The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1937-09-23
Homemakers' Column
Edited by Miss Mildred Barton,
Home Demonstration Agent
Fall Preserves

Scientists of the Bureau of Home
Economics have been experimenting
with sugar preservation of fruit for
several years. They have found that
although each different fruit must be
treated Individually, there are certain
general rules that apply to all fruits to
be preserved.
Firm-ripe rather than soft-ripe is
the best stage of fruit for preserving.
If cooked whole, the fruit should be
uniform in sizes. If cut into pieces,
these should be uniform. If all are ap-
proximately the same size they will
cook in the same length of time. In
addition, the finished preserve will be
more attractive. weigh your ingredi-
ents," say these experts. A pint of
prepared fruit may vary in content
with the shape and size of the pieces
of fruit, the way the fruit is packed in
the measuring cup and with fruits of
different pickings. But a pound is
always pound and more dependable
standard to use in getting correct pro-
portions.
In home preserving it is preferable
to cook small portions of fruit at a
time. About or pounds make a sat-
isfactory amount. This smaller guam
tity is more easily handled, more
quickly and evenly cooked throughout
than an unwieldly larger amount.
In the process of preserving, the
natural juices of the fruit are gradu-
ally withdrawn. The fruit absorbs
some of the sugar sirup in which it is
cooked to replace the juice lost. If the
sugar solution is too concentrated at
the start it toughens the fruit.
Preserves require strict attention
while they are cooking. They must
be stirred enough to prevent them
from burning and they must not be
overlooked. Overlooking often car
melizes the sugar and causes undesir-
able flavor and color changes in the
fruit. When the fruit has cooked suf-
fciently put it into sterilized glass
jars. Fill the jars three-quarters full
of the cooked fruit, then add enough
of the strip to completely fill the jar
Seal while hot.
These are the general directions
which apply to all fruits. But some
fruits require special methods OF
handling. The ounce, for instance, is
exceptionally firm. In the past cooks
have subjected this fruit to steaming
or parboiling before they preserved it.
Naturally in this precooking much
of the natural flavor of the fruit
teaches out.
Scientists experimenting with max
ing ounce preserves have found way
to soften the fruit and still keep most
of it's natural flavor. They put the
pieces of ounce into the sirup at the
first of the preserving process. But
this strip is very thin.
AS the strip gradually thickens the
ounces become softer, the natural
juices of the fruit go into the sirup,
and none of the flavor is lost down
the drain with water used in pre-
cooking.
In making ounce preserves, allow
the frunt to ripen until it is yellow,
Wash the fruit, pare, cut into quar-
tiers and core. To each pound of pre-
pared fruit use IL cups of water and
q pound of sugar. Dissolve the sugar
in the water and boil for 5 minutes.
Add the fruit and boil slowly for /
to IL hours. Stir occasionally to pre-
vent burning. AS soon as the fruit be-
comes tender and of a clear reddish
color and the sirup reaches the jelly
stage, pour into hot sterilized jars
and seal.