The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-09-21
NV Dear Dnrnfhv.

The vacation season is over the chill
dren are back in school and well settled
at their studies, and now comes the time
when every housewife is considering the
subject of preserving and picking. TIC
be sure, the season for preserving ber-
rics is past, but the fruits, grapes, pears,
peaches, era bapples. etc, is with us, and
so l am going to give you some lessons
which / have learned from experience.
In the first place, remember that the
more perfect the fruit the better will be
the preserves; you need not expect good
results if you use "specked" fruit. 1t Is
better to use unripe fruit rather than
that which is overripe. Every cooking
utensil must be of wood, silver, granite
ware or porcelain ware. An iron spoon
and a tin kettle would ruin fruit grown
for the gods Some people try to econo'
mize by using a cheap grade of sugar
1t is of no use. Remember the old say.
ing, THE best is none too good" Still
another truism, "Old rubbers are worth
less" Remember it, and get new jan
rubbers. If you use old jars cleanse
them thoroughly with hot soap suds, in
which a little ammonia has been poured
Then to test the Jars to see that no all
will escape, fill them half full of water
put i'm the rubber band adjust the COW
ers and then tip the jars bottom side VI
on dry cloth for few minutes. If any
water escapes try another rubber.
Peaches, ounces and pears, as well
all hand fruits, should be pared with
silver knife, sliced thin and covered
with cold water to prevent their becom-
ing dark. Plums and all kinds Of grapes
must be stemmed and mashed Pears
and ounces should be cooked in clear
water, then drained on a napkin; fill
the jars with the fruit and cover with
syrup, made by pouring boiling water
over sugar. Peaches, pineapples and
Bartlett pears require half a pound of
sugar to each quart of fruit; plums
hand pears, prunes and ounces must
have quarters of pound of sugar
to each quart of fruit. Fill the jars with
the raw fruit, cover with the syrup ard
then set them in a washboiler, not al.
lowing one jar to touch another Cover
the jars to the neck with tepid waite,
put on the boiler cover and boil gently
but steadily. Pineappless will require
about 20 minutes cooking, but Is min
utes will be sufficient for all the other
fruits mentioned. A pound of sugar
right proportion for syrup, and the WI te
Of an egg added before it begins to Dol
will aid in making it clear if the scum Is
removed as it rises,
To cover jelly use melted paraphine.
Pour it over perfectly cold jelly and it
will form thin crust, which will com.
pletely exclude the air.
I think with these suggestions you will
be able to make your fall preserves all
right; but l want to give you an excel
lent rule for making cucumber pickles.
Small cucumbers, from two to four
inches long, make the best pickles. AL
low pint of salt to $50 cucumbers, dis.
solved in enough water to cover them
let them soak in this for two days keep.
Ing them covered; then remove, drain
and wipe each one carefully; now put
them in stone jar with a little alum
mixed spices cloves, pepper allspice
and bit of onion, and cover with hot
vinegar. If you prefer, add stick Gin.
namon and white mustard seed, but put
the spices in several little bags made OF
thin MUSLIN this prevents the vinegar
becoming muddy and the spices eatina
the cucumbers. If you wish the pickles
to be particularly spicy, let the spice
bags boil In the vinegar for 10 minutes.
Now is the time for you to look after
green tomatoes for picalilli An excel.
lent recipe for this relish was given me
by your Aunt Jessie, and am sure you
will find it all right
Slice peck Of green tomatoes twelve
onions, one green pepper and one red
one and sprinkle over them one Gun of
salt, and let the mixture stand for
twelve hours; then drain off the LIQUID
add tablespoonful each of ground
cloves allspice and cinnamon and three
quarters of cup OF grated horseradish
Pour over the whole three quarts of
vinegar, simmer four hours, stirring oc-
casionally and put in jars while hot
1 feel quite sure II you follow these
suggestions you will have the best of
success. But always remember one
thing-there is no such thing as luck"
In preserving, and there is no such word
as fall If you follow the directions of
your culinary Comfort Jones,
Doctor of Cookery.