Fruits

The earth to thee her increase yields,The trees their fruitage bring;And glittering in the sunlit fields,The vines with bounty spring.“Every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” Gen. 1:29.If families could be induced to substitute the apple—sound, ripe, and luscious—for pies, cakes, candies, and other sweetmeats with which children are too often stuffed, there would be a diminution of doctor’s bills, sufficient in a single year to lay in a stock of this delicious fruit for a season’s use.—Professor Faraday.There is much false economy; those who are too poor to have seasonable fruits and vegetables, will yet have pie and pickles all the year. They can not afford oranges, yet can afford tea and coffee daily.—Health Calendar.

The earth to thee her increase yields,The trees their fruitage bring;And glittering in the sunlit fields,The vines with bounty spring.

The earth to thee her increase yields,

The trees their fruitage bring;

And glittering in the sunlit fields,

The vines with bounty spring.

“Every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” Gen. 1:29.

If families could be induced to substitute the apple—sound, ripe, and luscious—for pies, cakes, candies, and other sweetmeats with which children are too often stuffed, there would be a diminution of doctor’s bills, sufficient in a single year to lay in a stock of this delicious fruit for a season’s use.—Professor Faraday.

There is much false economy; those who are too poor to have seasonable fruits and vegetables, will yet have pie and pickles all the year. They can not afford oranges, yet can afford tea and coffee daily.—Health Calendar.

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Fruitsare a natural food. They form no inconsiderable part of those products of the earth given by the Creator to our first parents as food. “Behold, I have given you,” he says, “every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” Gen. 1:29.

Fruits are not only delightful to the eye, pleasing to the smell, and satisfying to the taste, but they contain elements which are necessary for the best maintenance of the system; hence the natural craving for them when the system is in a normal condition.

While not containing a large amount of nutrition compared to their size, they are, nevertheless, valuable on account of their juices, and also because of their giving bulk to our food,—a very necessary thing to be considered.

Containing as they do from seventy-five to ninety per cent of water, their use naturally allays thirst. If their use were more general, there would doubtless be less desire for unnatural drinks.

As a rule fruits, especially acid and sub-acid fruits, are cooling to the blood, and most kinds also act as a laxative to the system, tending to keep it free and open. They should, therefore, be freely used in the daily bill of fare, though in proper combinations. Fruits go well with grains and milk, but not so well with vegetables, especially acid fruits.

And what gives a nicer appearance to the table than a dish of fruit! The very sight is inviting and appetizing.

Fruit Dish

In preparing fresh fruit for the table, care should be taken to select only that which is sound and ripe. It should also be carefully cleaned. Apples should be wiped with a damp cloth, and their beauty will be further enhanced by polishing them with a dry one. Plums should be likewise treated. Grapes should be washed, and the stem ends of bananas cut off. Bananas may also be peeled, sliced, and served with cream. Oranges may be placed on the table whole, or their skins cut into eighths, and peeled half-way down. In serving cherries in their natural state, the stems should be left on.

Much taste may be displayed in the arrangement of fresh fruits for the table. A few green leaves interspersed with the fruit, or a variety of fruits tastily arranged on the same dish, make a very attractive appearance.

Nature sets before us an abundance of delicious fruits, and these in almost endless varieties and flavors.

Most fruits are both wholesome and agreeable when eaten raw, but many are rendered more easy of digestion by cooking. Some persons with weak digestion can not eat many kinds of raw fruits, but almost every one can eat most kinds when cooked.

The following are some of the most simple and practical ways in which fruits may be prepared:—

