186 FRUITS AND HOW TO USE THEJl 



prevent them trom hardening, while the b.jiling syiup will 

 have the tendency to keep the juice within thj borries. 

 Simmer for thirty minutes, from the time the fruit is add- 

 ed, removing the scum ftom the top when necessary, and 

 pour into wide-mouthed bottles with a teaspoonful of olive 

 oil on the top. When carefully made these preserves equal 

 the best imported fruit. Tlie berries must be selected 

 from the firmest fruit in market. 



Preserved Water-Melon Kind.— Peel the rind after 

 cutting it into oblong or fancy shapes, and throw it into a 

 porcelain kettle or stone jar. Fill it up with cold water to 

 extract the juice, and to every pound of fruit allow one 

 teaspoonful of salt and a saltspoontul of powdered alum. 

 Jiet the rind remain in the water three hours, then drain 

 and pour over cold water, and let it stand three hours long- 

 er. At the end of that time simmer the rind in clear water 

 till it begins to look clear. Drain and make a syrup of 

 pound for pound or a little less sugar, and a cupful of wa- 

 ter for every two pounds of sugar, and add. a little green 

 ginger cut in small bits. Skim, drop in the rinds, and let it 

 heat through slowly, then simmer lill they are clear and ten- 

 der though not broken. Skim the preserves into hot glass 

 jars, boil down the syrup if it is not sufficiently thick, add 

 enough lemon juice to give a distinct flavor, pour over the 

 preserve and seal. If the rinds are too soft they may be 

 spread on plates in the oven before putting in the jars. 

 Use orange peel and juice in place of lemon if desired. 



Tutti Frutti Preserves.— This is made pound for 

 pound of sugar, of every variety of fruit, beginning with 

 strawberries. It is to be weighed, boiled and skimmed 

 like any other preserve, and each, when cooked, is turned 

 into the omnium-gatherum, a stone jar closely covered 

 and kept in a cool place Some housekeepers insist that it 

 cannot be kept without brandy unless it is sealed after 

 adding each variety of fruit. Hard fruit like pine-apples, 

 quinces and pears must br^ parboiled till tender before add- 

 ing the sugar. Lemon and orange juice are used instead 

 of the pulp, but the grated yellow rind is necessary. 



