DRYING VEGETABLES AXD FRUITS EOR HOME USE. 17 



Mint. — The leaves of this plant are gathered when well developed 

 and before the plant blooms. They are dried and can either be kept 

 in this way or an extract can be made by pouring vinegar over them. 

 Cork and let stand for 2 or 3 weeks, then strain and bottle. The mint 

 vinegar can be used at the table as a spice and can be added to meat 

 dishes and to different kinds of gravy where the mint flavor is desired. 



Sage. — The leaves should be gathered when fully developed, dried 

 in the shade, and finished in the drier. Sage may be kept whole or 

 may be powdered. It is used for seasoning sausage, poultry stuffings, 

 etc. The leaves can also be used for sage tea. 



Thyme. — Gather and dry like sage. It is used for flavoring 

 sausage, spiced meat, soups, and gravies. 



Tarragon. — The stems are cut when the flower buds appear. The 

 coarser parts of the stems are cut off and the fine stems and leaves 

 are spread thinly in an airy place in the shade. When the stems are 

 nearly dry, they can be used for spiced vinegar. They can be dried 

 entirely, powdered, and used as spice in lung sausage, smoked sausage, 

 potted meat, and similar products. In spiced vinegar the tarragon is 

 used in pickles and for certain gravies. 



H<nu to make spiced vinegar ■ — A wide-mouthed bottle or a fruit 

 jar is filled to within 2 inches of the top with spice plants of different 

 kinds, such as slices of horse-radish and onions, seed umbels of dill, 

 ripe seed of white mustard, and celery, green seed of nasturtiums, 

 fine stems and leaves of tarragon, basil, and sweet marjoram. A 

 pod of red pepper can also be added. The bottle or jar is then filled 

 with, vinegar, heated to 160° F., corked or sealed, and left for about 

 3 weeks. Strain the vinegar and fill into small bottles that are 

 corked and sealed with melted paraffin or sealing wax. 



This spiced vinegar is used in making pickles, for flavoring gravies, 

 potato salad, and similar dishes. For pickling it is especially val- 

 uable, as the flavor by adding this spiced vinegar is the same all 

 through the pickles, while if adding only whole pepper, cloves, and 

 dill the flavor is more concentrated at the places where these spices 

 are put. The herbs from which the spiced vinegar was made may 

 be used as garnish by mixing them in the pickles. 



Dried plants used as tea. — In earlier days it was common to prepare 

 tea from home-gathered, often home-grown, plants, flowers, leaves, 

 fruits, roots or barks. The imported tea has replaced most of these 

 home-made teas. Many of them are still used extensively in Europe. 

 Tea made from the flowers of linden or basswood is a common drink 

 in France. Tea made from the flower stems of heath or ling is used 

 in mam 7 places in central Europe. A very fragrant and pleasing tea 

 is made from strawberry leaves. 



