465 



necessary to prevent its burning. This accident is al- 

 most unavoidable if the quantity be large, and the fire 

 applied, as is often the case, immediately under the pan: 

 but it may be entirely avoided by putting the pulpy mass, 

 when thickened to the consistence of a syrup, in shallow 

 earthen pans, and placing them in an oven with its door 

 open, moderately heated : in this manner the heat will be 

 applied equally to every part. A still better plan, but 

 more tedious, is to place the vessel containing the pulp in 

 another vessel containing boiling water, which is called 

 the water bath. The application of steam, by means of 

 what is called the steam preserving pan, is the best con- 

 trivance for making marmalades, jams, and all other culi- 

 nary preparations which are liable to become injured by 

 a degree of heat exceeding that of boiling water. 



Orange marmalade. Scoop out the pulp of Seville 

 oranges into a hair sieve, beat it, and press the juice 

 through into a pan below ; boil the skins in water in the 

 preserving pan, till they are tender ; then take out the 

 white part, and cut them into small strips : add this to the 

 juice, and to each pound of the fruit add a pound of clari- 

 fied sugar, and boil the whole for about half an hour to the 

 degree called the feather. Take it off, stir and mix it 

 well, and boil again till it hangs to the spoon, being the 

 degree called the crack. Take care not to boil it too 

 much, but watch it carefully, as the proper consistence is 

 important. When right, pour it into pots ; cover them 

 with paper dipped in brandy, and tie a bladder over it. 

 Common oranges are not equal to the Seville, but they 

 will make very good marmalade. If the sugar is broken 

 in pieces, and boiled with the fruit, without being first 

 clarified, it will do ; but then it must be well skimmed as 

 it boils. Marmalade should be made between February 

 and the end of March, as the Seville oranges are then in 

 their best state. 



