Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-09-23
Reconstructed Grape Jelly.
lBy wsalsha A. wnson9

uumVoSOu ioco euou AOuH mOusuo uvotsa0u
his mother, one day, By strengthening up
suddenly and saying, "Ob! can remem-
Der the time when I didn't know 30
muchr' Many housewife can echo the
little mans exulting cry. Like him,
they are trudging along, sturdily and
happily, on the Highway Of Knowledge,
equipped with that enviable possession
of childhood, teachable spirit. Without
that spirit living Is merely vain ''going
through the motions" and the work
accomplished amounts to the merest
limitations and repetitions. That which
restored the teachable spirit to American
housewives was their determination that
the Allies should not stsrve as long as
America could stint herself and send her
best to starving Europe. That OK.
perience was q God.send to American
women. They are just beginning to
realize the extent of the blessing.
They are just beginning to realize that
they have never yet examined their food
materials enough to know just what can
be gotten from them, not through penuri-
BUSINESS, but through the artistic instinct
which strives to put every created thing
where 1t can show to Its very best. It il
the opposite of this spirit that is respon-
sible for the atrocious and wasteful din
ners cooked Sin a jiffy" and paid for,
too often, by months of doctors bills and
wrecked homes. The reconstruc cited
housewife has glimpsed the tenets of the
truest art and the deepest philosophy.
Reconstructed grape jelly is not far
removed from these lofty themes. II
puts conservation in place of wasteful.
ness, and perfection in place of goodness,
that demands an apology for not being
better. Grape jelly has always been q
sort Of "poor relation" among jellies. II
has never "made good" entirely. It has
always bad way of developing crystals
when jelly was needed in the spring
time, and 1t was never quite straight.
forward about turning into jelly. Give
1t chance and treat it right and See
what 1t can do
RIPE GRAPES OR GREEN ONES
Any kind of grapes can be used fol
jelly, but each Kind will give its own
kind of jelly. Green, that is unripe
grapes seem more willing to turn into
jelly than the very ripe ones, according
to the old theory. Different varieties
give jellies that vary in color and flavor
This fact opens up fascinating hours fol
the eager housewife. The new jelly
will compare favorably with the finesl
crab or ounce, even when made from
fruit so ripe 1t falls from the stem. Any
woman who makes it successfully viii
find herself unable to fill orders should
she wish to add to her income.
MAKING TWO KINDS AT ONCE
Ripe grapes are referred to in the fol
lowing directions: Take half the grapes
in small grape basket and wash care
fully by lifting the lunches up and dowr
in cold water. Have ready two granite
saucepans and drop the pulps with ths
escaping juice into one pan and the skins
into the other. In each pan place ont
medium tart or uuripe apple, sliced, tn,
juice of one-half lemon and half q cuI
Of water. Into the pan containing tht
skins, put two level tablespoonful o.
ground cinnamon and one of GROUND
cloves. Allow the contents of each par
to simmer slowly until the pulp ha.
softened enough to loosen the seeds anC
the skins in the other pan are thoroughly
soft. Do not cook enough to releas,
more than all the juice, however. Have
ready two jelly bags and empty the pulp
and juice into one and the skins anC
juice into the other. Allow to driI
without squeezing, as otherwise the jelly
will not be crystal clear. All the juic,
will drip If time is allowed,
ONLY TWO GLASSES AT A TIME
Never attempt making more than two
glasses at one boiling. Jelly, made il
small quantities, is much more salts
factory in every way and time is savet
in the end. Measure two and q quarter
glasses of juice and exactly the same
quantity of sugar. Stir we'll and allow
ten minutes from the time boiling begins
Avoid furious boiling. The best way Il
test jelly is to dip spoon, tip down, in
to the juice. Allow the juice to driI
back into the pan. II the hot juice coatl
the spoon like molasses, the critica
moment is near. When the juice form
In Q heavy drop on the tip of the spool
and breaks away sharply the jelly should
be removed from the fire at once. Prac
ticed jelly makers spy twin drops formed
on the edge Of the spoon just as the jell!
Is perfectly made. Overlooking take
the jelly. past the jellying stage, and
nothing will restore that lost property
LAST MINUTE HINTS
While the jelly Is cooking take two
tablespoonfuls Of the dark juice and ado
it to the light-colored juice. This give
a delicate, orabspple pink tinge.
As soon as the jellying stage has beer
reached remove the pan from the FIR,
and allow all movement to cease.
there Is thick scum that needs remov
ing, it should be taken off very CAREFUL!
before attempting to FIJI the glasses. I
this scum breaks as the jelly goes int
the glass, 1t will distribute itself through
out the mass and destroy the appearance
of the jelly.
The lightcolored jelly can be uset
wherever the choicest jelly would b,
served, and the dark, spiced jelly II
especially fine with meat or fowl.
Jelly, made very late in the autumn
from over-ripe grapes, should have tn,
juice of an extra half-lemon allowed, anG
also about fourth more of grapes an(
water on account of the added amour
of softened cellulOse that mixes with tn,
juice and must be removed, at the last
with consequent loss Of more or lesI
iuica