Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-29
Table and Kitchen.
Fruit Buffers and Cheese.


In former years the housewife felt great
! pride in her ability to make these excellent
preserves. which she considered not the
least important among her supplies of pre-
served fruits. These were not intended for
sweetmeats to be served on special occa-
sions or 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 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 pOrce-
lain-lined iron kettles are best to use, with
slow fire underneath.
Fruit buffers resemble marmalades in
consistency and smoothness. While stir
ring the fruit Is broken up by passing
through the holes bored in the paddle-a pc
culiar-shaped wooden affair-1at, about an
inch thick and from sixteen to eighteen
inches long, the sides curving in the mid
die and one end set at right angles to a
long handle. These curious utensils may
be found in the attic of many old home
steads and excite wonder If not admiration
from the young generation of housewives.
Fruit Cheese.
This is a favorite sweetmeat across the
WATER our English cousins no doubt hay
ing borrowed the process of making it from
the French. who term tt frontage. AS the
name implies. it is sitter than the other
like prepare tons. 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 half
its original bulk. Peel, core and slice suffi-
cient tart. juicy apples to measure one-half
the bulk of the reduced cider Simmer all
together slowly but steadily until a small
portion placed on a cool saucer remains
thick: 1t the water separates from the ap-
pie 1t is not sufficiently cooked Allow for
each gallon of apples. which must be meas
ured before putting in the cider, one scant
teaspoonful of ground cloves, the same of
alisplce and cinnamon. Add the spices az
soon as the apples thicken and continue the
cooking until the proper consistency, then
bottle and seal 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 plac-
ing 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 coarse jelly bag; add the juice
to the first pumpkin and boil ten hours
until 1t is very thick: 1t must be stirred
frequently to prevent burning. Seal as for
other buffers when perfectly cold.
Red Tomato Butter.
Take nine pounds of ripe peeled tomatoes.
place in the preserving kettle and add to
them three pounds of best cane sugar. one
three tablespoonfuls of cinnamon and one
and half tablespoonfuls of alIspice; boil
gently for three four hours until quite
tmck. stirring often to prevent burning
Seal In the usual manner when perfectly
cold.
English Damson Cheese.
Wipe carefully sound. ripe damson plums.
Place the fruit In stone jar, adding one
quarter of a pound of the best cane sugar
to each pound of plums. Place the lar in
boiling water and cook until tender Re-
move the stone and continue to cook to a
pulp. Rub the fruit through a colauder re-
turn to the jar and add half a pound of SUI
gar 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 or bread Very
delicious for luncheon.
Tomato Butter.
Take ten pounds Of red or yellow toma-
toes fully ripe, scald and skin the fruit to
ten pounds of the peeled fruit. which must
be weighed after skinning, allow two
pounds Of peeled. cored and sliced tart ap-
pies. the juice of two lemons. quarter of an
ounce Of ground ginger and four pounds
Of the best cane sugar. Cut the toma-
toes into thick slices and put in a
preserving kettle. heat slowly and simmer
for one hour, stirring occasionally to pre-
vent them from burning Then add the
ginger, strained lemon juice and sugar.
simmer slowly and stir almost constantly
until reduced to the consistency of MARINA
lade. Pour into glasses and cover with a
thin coating of melted parafin when per-
fectly cold
Da1nson Plum Butter.
Select perfect plums, fully ripe, wipe care
fully with damp cloth and place, in the
preserving kettle with sufficient water to
cover them and cook until soft, take from
the IRE anu ruD through 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 glasses and seal when cold A
thin layer of melted paraffin should be
poured over the top after the butter Is per-
fectly cold then cover with thick paper
II the proper cover for the glasses are not
at hand
Plum Butter No. 2.
Take perfect, fully ripe plums and wipe
them carefully, place in the preserving ket-
tie. cover with cold water and allow to
simmer gently until they crack open; re-
move at once from the fire and allow to
COOL then put them through the colander.