The Toronto Cook Book

Measure the same quantity of fruit and sugar, put in preserving-kettle over night a layer of fruit and a layer of sugar. In the morning cook slowly without stirring, until the fruit is soft and the liquid clear. Skim thoroughly before putting into jars. Note — Raspberries, Currants, Blackberries, Cherries, etc., may be preserved in the same way as the Strawberries. Stones should be removed from the cherries. The pits may be used if the flavor is desired. Ripe Tomato Preserves Five pounds small round tomatoes peeled, five pounds sugar, juice of three lemons; let stand together over night; then drain off syrup and boil it; skim well, then put in tomatoes and boil gently twenty minutes. Take out fruit and spread on platter and boil syrup down till it thickens, adding just before you take off the juice of one lemon. Put fruit into jars, fill up with hot syrup. When cold seal up. This makes a very nice preserve. Grapes Preserved With Honey Take a basket of nice sound grapes weighing about eight pounds. It is much better to have the grapes on the stems. After thoroughly cleaning, place in stone jar and be careful not to break the fruit. To make syrup for same, take four pounds of honey and one pint of good vinegar, a little more if necessary, a little less than a quarter of a pound each of cloves and cinnamon ; boil well together for about twenty-five minutes ; skim thoroughly; then pour the boiling hot syrup over the grapes and seal at once. Plums, peaches, or any such fruit may be done in this manner, and will keep for years. Pear or Peach Preserves The best for preserves are freestone peaches. First pare, then remove pits, cut into halves, then to each pound of fruit allow a pound of sugar; take one dozen peach kernels; put a layer of the peaches in a large bowl, then a layer of sugar, and so on until the fruit is all used. Cover and let stand over night. In the morning put the peaches on in a porcelain kettle; add the kernels and bring quickly to a boil ; then simmer until the peaches are tender and clear. Lift carefully one piece at a time and put into glass jars. Set aside to cool; when cool pour over the syrup and seal. Always turn jars tops down on brown paper over night, making sure they are air tight. Preserving and Canning Crab Apple Preserve Place apples whole in preserving kettle, being careful not to break off stems; just cover with water; cook very gently until skin will peel off; drain, peel and core; the cores must be taken out very carefully with a small, silver knife so as not to break apple or remove stem, or, if preferred, the cores may be left in, one way being quite as nice as the other; now weigh, allowing one and a quarter pound of sugar and a half pint of water to each pound of crab apples; put sugar and water into fruit kettle and stir until sugar is dissolved, then bring to boiling point; always skim before adding fruit; put crab apples in gently and boil slowly until clear and tender, removing all scum from the surface; place in jars and let cool; when cold, seal. Pineapple Preserves To each pound of fruit, allow three-quarters pound of sugar; put in a basin in layers, first pineapple and then sugar, and let stand over night; next day put into fruit kettle, bring quickly to a boil and cook slowly for one hour; put in glass jars and let cool before sealing. Cherry Preserves