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BAKED APPLES, NO. 1Apples to be baked may be cored and pared or baked with the skins on. If firm and quite tart, pare, place in a pie dish, add sugar and a little hot water, and bake in a moderate oven. If the apples are juicy, less water will be required. When tender, turn into a dish, and pour over them the sirup or juice.BAKED APPLES, NO. 2Pare and core without halving, a number of nice, tart apples; fill the centers with sugar and jelly, lay closely in a shallow pan, add a little water, and bake slowly, basting occasionally with the sirup to keep the centers well filled. Bake till brown and tender, and serve with a boiled custard made with two cups of milk, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, two eggs, and vanilla to flavor.STEWED APPLESPare, core, and cut into small pieces some moderately tart apples, place in a saucepan, and add sufficient boiling water to stew to a pulp; cook slowly for about an hour, stirring but little. When cool, add sugar to sweeten.BAKED SWEET APPLESSelect good, sweet apples. Wash, but do not pare or core them; put into a baking pan with a little water, and bake in a hot oven. Baste occasionally with the juice in the bottom ofthe pan. When done, if desired, each apple may be dipped in the beaten white of an egg, then in powdered sugar, and returned to the oven until the icing is set. Plain sweet baked apples are very nice served with cream.APPLE SCALLOPPare, core, and slice a half dozen good cooking apples. Spread a layer in the bottom of a deep pudding dish, then over these a layer of bread crumbs mixed with a little sugar, thus alternating till the dish is filled, having a layer of apples on top. Add a half cup of cold water, and bake in a rather quick oven till done. Serve with rich milk or cream.BOILED APPLESRemove the cores and cook whole, or in halves, in enough boiling water to cover them. Cook slowly. When tender, remove the apples to a dish with a spoon or fork. Sweeten the juice with sugar, add a little lemon extract, thicken slightly with a very little cornstarch blended with a little cold water, and pour over the apples. Serve when cool.BAKED PEARSTake good, sound pears, cut in halves, pare, and fill an enameled pudding dish, sprinkling sugar through them; pour in a cupful of hot water, cover tightly, and bake slowly till tender. Serve cold. Or wash, wipe, and bake whole in a shallow dish, putting in a very little water.STEWED PEARSPare, quarter, and core nice ripe pears, and drop into cold water to keep from discoloring. Make a sirup, allowing two cups of water and a half cup of sugar to each quart of fruit. Boil the sirup for a few minutes, put in the fruit, and cook until tender and pink in color, being careful not to break the fruit by stirring. Three or four slices of lemon added to the sirup while boiling will improve the flavor of the pears. Remove the lemon before putting in the fruit.BAKED QUINCESPare, core, and bake the same as apples. The fruit may be left whole, and the centers filled with sugar. Sufficient water should be used so the fruit will not become dry. Baste with the sirup while baking.BAKED PEACHES, NO. 1Take good, firm peaches, pare, cut in halves, removing the stones, and place in a deep pudding dish, sprinkling with sugar. Add a little water, and bake until tender.BAKED PEACHES, NO. 2Bake as above; when done, cover the top with a meringue made of the whites of two or three eggs beaten stiff and a little powdered sugar; return to the oven and brown slightly. Serve cold with cream.STEWED PEACHESTake ripe peaches, pare, or wipe carefully with a damp cloth; cut in halves, remove the stones, and drop into cold water. When ready, place the fruit in a saucepan, adding sufficient boiling water to keep from burning. Add sugar, two tablespoonfuls to each quart of fruit. Cook slowly until tender, generally from twenty to thirty minutes.STEWED PRUNESWash the prunes thoroughly in warm water, rinse, then add water to cover, or about three parts water to one of prunes, and soak for several hours, or overnight. Put them to cook in the same water in which they soaked, and stew gently until tender. When nearly done, add a little sugar if desired. Serve cold.STEWED FRUITSSmall fruits are better stewed in a double enamel saucepan, and the larger kind baked in a tightly covered earthen crock or jar in the oven, with as little water as possible. Dried fruit, such as figs, prunes, peaches, raisins, dates, etc., should first be well washed, rinsed, soaked for several hours in enough water to cover, and afterward cooked in the same water in which they have soaked.PINEAPPLEPare, cut into thin slices into a dish, and sprinkle lightly with sugar; let stand in a cool place for an hour, and serve.FRUIT MOLDStew a quart of berries in a small quantity of water for fifteen or twenty minutes; then add sugar to taste, and two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch dissolved in a little cold water; cook until thickened, then turn into molds first wet with cold water; serve cold with milk or cream. Heat fruit juices and treat similarly.BANANAS WITH WHIPPED CREAMRemove the peel, cut into thin slices, and sprinkle with a very little sugar and a few drops of orange juice. Serve in small dishes, placing a tablespoonful of whipped