San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-09-13

still favorite late Summer sport
with the housekeeper.
In spite of the many excellent
commercial jams and jellies, the
housewives own handiwork ex-.
presses the finest spirit of hospital
ity. Pantry shelves with glasses of
Jelly and jars of jam mean variety
in next Winters menus and stock
of wholesome Spreads for bread"
for the children and their school
lunches.
What makes jelly "jell"? The
answer is the fruit pectin or pecu-
liar jellying principle found in acid
fruits in particular, and in others
to-a MORE or less degree. Sour
apples, unripe grapes, currants and
the white skin or membrane oil
lemons and grapefruit have guam
titles of that something which
makes jellies jell.
So that if we are doing a mild
fruit it is necessary to add small
amounts of the pectin fruits to Sc
cure the ideal transparent and
quivering colorful mass we call a
perfect "jelly."
A few unripe grapes or tart APP
pie parings may be added to the
sweeter pears, ripe grapes, plums,
ETC., to assist in making them jell.
Since the pectin is present near
the skin or rind, core and seeds,
it is necessary TO include some of
these when cooking down the fruit
or berries for jelly.
Always use an enamel kettle and
enamel or wooden spoons and ac-
cessories to avoid any ''tinny"
taste. Use a jelly bag of soft real
wooden or heavy cheesecloth cut in
a pointed shape and gathered with
a strong string at the top. Pick
over and remove coarse stems, ETC.,
or pare and cut in smaller parts
and place in kettle with just enough
water to cover Il cup to every a
quarts of FRUIT, and simmer over
a very low fire to extract all posi-
BILE juice.
Transfer this mass to the jelly
bag Just wrung out of hot water
and spend the bag over handle
placed on two chairs, or on a spe-
cial wire rack. Do not squeeze.
the bag, but let the juice drip of
its own weight. This will insure
that it is clear and of the best
flavor. This is called Extraction
No. l." and makes the clearest
and most perfect jelly.
In some cases the pulp remaining
in the bag may have more water
added, be cooked down still longer,
and allowed to drip again; or it
may be squeezed with the hand or
strained through a PURGE sieve.
This is called Extraction No. e"
and gives a good jelly, but one that
is less clear and often poorer in
flavor.
In either case, use the juice in
the right proportion to sugar. This
is the most important point, for II
too much sugar is added the mass
will be syrupy and almost refuse
to jell; also adding too much sugar
in the first place will tend to make
the jelly hard and likely to crystal
ize.
For fairly acid juices (currants,
grapes, plums, crabapples, etc.
use / amount of sugar to l of
Juice, measured either in cups or
quarts. For less acid fruits
peaches, raspberries, apples, etc)
use q the amount of sugar to l
Of juice.
Other points are that only
small quantity or batch of jelly
should be made up at one time
generally not more than 6 to 8
glasses; that boiling on a clear,
sunny day is essential or there will
be less tendency to jell; that if
the sugar is pre-heated in the oven
the results will be quicker and the
mass much more likely to jell; that
the boiling should be very rapid
and not over 10 to 20 minutes.
Really no jelly need be boiled
longer than 5 minutes if the sugar
is heated and the extraction of
Juice satisfactory. Jelly which is
boiled a long time is never deli.
cious or satisfactory, and the
longer it is boiled the worse it