The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-07-06
Putting Up Fruits.


Fresh fruit is desirable all the year
round. and the housekeeper who has
well-stocked preserve closet conten-
plates it with great satisfaction The
trouble and disappointment SO many
experience in canning and preserving
fruits and vegetables could be avoided
If proper care and a knowledge OF the
scientific principles involved were OBJ
served The process is very simple. as
canning consists in preserving fruit BY
sealing in alright jars or cans, the
fruit that has been previously boiled
The fruit must first be sterilized in or
der to kill all germs OF life or fermen-
tation and then the air completely ex-
Guided.
SELECTING THE FRUIT.
Much of the success of the operation
depends on the quality of fruit selected
It must be perfectly sound and not a
day over ripe, especially currants anu
berries. Neither should small fruits be
allowed to stand over night after pick
ing If it is possible to avoid It. for I'M
less they are canned as soon as possible
after they are gathered there is great
danger OF their spelling, IN spite of the
greatest care in canning them Inc
fruit should be ripened naturally. not
forced out of season or bruised By long
sportatiOn-
Pick the fruit over carefully, and if
it IS absolutely necessary, rinse it quick
~ by placing in a colander or f7E1e wire
basket and dipping in and out OF cold
water Drain thoroughly. The flavor
in the fruit will be much finer If II IS
not washed Do not waste time and
money canning poor fruit Over-rlpe
fruit win be soft and mushy, and lack
the fine flavor SO delightful in we'll
canned article, while under-ripe fruit
also lacks favor
PREPARING FOR WORK
Before beginning the cooking Of your
fruit have. everything in readiness as
much OF the success Of the process de-
ponds on the expedition with which the
jars are filled and covered Both jars
feea 4ad n 81
them ana prevent their breaking when
the hot fruit goes in.
Glass jars with glass or porcelain
lined lids are the best They can be
used again and cannot be acted upon
by the fruit acids
Test the cans TO see that they are
perfect The rubbers should be changed
each year, as they cannot be de-
pended upon for a second season
As everything must be as close at
hand as possible, place jars and covers
in a pan OF cold water. filling the jars
also. place the pan on the stove where
the water will gradually heat 10 boiling
point while you are cooking the fruit
Have a kitchen table conveniently
near. the stove and place on it all things
needed for the work. such as preserving
kettles, wooden spoon or paddle, sllser
spoon, an agate cup with handle Lor
dipping. glass measuring cups jar nller,
sugar, etc
When canning the different kinds of
fruit the process varies but little, eX-
cept in the amount of sugar and time
for cooking
Fruit may be canned without sugar,
and used for pie making But TINS re-
quires great care and only the very
finest fruit and the jars must be per
fectly air tight Canning differs from
preserving in this respect and also IN
the amount of sugar used All fruits
that require sugar when fresh and IN
cooked require it when canned
While canning does not require the
same length OF time. ali fruit must De
thoroughly cooked, SO that every portion
Of il is subjected to a degree of heat
sufficient to destroy all germs IN the
fruit But overlooking should be avoid
ed. in order to retain the fresns natural
The length of time required for can
ming varies according TO the variety
and condition of the fruit, but DO not
have your fruit spoil for want OF sutn-
Fruits that have been shipped a long
distance or have stood for some time /
after being picked need longer cooking (
than the freshly gathered
The most delicate fruits require 10 /
minutes and 80 minutes is not too long |
for most kinds
sugar is not considered necessary to |
the preservation OF fruit, but is added /
to make it more palatable, to increase |
the specific gravity of the water or fruit /
Juices and therefore by additional de-
gree of heat destroy the germs more 4
certainly, and accomplish steriliza ton 4
Of the fruit in much shorter time The /
addition Of sugar also preserves the I
shape Of the fruit, absracting the /
Juices and hardening it, which prevents /
it from becoming soft and falling 4
apart
Use only the best graduated sugar
for preserving fruits. Sub-acid fruits
ike b1ackberries and peaches can be
canned with a very small amount OF !
sugar to make them palatable, and re-
member. the less used the more ma t.
rral'' your fruit will taste. Two large
tablespoonfuls of sugar TO a quart OF
the above fruits is really sufficient
Straw berries, cherries. currantS, goose
berries and plums require a good deal
more, half a pint at least to quart Of
the fruit
To all juicy fruits like berries, add
the sugar, which has been heated in
the oven, to the fruit when it boils-
For peaches. pears and such fruits rs
contain much less juice. make a syrup
by dissoIving the sugar in water. pint
of sugar to pint or d pint and half
of water, as the fruit seems to require.
Cook the fruit in this until tender
enough to pierce with a straw, but not
long enough to lose its form or break
FILLING THE JARS.
When canning fruit by the ordinary
method, I'LL the Jars to overlooking, then
IN the handle OF the silver spoon down
to Iiberate the air bubbles, 50 they viii
come TO the top and can be removed.
See that the Jars are filed to the brirl
with the hot syrup Wipe al the juice
of carefully Put on the rubber bands,
adjust the top and screw II down tight
Do this as quickly as possible. Dip a
cloth in hot water, fold and place the
jars on this. Do not disturb until cold.
then try the lids and screw down if
they appear a little loose. As the glass
come loose. and unless care IS taken TO
tighten them it may cause the fruit to
spoil Do not set your Jars IN q draught
after filing them