cream on eachdish. If bananas are slightly scraped after removing the skins, they will be more readily digested.APPLE BUTTERLarge SpoonPare, quarter, and core about equal parts of sweet and tart apples. Boil sweet cider down, about four gallons into one gallon. Cook the apples in either sweet cider or water till soft, then add the boiled cider, and boil and stir with a wooden spoon until thick. A little butter and ground cinnamon may be added for flavoring, and sugar if necessary. Can in jars, or set away in jars without canning if desired for immediate use.LEMON SIRUPBoil one cupful of sugar and one-fourth cupful of water until it slightly thickens; add a small teaspoonful of butter and a tablespoonful of lemon-juice. Serve hot.LEMON HONEYPut two tablespoonfuls of butter into a saucepan to warm; then add one cup of sugar, the juice and grated rind of two lemons, and two eggs well beaten; cook until thickened, stirring constantly that no lumps be formed, and, if not cooked in a double boiler, being careful not to burn. When done, turn into cups and cover the same as jelly. Nice used as a filling for layer cake.PLUM MARMALADEWash the plums, cut them in halves, removing the stones, and cook for about fifteen minutes, allowing a scant cup of water to each quart of fruit. Then rub through a colander, add one cup of sugar to each quart of pulp, and boil slowly one hour, stirring often to prevent burning.GRAPE MARMALADEMake the same as plum marmalade, only allowing half a cup of water to a quart of fruit for cooking.TO MAKE FRUIT JELLYChoose a bright, sunny day for making jelly, in order to have it as firm and clear as possible. Make in small quantities at a time, using only porcelain or graniteware in preparing fruit or juice. Small fruits should be used as soon after being picked as possible, and should not be overripe. Cherries should be mixed with one fourth their quantity of currants, as they do not jelly easily. Two parts red raspberry with one part currantjuice makes a nice-flavored jelly. Place the fruit desired for the jelly in the saucepan, add only enough water to keep from burning, and cook until tender or well scalded; then drain through a strong, coarse, white flannel or cotton bag first wrung out of hot water. If the bag is made three-cornered, the weight of the fruit at the large top presses the juice out more freely at the point. Heat the sugar in the oven, stirring frequently to prevent burning. About three fourths of a pound should be used to each pint of juice. To prevent the jelly glasses from breaking, place them in a pan of cold water and allow it to come nearly to boiling; or with a cloth rub the outside of them well with a little butter or oil, and pour in the juice slowly. A little paraffin poured over the jelly when cooled, or writing-paper cut to fit the glasses, and oiled, is good for covering before putting on the covers.APPLE JELLYSelect nice tart, red apples, wash, quarter, and core, but do not pare; add a small quantity of water, and boil only until soft. Then strain as directed for making fruit jelly, measure the juice, return it to a clean saucepan, and boil for ten or fifteen minutes, skimming thoroughly. Add the heated sugar, three-fourths pound to each pint of juice. Boil a few minutes, or until it jellies nicely, then turn into glasses.CURRANT JELLYWeigh the fruit, and to each pound weigh out half the weight of granulated sugar. Place a few of the currants in a granite saucepan, mash with a potato masher to extract enough juice to keep it from burning, then add the remainder of the fruit, and boil about twenty minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning; strain, return juice to a clean saucepan, let boil for five minutes, skim, then add the sugar previously heated. This should jelly at once. Turn into glasses. Make blackberry and raspberry jelly in the same way.QUINCE JELLYWash, wipe, and remove any imperfect spots, quarter and core, but do not pare the fruit. Cut into small pieces, and place in the preserving pan, with water enough to half cover. Cook until tender, stirring frequently. Remove from the fire, and strain through a jelly-bag, measure the juice, return to a clean saucepan, let boil fifteen minutes, then add sugar, three-fourths pound to each pint of juice. Boil until it jellies nicely, removing the scum, and when done, turn into the jelly cups at once.CRANBERRY JELLYPick over and wash one quart of cranberries, and put them in a granite saucepan with one cupful of boiling water; cook about ten minutes, or until soft. Then put them through astrainer or vegetable press, return the juice to the pan, add two cupfuls of sugar, place over the fire, and cook about five minutes. Turn into a mold to cool.HOW TO CAN FRUITGeneral RemarksBoiling or canning fruit consists in sealing up in air-tight bottles, or jars, fruit which has previously been cooked. Many do not appreciate the value of canning fruit because they have never tried it. But the process is so simple, and the result so satisfactory, that those who have ever given it a trial usually feel well repaid for the effort put forth.Canning fruit practically lengthens the fruit season until it is perennial. Fruit, if properly canned, can be preserved, even for years, in a very natural and wholesome state.While it is true that in semitropical