Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-09-25
Table
Kitchen.


Conducted by Ida Ames Willis.
Marquette Building, Chicago All rights
reserved by Banning Co., Chicago).
FRUIT BUFFERS AND CHEESE.
In former years the housewife felt
great pride in her ability to make these
excellent preserves, which she consid-
<ered not the least important among her
= supplies of preserved fruits. These
were not intended for sweetmeats to
be served on special occasions or to
guests, but were eaten more as relish
with fat meats, such as pork and sau-
sage. or with poultry or game, their
tartness and spicy flavor giving just
the zest and piquancy needed.
Apple and pear buffers were the ia
yorites. and for these the sour varie-
ties of fruit were used. No water was
used, but the fruit, pared and cored,
was boiled down in equal quantity of
apple or pear cider. Spices and sugar
were added during the latter part of the
cooking, thus lessening the tendency to
burn.
Peaches, plums, apricots, ounces
grapes and tomatoes were also used for
buffers, and the smallest possible
amount of water used. The process OF
cooking is very slow and the butter
requires almost constant stirring from
the beginning. Thick porcelain-lined
iron kettles are best to use, with SLOW
fire underneath.
Fruit Cheese.
This is a favorite sweetmeat "acros8
the water" our English cousins no
doubt have borrowed the process o.
H. \, h.N fT.t-,
frontage. AS the name implies, it is
sitter than the other preparations.
They are cooked slowly with very little
if any water until they are almost dry,
and sliced to eat on toast bread or
crackers. These cheeses make very
delightful sandwiches.
Apple Butter.
Obtain, if possible. sweet cider that is
not over two days old. Boil it down to
one-haf it's original bulk. Peel, core
and slice sufficient tart, juicy apples to
measure one-half the bulk of the re-
duced cider. Simmer all together
slowly but steadily until a small por-
ton placed on a cool saucer remains
thick; if the water separates from the
apple it is not sufficiently cooked. AL
low for each gallon of apples, which
must be measured before putting in
the cider, one scant teaspoonful of Gin
namon. Add the spices as soon as the
apples thicken and continue the cook
ing until of the proper consistency
then bottle and seal as preserves.
Pumpkin Butter.
Peel one ripe pumpkin and cut il
small pieces, place in the preserving
kettle and stew gently until soft, ado
just enough cold water to the pump
kin when first placing in the kettle t'
come up to the top of the vegetable, Blu
not to cover it. Prepare three more
pumpkins, stew them and drain through
Il coarse jelly bag; add the juice to Tho
first pumpkins and boil ten hours, un
til it is very thick; it must be stirred
frequently to prevent burning. Seal rs
for other buffers when perfectly cold.
English Damson Cheese.
Wipe carefully sound, ripe Damsor
plums. Place the fruit in Il stone jar
adding one quarter of a pound OF
the best cane sugar to each pound OF
plums. Place the jar in boiling water
and cook until tender. Remove tho
stone and continue to cook to a pulp
Rub the fruit through a colandcr re-
turn to the jar and add half a pound OF
sugar to each pound of fruit. continue
to cook until thick and almost dry. Put
into jars. seal and keep in a cool place
Serve cut in slices to eat on toast OF
bread. Very delicious for luncheon.
Tomato Butter.
Take ten pounds of red or yellow to-
matOes fully ripe. scald and skin the
fruit, which must be weighed after
skinning. allow two pounds of peeled
corcd and sliced tart apples. the juice
of two lemons, quarter of an ounce of
ground ginger and four pounds of the
best cane sugar. Cut the tomatoes in
to thick slices. and put in Il preserving
kettle. heat slowly and simmer for one
hour, stirring occasionally to prevent
them from burning. Then add the gin
ger. strained lemon juice and sugar
simmer slowly and stir almost con
stantly until reduced to the consistency
of marmalade. Pour into glasses and
cover with a thin coating of melted par
afiine when perfectly cold.
Damson Plum Butter.
Select perfect plums, fully ripe. wipe
carefully with damp cloth and place
in the preserving kettle with sufficient
water to cover them and cook until soft
take from the fire and rub through Il
colander and return to the kettle after
weighing the pulp; to each pound OF
pulp allow one pound of sugar. Boil
all together for thirty minutes, stirring
carefully. When done pour into glass
es and seal when cold A thin layer of
melted parafline should be poured over