The art of cookery

pound of cut-loaf or granulated sugar, a pint of water, and the pits from half the peach stones, into a preserving kettle and cook until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup boils, then put enough of the prepared peaches into the kettle to cover the surface of the syrup. Simmer gently, turning the fruit over occasionally until cooked and transparent, then put in glasses, filling them three quarters full. After all the peaches have been cooked and put in glasses in this manner simmer the syrup two or three minutes, skim and pour over the fruit in the glasses, cover securely, wrap in paper when cold, and keep in a cool, dry closet. To Preserve Pine-Apples. — Pare the pine-apples, cut them in slices half an inch thick, and divide the slices into halves or quarters. Make a syrup by using one pound of sugar to each half pint of water, boil, skim, and then proceed as directed for preserving peaches. To Preserve Quinces — Cut the quinces in halves or quarters according to size, remove the seeds, and pare and core the quinces. Put the prepared fruit and the seeds into a preserving kettle, barely cover with hot water, and simmer very gently until the fruit can be pierced with a straw, then carefully remove from the water and lay upon plates. Measure the water in which the quinces cooked and to each pint of water add a pound of sugar. Cook in a preserving kettle until the sugar dissolves and the syrup boils, then cook the quinces in the syrup, as directed for preserving peaches. To Preserve Pears. — Prepare, cook, and preserve as directed for preserving quinces if the pears are of a hard variety, as for preserving peaches if of a soft variety. lyo The Art of Cookery, To Preserve Plums. — With a sharp knife cut through the skin of each plum and girdle it. Put three pounds of the girdled plums and one pint of water into a preserving kettle, cover, and simmer gently ten minutes, or until the plums are soft, add three pounds of granulated sugar and stir and cook gently ten minutes more, or until the fruit looks clear and cooked, then put in cans, cover closely, wrap in paper, and store in a cool, dry place. To Preserve Cherries. — To three pounds of pitted cherries add the juice squeezed from the cherries in pitting and one pint of water. Cook and preserve as directed for preserving plums. To Preserve Strawberries No. i. — From two pounds of firm, dark-red strawberries pick out a pound of the smallest berries, put them in an earthen bowl with one pound of granulated sugar and mash with a wooden spoon or a pestle until perfectly crushed and well mixed. Let them stand in a cold place for half an hour, then strain through a strong, thin cloth and press out all the juice. Put the juice in a granite-ware or porcelain-lined kettle or sauce-pan and simmer gently twenty minutes, removing the scum. After the large berries have been washed and drained, roll them carefully on several thicknesses of cheese-cloth so as to dry and not bruise them, and put them carefully Into hot glass cans. Fill the cans perfectly full with the berries and stand them on a folded wet towel in a warm place. Add to the juice, after it has simmered twenty minutes, one pound of rock candy, broken in small pieces, stir gently, with a wooden spoon, until dissolved, then pour the syrup over the berries io Canning, Preserving, and Pickling. 171