Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-11-02
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

To make delicious grape jelly select
the wild grapes just as they are begin
ming to turn red.
The country roadsides and edges of
the woods in many places are lined
with wild grape vines, and one can cas-
lily gather enough in an afternoon
drive.
Occasionally they are found in our
city markets, but it is wise to order
them in advance from your marketman,
if you wish to secure them in just the
right condition. They are better when
too green than when too ripe.
Wash them we'll, drain and remove
the stems. With a small, sharp knife
divide them through the middle and
pick out the seeds. Allow an equal
weight of sugar and fruit. Put the cut
and seeded fruit into a preserving ket-
tie, add cold water to barely show near
the top Of the fruit.
AS it boils remove the scum, pressing
the fruit down and turning it over
carefully until no more scum rises
Sprinkle over one-fourth of the sugar,
let it boil five or eight minutes, then
add another fourth of the sugar-and
repeat until all the sugar has been
used
Do not stir to break the fruit, but
press it down over the strip and con-
trive to turn it over without making it
mushy. When all the sugar has been
added, let it cook until the fruit is
tender.
Then if the sirup seems thin skim
out the fruit and boil the sirup down
until it will jelly. Add the fruit and
let it just scald again. then turn into
small jars or glasses and cover with
paper, as for jelly.
Green tomato preserve-Remove the
stem, divide the tomatoes horizontally
and cut each half in quarters. Drain
and use the juice to dissolve the sugar.
Allow three-fourths of a pound of
graduated sugar and half a lemon
to one pound of the prepared fruit.
Wipe the lemon, cut in thin slices, re-
move the seeds. Taste it when you
have cut off one slice, and if the white
part be bitter use only the thinly
shaved yellow part with the juice.
Put the sugar and the juice from to-
matoes and lemons in preserving
kettle and add just water enough to
melt it, Put in the lemon shavings or
slices and the tomato and cook gently
until the tomato is transparent.
Skim out the fruit, boil the sirup
as usual.
Whole tomatoes, canned-The toma-
toes should be smooth, sound and
small, the jars SHOULD have wide
mouth and new, lightly fitting rubbers
Put the tomatoes in wire basket and
plunge them into a kettle of boiling
water, then into cold water.
Drain and slip the skins off with as
little waste as possible and without
breaking With a spoon lay them care
fully into the jars as closely as can be
done without crushing the fruit, and
with the stem end up. Adjust the rub
bers and covers, but do not fasten the
screw or clamp.
Put a board in a boiler, arrange the
| jars so that they will not touch, then
pour in cold water to come nearly to
the top of the jars and boil about an
hour after it boils all over.
Meanwhile have plenty of fresh, boil
ing water, and when you remove the
jars stand them on a folded wet towel
or in pan of hot water, fill to over
! flowing with boiling water, put on the
covers and seal Immediately.
When cold tighten the clamp, insert
them and if they are tight put them
away in dark place.
| Stewed berries--Pick over the ber-
ries, wash. add water merely enough
to show among the berries. and sugar
to taste, about one cupful to a quart
of berries.
Let them stew, until soft and the
strip Is thick. Stir in rounding
tablespoonful of butter and serve them
hot, as a sauce or strip on hot mush
! for breakfast or poured over for dessert
or with dry toast for supper.
A simple but delicious old-time hot
shortcake or baking powder biscuit
country dish.
CHAMPION IN SPELLING.