The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-10-03

10 those VINO IouoW It's course
consistently year in and year out,
the jelly season brings few prob
lens, But some of us are making
first attempt, and a few pointers
now may cave many discouraging
hours later on.
Let US first take bird's-eye
view Of the available fruits and
consider those which can safely be
counted upon to make good jelly.
Hidden in the fruit is a substance
called ''pectin," which when COM
bined with sugar causes the ex-
traeted fruit juice to ''jell." No
fruit will make q clear, tender,
sparkling, transparent, quivering
jelly unless it contains the correct
proportion Of this pectin and Of
acid.
Therefore you will want to con-
slider carefully the following list
of fruits which we know contain suf-
fieient peetin and acid in the cor
rect proportion. to make good Jelly:
currants. unripe grapes, blackber.
ries, gooseberries, slightly un-ripe
rAspberriee, ounces, apples, buckle.
berries and cranberries.
Some Fruits Lacking
There are some fruits which are
lacking either in peetin or in acid.
and do not make good jelly when
used alone. The following fruits are
in this class: pears, peaches, rhu-
barb, strawberries, cherries and pine.
apple.
Many housekeepers, particularly
when they are preparing large
quantities OF jelly. make doubly
sure OF the pectin content of their
fruit by this simple test: Extract
the Juice from the fruit for jelly
making. Then mix one tablespoon
full OF this cooked fruit juice with
one tablespoonful Of EPSON salts.
Stir until the salts are dissolved and
then let the mixture stand for 90
minutes. If the fruit juice contains
sufficient psctin to make good jelly,
1t will form a Relatinous mass or
large, flaky particles.
But. what is to be done with
those fruits which are so delicious
in flavor, yet are lakcing in either
pectin or acid? In the olden days
out grandmothers used to combine
them with apples and were de.
lighted with the jellies that resulted.
Today. however, scientific research
has come to our rescue, and on al
most every grocer's shelf you will
find commercial pectin either in
LIQUID or powdered form.
BY following the manufacturer
directions, you can add these COM
,nercial pectins not only to fruits
lacking in pectin, as previously
listed, but to bottled fruit juices as
wen, and have jellies of the most
perfect color. flavor and texture.
These commercial pectins not only
make possible = great saving Of
time and work In Jelly making, but
assure clear. sparkling jellies from
all fruits, whether rich in pectin
or not. And just one added sug.
| gestion! If you find the fruit juice
lacking in acid flavor, add a little
lemon juice-about one tablespoon.
tul to q pint Of juice.
Make Small Quantities
AS a novice. you will do well to
make your jelly IN small quantities
NOT more than two quarts Of fruit
| Juice at a time. In extracting the
| Juice from soft fruits. add to the
washed fruit only enough water to
prevent sticking to the pan during
| cooking. Heat slowly. MASKING oc.
casionally, and cook until the pulp
has changed color.
With hard fruits, wash, cut up
without pairing or coring and cook
In just enough water to cover until
the fruit Is tender. being careful
not to mash the fruit IL you wish
= alaaw snfp~S Hs9.~A Sk.nt. 49,
cooked fruit through two or three
thicknesses Of cheese-cloth or q
wet flannel bag.
ure it. as well as the sugar which
is to be added. Bring the juice to
the boiling point and boil rapidly
about ten minutes. Then add the
sugar, which has been slightly
heated, so as not to retard the
cooking process.
Stir Well
stir until the sugar is dissolved,
and continue cooking until the jelly
is done, skimnling frequently. To
test the jelly for the point at which
it is done, lift q little OF the juice
with . spoon. IL the jelly shetts,
or two drops hang together, from
the spoon, the Jelly il done. While
making this test, always remove
the Jelly from the fire.
When the jelly IL done, pour Il
into hot steFillzed glasses and
cover at once with 4 thin layer Of
melted paraffln. When firm and
cold, add a second layer OF paraf
fin ana whirl the glass slightly 90
that the parAffin rises on the side