Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-07-13
Miscellaneous.
A GROUP OF REcErps.

A GROUP or REcEIPs.
Only the best quality Of fruit should be
selected for preserving-that which is ripe
but not overripe. This caution is espec-
tally necessary in preparing jelly. The
gclatinous substance Of the fruit grows
watery with age, and in spite Of all efforts
Jelly made from too ripe fruit will not
form" Currsnt Jelly is usually the first
preserving done. Strawberries are often
neglected, az they are an extremely deli
cate fruit to keep through the hot wealth
err. Currant jelly making Is one of the
most delicate culinary arts Il requires
care, skill and attention to the smallest
details. Without this the jelly NAV come
but II will be dark and striDgy, and flavor
Less. or, most humiliating of all To the
housekeepers pride, il may be thin. II
Jelly does not form" in one night. there
is little use in working over it. The cur
rants have been overripe or the Juice has
been cooked too long. 1t will grow
little thicker IL it il set in the sun for a
day or two, covered with pieces OF glass.
but Jelly once thin will never form right
ly and no care can remedy the mistake.
The Fourth Of July is about the right
time in this locality to pick curraDts for
Jelly, but this season a week later Will
not be too much to allow for the slow
summer.
Speed IL of the greatest consequence IN
all preserving. as the natural flavor OF the
fruit IL more readily saved The old
fashioned method Of squeezing the juice
from the unheated fruit and boiling ii
down To thick conserve il happily aban-
doned now by all intelligent housekecpers.
Place the currants. which may be stewed
IL you wish, though IL is not necessary, in
stone jar and set it ina pot Of cold water
which shonld be placed on the fire. The
stone jar should be covered tightly and be
little higher than the rim Of the pot, so
that no steam can get to the currants.
Cook them in this way thirty minutes after
the water begins to boil. Then break the
fruit with a potato beetle and strain
through a flannel bag. DO not squeeze
the currants too hard as the Jelly will be
cloudy If you do 1t is better to press the
Juice out with press. To every pint of
juice allow pound Of sugar. Put the
juice over the fire in a porcelain-lned ket-
tie and let it cook gently. fifteen minutes
after IL boils. Then add the sugar; stir to
dissolve it as quickly as possible. and at
the first boiling remove the kettle from
the fire and fill the bowls or tumblers you
have in readiness, These should be
standing in pan oil boiling water TO pre-
vent their being cracked by the hot jelly.
Opaque bowls or jars are better 10 keep
jelly than tumblers. rs they exclude the
light. a bowl makes prettier mold for
the table. 1t is well to put a specimen OF
the Jelly in tumblerto examine its clear
ness and color.
Many housekeepers prepare currant
jelly spiced to eat with mutton and other
meats. This is easily done by adding n
tablespoonful oil cinnamon and one of
mace, tied in bag. to the juice when you
put it on to boil. Before you add the
sugar take out the bag of spices. and add
a tablespoonful of cloves. which may re-
main in the jelly As they look pretty float
ing in the clear crimson foam.
Black currant jelly is excellent. and is
made in the same way as red currant.
The amateur cook may fail in her first
currant jelly. but she will be sure to sue
coed with grape or ounce iellies. They
are much more easily made and can
scarcely fail to be firm and fine. Grapes
are made into jelly in the same way as
currants. The fruit should be only lust
ripe, and green grapes. just before they
turn, are often used The most delicious
grape Jelly is made of the large fox
grapes common in thickets in New Eng
land. Plum jelly is made like grape.
and damson or green gage plums are
used.
Ounces and crab-apples seem made for
jelly. They cannot be preserved without
their syrup running to Jelly around the
fruit. Select the ounces. slice and core
them. but put them all together over the
fire: cook till tender, allowing cup OF
water to every five pounds of fruit. Press
out the juice, and to every pint of Juice al
low pound of sugar, and proceed rs with
currant jelly. For crab-apple jelly. choose
the best Siberian apples, cut them in halt
do not peel or core, place them in a
stone jar set in water in the same way as
currants, but let them remain on the back
part Of the range. the water slowly boil
ing around them for seven or eight hours.
Set them off the stove at night, and in the
morning strain the cold juice through a
flannel, boil it down twenty minutes and
add sugar in the same proportion as in
currants. Let it boil up and then fill the
bowls.
For peach jelly add three-quarters OF
the blanched kernels of the peach nuts.
After the juice Is pressed out allow a scant
pound of sugar to a pound of juice. Cook
the juice twenty minutes, add the sugar,
let It boil up once and put in the bowl.
Do not seal up any Jelly at once, but
leave il uncovered till the next day. then
place two thin papers dipped in brandy
over it and seal it up with paper and