The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-22
spiced and Pickled Fruits.

The method of splicing and picking
fresh summer fruits was an art dear TO
our grandmothers and one in which
they excelled. Later generations have
been taught that these artificial COM
binations of acids, sweets and spices
were a snare to the unwary appetite and
an injury to the stomach of those who
freely INDUCED in these piquant Vlands.
With few exceptions the use of picked
and spiced fruits was confined for some
years to households which would as
soon have discarded the making of these
goodies according to inherited rules as
they would have forgotten the most
cherished of family traditions.
Canned fruits were used chiefly until
people tired somewhat of their rather
monotOnous SamenesS. and the large
fruit preservers tempted the eye as well
as appetite with an endless list of deli
cious spiced and picked fruits they
guaranteed equal in flavor and consider
ed scientifically much superior to those
our grandmothers used to make. This is a
statement not universally accepted by
all housewives, who prefer to make
their own preserves and pickles accord
ing to the quaint old rules set down in
the yellow manuscript recipes found
among grandma's attic treasures.
Sweet pickles are the favorites on the
American table as we seem to possess
a double sweet tooth and prefer the sub
acids and milder seasonings to the very
sharp, pungent spiced foods.
Spiced and picked fruits make very
appetizing additions to the menus
served as relish to cold sliced meats
They do not rank as condiments nor as
foods in the strict sense of the word;
their power rests in improving the ap-
petite and thus increasing the digestive
powers, a non-essential quality when
the appetite is vigorous and healthy I'M
less the appetite is jaded with the mon
otonv of a food served too frequently
in one way and prepared in tasteless
manner.
For all picking and splicing be careful
to use only such utensils as cannot be
affected by the action of the fruit acids
or vinegars Porcelain lined kettles,
measurings cups, wooden spoons, etc,
are the only safe utensils to use. Use only
the freshest and best spices and use
always be boiled whether added to the
fruit hot or cold in order to kill the fer
ment germs in it.
Long boiling of the fruits will darken
them and destroy their natural flavor.
Twice boiling is recommended by some
authorities in preference to the long
continued cooking. Pears are hard ana
tough unless cooked in water or a thin
syrup and then placed in a rich spiced
syruD.
Peaches and apples, however. cook
soft so quickly they require a harden
ing process before they go into the
syrup. There are several meth
DDS of splicing these; one is
to strew sugar over them and
let them stand over night or for a
considerable length of time until the
! juices are well drawn out, then put
! them into the Spiced syrup, or cook
them in a good plain syrup for a few
minutes. remove carefully with a
! skinner and La on a fiat dish; place
! in the sun for several hours to dry,
then arrange in jars pouring the boil
| ing syrup over them.
A GOOD SWEET PICKLE
This will answer for most fruits. To
a gallon of best cider vinegar allow
five pounds of light brown sugar, or
if you can get it, stirred maple sugar.
| four ounces of cinnamon, two ounces
of cloves and seven pounds of fruit.