336 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



September, 19 13 



losing pride in personal production, as these very good 

 things are put in the stores to help those who cannot take the 

 time to produce them. 



This recipe for sweet-pickle, I have used for thirty years. 

 No chicken pie was ever considered complete without this 

 adjunct. We would as soon think of leaving out the chicken 

 as serving chicken pie without sweet-pickle. Take a ripe 

 cucumber or watermelon rind, the white part, and pare them 

 with as thin a paring as possible, for the meat part is very 

 precious. Cut the pared rinds into thick chunks, not too 

 long in shape. Boil one ounce of alum in one gallon of 

 water; pour it on the rinds, and let them stand in it several 

 hours on the back of the stove or in a fireless cooker. Take 

 out into cold water, rinse well, and leave them in cold water 

 till thoroughly chilled. I have left them often over night. 



Take, for eight pounds 

 of fruit, four pounds of 

 the best brown sugar, one 

 quart of vinegar, and one 

 large cup of mixed spices 

 — stick cinnamon, cloves, 

 allspice and cassia buds, 

 less of the cloves than of 

 the other spices. Tie the 

 spices in a bag made of 

 cheese-cloth and large 

 enough to have the spices 

 loose inside. Boil with the 

 sugar and vinegar, skim- 

 ming well as it boils. When 

 perfectly clear add the 

 fruit and boil until tender, 

 which will be ten or fifteen 

 minutes. 



Skim out the fruit and 

 put into jars. Boil the 

 syrup five minutes longer, 

 and then pour it over the 

 fruit, leaving the tops of 

 the jars uncovered until 

 cool. The next day pour off the syrup and boil down again. 

 Do this for three mornings, keeping the bag of spices in the 

 syrup each time. Cover and put in a cool place. 



Piccalilli may be made and kept in an apartment, it is so 

 easy to make and keeps so well. India relish is an excellent 

 substitute, but piccalilli made in the home is far better and 

 much cheaper. Take four quarts of green tomatoes, chop 

 them or put them through the meat grinder with the large 

 cutter. Sprinkle well with salt, using half a cup, and let them 

 stand over night. In the morning drain off the water and 

 add two onions and the coarse part of three heads of celery, 

 chopped fine. Put into a granite or a porcelain kettle, with 

 one quart good sharp vinegar, two cups brown sugar, one 

 teaspoon white pepper, one tablespoon each of ground cinna- 

 mon, allspice and mustard. Cook slowly all day, or until the 

 tomatoes are soft. Grated horseradish gives a good flavor 

 if it is to be had. 



Crab-apple jelly is another thing which is never as good 

 as when made in the home. Wash the fruit and cut in quar- 

 ters, but do not pare nor remove the seeds. Barely cover 

 with water and boil until soft enough to mash. Put in a 

 cheese-cloth bag and drain the juice off, but do not squeeze. 

 Take a cup of granulated sugar to one of juice. Boil until it 

 jellies on the edge of the spoon when cool. 



Excellent marmalade may be made from the pulp which 

 is left in the bag. Mash through a coarse sieve or colander. 

 Use equal parts of pulp and sugar, adding the sugar grad- 

 ually to the pulp as it heats. Boil over very slow fire until 

 the sugar is thoroughly blended with the pulp. Seal as with 

 and canned fruit, and what threatened waste, is a preserve. 



PEACH CREAM 

 By Mary H. Northend 



Grape jelly is not to be had in its perfection unless the 

 housekeeper desires it enough to make it herself. Some say 

 grapes will not "jell," that is, not to be real firm; but I have 

 not had any trouble with it. Take grapes when not fully 

 ripe, squeeze a few out of their skins to furnish moisture for 

 the bottom of the kettle. Remove the rest of the grapes 

 from the stems and place kettle over very slow fire until the 

 juice is well started from the mass, when more rapid boiling 

 will become possible. Strain through cheese-cloth bag. For 

 every cup of juice use one cup of sugar. Boil until jelly 

 forms on the spoon when cool, skimming carefully. 



Just these four home products will add greatly to one's 

 table, and, although some trouble to prepare, will add joy 

 to the meals all through the Winter, giving a touch to a 

 simple meal which changes it from the commonplace, and 



giving the housekeeper a 

 feeling of being ready at 

 any time for a quick call. 



Soak one fourth box gelatine in one fourth cup of cold water, ten 

 minutes. Chill and whip one pint of rich cream. To whipped 

 cream add one third cup of powdered sugar, one teaspoon vanilla 

 and one tablespoon sherry. To this add gelatine dissolved in one 

 fourth cup boiling water, add two or three peaches chopped very fine, 

 and pour into individual molds. When serving, turn into individual 

 glasses and surround with slices of fresh peach protruding slightly 

 over the rim of the glass, and place a candied cherry on top. 

 Macaroons are delicious with this dessert. 



>t « :: [a a a a a a a a a aja a a a a a a a 



A MEDFIELD 

 FARMHOUSE 



( Continued from pa%e 306) 



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This part of the 

 grounds is a favorite re- 

 sort for the young people 

 of the neighborhood 

 during the warm weather. 

 The court is so well laid 

 out and carefully kept in 

 proper condition that its 

 superior qualities are ap- 

 preciated by lovers of this 

 sport. 



Another feature of the 

 grounds is the swimming 

 pool, which is at one side 

 of the tennis court. This 

 is about twenty-five feet 

 long and twelve feet wide, cemented and cut down to a 

 depth of seven feet, and is much used all through the Sum- 

 mer season. The length and width make it adaptable for 

 contests in swimming. Its setting is most artistic, with a 

 background of tall poplars, which are set closely together. 

 asMsMsiisiwiraasw^ 



IRIS 



(Continued from page 310) 



named varieties showing a wide range of beauty. Iris 

 squalens represents another good class, the flowers of which 

 are mostly rich bronze or pure yellow. Of a more decided 

 yellow still are the German Irises which are grouped to- 

 gether under the name Iris variegata. In the case of most 

 of these kinds the standards (the name by which the upright 

 portions of the flower are known) are of a more or less 

 different shade to the falls (the technical term for the parts 

 of the blossoms which hang down). Coming to Spanish 

 Irises, which have been divided up into an enormous num- 

 ber of varieties, a splendid bright yellow form is that known 

 as "Golden King." There is no better deep blue than 

 "Catharina," while "Avalanche" is a deservedly popular 

 white variety. A splendid bronze purple kind has been 

 named "Thunderbolt." Any collection of English Irises 

 should not fail to include "Clara Butt," a fine white 

 variety, a deep crimson purple kind which is called "Lord 

 Palmerston," and the delicate blue gray, "Emperor." A 

 collection of Irises which included only those kinds which 

 have been mentioned, would provide a gorgeous display of 

 beautiful blossom in a wide range of striking color. 



