Kentucky receipt book

One peck of apples, 2 gallons reduced cider, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Use new cider, and boil until reduced ^. It must be boiled the day before it is needed. Pare, core and quarter the apples, put in porcelain kettle as many at a time as the cider will moisten, add until all are cooked. Stir constantly and beat apples to a pulp, as fast as they soften. When reduced to a thick paste, add some brown sugar and the spices. Boil a few minutes longer. Then put in jars. Water may be substituted for cider, and in that case use more sugar. Orange Peel Preserves. Remove the peel in quarters, and place in strong salt water 24 hours. For 1 pound of peel, % pound granulated sugar, 1 pint water. Drain, peel, and cook slowly 1 hour in cold water, then drain again. While this is cooking, make the syrup. Boil sugar and water, removing the scum ; when it ceases to rise, add the peel. Cook until transparent. When the syrup again boils, take kettle from fire and set in cool place until next day. With a skimmer remove the peels and spread on a flat dish, set in the oven 4 hours. Boil syrup again 15 minutes, then add peels and set away until next day, continue this process until peels are clear and the syrup has granulated them thoroughly, drain, sift thickly with granulated sugar and place in the sun or oven to dry. When quite dry put the peel in boxes, between layers of waxed paper. Serve as a conserve, or put in cakes or puddings. To Preserve Quinces. Use the orange quince, wash in cold water, then wipe, pare, and quarter them, remove all the core and hard part. Take an equal weight of sugar, cover quinces with cold water, let them come slowly to boiling point, skim when nearly soft, put y^ of the sugar on top (316) but do not stir, when this boils, add another part of the sugar and so on until all is in the kettle, let them boil slowly, until transparent, then put in jars and seal. Grape Preserves. Use only ripe grapes, squeeze the pulps and juice, put in a granite kettle over the fire until tender enough to remove the seed easily, take off, remove seed and put back pulp with the hulls and cook 15 minutes. Sweeten to taste and cook 15 minutes longer. Put in jars and seal tight. Tomato Jam. One peck of tomatoes, % peck of half ripe grapes. Boil about 3 hours or until the tomatoes are about the consistency of jam; press through a sieve and add nearly as much sugar as you have jam ; also 1 heaping tablespoon of cinnamon and 1 level tablespoon cloves. Return to kettle and boil again. Pineapple Preserves. After paring pineapple, extract the eyes with a sharp-pointed knife, and strip the fruit from the edge to the core (never slice it). Use granulated or loaf sugar with all delicate fruits, and it is important to use granite or porcelain lined kettle for fruits. Allow % of a pound of sugar *to each pound of fruit. Jam. Jam is made with whole small fruit, or large fruit cut in small pieces. Allow % pound of granulated sugar, to each pound of fruit. Jam requires to be cooked tolerably stiff, or there is danger of fermentation. Marmalade. Marmalade is made of the pulp of fruits with the juice. Cook fruit until tender, and press pulp through a sieve. Use 1 pound of granulated sugar, for each pound of fruit, cook slowly, for almost 1 hour, stir frequently. Put in china bowls, and cover with white paper dipped in whisky. Oranges, quinces, peaches, or pears make fine marmalade. Grape Butter. Stew grapes, squeeze out each pulp from the skin, removing seed. Keep skins in a small thin bag. To each pound of pulp, allow 1 pound of granulated sugar and y^ pint of cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon of cloves, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of nutmeg. Boil this slowly, putting in the bag of skins and have them tied securely. "When it jellies by dropping in cold water, it is done. Apple Preserves.