COOKING AND PANTRY STORES. 387 



COOKING AND PANTRY STORES. 



FOOD PREPARATIONS. 



MRS. A. B. UNDERWOOD. 



Fruit la its natural, fresh state is the most acceptable either for eating 

 out of hand or for table purposes. Unfortunately, there are some months 

 of the year when fresh fruits cannot be obtained, and the healthy appe- 

 tite craves something as a substitute. The apple is always with us, and 

 should appear on the table three times regularly— as regularly as the 

 bread plate. But, for the sake of variety we must test our ingenuity and 

 see what glass jars and sugar will do for us. 



There are many ways of putting up fruit, and among them the old 

 "pound for pound boiled down to a ropy consistency" way is not out of 

 style yet; and even jelly boiled until it is lifeless, but thick, is often seen. 



In putting up fruit, the aim should be to retain the natural fragrance 

 and flavor. In our household, strawberries, raspberries, currants, goose- 

 berries, grapes and blackberries, when to be used as sauce, are put up 

 without sugar. Only sound fruit should be used for this purpose. Fill 

 the glass jars as full as possible by gently pressing down the fruit; then 

 place them in a boiler with about four inches of water in it; have a piece 

 of board or old cloth in the boiler for the jars to stand on, to prevent 

 breaking. When thoroughly cooked through, take out of the boiler. The 

 fruit will have settled greatly; so take one jar and fill the others from it 

 to within one-eighth inch of the top; this space till at once with boiling 

 water, and put the covers on immediately. After standing awhile, be sure 

 the covers are on tight, and when perfectly cold, try them again. 



When needed for use, pour the contents of a jar into a sauce dish, add 

 about one-half pint of water to a quart of fruit and as much sugar as 

 desired; let it stand about five minutes, and it is ready for use. The flavor 

 of any fruit is injured by cooking in the sugar. 



The thought of green gooseberries put up in this way sets one's teeth 

 on edge. But, when these are poured out of the jar to use, take the potato 

 masher and mash thoroughly; then add a pint or more of water to a quart 

 of fruit and lots of sugar, and you will have a delicious sauce. 



In making jellies and jams, don't boil "'twenty minutes" or more after 

 putting the sugar in. If it is necessary to evaporate juice or fruit, do it 

 before the sugar is added, and then just let it come to a boil and pour at once 

 into glasses. To be sure that the fruit is evaporated sufficiently to jelly, 

 take equal quantities of juice and sugar into an old sauce plate, and let it 

 come to a boil, and pour at once into glasses. To be sure that the juice is 

 evaporated sufficiently to jelly, take equal quantities of juice and sugar 

 into an old sauce plate and let it come to a boil; if after cooling it is not 

 thick enough, let the juice simmer awhile longer, and try again. Then, 



