Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-07-02
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FARM AND PRESIDE.

How TO MAKE FRUIT JELLY.-The
process for all jelly-making is materially
the same Cook the fruit in porcelain
or granite kettle and stir with wooden or
silver spoon. Iron and tin utensils injure
both taste and color. If a brass kettle is
used be particular to scour it thoroughly
with hot salt and vinegar just before using
and remove the contents directly on taking
from the fire. When the fruit is well soft
ened, with or without the addition of wa
ter, according to its nature, turn in into a
large, three-cornered bag that has been
wrung out of hot water. The bag may
be made of either coarse linen, cotton or
flannel and must be stout as well as
coarse. Suspend this bag Of hot fruit over
an earthen bowl or jar and, if convenient,
in warm place; leave it to drip for
twelve hours. This does away with all
the nuisance of squeezing, and the bag
being suspended over night the jelly. will
only take little while in the morning to
complete. When strained measure the
juice; weigh pound of sugar for each
pint. and be particular about it too
Don't s'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 and add the sugar, and when
it is dissolved 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. While boiling hot, strain
through thin bag into pitcher; hold
the bottom of the bag with 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
moulds, as the jelly will form almost i'm
mediately, and the quicker it can be trans
ferred the clearer it will be. Dip each
mould'into cold water before filling, that
the the form may turn out nicely, and if
glass is used set it on a cloth dipped in
cold water and put in silver spoon while
filling. Keep the cloth cold by frequent
dipping and you will never crack a single
glass, even if the juice should be boiling
hot. Currants and wild cherries in equal
quantities make good and wholesome
jelly; red and white currants one of ex-
quisite color, and black currants alone
one that is rich and dark and exceedingly
palatable. Raspberries to jelly well should
be mixed with third their quantity of
currants; cherries and strawberries will
not produce a firm jelly without the adj
dition of gelatine, and ripe grapes cannot
be depended on. Grapes should be used
before they are fully ripened. Gooseberry
jelly 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, except
that which clings to them after rinsing.
Crab-apples, both 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 rem
der them perfectly soft. A beautiful am
Der jelly may be favored with lemon juice.
Peaches are not to be relied on. It will
require the juice of lemon to every pint
of peach juice, according to the quantity
and condition Of the peaches.
II kcT,1