The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1940-08-01
Homemakers' Column
Peach Preservation

The chief problem in the canning of
peaches is to keep them from turning
brown after they are peeled. That's
why it is important to get the peaches
into the containers and then into the
water bath as quickly as possible.
You can avoid peeling too many
peaches, if you know exactly how
many jars or cans you are able to
process at one time, and allow from
2 to 21a pounds of peaches for each
quart jar or No. 3 tin can.
Precooking the peaches and pack
ing them hot also helps to prevent the
brown discoloration. And the water
bath method of processing is more
successful than the oven method. 1t
takes longer to process peaches in
the oven, and they may turn brown
before they are heated through. An
other disadvantage of using the oven
method is that the juice bubbles out,
leaving the top peach high and dry.
Like most other fruits, peaches are
canned with sugar strip. Make it
up ahead of time, allowing from to
1215 cups of sugar to a gallon of
water, depending on how sweet you
like the peaches. Use warm water and
stir until the sugar is dissolved. Boil
for 8 to minutes, with a peach pit
added to every quart of sirup to give
it delightful almond flavor. Strain
out the pits before using the sirup,
The skins come off easily if you dip
the peaches in boiling water about
one-half minute and then plunge them
into cold water for few seconds. Use
square of cheese cloth or a wire bas-
ket to hold the fruit. A knife of glass
or stainless steel is best for removing
the skins. Cut the peaches in halves
to take out the pits, or slice them.
Next simmer the peaches in the strip
for a to minutes, depending on their
firmness. Heat the peaches thorough
but do not cook them.
Pack the peaches into the contain
ers as quickly as possible. Fill the
containers with the hot sirup and run
a spatula down the side to get out
any air bubbles. Seal tin cans, and
partially seal glass jars. Place the
containers in the boiling water and
process them for Is minutes, with the
water all around them boiling hard.
Peach preserves with the whole
pieces of fruit in clear strip are a
pleasing sweet to add to any meal
Peel the peaches and use them whole
or cut into halves, quarters or slices.
TIE each pound of fruit allow q to
pound of sugar. Combine the fruit and
sugar in alternate layers and let
stand eight to ten hours. Or if you
want to cook the preserves at once,
add one-fourth cup of water for each
pound of fruit. Boil rapidly until the
slrup is somewhat thick, stirring con-
stantly to prevent burning. Pour at
once into hot sterilized jars and SEAL
Peach jam and peach butter are
favorites with hot breads or toast on
cold winter mornings. And for them
you can use the soft, ripper fruit that
would not hold its shape so we'll in
canning and preserving.
To make peach jam, first peel the
peaches, then remove the pits and
crush the fruit. Add 3-4 to 1 pound of
sugar to each pound of peaches. Let
the mixture stand for to a hours un
til some of the juice is extracted. Heat
slowly until the sugar is dissolved,
stirring meanwhile. Continue stirring
and bring to boil. Cook until the
fruit is clear and the jam somewhat
thick. Pour into hot sterilized jars
and seal.
Peach butter is thicker product.
with spicy flavor. To make it, crush