Skimming 



Just how much the cooking jelly shall be skimmed is a debatable 

 question. There certainly can be no serious objection raised to the 

 removal of any sciim that may form upon the surface of the boiling juice 

 before the sugar is added. It is doubtful if it is necessary, and it is per- 

 haps some loss to continually remove the scimi after adding the sugar. 

 Any scum that forms may be removed just before pouring into glasses, 

 or each glass of jelly may be skimmed. Pouring the hot jelly through 

 a cheesecloth will remove all scum. If the hot jelly is strained into a 

 warm pitcher it can then be easily poured into the sterilized warm 

 glasses. 



Stirring the jelly while cooking, except to hasten the dissolving of 

 the sugar, certainly does no good and were better omitted. 



Heating the Sugar 



Some writers on this subject insist that the sugar must be heated 

 before being added to the boiling juice. Experience does not bear out 

 this recommendation. The fuss and bother of heating the sugar will 

 certainly overbalance any imaginary defect in quality caused by add- 

 ing unheated sugar. 



Sterilizing the Jelly Glasses 



Jelly glasses should be thoroughly washed before sterilizing. The 

 sterilization is to destroy yeasts and molds, not to cleanse the glasses. 

 To sterilize glasses place them in a vessel and cover with water; place 

 over fire and heat to the boiling point. Continue to boil for at least five 

 minutes. Remove and invert to drain. Avoid setting glasses on a cold 

 surface or in a draft. If glasses become cold before the hot jelly is poiired 

 into them they should be set in a shallow pan containing a little hot 

 water. This is to avoid breaking the glasses. 



Adding the Paraffin 



The paraffin may be added in several different ways. If the jelly 

 maker is siire the product is done, thin shavings of paraffin may be 

 placed in the bottom of the glasses before the hot jelly is poured in. 

 The heat of the jelly will melt the paraffin, which being light will float 

 to the surface and harden as the jelly cools. This gives a good seal and 

 avoids some extra labor. The objections to this method are: (i) the 

 jelly cannot be skimmed after pouring into the glasses, and (2) if the 

 jelly has been slightly undercooked the paraffin must be removed until 

 the jelly hardens, after which it will be necessary to add a new seal. 



Another way is to have thin shavings of paraffin which are dropped 

 on to the jelly after it has been poiired into the glasses. This does not 

 differ in principle from the above method, and has the same objections, 

 except if one works qmckly any scum may be removed before the paraffin 

 is added. 



Still another — and with most jelly makers the safest — method is 

 to wait until the jelly has cooled and has become hard, then melt in a 

 cup some paraffin, heat to the boiling point and pour on to the jelly. 



