The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-02
MAKING JELL|ES
 THAT REALLY HELL"

Boxes of ruby entrants, whey blackberries and spicy crabapples on the fruit stalls, and baskets of peaches and other snmmer fruits crowding the markets, are ushering the Annual Jam Derby, in which most housewives have several entries in the hope of winning blue ribbons. "Jarring her own" is still a favorite summer sport of the homemaker, and in spite of excellent commercial jams and jellies, she takes secret pride in offering her guests her own products, the work of her hands, and express ing still the finest spirit of hospi- tality.
 Jelly-making is one of the oldest and easiest of the household arts, and because there Is always the possibil- ity of new flavor combinations, 1t appeals to the invention of the maker. This year she will try mint flavor in her apple jelley; or this summer she surely will make peach plum jelly, and so on. Whatever the fruit she chooses, the same principles lie un- der uccessful jelly-making; the jelly must be beautifully colored, trans parent, and the mass of just the right consistency to "quiver" not to flow, nor, on the other hand, to be sticky, tough or gummy-and. above all, it must cut easily and when cut sparkle!
 What makes jelly 'jell" at this par ticular desirable point? Fruit juice consists of sugar flavor. acids and 8 special substance called ptctin. And 1t Is this pectin and nothing else that puts the 'jell" in jelly! If pectin Is present your fruit juice will become that semi-solid mass of deliciousnes you so desire-if no pectin, no jelly. Some fruits have 1t in large quanti- ties and others-currants, sour ap- pie and partially unripe grapes-and in every case to obtain the pectin 1t must be cooked out of the fruit Hence wash your fruit. include seeds and skins, place always in an enamel kettle, add just enough water q cup to four quarts of fruit) l. prevent burning, and simmer over very slow fire to extract all possible juice. Crush fruit with wooden masher and continue heating until whole mass is cooked thoroughly.
 jellybag wrung out of boiling water and let 1t drain into a large earthern or enamel utensil. This will give you what we call Extraction No. l." and 1t will be the basis of your jel- lies. If 1t is a fruit very strong in pectin, remove from bag, again to kettle, cover with water, cook again. and let drip for Extraction No. 2. Now for the proportion of sugar to juice: this is most important for either by adding to little or too much the consistency will be altered. Ad- ding more sugar to juice that refuses to "jell" will only make 1t more syrupy And adding too much augar in the first place will tend to make 1t hard and crystalize
 For the most fairly acid juices (us- ing Extraction 1) use 3-4 volume of sugar to 1 of juice, measured either in cups or quarts. In general, the more acid the more juice, the more sugar 1t will demand and the better the chances of a perfect "jell." In using Extraction 2 le sugar will be required than with No. 1. Currants require to 1. while for blackberries and red rasps and all more watery fruits use 3-4 sugar to 1 of juice.
 How do you tell the jell? One of the best tests for that exact right moment Is to watch for that point at which the boiling mass "jells" or sheets off, or breaks off as a portion of 1t is allowed to drop from the stirring spoon. Time Is too precious to wait for any cooling of samples as while you are waiting for it to cool