FoodNetArchive

Cookery for every household

1914

Page 751 · 1 recipe record on this page

Presented as published in 1914. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
The best strainer for jelly is a piece of hucka- back or strong cheese cloth. This is more easily kept in order than the old-fashioned flannel bag, and serves the purpose equally well. The material may be either in the form of a towel tied on the four legs of a chair (see p. 63), or a conical-shaped bag may be made with loops through which a stick may be put, in order to suspend it between two chairs with a basin underneath. The jelly bag should be well scalded with boiling water before it is used. After the fruit has been emptied into it no pressure must be used or the juice will not be clear. The straining must be done in a warm place and out of a draught, and sufficient time must be allowed to let every possible drop of juice run through. The best plan is to let it drain over- night. Some people use a hair sieve instead of a cloth, but this is not roomy enough if a large quantity of jelly is being made, and not a very convenient plan on the whole. To Know when Jam or Jelly is Ready When a little of the jam or jelly poured upon a cold plate sets in a few minutes, it is ready and should be put at once into pots. To Pot and Cover Jam Any kind of jam jar may be used, but glass ones are to be preferred, as the state of the jam can so easily be seen. They must be thoroughly clean, dry, and even heated. It is a good plan to stand them To Pot and Cover Jam in a cool oven for a short time before using. Ladle the jam out of the preserving pan with a silver soup ladle or with a cup or jug, and fill the pots to within quarter of an inch from the top. If any drops are spilt on the sides of the pots they should FRUIT COMPOTES AND PRESERVES 467 be immediately wiped oS with a cloth wrung out of hot water-. To cover the jam, cut rounds of thin w'hite paper the proper size of the pots, dip these in brandy, whisky, or vinegar, and lay them on the surface, then tie over each pot a piece of wetted vegetable parchment or a gummed paper cover sold for the purpose. Label the pots on the sides with a written or printed label, stating the name of the jam and the date when made. The jam must be stored in a cool, dry place. until reduced to a pulp. They must not he made too liquid. Pick and wash the cranberries, put them into another saucepan with the sugar, and bruise them down with the back of a wooden spoon. Unless this is done, they will never become sweet. Add them to the apple pulp, and boil both together until the jam will set. Note. — This is a very useful jam, as it can be made in the winter, when other fruit is scarce. It is very good served with roast game or mutton instead of red-currant jelly. 2112. Apple Ginger 3 lbs. apples. I 6 oz. whole ginger. 3 lbs. preserving sugar. | WaterApple Ginger. Put the ginger into a jug or lined saucepan with boiling water and let it infuse by the side of the fire for several hours, keeping it well covered. Peel the apples, cut them into neat pieces, removing the core, and throw them into cold water to preserve the colour. Drain the water from the ginger and make up the quantity to 1^ pint. Put this into a preserving pan with the sugar, bring to the boil, and boil from 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pieces of apple, throw them gently into this syrup, and let them boil until transparent, but not broken. Then lift them out carefully, put them into jars, and pour the syrup over.