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Show HOME ECONOMICS. Useful Household Hints. LITTLE SUGGESTION'S THAT MAY HELP SOME. MRS. IRENE B. VICKERS. Teacher of Domestic Science Milford High School. Canning, Preserving and Jelly Making. Mak-ing. In the preservation of fruits for ing in the preservation of fruits for Winter use, there are certain fundamental funda-mental principles to be observed to insure success. Fruits spoil due to the action of some forms of microscopic micro-scopic plant wrowth which is always floating about in the air. The most common ones are those which cause fermentation and those which produce pro-duce mold. The selection of fruit is the first step in obtaining successful results. The flavor of fruit is not developed until it is fully ripe, but because in all soft fruits the fermentative stage follows so closely upon the perfectly ripe stage it is better for canning, preserving and jelly making to select fruits rather under, than over ripe. No imperfect fruit should be canned or preserved. Eruised spots should be cut out of peaches, pears, etc. The preparation of the fruit is the second important step. System will do much to lighten the work. Begin by having the kitchen swept and dusted thoroughly, thereby lessening . the number of bacteria floating about in the air. Prepare only as much ' fruit as can be cooked" while it retains re-tains its freshness and erispness. Use two small kettles for cooking, rather than one large one and prepare, the fruit for one while the other is cooking. cook-ing. Use wide kettles rather than deep ones. Then evaporation takes place faster, and there is less liability liabil-ity to sticking and scorching. Keep the dish into which you are dropping the fruit covered or drop it into cold water. By thus excluding the air, you keep the fruit from going dark. The success of canning depends upon absolute sterilization ' and sealing to exclude the entrance of air and the further introduction of bacteria. bac-teria. These are several methods of canning, but while all are the same in principle some are more convenient than others. The three considered best are: Cooking the fruit in the jars in an oven; cooking cook-ing the fruit in jars in boiling water; and stewing the fruit before it is put in the jars. In any case it is most important that the jars, covers and rubbers be in perfect condition and that they be sterilized. This is done best by immersing them in a pan of cold water and bringing it to the boiling point. Preserved fruit differs from canned can-ned fruit in that it contains a larger quantity of sugar and less water. In most cases canned fruits are to be pressed, preserves being desirable desir-able only for occasional use and in small quantities. Fermentation seldom sel-dom attacks preserved fruits due to the small amount of moisture present pres-ent and to the antiseptic action of the large amount of sugar. But it does need to be protected against mold. To do this, exclude the air by covering with a slick coating of paraffin par-affin paper dipped in alcohol or by Sprinkling sugar thickly over the top. In no department of preserving does the housekeeper feel less sure of the result, than in jelly making. The rule that works one time, fails another. These two questions are being constantly asked, "why does not my jelly harden?" What causes my jelly to go syrupy?" In a few words I shall attempt to explain why. In all fruits, when ripe or mealy there is found pectin, a soluble substance similar in its properties to gelatine. It is because of this substance that we are able to make jelly. When sugar and fruit juice are combined, and the mixture heated heat-ed to boiling for the proper length of time, the pectin gelatinizes the mass upon cooling; however, in over ripe fruit this substance has undergone under-gone a change and has lost its power pow-er of jellying. Too long cooking of the sugar and fruit juice has the same effect upon the pectin. It is therefore of greatest importance import-ance that the fruit should be just ripe or a little under ripe, and that the boiling of the sugar and juice should not be continued too long. Some fruits are very rich in pectin, pec-tin, others contain very little. The most desirable fruits for making jelly are: Currents, crab apples, apples, ap-ples, quince, grapes, blackberries and plums. It requires more skill to make jellies from the fruits to which water must be added than from the 1 juicy fruits. ; Jellies, like preserves are so rich in sugar that they are proof against bacteria and yeasts, but they must be protected against molds. The methods suggested for covering preserves pre-serves may bo used. If you are not familiar with the method of cunning fruit by cooking it in the oven try it according to these directions. The work is easily eas-ily and quickly done, and the fruit retains its shape, color and flavor j better than when cooked in the preserving pre-serving kettle. I Cover the bottom of the oven with a sheet of asbestos. It is cheap and . may usually tie found at a plumber's shop. If the asbestos is not available, avail-able, put into the oven shallow pans in which there are about two inches of boiling water. Sterilize the jars and utensils. Make the syrup, prepare pre-pare the fruit the same as for cooking cook-ing in the kettle. Fill the hot jars with fruit and pour in enough syrup to fill the jar. riace the jars in the oven, either on the asbestos or in the pan of water. The oven should be moderately hot. Cook the fruit about ten minutes (some fruits require re-quire longer than others') remove from the oven and fill the jar with boiling syrup. Wipe and seal. Large fruits such as peaches and pears, will require about a pint of syrup to each quart jar of fruit. The small juicy fruits, about a half pint. The quantities of sugar 'in each quart of syrup will vary according to the fruit and the person's teste. Canned (Jrapc.. Six quarts of grapes. One quart ot" sucar. tine eun of wa;er. Pqueer.e the pulp of the grapes out of t!v ins. Cook the pulp five mini;! .! arA then rub through a ' ' Ov.t U !ir.. er.onch to ho;.; bark She .