasted slightly of lime. Dissolve 2 or 3 pounds of unslaked lime in 5 gallons of water that has previously been boiled and allowed to cool, and allow the mixture to stand until the lime settles and the liquid is clear. Place clean , fresh eggs in a clean earthenware crock or jar and pour the clear limewater in

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Using Preserved Eggs

Using Preserved Eggs

Fresh, clean eggs, properly preserved, can be used satisfactorily for all purposes in cooking and for the table. When eggs preserved in water glass are to be boiled, a small hole should be made in the shell with a pin at the large end before placing them in the water. This is done to allow the air in the egg to escape when heated so as to prevent cracking. "Well, well," said the friend, "I shall certainly know where to come when I need any new hints on preserving." "When these recipes (touching

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