New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-03
CRAB-APPLE AND FOX-GRAPE.
HOW TO MAKE JELLY AND PRESERVES.


of the crab-apple This fruit Is the only member
OF the apple family that is Indigenous to TINS ell
mate and country and II Is believed by po'an's'S
TO be the parent Of all the great apple tribe from
which the huge pippin. the sweet-bough apple
and all the luscious and various favored appies
originally sprang. The best crab-apples IN mar
ket known the Siberian crab. are commonly
found in gardens. They about the size OF
large plum. rosy checked and very fair TO look
upon. and these make the best preserves. The
little gnared crab-apple Of wild lands however, IL
fully as good for jelly. 1t has delicious TART
ness and a fine flavor Of its own. and IL makes
the best jelly we have after currants Crab-apples
should be found In market from about the ISL OF
September to the goth. Under ordinary crcum-
stances. the small crab-apple will not cost over
25 cents a half-bushe basket. The large Siberian
crab-apple may cost 40 or 80 cents peck.
To make the Jelly. wash wipe the fruit care
fully. cut out the flower end and cut of the stem.
Cut each tiny apple in half. and put the pieces OF
apple in a stone jar. Cover them closely and set
the jar in large pot Of cold water. so that the
water will reach up far as the apples Bring
the water gradually to the boiling point. and let
It boil steadily around the jar for eight hours
1t needs no care except to have the water re-
newed as 1t bols down. BY this slow steady
process OF cooking the clear juice Is drawn out
Of the crab-apple Any less time In the cooking
Is mistake. When the crab-apples are cooked
the crab-apples rest night. Then. when they
are thoroughly cold. strain them, pressing out
every particle of Juice. Measure the juice, and
allow a pound OF sugar to every pint OF 1t. Boil
the Juice down for twenty minutes; then add the
sugar, and as soon the sugar is melted, test It,
II 1t is a firm jelly, pour it into bowls at once.
II it is not cook it few minutes longer. 1t is
one Of the easiest we'll as one Of the most de-
cious jees and never fails to come" 1t is a
good plan to strain the jelly 1t Is poured into
the bowls. to insure its being clear. The jelly
should be perfectly firm as soon as 1t coos. Then
cover 1t with brandy papers and seal 1t up 1t Is
an excellent Jelly for cake and to serve with des-
serts. but It is not as suitable to serve with meats
as are red and black currant, damson and bar
berry jellies.
To make crab-apple preserve, using the red
Siberian crab-apples which may be easily peeled
and cored begin by weighing the fruit allowing a
pound Of sugar to pound Of fruit Then care
fully peel them, cut them in half and remove the
stem, flower end and Save the peel and
core. Drop the peeled halves into water, acidu-
lated by using the Juice of a lemon two table
spoonfus of pure wine vinegar to every gallon.
Put the Feelings and in a porcelain-lined
kettle with half a cup Of water to every pound OF
the fruit weighed out Cook the Feelings and
cores very slowly in this water for about hour.
At the end Of this time strain out the juice and
| it to make syrup with the sugar. There
pound of sugar Let this syrup come to the boil
! ing point, and then cook many pieces Of the
crab-apple as you can without crowdIng them AS
soon they clear and transparent and tender
enough to be easily pierced with broom splint,
put them into jars and continue the cooking until
all the pieces are cooked. Boil the syrup down a
little, then strain IT the pieces of preserved
crab-apples. There should be just enough to cover
them. and the syrup will almost turn to jelly
| around the fruit.
One Of the best OF the old-fashioned ellies, which
was formerly a feature of the preserve closet. is
| green grape jelly. This is made from the wild
| fox-g grape. which used to grow commonly enough
in the thickets and over woodland trees. 1t is the
grape from which the Isabella, Concord and Ca
tawba all spring. The grape is picked at the be-
ginning Of September. when it has attained full
size, but before 1t has turned purple. A peck OF
| grapes Is a good quantity to put up In this way
for family The jelly is a pleasant substitute
for currant Jelly. and looks pretty the supper
table, but IL Is not as good to serve with cake as
currant crab-apple. The jelly may be made
from the green cultivated grape of either the Con
| cord, Isabella Catawba variety. but 1t is not as
nice as when made from the wild fox-grape.
| To make the jelly free the grapes from the
stems and put them In an earthen pot. set In a
| kettle of boiling water. Cook them in this way
| from three-quarters Of an hour to hour, OF
until the Juice has been entirely drawn OF the
| fruit ana they become a puppy mass on pressure
J Then strain the grapes through cloth. Measure
| the juice and allow a pound Of sugar to every
| pint Of Juice Put the juice over the fire to boi
| in porcelain-llned kettle and the sugar In the
J oven to heat. Stir the sugar and juice occasion
! ally. When the juice has boiled down twenty
| minutes add the sugar and after one moments
boiling the jelly should be ready to put into bowls
Test it by cooling little on Ice and If it has not
come" boil 1t moment or two longer, when II
| will certainly be ready. If the grapes gath
cred exactly the right time. this jelly will MOI
have tinge of purple about it; and If 1t is no
already the right color, 1t may be made the exac
| color of the Malaga grape by few drops o.
spinach green added Just before the jelly is ready
| for the bowls and after the color has been tested
Green fox-grapes are never found in the market
and must be obtained from the country. For thos
| who live in the country near some wild thicke
! where these grapes grow the trouble OF picknl
and the cost Of the sugar will sum up the whole
expense of the jelly.