44 
American Agriculturist, July 21,1923 
Eat What You Can, 
The Important Steps of This Important 
and What You Can’t—Can 
Summer Occupation, with Tables for Different Foods 
M ORE cans adorn the shelves of care¬ 
ful housekeepers each summer than 
did the last. We are learning that 
practically every edible fruit, vegetable 
and meat may not only be put up but, 
if properly handled, will keep its flavor 
and food value unspoiled by the process. 
One vessel for unpeeled fruit (or 
vegetables before stringing, etc.) 
One vessel in which to drop fruit 
after peeling or for washiag vegetables 
and later for cold water. 
One pitcher from which the syrup 
or brine may easily be poured into jars. 
' TABLE OF CONDENSED INFORMATION ON CANNING FRUITS 
FRUIT 
Method of 
Preparation 
No. Minutes 
to Blanch 
Kind 
of 
Syrup 
No. min. 
process 
REMARKS 
pts. 
qts. 
Apples. 
wash, peel, core, slice 
1 to 2 
light 
15 
20 
If fruits are desired 
for pie filling they 
should be cooked 15 
to 20 minutes, poured 
into sterilized jars 
while very hot. syrup 
added, and sealed im¬ 
mediately. 
Apricots.- .... 
wash, peel, seed, slice 
15 sec. 
medium 
15 
20 
’'■‘•Blackberries. 
stem, wash 
light 
10 
15 
"'"'•Blueberries. . 
wash, stem 
light 
10 
15 
Cherries..... 
stem, wash, pit 
15 sec. 
medium 
20 
30 
Crabapples.. . 
wash, peel, core, slice 
1 to 2 
light 
10 
20 
Currants. . . . 
stem, wash 
medium 
10 
15 
•— Dewberries. . 
stem, wash 
medium 
10 
15 
-—- Elderberries. 
wash, stem 
light 
15 
20 
wash 
5 to 10 in 
soda 
medium or 
heavy 
30 
40 
% cup soda to 1 gallon 
water. 
—— Gooseberries. 
wash, stem 
medium 
10 
15 
Grapes. 
stem, wa«h 
medium 
10 
15 
— Loganberries. 
stem, wash 
15 sec. 
medium 
10 
15 
Mulberries. . 
wash, stem 
light 
15 
20 
Peaches. 
wash, peel, pit, slice 
15 to 30 sec. 
medium 
20 
25 
May be lye-peeled. 
Pears. 
wash, peel, core, slice 
15 to 30 sec. 
light or med. 
20 
30 
Pineapple. . . . 
wash, peel* slice 
10 
medium 
20 
30 
» 
Plumst. 
stem, wash, prick 
15 sec. 
light, or med. 
10 
15 
Quince. 
wash, core 
1 to 2 
medium 
15 
20 
. -Raspberries. . 
wash, stem 
15 sec. 
light or med. 
10 
15 
Strawberries. 
stem, wash 
15 sec. 
med. or heavy 
15 
25 
It has been estimated that 1,250 jars 
or 1,050 quarts of food will give^ a 
year’s supply for a family of five. Not 
all of us need depend so largely on 
canned foods, yet the woman who this 
year increases her store of preserved 
sweets, greens, relishes, semicoarse veg¬ 
etables and meats will be able to give 
her family the varied meals which sup¬ 
ply the many different food elements 
needed for health, and will also save 
herself trouble and money during the 
months when fresh supplies are not so 
plentiful. 
The science of home canning has been 
made very exact indeed and with the 
proper equipment and scrupulous at¬ 
tention to details, any woman can put 
her year’s supply in her home kitchen. 
The following list of" steps and tables 
give the essentials of the work in brief: 
1. Carefully wash all jars, covers, 
rubbers, canner and other equipment. 
2. Place jars and covers in canner, 
cover them with cold or tepid water.. 
3. Place canner over fire and sterilize 
j^rs at least ten minutes, after the 
water has reached boiling point. 
4. Place a second vessel of water over 
the fire, to be heated for blanching of 
vegetables. 
