Cooking Plums 353 



hand, that this process should be gone through not 

 only once, but nine times! 



Many of the native plums are fine for spicing, es- 

 pecially the comparatively hard-fleshed varieties of the 

 Wayland group. Damsons are largely used for this 

 purpose in some neighborhoods. They are good, but 

 inferior to the native varieties mentioned. 



Pickled plums. — Almost any kind of plums may be 

 pickled, using the following recipe, given by Mary 

 Foster Snider: Boil slowly with a pint of water until 

 very soft. Press through a colander, weigh the pulp 

 and to every five pounds allow three pounds white 

 sugar, one-half pint vinegar, a level tablespoon each of 

 ground cinnamon and cloves, and a level teaspoon salt. 

 Boil and stir until rich and thick. Seal boiling hot in 

 pint self-sealing jars. 



Jelly. — In the humble opinion of the writer, plums 

 make the best jelly in the world. If made from the 

 proper varieties, plum jelly has fully as good a color as 

 the finest currant jelly, a better consistency, and a 

 richer, more fruity flavor. Wayland is the best variety 

 yet discovered for jelly, though all the native red va- 

 rieties are fine; and almost any plum will do. The 

 fruit should be picked rather green. 



To every peck of plums add a quart of water. 

 Cook in a porcelain kettle until the plums are very 

 soft and the juice rich and syrupy. Pour them into a 

 strong muslin bag, hang it upon a stout hook, and 

 leave to drain over night. Do not squeeze the pulp 

 or the jelly will be cloudy. In the morning measure 

 the juice, and to every cup of juice allow one cup of 

 sugar. Or somewhat less sugar may be used, especial- 

 ly if the jelly is to be eaten with meats, — a purpose for 

 which plum jelly is peculiarly desirable. Bring the 

 juice quickly to the boiling point, and boil rapidly for 

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