The Portland daily press., 1900-06-29
CANNING FRUITS.
BY Louis Role.

BY Louis Rofe.
Canned fruits that retain their natural
navor and delicacy need no endorsement
ut this time, but to secure these desired
qualities the greatest care and attention
are sometimes necessary. The basis OF
success is the selection OF the fruit. Only
the freshest, fairest and most perfect
fruits should be used. and such as are
pverripe or decayed must be rejected.
The next essential is q proper and perfect
sealing Jar Only glass or stone jars
should be used for fruit under any con-
sideration, and II possible reject all but
the best self-sealing ones. The difference
IN expense between the best and the or
binary or cheap Jars is not great and
would be more than counter-balanced by
the loss of one jar of fruit through i'm
proper sealing.
In using Jars always thoroughly heat
them before filing. This is best done
by setting them in pan OF water and
heahng gradually; when they are well
heated fill as quickly as possible and seal
UP at once The filled jars should be set
where they may be inspected for several
days, when IL perfect they should be set
away In a cool, dark place until wanted
for use. II In any case you discover
signs of fermentation open them at once
and recook the contents. but use at once
for the table. 1t Is not wise to attempt
to recan.
In preparing fruits for canning use
porcelain lined kettle, and 1t is always
desirable to cook only a small quantity
Mt one time. In this preparation also use
the best of sugar. as you thus decrease
the chances of fermentation. Large,
firm fruits should be pared thin with
silver knife, laid in cold water until ready
TO cook, then boiled until tender and
placed in the boiling syrup. Strawberries,
raspberries, currants and other small
fruits must be handled with great care
or they will lose all their original form
and color. 1t is generally well to sprinkle
them with sugar and set them aside
few hours, when the syrup may be
drained of and heated before the fruit Is
put in and brought very slowly to the boil
ing point. The above must, of course, be
general in character, but If the sugges-
tions are observed should aid you In the
canning season that has just begun.
Let us now consider a few special d.
rections. In canning strawberries PICK
over carefully to get only the firm ripe
berries, and allow one pound Of sugar to
two of berries. Mix half teaspoonful of
finely powdered alum for each quart OF
the berries with the sugar sprinkle over
and let stand until the sugar dissolves.
The syrup may be heated separately, or
the whole put over a moderate fire and
let come to Il boil.
A nice mixed fruit jelly is made as fol-
lows: Take equal quantities of ripe
straw berries, raspbeyries. currants and
red cherries: stone the cherries and stem
the currants; put the fruit all togther In
a kettle and heat to the boiling point,
pour in jelly bag and squeeze; measure
and return TO the kettle; let 1t boil and
add pound and half Of sugar for ev-
cry pint of juice; boil for half an hour.
skimming as often as necessary. If not
jellied in that time boil longer, although
the time suggested is generally sufficient
A nice jelly for some uses may be made
from the large blue plums. Put them In
a kettle with little water, let them boil
tender, strain through Toured jelly bag,
measure and return TO the kettle; let
boil for ten or fifteen minutes, add pint
of sugar for each pint OF Juice, boil for
twenty minutes longer and put away in
glasses. l think they will please and aid
you.