Directions for Preserving Fruits and Vegetables 



THE proper preservation of fruits 

 and vegetables for winter use is 

 an important question for the 

 housekeeper. A bulletin on this sub- 

 ject, recently issued by the Wisconsin 

 Kxperimcnt Station, contains many 

 useful recipes and suggestions. While 

 the recipes were worked out largely with 

 native fruits, they will apply equally 

 as well for preserving the domestic 

 varieties of Canada. The following ex- 

 tracts may be of value to the lady 

 readers of The Horticulturist; 



It is important that the fruit intended 

 for canning should be in the right stage 

 of ripeness; it should be firm, having 

 attained its full size and normal color. 

 It should be free from all kinds of blem- 

 ishes, such as scab, rust, rot, and all 

 forms of insect life. Fruit intended for 

 canning in any way should be utilized 

 as soon as possible after it is picked. If 

 left standing for hours, even if the fruit 

 is not over-ripe, the fine flavor is lost 

 and the keeping qualities greatly im- 

 paired. 



SELECTION AND PREPARATION 



In selecting fruit for canning, it is 

 advisable not to mix the different vari- 

 eties together; for example, if plum 

 preserves are made, each lot should be 

 made from a distinct variety, or a com- 

 bination of flavor will be the result, 

 besides some varieties require more heat 

 than others, thus giving the preserved 

 product a lack of uniformity. To in- 

 sure success in putting up fruit, a few 

 precautions must be observed ; namely, 

 fresh perfect fruit, absolute sterilization 

 of all utensils, the best grade of sugar, 

 and other materials used. 



NOTES ON MAKING PRESERVES 



When fruit is put up by the oven 

 method, either cover the oven with 

 heavy asbestos paper and cover the jars 

 with the same paper, or place the jars in 

 a dripping pan with a little cold water 

 in the pan, and place a pan over the 

 jars, as the fruit cooks faster in the top 

 and may turn a little dark if not cov- 

 ered. 



In making preserves, different fruits 

 require different amounts of sugar; if 

 a heavy syrup is wanted and no syrup 

 gauge is at hand, use just enough water 

 to liquify the sugar and heat very slowly 

 as sugar often crystallizes in the bottom 

 of the jar, if boiled rapidly, and the 

 fruit will not be sweet enough. In mak- 

 ing syrup, when it begins to boil, run a 

 wet cloth carefully around the edge of 

 the pan, to tak-e out the impurities in 

 the sugar, leaving the syrup clear. 



A good way to prevent moulding and 

 improving the general keeping qualities 

 of preserves is to cut out circular pieces 

 of paper to fit over the preserves. Be- 



fore placing it over the preserves dip in 

 melted paraffin and on top of this paper 

 pour melted paraffin, making a layer an 

 eighth of an inch in thickness. ParafTin 

 may be obtained at any drug store and 

 is both cheap and effective. 



DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING JELLY 



Fruit for jelly is best gathered a little 

 unripe. Jelly made from fruit gathered 

 after a heavy rain will require a greater 

 amount of boiling, and in some cases 

 will not "jell" at all, owing to the lack 

 of the starchy properties contained in 

 fruit. This, however, may be put into 

 jars and sealed and used for mince meat. 



Great care should be used in skimming 

 jelly. The juice should not be stirred, 

 but the scum skimmed off carefully. If 

 allowed to boil over, the jelly will not 

 be clear. 



In putting the jelly into glasses, ster- 

 ihze the glasses, and drain them thor- 

 oughly; otherwise, air bubbles are apt 

 to be in the jelly. When filling, fill each 

 glass full before attempting to fill the 

 next, as jelly will slide off in layers when 

 turned out if put in a little at a time. 

 Boil only a small amount of juice at one 

 lime, and use a shallow pan, as the water 

 evaporates faster in a shallow pan, allow- 

 ing the juice to "jell" in less time. 

 Some people think that fruit that is not 

 fit to can or preserve is all right for jelly, 

 but this is not true. Perfect fruit is 

 more essential for jelly than any other 

 way of caring for fruit. Soft ripe fruit 

 may be used for jams or marmalades. 



Fruits such as strawberries, raspber- 

 ries, peaches, which will not jell easily, 

 make beautiful jelly if one-third rhu- 

 barb juice is used and the flavor is not 

 harmed by such addition. 



NEW WAY OF MAKING PLUM JELLY 



A new way to make plum and other 

 jellies, is to place the fruit dry in jars. 

 Two-quart jars are good. Either place 

 the jars in the oven in asbestos paper or 

 in a fruit steamer and cook till fruit is 

 tender. Take out and strain through 

 a flannel bag. Add as much sugar as 

 juice, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. 

 Place on the back of the stove and heat 

 slowly until it forms jelly drops on the 

 spoon. During boiling skim carefully. 

 It will take but a little boiling as this is 

 pure juice. This process produces the 

 clearest and finest plum jelly. 



The pulp may be used for jams or 

 butter by straining through a sieve and 

 adding equal amount of sugar and heat- 

 ing slowly till thick enough. Place in 

 jars and seal as usual. 



MAKING APPLE JELLY 



Cut the apples into quarters. They 

 should not be cored or peeled. Cover 

 with water and cook till tender and 

 strain. Let stand an hour or more and 



strain through a flannel bag. Measure 

 out the same amount of sugar as juiei , 

 boil the juice fifteen minutes before 

 putting in the sugar. .Stir until the 

 sugar is dissolved and boil slowly till it 

 jellies in a spoon. Plum juice may be 

 added if a plum flavor is desired. Apple 

 jelly often lacks a decided flavor and 

 this can be enhanced by adding a small 

 quantity of plum juice. 



CURRANT JELLY 



Wash and mash the fruit well, let 

 stand a little while and strain. Put the 

 juice in a stone jar and place in the 

 coolest part of the cellar for 24 hours. 

 Then remove the scum which will form 

 on top, strain through a flannel bag and 

 measure f)ound for pound of sugar and 

 juice and stir till the sugar is dissolved. 

 Put in glasses and seal. In 24 hours 

 you will have a perfectly transparent 

 jelly. No heat is required. 



MAKING PLUM PRESERVES 



Plums are always nicer peeled and it 

 is easily done by placing the fruit in 

 boiling water for a minute or two, then 

 pouring on cold water. The skins will 

 then slip off easily. If plums are to be 

 canned with the skin on, either prick 

 each plum with a darning needle or cut 

 one side to the stone so that they will 

 stay whole. Some varieties require 

 more sugar than others. 



CANNED PLUMS 



Make a syrup by using pound for 

 pound of fruit and sugar, or less sugar 

 if not so rich a sauce is wanted. When 

 the syrup is boiling add the fruit. Cook 

 till tender, and carefully remove the 

 fruit and place in jars. Fill up with 

 the syrup and seal. 



BAKED PLUMS 



Sort the fruit, wash and let dn.-, then 

 put the fruit into sterilized jars and 

 place the same in the oven which should 

 be lined with asbestos paper. Cook till 

 the fruit looks clear, not soft. Open 

 the oven door carefully so as not to let 

 the cool air in suddenly as it may break 

 the jars. Lift the jars out, place the 

 rubbers on, fill with the boihng syrup 

 and seal hot. 



STEAMED PLUMS 



Treat the fruit the same as in the 

 foregoing recipe, only place the jars in 

 a steamer and steam till tender, fill 

 with hot syrup and seal. 



(Continued next issue) 



To see your hands in a basin of water 

 at frequent inter^^als when peeling fruit 

 for canning or preserving is a sign that 

 you have your share of that which is 

 next to godliness. 



