HOUSEHOLD RECIPES. 291 
Preserved figs with ginger.—Ten pounds of fresh ripe figs. not shriveled, are 
peeled of the thick outside skin. As not all figs are peeled readily, a variety which 
peels must be selected. Take the peel of one orange or lemon. pare well, and use 
none of the inner white part or rag. ‘Take one ginger root and shave very thinly 
with a sharp knife. Boil the peel and ginger until very tender in a separate kettle. 
In another kettle make a sirup of 6 pounds of best white sugar, enough water to 
dissolve; add the juice of four oranges and one lemon or four lemons. When 
ready, add the decoction of the orange peel and ginger. but take care to first strain. 
Bring the sirup to a simmer, drop in the peeled figs and simmer under cover until 
clear and tender. which requires more or less time, according to the variety of figs 
used and their state of ripeness. 
Pick before quite ripe, peel and put in shallow dishes, with sugar. for twelve 
hours, usually overnight: drain off juice into preserving kettle, and after coming 
to a boil put in figs for a short time: take up in dishes again and expose to sun 
while sirup is boiling down; then return figs. and when they begin to look clear 
take up and expose to sun again while reducing sirup to desired thickness; then 
return figs to sirup and let. simmer gently for an hour, being careful not to have 
too hot a fire and thus burst the figs; use a pound of sugar for each pound of fruit. 
Pick figs fully ripe, but not shriveled. Scald first in hot water, change water 
several times in order to draw out the milky juice. Pack figs in glass jars in rows 
and handsomely. Make a sirup of one cup sugar to two of water. Pour over 
figs, and steam for twenty minutes. without rubber band. Then place on the 
rubber bands; steam for twenty-five minutes more with the cover lightly pressed 
down. A very superior article is madeif the figs are first steamed in a colander 
until tender, then packed in glass and steamed with the sirup. An apricot kernel 
or a bitter almond may be added to each jar. or, better. grated and boiled with 
the sirup before pouring over the figs. No more than one kernel is needed for 
each jar. 
Fig preserves.—Gather the fruit when fully ripe, but not cracked open; place in 
a perforated tin bucket or wire basket and dip for one moment into a deep kettle 
of hot and moderately strong lye (some prefer letting them lie an hour in lime- 
water, and afterwards drain); make a sirup in proportion of 1 pound of sugar 
to 1 of fruit. and when the figs are well drained put them in the sirup and boil 
them until well cooked; removing, boil the sirup down until there is just enough 
to cover the fruit; put the fruit back in the sirup, let all boil, and seal while hot 
in glass or porcelain jars. 
Canned jigs.—To 3 quarts boiling water add 2 heaping tablespoonfuis soda; 
now dip your figs in the water for one minute and skim them out; then wash 
them thoroughly in two or three waters, or until there is no color left in the water. 
To 10 pounds of figs allow 8 pounds of sugar: add just enough water to dissolve 
the sugar; when boiling hot, drop in the figs, having first selected them with care 
so as to avoid any that are broken or overripe; let them simmer slowly two hours; 
now remove the figs and boil down the sirup until quite thick; replace the figs; 
bring all to a boiling heat, after which they are ready for canning after the usual 
method. <A few slices of lemon with its juice will improve its flavor. 
White-jig marmalade.—A delicious marmalade is made from white figs. Take 
perfectly ripe and fresh figs, peel off the thin, soft skin, and to every 2 pounds of 
figs use 1} pounds of sugar and the grated peel of a large orange or lemon; cut 
up the figs and mash them with the sugar, adding the grated yellow rind and 
juice of the orange or lemon; boil all together until the whole is reduced to a 
thick, clear, smooth mass, stirring frequently from the bottom. When done. put 
into jars while hot and cover closely. 
Those who like less sugar can use one-nalf pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, 
and it will keep perfectly, provided it be boiled very clear and smooth. 