-,!. Put the va:-r. sins and pulp into the prvwrvfos kettle rr.d heat slowly to the boiling boil-ing po'r.:. Skim t he fruit ati.l tlvn a.M the sucar. IVtl Sff-n itthrr-s. Sweet grapes may require less sugar, very sour ones may have more. Canned Peaches. Allow 6 to 10 peaches to the quart jar. Three-fourths cup sugar. One pint water. Put the sugar and water together and stir over the fire until the sugar is dissolved. When the syrup boils, skim it. Pare the peaches, cut in halves, remove stones and add to the syrup. Boil gently for ten or fifteen mintites, then put in sterilized steriliz-ed jars and seal. --Pears may be treated the same as peaches. If they are rather hard, they will require longer cooking. They are done when a silver fork will pierce them readily. Whole cloves or ginger may be boiled with pears to give them additional flavor. Plums. Eight quarts of plums. Two quarts of sugar. One pint of water. Nearly all kinds of plums can be cooked with the skins on. If it is desired to remove the skin of any variety, plunge them in boiling water wa-ter for a few minutes. When the skins are left on pricking them thoroughly thor-oughly will prevent bursting. Put the sugar and water into the kettle and stir over the fire until the sugar is dissolved. Wash and drain the plums. Cut some of the fruit in the boiling syrup, but do not crowd it.-Cook it.-Cook five minutes, fill and seal the jars. Put more fruit in the syrup. Continue until all the fruit is done. Canned Tomatoes Whole. Eight quarts of medium sized tomatoes. to-matoes. Four quarts of sliced tomatoes. Put the sliced tomatoes into a stew pan, 'heat slowly to boiling and boil gently twenty minutes. Take ironi the fire and rub through a sLraiuer. Keep hot. While the sliced tomatoes are cooking pare the whole tomatoes and put them in sterilized jars. Pou into the jars enough of the stewed tomatoes to fill all the spaces. Pur the uncovered jars in a moderate oven placing hem in shallow shal-low pans of hot water. Allow to cook in the oven half an hour. Take from the oven, fill to overflowing with the boiling hot strained tomato, then seal. Preserved Strawberries. Use equal weights of sugar and strawberries. Put the strawberries in the p: reserving kettle' in layers sprinkling sugar over each layer. The fruit and sugar should' not be more than four inches deep. Place the kettle on the stove and heat the fruit and sugar slowly to the boiling point. When it begins to boil, skim carefully. Boil ten minutes, counting count-ing from the time the fruit begins to bubble. Pour the cooked fruit into platter, having it about 2 or 3 inches deep. Place the platters in a ters, having it about two or three inches deep. Place the platters in a sunny window, in an unused room for three or four days. In that time the fruit will grow plump and firm, and the syrup will thicken almost to a jelly. Put this perserve (cold) into jars. Phini Conserve. Four quarts of plums. Three-fourths to equal parts of sugar by weight. One pound of raisins. Three oranges. ' One lemon. One-half pound walnuts, almonds or peanuts. Wash and stone the plums. Slice the oranges very thin crosswise, cut the raisins in small pieces. Put all in a kettle together, put the sugar on top. Boil slowly, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. When cooked, add grated rind and juice of the lemon and the chopped nuts. Current Jelly. Free the currents from leaves and large stems. Put them in the preserving pre-serving kettle; crush with a wooden vegetable masher or spoon; heat slowly, stirring frequently. When the currents are hot, crush them with the vegetable masher. Put a hair sieve or strainer over a large bowl, over this spread a double square of cheese cloth or use a flannel flan-nel jelly bag. Put the crushed fruit and juice into the cheese cloth, and let it drain as long as it drips, but do not use pressure. After this put the cloth over another bowl, j Twist the ends together and press I out as much juice as possible. Use j this juice for a second quality jelly. Measure the juice and put in a clean preserving kettle. For every pint of ! juice add a pint of granulated sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved then place over the fro. wat'h closely and when it boils up. draw it back and skim. Put over fire i: irt; ; ?i and boil and skim otii o more. P.oil and skim a third time. Try a littl" in a sneer then potir into hot glasses takin from the pan of water on thr-stove thr-stove and set on a bn.trd. Place in a sunny '.vitntow iti a r- . t.i v. itrre ili-Tc is r.o .Inst. V,"h-n j"T.y s-Ms. eov.-r. To ma'te ctrivM '.y tV," ( el ; ".'.ro..-s i'Vlow the- t"r-l r-;i s for board in a sunny window. Cover with sheets of glass and keep by the window until set. Jelly made by the cold process is more delicate than that made by boiling, hut it does not keep quite so well. All jellies may be made the same as currant jelly except that some of the drier fruits, as apples, plums, crab apples and quinces need to be cooked the first time in a little water. wa-ter. Grape Juice. Wash the grapes and pick from the stems. Put the fruit in the preserving preserv-ing kettle, and crush slightly. Heat slowly and boil gently for half an hour. Crush the fruit with a wooden wood-en spoon. Put a sieve or colander over a large howl and spread a square of cheese cloth over the sieve. Turn the fruit and juice into the cloth, drain well and press out all the juice possible. Put , the strained juice in a clean preserving kettle on the fire. When it boils up draw back and skim. Let it boil up again and skim, then add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Boil five more minutes and skim, then put into hot sterilized jars or bottles. Put the bottles into a moderate mod-erate oven for ten minutes in pans of boiling water. Have some boiling boil-ing juice and pour a little intothe bottles as they are taken from the oven, then seal. A good proportion of juice and sugar is one-half cup of sugar to a quart of juice. |