Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-10
THE ART PREsERvATIVE.
How Practical Housekeepers VIII Make
Use Of It I'm August.

THE LEADING MONTH OF THE YEAR IN PUTTING UP
FRUITS AND NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. ABOUT
PRESERVING AND CHARACTERIZATION RECIPES
WORTH TRYING AND WORTH KEEPING.
August more largely perhaps, than any other
one month Of the year. caters to the Injuries of
the winter table. And scarcely more in the
line Of luxuries, may be added, than in the
matter of necessities, for many of the various
assortments OF fruits and vegetables of August
stored away under numerous preservative
methods for future use have by common usage
become absolute necessities Of life. Canned
tomatoes, canned corn, beans, &C., cheap and
wholesome. plainly served, for greater part of
the year form no unimportant part of the
frugal meals of the humber classes, to say
nothing Of the resources they offer for the con-
coction Of palstsble and even dainty dishes &C
cred ted to the pantries and chefs of the more
prosperous in the worlds affairs. Peaches of
which August is the most notable contributor
find their way IN some shape into almost every
household and maintain steadily their rank
as the most popular Of all fruits as a winter
delicacy.
Happy, or rather, fortunate, is the house.
keeper with whom it is possible to do her own
preserving and canning. Where this is the
case 1T Is far more satisfactory, both to those
who do the work and those who reap the fruits
OF her labors. There is a peculiar pleasure de-
rived from eating homemade preserves not to
be extracted from the machine-made material
though one may be as tasteful as the other.
They impart confidence free from mental in
terogations and sneaking suspicious that all
things are not what they seem.
THE PREsENr SEASON.
The season thus far has not been altogether
propitious for putting up berries and the smaller
products Of tree and vine, therefore many
housekeepers have good deal ahead Of them
yet in order to make amends in other directions,
and for the next four or five weeks they will be
as busy as SO many bees filling their pantries
for the coming winter. Just at this time neither
fruits nor vegetables are in q very promising
condition, but should the latter half of the
month prove fair, and better weather prevail,
much accomplished toward securing q good
supply.
THE ART OF PRESERVING.
The housekeeper who congratuates herself
upon being able to preserve anything and every
thing that comes to hand makes a mistake,
which hideous demons in frightful nightmares
or alarming cases Of collie among the juvenile
corps too often attest.
In preserving any kind of fruit the best
favored and most perfect only should be Sc
lected. And it is not q good plan to attempt to
difficult to watch. prevent burning or boiling
over. Many housekeepers amateurs especially
disregard this important point in their desire to
do as much as possible in short time and get
rid OF the heat and steam of the kitchen-and
then wonder why their efforts were a failure
and those Of their neighbors' successful. Poor
Benedict has to eat them all the same, and if
they make him sick, some thing he ate at the
club, that glass OF beer or the ice cream he
quietly took down town has the blame to carry.
1t Is good rule when preserves are not to
be sealed to use one pound Of sugar to every
pound Of fruit; if to be sealed less sugar will
answer. However. that is often determined
by the acidity Of the fruit Haste is of great
Importance in preparing for preserving, as the
natural flavor is thus more readily saved-yet
the preserves should be allowed to boil slowly.
Avoid using brass kett(es-porcelain is far bet
ter. If necessary to use brass very great care
should be taken to have them secured bright
and perfectly clean. Loaf sugar is best,
though granuated may be used Canning and
preserving establishments use granulated sugar
altogether-hence the superiority of home
made goods.
SOME USEFUL RECIPES.
For peach preserves select good fruit care
fully and remove the seeds. Make q strip of
as many pounds of sugar as fruit, in which
boil the seeds after cracking them. When
clear add the peaches, cook gently for twenty
minutes, then skim out the fruit and lay them
to cool over night; next morning return to the
fire and boil few minutes. Repeat the process
four mornings In succession and put in glass
jars.
Another way is to pare the peaches and add
to every pound Of fruit one pound and quar-
ter OF white sugar. Put in q porcelain kettle
and boil five minutes Turn out in q large
bowl, cover with a thin CLOTH set IN the sun
and stir every day until perfectly transparent.
Put in jars and cover with thick paper.
A 6alt mil 10 l. I.
making strip of three-quarters Of pound of
sugar to each pound of apples add a sliced
lemon, put in the apples. boil until transparent
and place in jar. Boil the strip until very
thick and pour over them.
The ounce makes delightful preserve Pare
and core the fruit, boil in clear water until
tender; make strip with pound of sugar for
each pound Of fruit, and boil the ounces in it
slowly for half an hour.
To preserve pears peel. cut in halves, core
of sugar to pound of fruit. Make strip and
add to the fruit When done take up and place
in glass Jars Boil the strip low and pour over
and seal.
Preserved crab apples have peculiarly pi-
quaint flavor. Put them in a kettle and keep
scalding hot for an hour; add a small lump of
alum. Take the fruit up and skin, leaving on
the stems Add as many pounds of sugar as
fruit to the water and boil to strip. Siberian
crab apples do not require to be peeled, but the
SKIN should De punctured.
Cut watermelon into fancy shapes and put in
strong brine; cover with grape leaves and set
away. When ready to preserve soak in fresh
water. Dissolve four tablespoonfuls of alum
to every gallon of water; put in the rind; SIM
mer until green; then soak out the alum by put
ting the rind into cold water. Pour boiling
water on half a pound Of ginger and let it
stand; boil and add three ounces of mace and
sugar to make sirup; put in the rind and boil
quietly; let it cool over night; then boil as
before, adding pound of cut sugar to every
pound of rind; take up the rind and put in
jar; boil the strip until very thick and pour
over it. This makes particularly nice pre-
serve.
THE CANNING PROCESS.
There is a great difference of opinion as to
which is preferable in canning fruits and vege-
tables-tin, glass or stone. Tin is more largely
used, especially by canning establishments.
Whichever Is used every kitchen should be pro-
vided with a wide-mouth funnel to set in cans
or jars through which to pour the material.
This should be done quickly and the top ad-
justed at once.
In point OF consumption tomatoes lead BY
long odds all other kinds of canned goods; the
quantity used during the past five years being
estimated at over fifty million cans a year,
which demonstrates the good judgment of
American housewives in using vegetables so
freely.
The canned vegetable consumed next to to-
matoes is corn, special variety called sugar