Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-20
HOMEMADE GOODIES
Old Virginia Recipes for Pre-
serving Days.
PICKLED AND SWEET
SUMMERS WEALTH TO CHEER
THE WINTER.
No Longer Necessary to Have Copper
Kettle-Modern SUBJ
stitutes.
Written for The Evening Star.

A dry, sunny day and a quantity OF per-
fectly selected fruit proclaim fine pre-
serving morning All housekeepers may
not be aware of this fact, but 1t is true
nevertheless When the atmosphere Is
clear fires burn better. fruit is less liable
to spoil and the cooks temper is usually
at its best, a conjunction of good things
most conducive to the successful turning
out Of preserves and pickles. Leave out
any one of these ingredients, and a disap-
pointing lot Of sweets and savories will
often be the result
When there Is an abundance Of fruit
even the most negligent housewife Is in
spired to preserving efforts, and she wisely
uses the wealth OIL summers mellow prime
to cheer the dearth of winters rime' The
last few summers we have not been sur
feited with summers mellow rime. Some
unforeseen catastrophe Of wind. weather or
bugs comes along, and our fruits and hopes
are blighted. In spite, though, of the gro
GERS high prices and the general scarcity
each year the housewife manages to sup
ply her store room pretty comfortably
The first step in the preserving direction is
to make sure that the utensils to be used
are in nerfect order If not absolutely
new, they must be In Immaculate condition.
The unwieldy copper preserving Kettle mas
had its day in the kitchen and is now pro-
NOTED in some cases to the dignity of hold
ing handsome palm or acts in an artistic
rather than a useful capacity. Agate
saucepans have taken Its place. and they
are much lighter and easier to keep clean
and to handle.
For the preserving process. besides sauce
pans the utensils needed will be pair of
trustworthy scales, measuring cups, an
agate colander, a small dlpper and seVeral
agate spoons of different sizes, and, when
ieIly is being made, two three bags of
double cheesecloth. Last, but by no means
least are the preserving jars, which, II
used before, should be equipped with new
rubbers and covers.
Ripe and Clean Fruit.
Now that the modus operandi Is pro-
yided for a selection of fruit is the next
consideration Fruit should be used when
In a perfect state for eating raw and
should be Of uniform ripeness and free
from blemishes When small fruits are
being preserved, hull and stand them in a
colander placed in large pan Of cold wa
ter which just covers the fruit. Change
the water twice and then drain the fruit
through cheesecloth. This process washes
the berries perfectly. Peaches and similar
fruit should be pared with a silver knife,
which to avoid dscoloraton, should be
rubbed over with lemon juice. Plums and
tomatoes are scalded to remove the skins,
and to retain the flavor OF the fruit they
should be quickly cooked in small quanti-
ties
There IS a general rule for preserving
which says take equal weights of sugar
and fruit, adding a cup of water to each
pound or three quarters of pound of SUI
gar. These quantities make a very sweet
preserve, and nowadays up-to date house
keepers are favoring canned fruit rather
than the oldfashioned preserves
Fruit for canning must be of the best
quality and perfect as to shape. 1t Is pre-
pared according to the requirements of the
fruit used and placed in Jars, and a strip
poured over it boiling hot and of a RICH.
clear color.
Right Proportions.
The proportions for making the strip are
usually one cup of sugar and one cup Of
water for each pint jar of berries or small
fruit or one cup of sugar and two of water
for large fruit. Most housewives prefer
putting their fruit into pint Jars, especially
when the family is small a fresh supply
being in this fashion insured at each using.
Tie jars into which the fruit to be canned
is placed should be we'll scalded and kept
in hot water until ready to fill. safe