Harper's cook book encyclopædia

of sugar to I lb. of strawberries. The size of the fruit does not matter at all, but it should be sweet and sound! Put the berries on the fire in a porcelain-lined kettle, mash them well, and let them cook an hour before the sugar is added, when the jam must be cooked, stirring constantly until it is smooth and thick, like mush. It will keep indefinitely. Strawberries Preserved Whole. — Select the finest and largest strawberries, with the stalks on, before they get too ripe. Lay them on a dish. Beat and sift twice their weight in double - refined sugar, and sprinkle over them. Take a few of the ripest strawberries, crush them, and put them in a jar with their weight in sugar. Beat and crush very small, cover close, and let them stand in a kettle of water until they are soft and the syrup has come out of them ; then strain through a muslin bag into a pan, boil, and skim well, and when cold put in your whole strawberries and set them over a slow fire until they are milk-warm; then let them stand until quite cold ; set them on again and make them a little hotter ; do this several times until they are quite clear, but do not allow to boil, as it will bring away the stalk. When the strawberries are quite cold put them into jelly-glasses with the stems down, fill the glasses up with the jelly, cover with paper dipped in brandy, and seal. Strawberry Syrup. — Press the strawberries through a cotton cloth. To a pint of juice put i lb. of white sugar, and let them rapidly come to a boil over a quick fire ; skim off any scum that rises, and put up hot in bottles, which must be immediately corked and sealed. Strawberry syrup thus prepared keeps well and flavors ice-cream delightfully, no more sugar being needed when the cream is mixed with the syrup. Tomatoes, Canned. — Instead of scalding tomatoes to remove the skin lay them in a dripping-pan and place them in the oven, letting them bake for a few minutes; a black liquor will come from them, which, if not managed this way, remains in and causes them to spoil. When cool enough to handle, peel them; cook for about half an hour in a boiler, or until they are done about as for the table. Fill the cans, and solder or seal them at once. Do not season the tomatoes until you want to use them. When wanted for the table, if cooked enough when put up, they will only need a thorough heating and seasoning. Only perfectly ripe, fresh tomatoes should be used for canning ; and always do them before the month of August goes out; they are apt to be acid and watery after that. Tomato Figs. — Take pear-shaped tomatoes, red or yellow, and weigh them. To 6 lbs. allow 3 lbs. of brown sugar strongly flavored with ginger and lemon-juice. Put all together in a kettle with a very little water, and simmer gently until the tomatoes are clear, but not broken. Lift from the syrup and spread in the sun to dry upon large, flat dishes. Pack away in small glass or stone jars, in layers, strewing sugar thickly between each layer of tomatoes. More tomatoes may be scalded in the syrup left in the kettle and will be quite sweet enough.