Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-08-19
TIE WATERMELON.
low Southern Matrons Make Pre-,
serves and Pickles.

How Southern Matroas Make Pre-
serves and Pickles.
However many delectable meth
,ds prevail with the ripe melon,
housekeepers should know that the
best watermelon for preserving and
picking purposes is one whose rosy
meat has not quite reached the
stage of honeyed iuiciness.
Cut such melon open snd scoop ont the
Ilean Cut the rind into broad pieces. leaving
quite large. Peel each piece with sharp knife
Acty you do . lemon. taking on all this green and
removing also every sestixe u the pink part
For every eight ~ fruit provide six 81 sugar
hour ounces d green ginger root, and five large o. sin
small lemons
After on have peeled the melon rind, cover II
kith cold water ard add level teasponnfal u salt.
have the rnd Ia this solution "a hours then put Il
into fresh water in which you have dissolved salt
Apooniul IT alum ami let II stand over night
Next m.rning wash u we'll and ~ilh sharp pen
knife cut IL IN fancy designs
There /. exercise Tor great taste and ingenuity in
This part 81 the work
I was once entertsined hy y virginia housekeeper
khose watermelon preserves we're as beautiful a.
Jewels Their translucsncy wonderful and the
|f,s,al Jars seemed 70 hold imprisoncd gold and
t,psL Among the designs were oak ami grapevine
caves and the exquisite maple leaf Starr and
lents, tiny fish, rings, and even hunrh Of grapes,
With delicate tensirils curling abnse, were seen
through the clear glass, and held In the sunlight a
perfect shower Of golden CLEANS delighted the
The leaves the most perfect, and I learned
Ne modls operandi Of carving them which like al
post everything, 10 simple enough whsn you
knoa a.
u IS after the alum hath that the carving Is done
the rind ls then saft, set Arm, and YOU las thu
cted leaf on Il. and Nth an IVORY point 20 over the
sius aso trace each -errate point aud dent u
The eiRe Then YOU take up the isaf. AMI with the
sharp pointed blade II a small pen knife cut ont the
leaf shape. but YOU first cut deep into thu venting
marks that they sill shpw plainly. this lights
Nv shades are represented by cutting nightly OF
deeply.
The grapes ore rather more dificult as they arr
hnly simulated not reals separate little globes, and
The tendriis eHrscuss made with the point 81 the
knife. The stem is cut thick enough Ia hold the
bunch suspended.
For the fish the pattern a TIN t'y Ash. and ths
Arm even pressure left every scale indented in the
lind after which the useful knife point perpetuated
them with little trouble
The rings we're cut out With an empty yeast powder
van, AMI the ltsle disks taken from the center Of
zach by n thimhle These disks, by the way, were
extremely pretty in themselves, serving 20 hll up
Fpaccz and looking like 80 many amber halls.
After the carving Is done lay all the pretty things
IN cold water until ready TO use them and proceed TO
make the syrup
| slice the lemons rind and all. hut take out the
I seed-: put into boiling water tn and boil
thor ughly tender, witch gill lie about half hour
Scra'e and sico the ginger thin and put it b
bolt IL viii take q couple Of hours. more less 20
get this tender. according to the tnughne-s Il the
to.t but II mus, lie Thoroughly tender before you
use H.
Put the sugar In a preserving kettle allowing a
punt aud a half of water the pounds; for
lhis the water which the lUmons we're boiled. al.
Ng plain boillug water make the proper quantity
let the sugar dissolve slosi, and eoine 60 the sim
+ hefing puiuL
While the lemons and ginger are bolling. put the
lind into b'iling satsT to cover and boil about
three quarters Of an hour, until II looks evenly
transparent then drain from the aater and dry a.
thoroughly as possible, even ahsorhns the moisture
lroa the piece. hy of SIT towel Lay them
Ma fat ehiaa dish TO rol. ihet viii look detected
And limp and almost dis. outrage yu but that IL just
Ihe way they should look AZ this stage.
Now YOU must bail r"ur syrIp hard until II hub
lles and froths and sputters we'll then set IN
Nide and let IL susle into quiet before Won skim IT,
Ilu YOU know PEASANT. that to -lim liquid
hiie boiling rapidly is simp, waste Of time. Let it
settle first then skim.
Nov, put into the syrup the rind. the lemons and
The ginger, aiding some NJ the water 10 which the
ginger hoileh. this Is wonderful improvement
Il the water DO pungent OF the rO1t
Boil until you your protiy designs OIL out
thoroughly aud each become rich and translucent
then skim the fruit carefully ftotn the syrup and put
Int, Wide. mouthed glass Jars, placing them TO show
Ns,li through the sides boil the syrup abou; 20
minutes longer p"ur a generous suppiy over the
|ruit and cover while hot.
All this sounds very complicated. hut It is not
really Troublesome and viii fully repay you t"r the
time and labor expended. Ny hostess had taken SO
nAnS prizes for her watermelon preserves at county
1airs that IL old story with her.
H. however. You want a sweetmeat that tastes jus,
~ goo although IL Nill not look pretty, cut
t.nd INTO small squares, obongs cubes and carry
through the same soaking and cooking process.
| SOUTHERN SWEET FirELEs
delicious sweet pickle Is also made of watermelon
nd hy preparing far the salt and alum baths
4 ARE ncerped, precisely as for preserving.
| Pack in iars and cover with boihng spaced vinegar
/ Elsng pint u stroag vinegar ami pound and q
half Of hruan sugar to every twn pounds ~ fruit
spee 10 taste With stick cinnamon, mace and whole
kingtr Boil lhese spices with the vinegar and
sugar Let thc frult stand In this "a hours, then
hrng the vinegar to boil again; pour over the fruit
! and REPEAT this the third time. closely.
/ The pa ale Is nsei, for at They per
/ feetis delicious when we'll maize, crisp and rich
/ color. EMMA l. MLAGAN.