5^9 
known or done in this direction bv Europeans — at any rate on a 
large scale. I was much struck by the many varieties served by 
the Chinese of Malacca in their own houses to European guests, and 
I very much wished to have some myself. With this object in view, 
I engaged two Malay women to come in the mornings to teach me 
to make some of these preserves. They did so willingly always 
scrupulously clean and well-dressed. The old woman. Ha\Va, was 
more talkative than the younger, HAL1MA. The latter did her work 
in the most serious manner possible with a cast iron expression of 
countenance. She was a widow, and make money by her cooking. 
She was distinctly good at her trade, very slow and to her neither 
time or water had any value. One could not preserve during a water 
famine. They liked to boil their fruit and sugar in a large round 
brass pot, with two handles which they called a “gensing”. Per- 
sonally, 1 prefer a white enamelled saucepan. F'or many of the 
preserves, it is almost necessary to see the native process in order 
to thoroughly understand the manipulation of the fruit. Hence it 
is difficult to write recipes for European understanding. I give, 
however, two this month as requested. 
The Chermela is quite simple and easily made, but the Blimbing 
is far more complicated. I hope I have made the process plain in 
my recipe. The Malay women spent endless time and water over 
the washing and squeezing of this fruit, and it is quite a knack to 
roll the fruit in salt without breaking the skin. They put greeu 
colouring into some of their preserves — Limau kasturi for instance— 
and one has to keep a sharp look-out that they do not use the pan- 
dan reed for this purpose. The smell of Musang-pandan is not an 
agreeable adjunct to preserves. Cliekop manis is, however, quite 
harmless and can bt safely used for this purpose. We made seven 
different kinds of preservers : — Chermela, Blimbing, Limau Kasturi, 
Nutmeg, Ginger, Pineapple and Soursop. With the exception of 
the last named, all were very good, and have been much appreciated 
by those who have tasted them. Soursop is not worth doing, the 
fruit is picked unripe and it had such a heavy odour I could not 
touch it. Perhaps, if crystallized, it could be eaten, but then it 
would have no distinctive flavour of its own. The domestics did 
not, however, share my opinion. Neither, do 1 think the local gin- 
ger worth preserving. Chinese ginger is much nicer. I have also 
seen and tasted live other preserves: — Limau keah‘ Chiku, Papaya, 
Pomaloe Peel and Mangosteen. The first too were very indifferent 
and I am told Limau keah makes better orange brandy, but 1 have 
not seen it so used. The Chiku is preserved unripe and is very 
difficult to do. What I tasted was gritty like Gregory’s Powder, 
and besides very bitter. The Papaya and Pomaloe are crystallized 
the Papaya has very little distinctive flavour of its own but is quite 
eatable, and the Pomaloe Peel is very good, and also makes an 
. excellent substitute for Candied E^eel. Mangosteen is very difficult 
to do, but is much thought of. and is really delicious. The fruit 
being out of season, we could not make any of this excellent pre- 
serve. In addition tjo these preserves, there are others which 1 
have not yet tasted or seen. Towkay Neo Ong Hee kindly 
