The Topeka state journal., 1902-08-20
With Sugar and Spice.

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Chicago.
With Sugar and Spice.
The motive in preserving fruits is
chiefly to retain the substance and fla
vor and keep them in a palatable con-
dition 10 be enjoyed when they are out
of season. For this reason canning is
usually given the preference over other
methods as the natural flavor is retain
ed to a much greater extent than by any
other means.
The art of preserving fruits is traced
back to the ancient Egyptians, who GER
tainly knew the proper process which
retained their natural state and flavor.
but unfortunately for US, their method
has been carried into oblivion with
them.
Many hundreds of methods have been
rediscovered and some of them are So
effectua1 in preSeI wing the fruit that
there is no perceptible change in texture
and So little in the flavor that the proc
ess leaves the fruit almost as perfect as
when freshly gathered from the trees.
But change and variety are sought af-
ter even in this class of dishes, and
many housewives consider that their
store of preserved foods is incomplete
without goOdly array of spiced and
picked fruits. These are not difficult
to make and keep well and are excellent
served with cold meats and make
specially enjoyable relish for Sunday
night suppers, which following, as they
usually do, hearty midday meal and
a day of inactivity, seem to call for
something spicy to give zest to the ap-
petite.
itself to many, whether a meal served
under such conditions is not superf1u-
Gus and even harmful. We are creatures
of habit and in regard to eating should
be particularly careful not to disregard
any set rules as to time of serving or
number of meals served each day. When
accustomed to serving late dinners
through the week, the midday Sunday
dinner should be lighter and simpler
than ordinary, and more of the nature
of an elaborate lunch. Instead of this
sensible arrangement Sunday is made
feast day in many homes and over
eating and general upsettfng of set hab-
its of the week result in veritable "blue
Mondays" for the transgressors. Some
seek to avoid the consequence of too
hearty midday meal by dispensing al
together with the evening repast. This
te unwiSe for the obvious reasons al
ready stated If appetite is entirely
lacking and you have eaten heartily
of slowly digested, nourishing food at
dinner, do not overtax OF overburden
the digestive functions with unneces-
sary food, but serve some light, dainty
form of refreShment with some such
accompaniment as spiced fruits which
will be merely an excuse for the regular
meal usually served at the end of the
day and much better plan than keeping
a long fast until Monday morning
breakfast
SPICED CANTALOUPE.
This is best made in September Pare
off the outside rind and scrape out all
seeds and stringy part, cut into square
pieces or into long, narrow strips. Weigh
these and to every seven pounds allow
three pounds of sugar and a pint of
white wine vinegar. Boil the sugar and
vinegar together with a few sticks of
cinnamon and a few whole cloves. Add
| the cantalOupe and cook gently until the
cantaloupe is clear and syrup rather
thick; this will require several hours.
| When done seal in glass jars.
SPICED PEARS.
Select large and not overripe sickle
pears for this process, if you can get
| them, or at least a pear that is juicy
| but not soft. Pare them, remove the
| blossom end, but not the stem; throw
| them into cold water to keep them from
proportion. One pint of good cider vim
| egar, one and three-quarters pounds OF
| granulated sugar. Boil together Is
minutes Tie up in small pieces of clean
muslin dozen whole allspice. tea
spoonful of cOarSely ground cinnamon
a saltspoonful of crushed mace and a
| small piece of ginger root Boil with the
/ vinegar and sugar. Stick whole Glove
| in the blossom end of each pear; then
put the pears in the boiling vinegar as
1
| gently until the pears look clear. Drain
off the syrup, pack the pears, stem end
| up, in glass jars and then reheat the
| syrup and pour over the fruit. If de-
sired for winter serving seal them uI
/ at once.
SPICED PLUMS.
Select plums that are perfect and firm;
| prick each one with large needle;
| then weigh and to every seven pounds
| allow four pounds of white sugar, two
| ounces of stick cinnamon, one ounce OF
| whole cloves and a pint of good cider
| vinegar. Boil the vinegar, sugar and
spices together fifteen minutes and ther
| pour it over the fruit which should be
| packed in stone jar Repeat this
three times. While boiling the vinegar
the third time, pack the plums in glass
jars; pour the hot syrup over them an6
| let stand until cold then seal.
SPICED APPLES
4 This is a nice way to preserve cral
| apples. Do not pare them or remove
| the stems. but wash them clean ant
| wipe dry. Put them into a preserving
| kettle with alternate layers of whit
sugar, allowing four pounds of sugal
| to nine pounds of fruit. Put one o,lnc
| of cinnamon bark. half an ounce o
cloves on to boil with as much vinegal
as will cover the apples nicely. Add &
l