The century cook book

tide of the skin, for if all is not removed it will cause the preserves to look specky. Weigh the fruit and allow a pound of sugar for every pound of fruit. Put a layer of the pineapple in a large earthen dish, then a layer of sugar, and so on until all the fruit is in the dish; put a layer of sugar on top, and let stand over night. In the morning drain off the juice and put in a preserving kettle; stir in the beaten white of an egg and skim as it comes to a boil. Let it boil for ten minutes, then pour boiling hot over the pineapple, and let it stand and grow cold with covering. When thoroughly cold put in glass jars and seal. Brandied Peaches. Take a peck of nice peaches not too ripe and take off the skins by scalding with hot water. Weigh the fruit and allow a pound of sugar to every pound of fruit. Make a syrup of the sugar, allowing two-thirds of a cupful of water to each pound of sugar. Let the syrup come to a boil, skim and when clear put in the fruit and let them cook until they can be pierced with a straw; then take out one at a time, and place carefully in a jar. Let the syrup boil a few minutes, then put in two quarts of brandy and boil for a few minutes longer, then pour over the peaches. Put up in glass jars, if preferred. Preserved Fruit. In preserving, those fruits that are naturally sweet, require only three-fourths of a pound of sugar to one of fruit, while those fruits that are very acid require pound for pound. Small fruits are boiled down with the syrup until the syrup is thick and clear, then taken from the fire and put in jars; while the larger fruits, such as pears, quinces, plums, and peaches, are boiled in the syrup until they look clear and are tender, then skimmed out carefully and put in a jar. Allow the juice to boil until thick, a preserving Pickles and Preserves 169 then pour over the fruit. Cover with paper wet in brandy. Pickled Apples. Peel, quarter, and core nice sweet apples until you have five pounds; put them in a stewpan, cover with water, and cook until tender; lift out carefully with a skimmer and put on an earthen dish. Make a syrup of three pounds of sugar, and one pint of vinegar, add some stick cinnamon, and a few cloves; boil until clear, then put in the apples and cook slowly for twenty or thirty minutes, put in glass cans. Plum Catsup. Put in kettle six pounds of plums, three and one-half pounds of sugar, and one quart vinegar; boil until the plums are reduced to a pulp; cool and press through a sieve, then add cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and allspice to taste. Put up in glass jelly cups. Grape Catsup. Five pounds of grapes, boiled to a pulp and sifted, add two pounds of sugar, one pint of vinegar, one tablespoonful each of cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and one teaspoonful of pepper. Boil two hours and put up in glass. Canned Fruit. In canning fruit be sure to have it good and fresh. If at all decayed or fermented, it will cause the fruit to work after it is canned. Allow one cupful of sugar to a quart can of peaches, pears, cherries and raspberries, and two cupfuls to strawberries, grapes, gooseberries and fruit that is very tart. Make a syrup of the sugar and some water, and let it boil before putting in the fruit. The more I/O Pickles and Preserves