The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-09-07
FRUIT PRESERVES AND JRLLrEs.

The concluding remarks of Miss
Parola's talk on the preserving of fruits
before the Massachusetts, Horticultural
Society were devoted to preserves and
jellies. She said:
Preserving with sugar pound for pound
is not extensively practised now, most
people preferring the simpler and more
healthful mode of canning with small
quantity of sugar; still, there are some
things that are better for the following
of this mode. think there is no fruit
more delicious than the strawberry,
either fresh or preserved; yet there is
none about which the housekeeper feels
more uncertain. 1t is something that
cannot be preserved without plenty of
sugar.
If You wish to preserve the pineapple
by cooking care must be taken that it is
not exposed to high temperature for
any length of time, as cooking hardens
and darkens the fruit.
All fruits are prepared for preserving
in sugar the same as for canning. Then
a rich syrup is made-four pounds of
sugar tc pint of water-and the fruit
il simmered in it until tender and clear.
Such fruit as ounces and hard pears
should be cooked until tender before
being put in the syrup.
Some kinds of fruit are better for hav-
ing the sugar added to them when
partially cooked, while others should
always have it added the moment they
are placed on tho fire. Again, one kind
is better for standing for hours in the
sugar, while others should not have the
sugar touch them until they are ready
to 90 on the fire. There are few fruits
which are far better without sugar than
with it. This is the case with the prune,
with which sugar should never be put,
long, slow cooking serving to develop
fine, rich flavor. Cranberries, on the
other hand, should have pint of sugar
to quart of berries, and the sugar,
water and berries must 60 on the fire at
once and be cooked rapidly for short
time. No other method will give
satisfactory result. These last two sug-
gestions do not come under preserving,
but use them to illustrate the fact that
the treatment that makes one dish per-
feet may ruin another.
In no department of preserving does
the housekeeper feel less sure of the re-
suits than in jelly-making, 30 much de-
pends upon the condition of the fruit.
This is more pronounced in the case of
small fruits than with the larger kinds.
When currants are over-ripe, or have
been picked after q rain, the result Of
using them will be uncertain. Perhaps
we notice it more with this fruit than
with any other, because it is so generally
used for jelly. An understanding OF the
properties of fruits which forms the
basis of jellies may help the housekeepsrs
to q better knowledge of the conditions
and methods essential to success.
Pectin, which forms the basis of veye-
table jellies, is substance which. in It's
composition, resembles starch and - ..
It gives to the juices of fruits the =. ~
erty of gelatini1ng. This property is 1t
its best when the fruit isjust ripe; better
little under-ripe than over-ripe. When
boiled for long time it loses its gela-
tinous property and becomes Of a gummy
nature. These facts show the import
ance of using fruit that is but ripe aud
freshly picked, as we'll as the need of
care not to overlook the juice.
One form OF preserves which is most
useful, convenient and wholesome should
be more generally adopted than it is,
namely, the canning Of fruit juice for
creams, ices, drinks, etc. Certainly every
housekeepcr ought to preserve enough of
the juices of the strawberry, raspberry,
peach, apricot, grape, etc., for her own
use. They can be preserved with or
without sugar, but 1 should always ad-
vocate sugar.