Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-08-23


ways be heated we'll before adding it to
the boiling fruit juice. The sugar
should be spread on large, broad pan,
and then placed in an oven of moderate
heat, or else with the door partly open
ed, while the fruit juice is cooking.
The best brand of preserving-jar Is to
be urgently recommended. Safeguard
against fermentation is wholly dependent
upon alright conditions after properly
prepared and cooked preserves are once
within the jars. The loss of even a
small number of jars is very dishearten-
ing, considering the time, labor and ex-
pense entailed in putting up the fruit.
With ordinary care these preserving jars
will do service for several succeeding
years, with a renewal only of fresh rub
bers for each season. Therefore, the
best jars will constitute a wise economy
in the end.
Jars should be always sterilized before
being used. Wash them we'll, rinse, and
put both jars and covers into boiler OF
kettle of water over the fire, allowing
the water to come gradually to a boil.
Then leave until the moment OF filling
them with the hot fruit or syrup. The
rubbers should also stand in heated
water until they are adjusted to the jars,
just before pouring in the fruit.
Always fill the jars to overfiowing.
Then pass silver knife or spoon handle
all around within the jar, close to the
sides, for the purpose of breaking up
any air bubbles which have formed here
and there, and which, If not destroyed,
will cause fermentation and ruin to the
preserves. The covers must next be put
on as quickly and securely as possible,
and the jars left in the kitchen or butler'a
pantry out of all draughts until the fol.
lowing day. Then the covers are to be
tested and screwed on to the last possible
turn, and the jars put away in a cool but
not damp stOre-closet.
At the end of week or ten days
examine the jars we'll, handling them
very carefully so as not to disturb the
contents unnecessarily. If there are nc
signs of air bubbles, and the fruit seems
to have settled satisfactorily, the jart
may be returned to the store closet
Opposite conditions will indicate fermen
tation, and in order to guard against the
possible bursting of the jars, they should
be opened at once, and the contents re-
cooked and used as soon as possible. II
will not be prudent to re-can such fruit
for future consumption.
A oad-bOttomed, porcelain-lined
kettle should always be used for pre-.
serving, and wooden spoon for stirring
the fruit.
On pairing apples, ounces, pears, ETC..
put them at once into cold water to pre-
vent discoloratiOn. Do not leave them
here longer than necessary, however, OF
much of the valuable flavor, becoming
soluble in water, will pass away and be
lost to the preserve. 1t is better, there
fore, to peel and cook few at time
enough to fill three or four jars, before
pairing the rest. If preserved according
to old-fashioned methods, the pound TO,
pound formula-that is, an equal OF
sometimes even a greater weight OF
sugar than fruit-the preserves may bt
kept in quantity in large stone crock
with a clOse-fitting cover, instead of IN
glass jars.
In canning, a much smaller proportion
of sugar is used, and a more decided
fruity flavor is always obtained than IN
preserving.
Whatever may be the process of put
ting up preserves, the work should be
done as soon as possible after the fruits
are purchased. Never use soft or de-
cayed fruits for any purpose whatever
Bartlett pears are to be recommended
for canning, as are Crawford peaches
For branded peaches use Morris Whites
Wild plums make an excellent preserve,
and wild grapes the most perfect jelly.
Blackberries should be put up before
the end of August, apricots and plums
toward the middle of September, pears
and peaches by the last of September, OF
the early part of October, ounces before
the end of October, apples toward the
middle of November. Tomatoes should
be canned before October 10th. Field
mushrooms to be had in September
make delicious catsup.
In making fruit jelly, the fruit should
be we'll washed off and cut into pieces
without pairing or removing the seeds
laid in a covered porcelain kettle with
just enough cold water to cover, cooked
until tender, and the juice allowed to
drip or drain through jelly-bag of fan
mel or coarse muslin. Never press OF
squeeze the bag. Let the juice ooze
slowly through, or you will not have q
clear jelly. Measure the liquid, allowing
a pound of sugar to every pint of juice
which is to be put down in broad.bot
toned porcelain preserving kettle. Bring
quickly to boil, and whom bubbles ap-
pear over the entire surface, gradually
add the heated sugar as directed above
Let it boil for twenty minutes, skimming
off all rising scum. It will take longer
time for some fruits to jelly than others.
To test the arrival of this stage, use the
following precaution: Take out spoon
full of the jellying liquid, put on saucer
and let stand in . cool place; then with
a spoon gather or scrape 1t together In
small mass. If the surface does not be-
come solid or firm, the boiling must con-
tiuue further. Test again until thicker
or more condensed condition is apparent,
then fill at once the jars or tumblers
which have been standing in hot water.
Place in cool spot until perfectly firm,
then set away in dark, cool, but not
damp, storage closet If the jelly seems
thinner than desired, let the tumblers
stand in the sun for few hours.
Some authorities contend that more
and satisfactory results may
be obtained by allowing the juice of the
fruit to boil alone for twenty minutes
before adding the heated sugar, and
to test after the sugar has
dissolved. This method il
on the principle that the water
contained in the fruits il more likely to
evaporate to better purpose while cooking
alone than after adding the sugar; and
again the sugar through extended cook.
cry will make the jelly of darker color.
The process of evaporation will also be-
come more expeditions in broad-bOt-
toned kettle, this extending the surface,
and the more shallow the depth Of the
liquid, the more quickly will evaporation
take place. Therefore 1t Is advisable to
cook few quarts only at q time.
Peaches, plums and apples make de-
licious jelly, and a combination of apple
and ounce makes jelly of superior
flavor.-New Idea.
Silk dresses will reign supreme over
III okka, and Tho aft atlka