5. Sort, grade and wash products to 
be canned, being careful to discard any 
that are over-ripe or -decayed. 
6. Prepare in pieces of a desirable 
and convenient size for canning. 
7. Blanch in boiling water according 1 
to tables. 
J Cold dip vegetables, but not fruits. 
Green vegetables should be blanched in 
live steam. 
8. Pack into sterilized jars. 
9. Add syrup to fruits, and salt and 
water to vegetables. 
10. Dip rubber ring into hot soda 
water, using one teaspoon soda to one 
cup boiling water, then place it on the 
jar. 
11. Place cover in position and par¬ 
tially close—if screw top, screw cover 
half way on; if glass top, bring wire 
bail into position across top with a 
distinct click, but do not press clamp 
d:wn at side until the fruit or veget¬ 
able has been processed. 
12. Process in canner according to 
time given in tables. 
13. Remove jars from canner and 
press down clamp as each jar is taken 
cut. 
14. Invert jar to cool, and test joint 
for perfect seal. 
15. Store in cool place away from 
strong sunlight. 
A suggested equipment for efficient 
canning of fruit would be: 
One vessel, with false bottom to be 
used for canner. 
One vessel for blanching. 
One small vessel for soda water when 
cleansing rubber. 
One sharp paring knife. 
One tablespoon for use in packing. 
One cloth or wire basket, for blanch¬ 
ing. 
Cloths, or lifters, for handling jars. 
In preparing sugar syrup for fruits, 
follow this table: 
Light syrup, 2 cups sugar to one gal¬ 
lon water; medium s'yrup, 6 cups sugar 
to one gallon water; heavy syrup, 12 
cups sugar to one gallon water. 
Syrup should be boiled for 10 to 20 
minutes and strained through a cloth 
to remove impurities. 
To prepare brine for vegetables, dis¬ 
solve 5 tablespoons of salt in one gallon 
of warm water. If brine has any im¬ 
purities or sediment it should be 
strained. Dry salt is often added at 
the top of the jar, and then water is 
poured over till the jar is completely 
filled, using a level teaspoon of salt to 
to the quart. This is perhaps the easier 
method, but does not distribute the salt 
quite so evenly. 
A pressure cooker comes to be al¬ 
most an essential to the woman who 
does much home canning. Directions 
come with every commercial cooker, 
but in the main, follow the same prin¬ 
ciples. A pressure cooker is especially 
useful, for meats and some vegetables; 
it saves a great deal of time in pro¬ 
cessing and the outfits are now very 
compact and comparatively inexpensive. 
Never economize on rubbers, jars or 
other accessories. Every jar should be 
tested before using as should the rub¬ 
bers. 
Test Every Jar 
A Mason jar may be tested by plac¬ 
ing the lid on it without a rubber and 
attempting to insert the thumb nail be¬ 
tween the lid and the jar. If this can 
be done the jar is defective. Another 
test is to adjust the rubber and the 
lid and to pull out the rubber in one 
place. If the rubb&r stays out, the 
jar is good; if it springs back the jar 
is defective. 
The testing of any type of iar may 
be accomplished by partly filling the 
jar with boiling water, adjusting the 
cover and the rubber and sealing, and 
inverting the jar. If it leaks, it should 
be examined to determine whether the 
leakage is due to an imperfect jar, a 
poor rubber, or to improper adjustment 
of the wire clamp, in case a wire clamp 
is used. If any defect noticed cannot 
be remedied the jar should be reserved 
for pickles or some food that does not 
require' sealing. 
The Department of Agriculture, the 
Home Economics school at Ithaca, the 
Hazel-Atlas Glass Company of Wheel¬ 
ing, W. Va., and other commercial 
firms, have all issued valuable booklets 
on home canning, most of which are 
sent free on request. 
WHEN YOU COOK COOKIES 
OOKIES hold their place in the 
hearts of small boys, whatever other 
styles may change. Indeed, growing 
up rarely makes one forget this typ¬ 
ically American delicacy, and the good 
housewife is always on the lookout for 
new variations of the cookie recipe. 
