Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-06-25

Doubtless God might have made better
berry than the strawberry, but he never did"
Denizens of the great cities, who gather their
baskets of cultivated Strawberries from their
market places, know little of the keen zest
Of hunting for them on their native heath
the newly cleared land or burnt piece now
unfortunately growing rarer as the country
grows older. What JOY and health in a
morning stroll along the cool by-ways and up
on the breezy hillside, where among the stout
grass owned by an indulgent father, who re-
fuses no good gift 10 his children, we find
great stems of dead-ripe luscious fruit scarce
ly rivalled in size, and certainly not in flavor,
by any cultivated favorites of the garden.
As the morning lengthens into noon and
the rays Of the sun beat straight down upon
our defenceless heads, we seek the cold spring
bubbling forth from under the steep bank,
batho our hot brows, and drink but not in
temperately, from its icy waters, for we have
been told that lit is dangerous on a hot day,
pick up our heavy pals and baskets and walk
down the moist shaded road toward home,
keeping sharp lookout for ferns and lichens
or other specimens for our herbarium. On
reaching home, we call into requisition other
busy fingers which make light work of hull
ing our prime fruit, thereby making it ready
for the table. Here We would udd an auath-
elna on those neat souls who would wash
fruit of any kind All we ask is: let it be
picked with clean hands. And then do not
desecrate your berries by adding brown SUI
gar, either maple or West India, but rather,
nina pOfT.a ~ prannlnta1 L.,
generous hand, and plenty of rich, yellow
cream then invite in your American sover-
eigns reigning in their own right, for you
have dish fit for gods or men-not to men
ton women. But some of us may prefer
short-cake, and all our newspapers publish
recipes for them at this time of the year and
no doubt they are all good. Here is one
make your dough as for cream tartar biscuit,
only little shorter; there is no shortening so
good us cream, sweet or sour. When baked,
split open, butter each half, pile on your ber-
Ties slightly mashed in plenty of sugar and
then, pour over all thick, sweet cream ad H5-
tum, and place over this the top crust, or, as
many prefer, reverse the top crust, heap on
this another layer of berries and sugar and
over all the cream. DO not then set your
cake in the oven as recommended in some
recipes. 1t is a sacrilege, for much heat
spoils the fine flavor of this incompatible
berry. Notwithstanding, we have known il
inundated upon the altar of pie-eating New
England. Yet as We cannot in this latitude
always obtain them fresh, we compromise by
canning, which is the best way of keeping
known to us, and next to that, preserving
but even by these methods, we cook as little
rs possible. good way to preserve is tc
place in al earthen jar first layer of sugar
then layer of berries alternately, using
pound for pound let them stand in the Gel
lar until the next day, then pour of the juc,
and boil turn hot upon the berries repea
two or three times and your preserves ar,
done; though they will require watching ant
perhaps sealding over before the summer i
over.