268 FRUIT RECIPES 



brine and let stand over night when rinse well in fresh 

 cold water, drain, pack close together in jars, and pour 

 over them hot spiced vinegar (sweetened if liked) as for 

 apples, cherries, grapes, etc. 



CAKES OF FIGS 



Cook ripe, peeled figs slowly in double boiler with a 

 little sugar and flavouring (if liked), till smooth and thick. 

 Almonds may be added while cooking. Pour into shallow 

 moulds or pans and dry slowly in sun, oven, or dryer, when 

 perfectly dry cutting in squares or strips and wrapping in 

 oiled paper or storing in dry place. These may be used for 

 cookery as are the commercial figs. 



TO DRY FIGS 



There are several methods in vogue for this, a California 

 treatment of them (Dr. Eisen's) reported by the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture (Div. of Pomol., Bui. No. i) being 

 the following: "When the figs began to wilt and show 

 small white seams they were cut from the tree by means of 

 scissors or a knife, then carefully placed on trays similar to 

 raisin trays. (An improvement is here suggested of nailing 

 laths to form longitudinal ribs across the tray-bottoms.) 

 By placing the figs with the eye elevated on the rib the 

 sugary contents are prevented from leaking out. . . . The 

 figs are now placed in the sun to dry turned every day, at 

 first separately by hand, but when partially dried were 

 turned . . . as we turn raisin trays. Every night they were 

 covered over. . . . The figs are sufficiently dry when they 

 show the same dryness in the morning as the evening. . . . 

 If not sufficiently dried they will puff up and spoil. It is, 

 however, a great danger to overdry the figs . Such figs 

 will get a cooked and earthy taste. ... It took from five 

 to twelve days to dry the figs, according to the weather. 



