Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-07-15
HOMEMAKERS COLUMN.
Correspondence on topics Of interest," the lAdie,
is solicited. Address Editor HONENAKERa
COLUMN. Oxford Democrat. Paris. Maine.

Cno QlSClpllnary arrangements VI IToN-
idence that preserving-time should come
in the extreme heat of summer. How
to have to don gingham apron
instead of white gown, and exchange
the cool piazza for the hot kitchen!
Many a woman has cut the Gordian knot
of the disagreeable by abandoning all
home preserves and jellies, and buying
what she needs at a startlingly high price.
But really these things are not so much
trouble to make, after all, provided one
is willing to learn new methods. There
are several shortcuts across this Sahara
if we are willing to give up the old paths.
First of all, the range fire must be per-
mitted to 60 out, and gas-stove, or one
for gasoline, or even kerosene, substi-.
tuted. The expense of one of these is
small, and it will be saved in the cost of
coal and wood in few days time, while
the saving of exhaustion from heat is in
calculable. Then, if you have old-fash-
toned cans with metal tops you will do
we'll to lay in supply of the newer ones
which have the glass covers and the
tighter and simpler fastenings; the old
ones need not be thrown away, but kept
for the richest of the preserved fruit,
which is not hurt by possible admis-
sion of air. Next, see to your rubbers,
for once used, every rubber loses its
elasticity and becomes untrustworthy !;
have new band for every can.
The preserving-kettle should be of
iron, porcelain lined; the agate ones
sometimes used are better than tin, GER
tainly, but they too may burn, while the
iron will not. Have wooden spoon, a
wooden pestle,-a potato masher will do
"a cup with an easy handle, pans for
holding sugar, and simple and accurate
scale for weighing, and your utensils
are ready.
The question of covering jellies is one
to be considered. The old way was to
use layer of thin paper dipped in
brandy, and then cover of thicker
paper, pasted down. Of course this was
troublesome, and we gladly learned the
newer method of pouring melted paraffin
over the jellies without any paper what
ever. But while paraffin prevents the
admission of air if it is perfect, it will
slip up the side of the glass if that is
tipped, and it is quite sure to be in put
ting it on the closet shelf; then, too,
mice are especially fond of paraffin, and
one nibble destroys the entire cover. The
best plan is to combine the two ways.
Cover the jelly or jam with paraffin first,
and then paste paper over the top, and
you may feel secure that your jelly will
not shrink or lose its freshness from first
to last.
The first fruit of the summer is the
strawberry, and that has always been
the housekeeper's bane. Canned, even
with plenty of sugar, it would turn out
tlabby, seedy, and colorless. There is
only one way to produce the perfect re-
suit seen in the German bottled straw
berries which are brilliant, rich, and
high favored, and which keep perfectly
they are made by this rule:
PRESERVED STRAWBERRIES.
Select large but firm berries, hull and
wash them, and measure two pounds of
fruit and two of sugar. Put half cup
of hot water in your kettle, add the
sugar, stir till hot, and then put in the
two pounds of fruit and slowly simmer
for five minutes. The berries will GER
tainly lose their color and shrink; but
take the whole up and put in shallow
earthen or agate dishes, and stand in the
sun for three days, taking them in at
night, and if it is very hot, moving them
into the shade during the noon hour.
The third day the color will return, the
berries will grow plump and firm, and
the syrup will almost jelly. Only two
pounds must be put over at once, but
they do not take long to do, and few
pounds may be put up on one day and a
few more little later, and so on. Put
them in cans or glasses without reheat.
ing.
STRAWBERRY JAM.
For this a smaller berry will do, but
choose one that is sweet and firm. Hull
wash, and measure the fruit. Take
pound for pound of sugar; crush the
berries till there is juice enough so that
they will not burn; boil them with one.
third of the sugar, and crush them as
they cook for fifteen minutes; add one.
third more sugar, and after fifteen
minutes the rest, and cook another fiji
teen minutes, making three-quarters OF
an hour to every kettle of fruit. This
should be enough, but if the berries are
watery they may need longer. Try by
cooling little in the air, and take up as
soon as the jam sets.
After strawberry-time is past the
hOusekeeper may draw long breath,
for the hard work is over. There is a
new way of putting up the other small
fruits which is simple enough for child
to manage perfectly, yet the results are
better than have ever come from the
most elaborate methods. 1t is called
preserving them, but canning would do
as well, for the difference between the
two lies in the amount of sugar used
Generally speaking, the sweeter they are,
the better, though pound for pound is
too much.
CHERRIES.
Get the large, dark Ox-hearts if you
can, but if not the white ones will do, OF
the small dark red ones. The lighter
colored they are the more sugar they
take. Stone them, and let them stand
all night. In the morning pour off the
juice, add sugar to taste, and water, il
there is not juice enough, and boil and
skim it till it is a rich syrup; if the cher.
ries are sweet, a pint of juice and three.
quarters of pint of sugar will be about
right. Heat your cans and put in the
uncooked cherries till they are nearly
full, and then pour over them the syrup
and put on the covers; set the cans in
the wash-boiler and fill it with very hot
water and let it all stand all night. The
heat of the syrup and that of the water
will cook the fruit, but the flavor and
color will be those of the fresh and un-
cooked cherries. This is the way used
for all small fruits except strawberries,
and one who tries it will never, never &c
back to the old method.
RED RASPBERRIEs.
These delicious berries are especially
good done by the rule just given
Formerly they would fall to pieces and
look gray when taken from the can
this way they will do neither. They
will probably not need washing; just
put them in the cans and fill with rich
sugar-and-water syrup, and let them
stand over night in the hot water. They
will take less sugar than the cherries.
RASPBERRY JAM.
Measure three pounds of fruit and one