countries some kind of fruit can be obtained from the markets at most seasons of the year, it is both a matter of providence and economy to lay by, at a time when fruit is cheap and in season, for those times when it is scarce, high-priced, or unobtainable. A lesson can here be learned from the bee. During the summer, when the flowers are in bloom, it culls the sweet, that it may have a store of honey to eat in the winter hours.It is very desirable to have the fruit fresh, as picked from the tree or vine; but many of the nicest and most juicy and delicately flavored fruits, such as strawberries, raspberries, currants, gooseberries, plums, blueberries, cherries, peaches, and apricots are in season for only a comparatively short time. It is, therefore, of value to know how to preserve these for the unseasonable portions of the year. It is a matter of no little convenience for the housewife to have these delicious fruits in her house, ready for use at a moment’s notice. But this can be the case only by having on hand a supply of canned fruit.Some may think that this supply of canned fruit can readily be substituted by the same kinds of fruit put up in jams, marmalades, etc., and that these can be purchased at reasonable prices at the stores all ready for use, and the trouble of preserving fruit one’s self is thereby saved. While this may be true, the fruit prepared thus is not to be compared to fruit in its more natural state. The amount of sugar generally used in making jams and marmalades causes them to be too rich in saccharine matter, and consequently more liable, if freely used, to injure the teeth, cause acidity of the stomach, dyspepsia, and liver trouble, while nearly all, even dyspeptics, can eat simple stewed fruit of one kind or another without injury.Selecting CansMason CanIn canning fruit, care should be taken to provide good cans and perfectly fitting covers. This is a matter of much importance. The Mason glass cans, or jars, with the white porcelain-lined covers and white rubber bands, are, perhaps, the best. It may seem a little expensive on the start to purchase these, but there is practically no further expense connected with them, aside from providing new rubbers or covers occasionally, as the jars can be used year after year, or until broken. Either the pint, quart, or two-quart jars may be used, as best suits the needs of the family.If a Mason can opener is not at hand, the process of opening the jars may be made easier by first running the edge of a thin knife blade around under the rubbers, care being taken not, by prying or otherwise, to injure the rubbers or lids.After the fruit has been used from the jars, wash and dry them, and set away for future use. The rubbers and covers may be put into a cloth bag and hung away from the dust.ProcessSelect good, sound, fresh fruit, but not overripe, or it will be mushy and insipid when cooked. The larger fruits should not be quite as soft for canning as for eating.Cook in a graniteware or enameled saucepan or preserving kettle. Iron, tin, copper, or brass should not be used.Always cook slowly, as rapid boiling breaks up the fruit, and causes it to lose much of its nice flavor.Cook thoroughly and evenly, in small quantities, and in as little water as possible, fruit being better cooked in its own juice, which soon boils out. The length of time required for cooking will depend upon the kind and quantity of fruit, hard and less ripe fruit requiring more time.Utensils for Canning FruitTwo or three tablespoonfuls of sugar to each quart of fruit will generally be found sufficient for the milder fruits; the more tart, such as plums, currants, gooseberries, etc., will require from six to eight tablespoonfuls.While the fruit is cooking, immerse two or three jars in a large pan of scalding (not boiling) water, laying them down if there is room. If the jars are new, put them in cold water, and gradually raise the temperature, to prevent them from breaking. Likewise put the covers in a basin of hot water. Much depends on keeping everything hot.Have ready an enameled dipper or cup, a cloth for wiping the outside of the jars, a spoon, fork, and a small pan in which to set the jars while being filled.Utensils for Canning FruitWhen the fruit is well cooked, roll one of the jars over in the hot water, empty it, place it in the small pan, and quickly fill with the boiling fruit, putting in a little of the juice first. Fill to overflowing. Skim off all foam or bubbles of air that come to the top. If any bubbles are seen in the fruit, pass a fork or spoon handle, first dipped in hot water, down into the jar, slightly stirring, when they will come to the top, and can be skimmed off. Wipe the juice from the top of the jar, and screw down the cover quickly and tightly. See that the rubber extends beyond the cover all around. Should any part of the edge of the cover fail to fit down into the rubber tightly after being screwed on, press down all around with the edge of the handle of a strong knife. Turn the jars upside down to cool. If no juice leaks out, the sealing is perfect.After a few hours turn the jars right side up, and watch for a few days. If there is any leakage or sign of fermentation, the work is a failure, and the fruit should be opened at once,a little more sugar added, boiled, and used as