. Mrs. Franklin Flower of Troy, N. Y., 
contributes two oatmeal cookie recipes, 
while Mrs. George Gray of East Spring- 
field, N. Y., sends us the other recipes 
which give a wide variety of flavors. 
Plain Oatmeal Cookies 
Cream together 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon 
butter, and IV 2 cups sugar. Add 1 cup 
milk, stir in 2 cups flour and 3 tea¬ 
spoons baking powder. Add 1 cup 
raisins, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, a little 
nutmeg and vanilla if desired. Stir, 
then add 2 cups rolled oats. Drop 
with teaspoon and bake. 
Molasses Oatmeal Cookies 
One egg, 1 tablespoon shortening, V 2 
cup brown sugar, 1 cup molasses, 1 tea¬ 
spoon each of salt, cinnamon, cloves 
and ginger; 1 cup of raisins. Add 2 
•teaspoons soda stirred into % cup boil¬ 
ing water. Add 2V 2 cups flour and 
about iy 2 cups rolled oats or enough to 
drop nicely. 
Chocolate Cookies 
One cup brown sugar, y 2 cup (scant) 
melted butter, 1 beaten egg, V 2 cup of 
sweet milk in which is dissolved X A tea¬ 
spoon soda, 1 V 2 cups flour, y 2 cup cocoa, 
1 teaspoon baking powder in flour, y 2 
cup nuts. Drop by teaspoon. Bake 
and ice with confectioners’ sugar. . , 
Peanut Butter Cookies 
One-half cup peanut butter blended 
with x / 2 cup (scant) melted shortening, 
X A cup sour milk, 1 cup sugar, 1 scant 
teaspoon soda, 3 cups flour. Roll thin 
and bake in rather hot oven. 
Ginger Snaps 
One coffee cup New Orleans molasses, 
1 cup butter, 1 cup sugar. Bring to a 
boil, ’fhen immediately add 1 teaspoon 
soda and 1 tablespoon ginger. Flour to 
roll thin. Bake quickly. 
Prime Sugar Cookies 
Four fresh eggs thoroughly beaten, 
2 cups sugar, 1 cup butter. Cream the 
three ingredients until very light and 
smooth. Flavor to taste. Use flour in 
proportion of 2 heaping teaspoons, of 
baking powder to 4 cups of flour many 
times sifted. About 6 cups will be 
needed. These cookies will not stick. 
Molasses Drops 
One cup molasses, x / 2 cup shortening, 
y 2 cup sugar, 2 eggs, y 2 cup boiling 
water, 2 teaspoons soda, salt, 1 tea¬ 
spoon ginger and cinnamon, 3% large 
cups of flour. 
Filled Cookies 
One cup sugar, y 2 cup melted butter, 
1 well beaten egg, pinch of salt, y 2 cup 
milk, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 
teaspoon soda, 2 y 2 cups flour. Roll thin 
and on one cookie put spoon of filling 
and another cookie on top, pressing 
down edges. Bake to a golden brown. 
For filling use 1 cup sugar, x / 2 cup cold 
water and 1 heaping teaspoon of flour 
cooked until thick and cooled. 
TABLE OF CONDENSED INFORMATION ON CANNING VEGETABLES 
NUMBER OP MINUTES TO PROCESS 
VEGETABLE 
Method 
of 
Preparation 
No. of Min. 
to 
Blanch 
Hot Water Method 
Steam Press. Me’d 
Kind 
of 
Liquor 
Process 
pts. 
Process 
qts. 
In 
Warm 
Cli’ate 
Proc’s 
pts. or 
qts. 
Lbs. 
Press 
Artichoke Hearts 
wash, remove 
leaves 
5 
brine 
1 hr. 
iy 2 hr= 
Int. 
30 
15 
Asparagus.. 
wash, cut in 
even lengths, 
pack tips up 
3 to 4 
brine 
2 hrs. 
3 hr*. 
Int. 
40 
15 
Beans, String. . . 
wash, string, 
cut 
3 to 8 
brine 
2 hrs. 
