The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-07-20
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JELLY MAKING.
A Number of Essential Points In This Del
ioate Art Briefly Stated.

A Number Of Essential Points In This Del
ioate Art Briefly Stated.
The first detail which it is important TO
remember is that all fruits are best for
making Jelly when first ripe. The reason
why fruit Juice jellies is that it contains
within itself gelatinous substance Until
the fruit ripens, we are told, this substance
is not Of any value. After 1t has once ripen-
ed its tendency is to grow weaker every
day. Wet weather weakens it also; conse-
quently it is easier to make jelly in dry
season than it is in wet one.
Currants and small soft fruits intended
for jelly making should not be gathered
Immediately after rain, for the juiceis then
less rich and less full of flavor. Hard fruits,
indeed, such as apples and ounces, must
be boiled with little water to draw out
the Juice, and so great an authority as
Francatelli is of opinion that half pint Of
water should be put into the kettle with
1e pounds Of soft fruit, like red currants,
TO help to make the juice flow.
A quick way of drawing or expressing
the Juice is to put the fruit into preserv-
ing pan and stew it gently, stirring it well,
until it has dissolved. Another plan is to
set it I'm cool oven until it attains the
desired condition. Whichever method is
adopted it is to be remembered that the
Juice of soft fruits is not at this stage to be
cooked; It is merely to be made to flow.
Fruit Juice that is to be converted into
superior jelly should not be squeezed or
pressed, but simply allowed to drip. The
cloth or bag used for straining may be
made of flannel or of coarse linen toweling.
1t is a good plan to express the juice as soon
as the fruit comes in, then leave 1t to drip
all night. The juice should be allowed to
drip into basin or earthenware bowl never
into tin vessel, for the action Of acid on the
tin would be injurious to color and flavor.
Only the best loaf sugar should be used
for making jelly.
For ordinary fruit jul.es the quantity Of
sugar required is pound to a pint of juice.
This is the trough and ready" rule, and it
is fairly safe one, although fruits which
yield thick Juice, like black currants,
blaokberries and ounces, are more delicate
II a smaller proportion Of sugar be used
II q little water be put with the fruit when
the juice is expressed, it amounts to the
same thing as using rather less sugar.
Green grapes, on the other hand, need ~
pounds Of sugar to pint of Juice.
The time required for boiling jelly is the
point on which it is more easy to make
mistake than on any other. If underboiled,
it goes moldy or softens or will not turn out
in a shape, yet II overboiled it candies In
time or darkens and loses its flavor.
A favorite way Of making jelly with ex-
perienced housewives is to express the juice
and boil it quickly just 20 minutes after 1t
has begun fairly to boil. Meanwhile the
sugar is divided into small portions and
heated in the oven until 1t is so hot that the
hand cannot be put into it. The hot sugar
is thrown into the boiling Juice and stirred
rapidly till 1t melts, the spoon being with
drawn when it is dissolved. After this the
jelly is allowed to boil once and poured i'm
mediately into hot glasses. When success
fully managed, jelly thus made is exceed
ingly delicate and Of good flavor