The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1881-02-10
VOLUME SO.
A Plea for Dried Apples.

A Plea for Dried Apples
A correspondent of the Indiana Farmer
writes: There are some verses which |
read somewhere, about driedapple pies,
wherein the author expressed himself as
lOathlng that article. Well, it must be
admitted that there are pastry cooks in
the world who can make pies out OF any
material so unpalatable that the prodlgal
son would not eat them though it was
the last day that he kept the swine. For
instance, the pies with greasy, soggy
crust which enveiops the ''inards' OF pies
which prevail to a great extent in the
west, where hogs fat is plenty, or the
hard, brittle crust of pies such as you get
in Philadelphia, which fly all over your
plate, into your lap and upon the floor,
like fish scales, the moment You attempt
to cut it. There are people of seeming
good intentions. who can take the incest
fresh fruit, delicious and healthtul, and
smother it between layers Of oily dough,
until it is not fit for a iIottentot to eat;
| and they think they have fine dessert,
| and assume the air of epicures. These
are the people who are wont to tell you
| that fresh food is healthy, and deprive
/ their children OF it and stuff them with
| pies, While ripe, luscious fruit and bread
and butter are discounted.
As to the dried apples, it is all mis-
| take that they are unfit for use except for
the commonest plebeian stomach. They,
like anything else. can be cooked so as to
be unpalatablc for man or beast. Dried
apples are not only very cheap article
Of food but very wholesome. If the girls
will pay attention | will tell them how to
cook them. They are not good when stale,
and therefore very few should be cooked
at a time. and if you have any experience
in cooking then YOU know that they swell
to three times their bulk, as they absorb
the water: therefore don't prepare more
than a third Of what You will want when
ready for the table Place the apples in
4 large painful Of milk warm water and let
them soak for ten minutes. or such time;
then wash thoroughly, rubbing them well
| in the hands, and being careful to exam
| inc each one, lest worms OF other disa
greClbie substances be established inside
the curls and cleyices. \ little white
| worm. it is true is not a disgusting thing,
nor little web OF cocoon at all SO: but
| they are not so welcome when diShed up
with sauce, or seen floating about in the
apple Juice. though such things are some
times seen.
After the apples are well washed and
rinsed in ut least two waters, place them
in d porcelain kettle or tin pan; fill the
vessel nearly full Of cold water; this, how
ever must depend on the size of the yes
sci and the Qu, lity of the apples Let
them very gradually come to boiling,
keeping them covered tightly. As soon
as they are boiled put in as much sugar
use about a teacupful to aquart of apples,
measured before being washed. Keep a
| teakettleiul OF boilng water always ready
when you dre cooking, and while the ap-
| pies are SteNn4 add bolllng water from
! time to time, as Il is needed. Boil them
| slowly ana steadily until they are tender,
| bat not TIL they seem to shrink up ana
| turn dark. If you use white or light
brown sugar and don't add specs and
don't mash the apples lAto an unslghtly
mass. and have plenty OF Juice, with sugar
enough to make Il rich, but not to deaden
the taste OF the apples and serve While
fresh, You have dish good enough Tor
| anybody to eat, and something better
than haIt OF the canned fruit IN use. The
eNapofated apples are better than the