Temperance cook book

brine and let them soak three days longer. When drained from the salt solution, they should be exposed to the sun for one or two days, turning them at intervals till black all over. Then place them in the jar you intend to keep them in and pour over them boiling vinegar in which the spices have been boiled. The spices should be, one ounce of whole black pepper, one-fourth ounce of mace, one and one-half ounces of bruised ginger, six pints of vinegar. This will be sufficient for one hundred large walnuts. GHERKINS. Select small gherkins, wash well and put them in a jar, strew them with salt, and cover with water; put on a lid to keep them under brine; let them stand in the brine twenty-four hours, rinse in cold water; drain them while you prepare the vinegar. Take wine vinegar enough to cover them, put in porcelain kettle, to scald, add sliced onions to flavor slightly. A small quantity of white sugar, cloves, allspice and mustard seed, to suit taste. When it comes to boil pour over the pickles. Put in bottles or glass jars with alternate layers of horseradish and grape leaves. If the vinegar is not very strong pour off after two days, scald and replace. Sprinkle a little alum over the top to keep them crisp. Salt pickles down dry for ten days, soak in fresh water one day; pour off water, place in a porcelain kettle, cover with water and vinegar, and add a teaspoonful of pulverized alum; let stand on the back of the stove and simmer (not boil) all day; wash and put in a jar with cloves, allspice, pepper, and horseradish; boil fresh vinegar and pour over all; in two weeks they will be ready for use. These pickles are always fresh and crisp. PICKLED GRAPES. Take ripe grapes, remove all imperfect and broken ones; divide the bunches, as they will pack more closely; put in an earthen jar a layer of grapes, and then one of green grape leaves. To four quarts of vinegar take two pints of white sugar, one ounce of stick cinnamon, one-half ounce each of cassia and whole cloves. Let the vinegar, spices and sugar all boil together a few minutes, and when quite cold, pour over the grapes. By pouring on the vinegar cold, you avoid cracking the grapes, and they retain their natural form and color, as long as they last. SPICED PLUMS. Seven pounds of plums, three pounds of sugar, one ounce each of cinnamon and cloves, one quart of vinegar. Put in a jar a layer of plums and a layer of spice; boil the sugar and vinegar, and pour it over the plums three days in succession, and the fourth day boil spices and all together. They will keep for years. RIPE CUCUMBER PICKLES. Take bright yellow cucumbers, firm but not soft; pare and cut them in strips, and, after removing the seeds, put them in a weak brine for twelve hours; pour off the brine, and scald them in alum water until clear; wash in cold water and drain. To one gallon of vinegar, take three and one-half pounds of sugar, one stick of cinnamon, nutmeg, and mace. Boil, and pour over the cucumbers; repeat two or three times, then bottle. PICKLED PEACHES.