Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-04
COOKED FRUIT IN FALL
PRUNES ARE BETTER FOR SOME
PURPOSES THAN PLUMs.
The Market Should Be Watched fol-
Cheap Pineapples and
Oranges.

| Written for The Evening Star.
For the next few weeks plums of diff
| ferent sorts will be at their very cheapest,
| and if the home caterer" will buy them
| by the box at a large market she may lay
| in a stock of bottled fruit at surprisingly
small cost. AS the fruit is at its best
| cooked whole, the only preparation neces-
| sary is to prick each one twice with large
needle when they are ready for the preserving
kettle. This fruit is so rich in juice that
| pint of water will be sufficient for a large
! kettleful. 1t is advisable to use a little
water as any superfiuous juice may be put
! in smaller jars to use for that most de-
| licious sauce, fruit one, which will trans
! form a plain bread pudding Off nicely
| Drowned and served hoD into the most de
| licous dish. Be sure to ask the fruit dealer
| for prunes not plums. They are a deep pur
! ple-like red in color and look almost like
| the usual egg plum. They are quite an
| other story, however, as they are richer,
| sWeeter and require much less sugar than
| the plum. They are sent to market in
great quantities and are wholesome and de-
| licious eaten uncooked. While this fruit
| is cheap, the canny housewife sees to it
| that several boxes find their way to her
| larder. When stewing for canning, cup
Of sugar is ample for four boxes of prunes
but the sweetness may be varied to taste
| For sweet pickles these prunes are de
| licious. A gallon jar with a cover saves
| expense and trouble in keeping this de-
| licacy, and also its rival picked peaches
| of which the home caterer may lay in a
| generous store. AS this fruit is also album
| dant this season, baskets of hard fruit I'M
| fit to eat raw may be picked up at small
| cost and it is well to remember that while
! an unrpe pear is fiavorless when cooked
| peach differs entirely in this respect.
| Damsons are cheap, too, and made into
| cheese to spread on thin slices of bread,
| give a delicious and inexpensive preserve.
| These plums are tart and do not lose their
| flavor, if, after they are simmered until
tender, three-quarters of pound of sugar
| to one of fruit is added and then cooked
| until the sugar is well blended through.
! When cold this will jelly and should be
packed away in small cups with paraffine
| on top.
Peaches about the size of plums or prunes
| make a delicious combination, and this is
| a nice way to use small fruit that would
| be unsatisfactory cooked alone.
| Don't fail to treat the family to ounces
| cooked with quartered apples. They need
| longer cooking and should be simmered
| until tender before adding double the guam
! tity of apples and when all are tender SUI
| gar to taste, add about cupful to three
| pints of fruit A little granulated gelatine
| added to the syrup at the last will give it
| delicious consistency; this is to be thrown
| whole and laid in a tempered glass dish.
| Both in appearance and flavor this is
| delicious dish. little mashed ounce add
| ed to damson jam gives a nice variety.
The market Should be closely watched
| for cheap oranges and pineapples The for
| mer at their cheapest will yield a MARINA
| lade equal to the best imported article at
| much less cost, and it may be kept In
| covered stone jars not too largo repays for
| the trouble when made in large quantities.
| In England, where this marmalade is much
cheaper than here good housewives make
| large kettlefus year after year, and it GER
| tainly ought to pay in this country par
| ticulariy as it is used so largely at break
fast.
Pineapples may be shredded preserved
in bits. The tough parts should be boiled
up to add it's flavor to the syrup. if any is
left over. 1t makes most delicious jelly
with gelatne 1t is too sweet to give sat
isfaction if jellied with sugar.
Don't forget how rich and well favored
is dish of pears baked with the skins
on See that they are clean, and allow
stems to remain. Pack. stem up in a dish
and sweeten with sugar or molasses, with
a little water added. Cover with a plate
and bake slowly until tender. The oven
for baked beans just suits these.