Evening journal., 1897-08-26
HINTS ON FRuIr CANNING.
A Few Things That the Housewife
should Remember.


In canning fruit. remember that it is
hard and disagreeable work at best,
and unless you can come within sight
Of its highest possibilities, "the game is
not worth the candle" Whether it is
good. bad or Indifferent depends upon
your own knowledge and skin. EXclud-
ing the air to prevent fermentation is
only the A B c of success. Fruit must
look as we'll as taste delicious, and, in
order to do this, it must retain its nat
.ural flavor and appearance. and be
sweetened with granulated sugar.
Fruit for canning must be freshly
picked. and little under rather than
over ripe.
All berries except strawberries should
be large and firm. With these the
smaller the better. Blackberries, no
matter how fine or Of what kind. are
never satisfactory and palatable.
Cherry pits add much to the flavor,
and when removed from the fruit a
handful should be tied in piece of net
and put in the center of each jar. Pear
seeds should be used in the same way
IL the core is removed. Cherries are
richer and handsomer colored if the sir
up is made of half currant juice.
The skins of green gage plums should
be left on and pierced with fork be-
fore they are cooked. The skins of all
other common varieties should be re-
moved. If plums and peaches are i'm
mersed in boiling water to loosen the
skins, only few should be treated at
once, and those should first be put in
wire basket or sieve. After remain
ing two minutes or so dip in cold wa
ter and gently rub off the skins.
A silver knife should be used to shred
pineapple and pare pears and ounces.
| Peaches should be put in sirup as
soon as pared, and pears and ounces
into cold water, to prevent discolora-
ton. Peaches are frmer and richer If
allowed to remain over night in the
sirup before they are cooked. Five or
six pits should be distributed through
each quart jar.
The most delicate and natural fla
vor is obtained by cooking the fruit
in the Jars. This method also does
away with the breaIage from handling
and adds greatly to its appearance
Pears and ounces are no exception tc
this rule, but, as both are more quick
" cooked tender in clear water, it Is
more convenient to do so before they
are put in sirup.
All old jars should be thoroughly
cleansed with soda and boiling water
, and the air-tightness of every ja'
: should be tested with water befor
: they are filled with fruit, which shoul,
l be placed in the jar as fast as it i
: prepared, and the jar filled to the necl
with sirup.
, A hat-bottomed kettle or an ordi
nary clothes boiler are convenient 70
4 cooking, and board fitted to the bot
e tom loosely and closely filed with inc
augerholes obviates all danger of breal
s age. Put the rubber and cover in pc
L sition, leaving the latter loose; fill th
x boiler in warm water to the neck {
! the jars and boil gently until the frui
: can be easily pierced with fork. n
!, definite rule for cooking can be giveI
e Ten minutes Is usually long enoug
: for berries. while the time required fc
o larger and more solid fruits depend
- upon their ripeness. Experience 500
= makes one expert. Take each jar on
+ onto hot plate, fiji to overhowin
with boiling water, and screw dow
the top. Tighten as it cooks, and il
.r vert to be sure that it is air-tight.
k The jars should be wrapped in pap'
le to exclude the light, which is more il
J. furious than one is apt to think, an
J. Kept in a cool. dry place. The fav'
n. of fruit is more improved if the oXygt
y is restored by removing the cover q
[ hour or two before it is needed.
10 II rich fruit is desired, the follOwir
= quantities of sugar for each pint j
70 will be satisfactory, but as sugar is N
the keeping power, much less,
to even none, may be used; Strawberrie
K seven ounces; raspberries, four ounce
as whortleberries, four ounces; cherriC
+ six ounces; peaches, five ounces; Bar
u lett pears, six ounces; sour pears, eig
H. ounces; plums, eight ounces; ounce
:, eight ounces.-N. Y. Times.