3 hrs. 
Int. 
40 
15 
Beans. Lima.... 
hull, wash 
2 to 5 
salt, sugar 
and water 
3 hrs. 
4 hrs. 
Int. 
60 
15 
Beets. .. 
wash 
Cook % uont 
peel, pack 
hot water 
1 hr. 
2 hrs. 
30 
10 
Brussel Sprouts. . 
wash 
5 to 8 
brine 
1 1/2 11. S. 
2 hrs. 
Lit. 
40 
15 
Cabbage. 
wash, cut 
5 to 8 
brine 
IV;. 11. S. 
2 hrs. 
Int. 
40 
15 
Carrots. 
wash 
Cook % aj m 
scrape 
brine 
I 1 /* hrs. 
2 hrs. 
Int. 
40 
15 
Cauliflower. 
wash, divide 
let stand 20 
min. in sal! 
water 
o 
o 
brine 
1 hr. 
114 hrs 
20 
10 
Celery. 
wash, cut t 
’length of jai 
5 to 10 
brine 
1*4 hrs. 
2 hrs. 
Int. 
40 
15 
Chard stalks. . • • 
vvash, cut of 
; paves 
5 to 10 
brine 
1 14 hrs. 
2 hrs. 
Int. 
40 
15 
Corn oh Cob.... 
tusk, silk 
blanch, cut off 
cob 
1 to 3 on cob 
salt, sugai 
and water 
3 hrs. 
4 hrs. 
Int. 
80 
15 
Corn on Cob. 
i u s k , silk, 
blanch 
1 to 3 on ccb 
brine 
3 hrs. 
4 hrs. 
Int. 
80 
15 
Egg Plant. 
> e e 1 . s-tice 
drop in salt 
water 
3 
brine 
1 hr. 
1 % hrr 
Int. 
30 
15 
Greens, any kind. 
wash wen 
partially cool 
5 to 15 
brine 
1 hr. 
2 hrs. 
Int. 
40 
15 
Mushrooms. 
prepare as for 
cooking 
5 
brine 
li/> hrs. 
3 hrs. 
int. 
40 
10 
Okra. 
wash, cut 
stems 
6 to 8 
brine 
3"hrs. 
4 hrs. 
Int. 
60 
15 
Peas... . . 
shell, wash 
3 to 8 
salt, sugai 
and water 
3 hrs. 
4 hrs. 
Int. 
60 
15 
Pork and Beans. 
wash, salt and 
cook 
Cook done 
iy 2 hrs. 
2 hrs. 
Int. 
40 
15’ 
Pumpkin. 
peel, cut in 
small pieces 
3 
water 
2 hrs. 
3 hrs. 
Int. 
40 
15 
KuiaDugas. 
wash, peel 
and slice 
5 
brine 
I 1 /. hrs. 
2 hrs. 
Int. 
40 
15 
Rhubarb. 
wash, cut 
cold \va.r. 
10 min. 
15 min 
Sauerkraut. 
>ee recipe 
30 min. 
40 min 
Id 
10 
Soup Mixture'. . . 
prepare each 
separate 
i 
3 to 5 salt 
iy> hrs. 
2 hrs. 
Int. 
40 
15 
Squash. 
wash, cut 
Cook until 
tender 
pack hot 
2 hrs. 
3 hrs. 
Int. 
40 
15 
Succotash . 
prepare sop- 
arate vegeta¬ 
bles 
3 to 5 . . 
brine 
3 hrs. 
4 hrs. 
Int. 
60 
15 
Sweet Potatoes. . 
wash,boil,peel 
Cook % q„-!.e| hvy. s> 3 hrs. 
4 hrs. 
Int, 
60 
15 
Tomatoes. 
scald, peel 
1 to 2 ’salt 
20 min. 
30 min. 
V 
\ egetabia Mixt.. 
prepare sep¬ 
arate vegeta¬ 
bles 
3 to 5 
brine : 
2 hrs. 
3 hrs. 
Int. 
60' 
15 
