Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-16
Table and Kitchen.
A Taste Of Sweetness That Pleases the
Eve

Candied fruits and flowers are among the
daintiest of the tasty little accessories used
to add to the appearance of as well as in
crease the pleasure OF, eating many sweet
dishes.
They appeal to the housewife who de-
lights in setting1e forth little feasts that
charm and surprise the friend and guest
by their delicate and perfect touches that
indicate the taste and refinement of the
hostess. y 70
In many instances the expense must be
considered first, and the housewife finds
these non-essentials more costly than her
purse buy if she must depend ON the
store articles. She can, however, be quite
Independent of the purchased article ana
indulge in these delightful CONNECTIONS to
her hearts content If she learns the art
of making them successfully
But few years ago we regarded TINS
branch Of the culinary art peculiar to the
French confectioner, but skill and long
practice of our deft-handed workmen on
the Pacific coast now gives us variety OF
candied fruit which compare most favor
ably in quality with the imported fruits.
The process is not at all difficult, and
while it varies somewhat according to IN
dividual ideas, the chief design Is the same
to extract the juice of the 1ru1t ana re-
place 1t with a sugar syrup which coats the
fruit, penetrates every part and. hardening,
preserves it from fermentation, While IL re-
tdlnS us natural shape anu COloI
Fruits of all kinds preserved IN TINS
way. Those most common are cherries,
pears, peaches, apricots, plums, pineapples'
figs, citron, oranges, lemons ana melons.
Rose leaves violets and mint leaves are
also preserved in this way, and the bright
green rhubarb makes very good supstl-
tute for the much-prized angelica.
When the work is done at nome use put
one quality of fruit. The state or degree
Of rpeness is of great Importance 1t must
be picked in dry weather, be perfectly
sound and at the stage when II is pest lor
canning. Not a day overripe, put better
just commencing to ripen or little pe1ore.
Pears ounces peaches, apricots and
pineapples are pared. The latter cut in
Slices The large stone fruits cut IN halVes,
the pits carefully removed SO that the 1rult
will not be bruised or shape destroyed.
Pineapples are pared and sliced, cltron
pared and cut into quarters. Candied fruit
will spoil by fermentation if not sufficiently
cooked, and by moisture if kept in damp
place or by heat if kept in too warm a
place.
When the fruit is carefully prepared it is
put in wire basket and immersed in boil
ing water this penetrates through the pulp,
dilutes and extracts the juices and after
the fruit is taken from the water and drain
ed the solid part of the pulp is left intact.
There must be considerable more than
enough water to cover the fruit in order to
tell readily when they are done enough to
come to the surface, for the length of time
they cooked is very important. This
part of the process called 'blanch1ng
must be done to q nicely. If overlooked
they become soft-or the pulp Is left too dry
and woody. If not done enough the juices
are not sufficiently extracted and the syrup
will not be completely absorbed and even
tually fermentation will take place, de-
stroying the fruit. One test is to boil the
fruit until 1t floats to the surface, then re-
move it by lifting out the basket or remov-
ing it with skinner. Then throw into
cold water, drain perfectly dry. At this
stage note the condition of the fruit-if
there different degrees of softness 1t is
best to sort out the hard and soft, as they
will take up the sugar differently and there
fore require different grades of syrup, the
soft fruit needing a much heavier syrup
than the hard. This rule must be observed
in regard to the different kinds of fruit as
well as the different varieties.
Fruits that remain hard, such as pears
citrons and pineapples preserve best in
syrup of from eighteen to twenty-five de-
grees while the softer kinds like plums,
apricots, figs, &c, take best in syrups
from thirty to forty degrees gagged by
the aerometer. The soft BALI degree
answers for most crystallizing except for
the very hard fruits The fruit is put
into the boiling syrup, allowed to boil up
once then left standing in glazed earthen-
ware pans for about a week The sugar
will penetrate to the innermost part of the
pulp gradually withdraws and replaces the
fruit juices remaining after the scalding
process. Watch the fruit carefully for as
the juices exude and mingle with the trans
parent liquid a flmy or clouded appear
ance is produced. This is the beginning
of fermentation. Allow this to reach a GER
tain stage, then place over the fire and
heat to 212 degrees Fair. This will bring
the impurities to the surface; skim care
fully. In this way the fermentation is
corrected and the fruit thoroughly satu-
rated with the sugar. Repeat this process
often as necessary for about six weeks.
The last time the syrup must be at the first
degree-when dipping two pieces of wood
in the boiling syrup then touching and
Immediately and slowly pulling apart a
thread is formed which soon breaks Then
drain the fruit from the syrup wash in
clear water and either glaze or crystalline
it. as you prefer. If you wish to glaze it
make thick sugar syrup, have the fruit
well dried and dip into the syrup and lay
each piece separately on oiled paper or a
hair sieve and place in the open air where
1t will dry quickly. For crystalliZing and
packing in boxes-dip into the same grade
of syrup, but place where 1t will cool and
harden slowly. In this way the syrup
tallize and If kept in cool dry closet the
fruit will keep in any climate.
Candied Peaches.
Make cut in the side of the fruit and
remove the stone without bruising or crush
ing the fruit; then carefully remove the
skin; drop in a pan of cold water. When
all are done proceed according to directions
given. The density of the syrup to be
r