The Rural cook book

Tomato Puree. — Break ripe sound tomatoes in halves and crush them as they heat slowly. When they are tender strain and push the pulp through a sieve, season with salt and pepper and turn into glass jars. Put the cover on loosely, stand the jars in a pan of warm water and boil for half an hour. Then screw the covers on firmly. Use for making soups or gravies. Spiced Tomatoes. — Put into a preserving pan four pounds of good red tomatoes, two pounds of brown sugar, one pint of good vinegar (cider vinegar if possiblt), and one-half ounce each of cloves and stick cinnamon. Stew this altogether very gently till the tomatoes are cooked, but not broken; then lift them out and set them aside to cool. Continue simmering very slowly till it is as thick as syrup. When the toma- toes are quite cold, reheat them gently in the syrup and again lift them out, packing them, when perfectly cold, in jars, pouring the thiclc syrup (also quite cold) over them, and cover tight Virginia Pickle.— This is uncooked. In a three-gallon jar mix one gallon of strong vinegar, one -half pint of salt, three pounds of brown sugar, two ounces each of black pepper, brown ginger, celery seed, mustard seed, mace, cloves, horseradish and allspice, one-half box of ground mustard, a little red pepper and one-half dozen pepper pods. Peel three dozen onions and put them with fresh cucumbers, just from the vine, washed and wiped dry, into the Spiced vinegar, using enough cucumbers to fill the jar. Agitate the pickles every other morning for several months or until cool weather comes. Then add more sugar until the pickles have a pleasant tasle. Pickled Walnuts. — The walnuts must be gathered while young and green, and be laid tn strong brine. Leave them in this for a week, changing it every other day. Take them out, dry them between two cloths and pierce each with a large needle. Throw them into cold water and leave them several hours before packing them in small jars and pouring over them scalding hot seasoned vinegar, prepared in the following proportions : Four quarts of vinegar, one cupful of sugar, three dozen cloves, three dozen black peppers, 18 whole allspice and 13 ' blades of mace boiled together for live minutes. Yellow Mustard Pickle.— One-half gallon vinegar, three dozen sliced cucumbers, three dozen onions, one tablespoonful turmeric, one tablespoon mustard, one-half cup each of sugar and flour, and one-third teaspoonful of red pepper. Pare and slice cucumbers and onions, cover with water, add one-half cup salt and let stand over night. In the morning drain the cucumbers and onions; put vinegar on the stove to boil, mix the spices, sugar and flour in a little cold vinegar, add to the boiling vinegar and let boil five minutes, stirring constantly ; then put ill cucumbers and onions, boil 15 minutes and seal in jars while hot. Vinegar for Yellow Pickles. — This may be used for cucumbers, tomatoes or any other vegetable desired. Use one-half pound of grated horseradish, one pound of white mustard seed, one-half pound of black mustard seed, one ounce each of mace, nutmegs, cloves, allspice and ground white pepper, two ounces of turmeric, one-half cupful of ground mustard, two tablespoonfuls of celery seed, four cloves of garlic, onequarter pound of ground ginger and two pounds of brown sugar. Pat in a three-gallon jar with two gallons of vinegar. Stir frequently and let remain for several weeks before using. This Will keep any length of time. Half quantity may be prepared for the use of a small family. Corn Vinegar. — A friend says she prefers this to cider vinegar: One pint corn cut from cob; one pint of brown sugar or molasses, to one gallon of rain water. Put in a large jar. Keep covered with a cloth. Set in (he snn. In a month you will have good vinegar.