The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-07-13
AGRICULTURAL.
The Household.
HOW TO Make FRUIT Jelly.
Domestic Receipts.

The process for all ielly-making is essen
TALLY the same. Cook the fruit in porce-
lain or granite kettle, and str with wood
en- or silver spoon. Iron and tin utensils
injure both taste and color. If brass ket-
tie is used, be particular to scour it thor
oughly with hot salt and vinegar just before
using, and remove the contents directly
on taking from the fire. When the fruit is
well softened, with or without the addition
of water, according to its nature, turn it in
TO a large three-cornered bag that has been
wrung out of hot water. The bag may be
made Of either coarse linen, cotton or fan
mel and must be stout as well as coarse.
Suspend this bag of hot fruit over an earth
en- bowl or jar, and, if convenient, in warm
place; leave it to drip for twelve hours. This
does away with all the nuisance of ssqueez-
ing'' and the bag being suspended over
night the jelly will only take a little time in
the morning to complete. When strained,
measure the juice; weigh a pound of sugar
for each pint and be particular about it too.
Don't guess" if you want to make good
jelly, but if you prefer to measure instead
of weighing use a heaping pint of sugar for
every pint OF juice; and if the fruit is very
sour make the latter measure scant. Boil
the juice fast for twenty minutes, skim it
well, then add the sugar and when it is dis
solved the jelly will fall from the spoon in
flakes, If it does not, then let it boil for five
minutes, but it will seldom be necessary
Boiling the juice long after the sugar is put
in will make it dark and strong, and spoil
the jelly. Strain the jelly, while boiling hot,
through thin bag into pitcher; hold the
bottom OF he bag with a fork and twist the
top, but not too tight and close if you want
your jelly to be bright and clear. Pour as
soon as possible into the mouds as the Jelly
will form almost Immediately and the quick
er it can be transferred the clearer it will
he. Dip each mold into cold water before
Killing, that The form may turn out nicely,
and if glass is used set it on a cloth dipped
in cold wafer and put silver spoon in while
filing. Keep the cloth cold by frequent
dipping and you will never crack single
glass, even if the juice should be boiling hot
Currants and wild cherries in equal quanti-
ties make good and wholesome jelly; red
and white currants one of exquisite color,
and black currants alone one that is rich
and dark and exceedingly palatable. Rasp-
berries, to jelly well should be mixed with
a third their quantity of currants; cherrits
ard Strawberries will not produce a firm jel-
ly without the addition of gelatine, and ripe
grapes cannot be depended upon Grapes
should be used before they are fully ripen-
ed. Gooseberries are also better for jelly
while partially green. The late wild plums
make jelly that can scarcely be surpassed
either in appearance or flavor. BY bruising
slightly the juice can be liberated from all
OF these fruits without the use of water ex-
cept that which clings to them after wash
ing.
Crab apples, both the wild and Siberian,
and ounces are particularly easy to jelly.
Wash and cut them into pieces without
peeling or coring; cook in water enough to
cover, adding more if necessary to render