The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-08-28

ounces or more OF gentlan root, cOarsely
ground. Take as much of it after each
meal, or oftener, as amounts to COM
mon quid of fne-cut." Chew it slowly
and swallow the juice. Continue this a
few weeks and you will conquer the in
satiable appetite for tobacco, which in
jures both mind and body, and from
which thousands struggle to be free, but
give up in dispair.
To keep string beans: Select tender
beans, break off the ends and strings at
the sides; break into inch lengths and
wash we'll in clear water; in the bottom
of stone jar spread ene-half inch
salt; on this spread layer of bean
with the water pretty well drained off
one inch thick; then salt enough to
cover them; again beans, and SO on
until the jar is full, hiding the beans
completely with salt. Fit a piece of
shingle into the jar and weigh down
with stone; brine will fill the jar in
about two days. When wanted to cook,
wash we'll in tepid water and soak over
night; boil five or six hours, and your
beans will be as green and have the
same flavor as in summer. If cold
water is used when preparing for cook
ing, the brine will not be suffi-
cienely extracted; but when the beans
first reach the boiling point, the water
may be poured off and great deal of
the salt disposed of in this way.
PEACH preserves: Pare white free
stone peaches, not quite ripe. Split in
halves, take out the stones, and throw
| the peaches in bucket of water to pre-
vent them from turning dark. Make
| syrup of white sugar, using as many
| pounds of sugar as you have pounds of
peaches. When it has boiled thick, put
in as many peaches as will cover the
bottom of the kettle Let them boil till
! nearly done then take them out, one by
one, in perforated spoon. Lay them
| in dishes and set in the sun. When all
| the peaches have been carried through
| this process, put back the first dish of
peaches in the kettle, taking them out
| when pretty amber color, and so on till
all have been boiled twice. Meantime
| the peach kernels should have been
| scalded and skinned. Put them in the
| boiling syrup, which must be kept on the
fire till very thick Put the peaches
when cool in glass jars, and pour the
syrup over them. In few days ex-
anime, and if the syrup has become thin,
boil again.. s.e
PUFF balls as food: To those who are
curious in the matter of fungus eating,
| it may be worth while to say that this
is the season for the giant puff balls, Of
which many persons are very fond.
They grow abundantly in pastures and
similar open places, often by the road
side, and are easily recognized. The
largest and best are those of generally
oval shape and with white skin. An
other good variety is browner in it's COM
plexion, and often shaped like stone
cutters wooden maui. In my expert
ence. this is much more common than
the first, but it is more likely to be in
habited by kind of beetles about as
large as ladybugs. To prepare dish of
puff balls, select one that is solid when
cut through (that is, one that is not
riddled by the beetles), and white like
cream cheese. When the flesh has a
yellowish shade, it is apt to taste little
woody. Cut the ball into slices about
half an inch thick, peel them, dip them
into thin -four batter, and fry them in
butter until they are done through, but
not cooked hard. This dish has none of
of the peculiar taste of common mush-
rooms, but is an agreeable addition to
luncheon, resembling brain fritters
more nearly than anything else. The
puff balls do not keep well, but must be
eaten soon after picking. 1t may be
added that no danger attends expert
ments with this fungus, as none of the
large white-hearted puff balls are
poisonous.