The Wichita daily eagle., 1903-09-23
FRUIT BUFFERS AND CHEESE.


In former years the housewife felt great
l pride in her ability TO make these excel
lent preserves. which she considered not
/ the least important among her supplies
I OF preserved fruits. These were not in
! tended for sweetmeats 10 be served on
/ special occasions OF TO guests. but were
eaten more as a relish with fat meats.
{ such as pork and sausage. or with poultry
/ or game, their tartness and spicy flavor
! giving just the zest and piquancy needed.
Apple and pear buffers were the favor
! ties, and for these the sour varieties 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 dur
! ing the latter part of the cooking, thus
lessening the tendency 60 burn.
Peaches. pIums. spricots, ounces.
grapes and tomatoes were also used for
buffers. and the smallest possible amount
very slow and the butter requires almost
constant stirring from the beginning.
Thick porcelain-lned iron kettles are best
to'use. with slow fire underneath.
Fruit buffers resemble marmelades in
consistency and smoothness- While stir
ring the fruit is broken up by passing
through the holes bored in the paddle-a
peculiar shaped wooden affair-1at. about
an inch thick and from sixteen to eighteen
inches long, the sides curving in the
middle and one end set at right angles TO
a long handle. These curious utensils
may be found In the attic Of many old
homesteads and excite wonder II not ad,
miration from the young generation OF
housewives.
Fruit Cheese.
This Is fsvorite sweetmeat across the
water" our English cousins no doubt
having borrowed the process Of making 1t
from the French. who term 1t fromage.
AS the name implies. it is stiffer than the
other like 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, il possible. sweet cider that is
not over two days old. Boil il down TO
onehalf its original bulk. Peel. core and
slice sufficient tart. juicy apples to meas
ure one-half the bulk OF the reduced cider.
Simmer altogether slowly but steadily
until small portion placed on cool
saucer remains thick; If the water sep
srates from the apple it is not sufficiently
cooked Allow for each gallon Of apples,
which must be measured before putting
in the cider, one scant teaspoonful of
ground cloves. the same of allspice and
cinnamon Add the spices as soon as the
apples thicken and continue the cooking
until of the proper consistency. then bot
tie and seal as preserves.
Pumpkin Butter.
Peel one ripe pumpkin and cut in small
pieces, place in the preserving kettle and
stew gently until soft, add just enough
cold water to the pumpkin when first
placing in the kettle TO come up TO the
top of the vegetable. but not to cover it.
Prepare three more pumpkins, stew them
and drain through a coarse jelly bag;
add the juice to the first pumpkin and boil
ten hours. until it is very thick; it must
be stirred frequently to prevent burn
ing Seal as for other buffers when per-
feetly cold.
Red Tomato Butter.
Take nine pounds of ripe peeled tora-
toes, place in the preserving kettle and
add to them three pounds of best cane
sugar. one pint of vinegar one table
spoonful of cloves. three tablesuoonfuls
OF cinnamon, and one and a half able
spoonfuls of allspice; boil gently for three
or four hours until quite thick, stirring
often TO prevent burning Seal in the
usual manner when perfectly cold.
Wipe carefully sound ripe Damson
English Camson Cheese.
plums Place the fruit in a stone jar.
adding one-quarter of pound of the best
cane sugar to each pound Of piums. Place
the Jar in boiling water and cook until
tender Remove the stone and continue
TO cook TO pulp Rub the frlIit through
a colander. return TO the jar and add halc
a pound of sugar. 10 each pound Of rruit
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 or bread. Very delicious FOR
luncheon.
Tomato Butter.
Take ten pounds of red or yellow ton1a
toes fully ripe scald and skin the fruit
to ten pounds OF the peeled fruit. which
must be weighed after skining. allow
two pounds ppeled. cored 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 into thick slices and put in
FOOD CAUSE AND EFFEcT.,-