Fruit recipes

For a most brilliant, crimson jelly, tart and firm, use only the hard, red, immature berries (those nearly fullsized). To each three quarts of berries add one quart cold water. Let simmer slowly together fifty minutes, when add a second quart of cold water and simmer again for an hour, mashing well the berries. The resulting juice should be thick and rich-looking. Have sugar ready, heated, in another pan, and allow a pint for each pint of juice. Skim well. When the sugar has quite dissolved and boiled three minutes test it, for it may then be ready to pour into glasses. Five minutes is usually quite sufficient. Place in the sun till firm and cool. MULBERRY JELLY No. 2 For a darker, sweet, jelly, use equal parts of the hard red (or even the berries scarcely yet red), and fully ripe’ berries. Use but a pint of water with three quarts of berries, simmering till all juice can be extracted by mashing in the kettle. Strain well and proceed as above. MULBERRY MARMALADE AND JAM These may be made from the berries used for jelly, in which case the stems must be clipped before cooking, but they are richer to be made with fresh, uncooked berries. For Marmalade mash the pulp and put through coarse sieve, return to fire with equal measure of sugar, and cook till of desired consistency. For the Jam simmer the berries in their own juice till tender but whole. Add sugar as above and cook till thick as desired. MULBERRY WINE Shake the ripe or partly ripe berries from tree on to clean sacking or sheeting and place in a tub where they may be well pounded and mashed. Strain, and to each gallon of juice add three pounds of sugar, placing in a cask with open bung. This should ferment and be fit for racking off into another cask in six weeks. Will be fit for bottling and use in eight months. MULBERRY BRANDY To each quart of juice allow a quart of brandy and one pound of sugar. Let stand six weeks, then filter and bottle. ROB OF ELDER Boil the juice of elderberries with spices; one quart of juice to one tablespoon each of cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. At the end of a half hour strain and add one-half pound loaf sugar. Boil and skim again. Let cool, add a half-pint of “fourth” brandy, and bottle. Or first make a heavy syrup of juice and sugar, then spice lightly with élove alone. Seal while hot. SYRUP OF ROB OF ELDER (For Coughs) To a pint of juice from elderberries add a pint of molasses and boil twenty minutes, stitring all the while. When quite cold add three-fourths teacup of brandy for each quart. ELDERBERRY WINE No.1 Strain the juice of crushed berries, adding for six quarts of juice a half-gallon of water. Use three pounds -of sugar to each gallon of the liquid. Let ferment in a cask or open earthen jar, filling up as it evaporates. When fermentation ceases stop well and set aside for eight months before racking off. ELDERBERRY WINE No. 2 (Spiced) Boil five gallons elderberries with same amount of rainwater. Strain and add twenty-three pounds white sugar with four ounces red (or crude) tartar and to each gallon allow a dessertspoon of strong yeast. Add one-half ounce each of ginger, nutmeg, mace, and cloves with one and a half ounces bitter almonds. Let ferment and when this is over close cask tight, racking it off later at convenience. ELDER BLOSSOM WINE (Home-brewed Frontignac)