SOME FRUITS OF HAWAII 



35 



Guava juice may be used in the diet of children and adults to supply 

 generous quantities of vitamin C. 



Supply: Guavas are most plentiful from June to October, but 

 small quantities may be obtained at other seasons. They are not to be 

 found in the Honolulu markets at any time of the year, for no attempt 

 is made to pick and offer them for sale. 



Use: The common guava may be used as a fresh fruit, served 

 with sugar, for dessert and shortcake or may be combined with citrus 

 fruit and pineapple in cocktails and salads. Guava juice makes an excel- 

 lent substitute for orange or tomato juice in child feeding and makes a 

 pleasing addition to punch. The guava is most highly prized for jelly 

 making because of its distinctive flavor and high pectin and acid content. 

 It also may be used for butters, jams, marmalades and preserves. The 

 pulp remaining after the juice has been extracted for jelly making may 

 be used satisfactorily for guavalets, guava catsup, butter or jam. The 

 type of confection called guava paste may be made by evaporating the 

 strained guava pulp until it is very thick. This is sold commercially 

 in many parts of the world. 



Guava jelly 



Choose half-ripe, sour guavas, wash, remove blossom end, and cut in 

 quarters. Add % pound or 1% cups water to each pound of guavas. This 

 amount of water should be sufficient to almost cover the guavas. Boil slowly 

 until fruit is very soft. Strain through a flannel jelly bag or two thicknesses 

 of a sugar or flour sack. Do not squeeze bag in extracting the juice. If 

 desired, a second extraction of juice may be made from the same pulp by add- 

 ing water and boiling again. The second extraction has almost as much 

 pectin but not as much acid as the first. When jelly is being made a small 

 amount of lemon juice may be added to increase acid. 



The amount of acid and pectin present in guavas varies with maturity 

 of the fruit and locality where it is grown. A test for pectin may be made 

 by adding 1 tablespoon of wood or grain alcohol to 1 tablespoon of juice. If 

 the mixture becomes thick and gelatinous, there is considerable pectin 

 present, and 1% to 1 cup of sugar should be used for each cup of juice. For 

 half-ripe guavas from Manoa Valley 1M or 1% cups of sugar to 1 cup juice 

 usually proves the best proportion for the first extraction'.' juice. 



Jelly should not be made in quantities larger than 4 cups at one time, 

 as a dark gummy jelly will result from long cooking. Since a short cooking 

 and rapid evaporation are desirable in jelly making, a shallow kettle with 

 a capacity four times the measure of juice should be used. 



Bring juice to the boiling point and if more than 2 cups are used, boil from 

 5 to 10 minutes before adding sugar. Remove scum which forms on top 

 after sugar is added. Test jelly by allowing juice to drip from a spoon, 

 removing kettle from fire while testing. When three or four drops run 

 together and "sheet" off the spoon in one large drop, the jelly is done. It 

 may also be tested with a thermometer — 104° Centigrade, or 219° Fahren- 

 heit, on a very clear day; 105° Centigrade, or 221° Fahrenheit, on a damp 

 cloudy day; and 106° Centigrade, or 222° Fahrenheit, on a rainy day. 



Pour jelly into hot sterile glasses and seal with paraffin. Pulp remaining 

 after juice is extracted should be used for guava catsup, butter, jam or 

 guavalets. 