soon as possible. If all is right, store in a cool, dark place for future use. If a proper place is not convenient, wrap the jars in brown paper to keep out the light, as this is likely to cause fermentation.If the foregoing directions are carefully followed, there is no reason why the work should not be a perfect success.ANOTHER METHODCooking BoilerIf it is desired to preserve the fruit as nearly whole as possible, prepare it as for cooking, place it, dry, compactly in the jars, and screw the covers on loosely without rubbers. Place the jars, six or eight at a time, in a boiler, standing them on thin pieces of board, and filling the boiler with sufficient warm water to come up half way on the jars. Cover tightly, using a thick cloth, if necessary, to keep in the steam; place on the range, and after the water comes to the boiling-point, cook for from one-half to one hour, according to kind and ripeness of fruit. When cooked, remove the jars, taking care not to allow a draft to strike them, to prevent cracking; allow to settle a few minutes; remove the covers, and fill with a sirup, boiling hot, allowing about a cup of sugar to each quart of fruit; or, if desired to can without sugar, fill the jars with boiling water. Put on the rubbers, and seal at once, testing by turning bottom side up.This method should be employed in canning vegetables. Only perfectly fresh vegetables should be used for canning.CANNED BEANS AND PEASPrepare string-beans as for ordinary cooking, then press and pack them closely into the jars until full, adding a little salt; fill the jars to overflowing with cold water, then screw on the covers fairly close, place the jars in a boiler, as directed above, and cook for four hours; remove from the water, take off the covers, place on the rubbers, screw on the covers tightly. Peas should be shelled, then canned in the same manner.CANNED SWEET CORNSelect that which is fresh, and cut from the cob as directed for stewed sweet corn (page 57). Then press and pack closely into the jars until the milk appears on the top, and they are full. No water or salt should be added. Boil for five or six hours.CANNED PEACHESSelect ripe, firm peaches, nearly soft enough to eat, avoiding the clingstones. The Crawfords are perhaps the best. Pare, divide in halves, removing the stones, and drop into cold water to prevent discoloring. For each quart of fruit pour a cupful of water into a saucepan, add three or four tablespoonfuls of sugar, and let boil up; drain the peaches from the cold water, and put them into the hot sirup; cook slowly till tender, and can.CANNED BERRIESSelect those freshly picked; if necessary to be washed, place a few at a time in a colander and dip in and out of cold water; cook in a small quantity of water, adding the necessary sugar when nearly done, and can.CANNED QUINCESWipe with a cloth, pare, quarter, core, and divide each quarter into thirds. For each two quarts of fruit pour three cups of water into a saucepan, add nearly two cups of sugar, and let boil up; then put in the fruit, and cook slowly for an hour and a half, or until tender and of a rich pink color, and can. Equal parts of quinces and apples or pears may be stewed together.CANNED TOMATOESSelect smooth, a little under-ripe, meaty tomatoes; put them into a pan, and pour scalding water over them to make the skins come off readily; then with a sharp, pointed knife remove the cores, pare, cut into thick slices, press well into the jars, screw the covers on loosely without rubbers, place in boiler, and cook for thirty minutes after reaching the boiling-point, according to directions under “Another Method.” But little filling will be needed after being cooked. For this have a few tomatoes stewed in a saucepan. Turn upside down till cool, then wrap in brown paper, and keep in a dark place.GRAPE JUICETake fresh, well-ripened, dark, juicy grapes, such as the Black Prince or Concord; pick from the stems, rejecting all that are imperfect; wash well, and put to cook in an enameled saucepan with a pint of water for each three quarts of grapes. Cook slowly for half an hour, or until the grapes burst open; then drain off the juice through a jelly-bag, filtering the skins and seeds through a separate bag. Reheat, add one-half cup of sugar to a quart of juice if desired to sweeten, and can in jars the same as fruit; or, put in sterilized bottles, filling within an inch of the top, and cork at once with good, solid corks; cut off the corks close to the bottle, and seal over with sealing-wax. Bottle the juice from the skins separately, as it will be less clear. Keep in a cool, dark place.

Apples to be baked may be cored and pared or baked with the skins on. If firm and quite tart, pare, place in a pie dish, add sugar and a little hot water, and bake in a moderate oven. If the apples are juicy, less water will be required. When tender, turn into a dish, and pour over them the sirup or juice.

Pare and core without halving, a number of nice, tart apples; fill the centers with sugar and jelly, lay closely in a shallow pan, add a little water, and bake slowly, basting occasionally with the sirup to keep the centers well filled. Bake till brown and tender, and serve with a boiled custard made with two cups of milk, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, two eggs, and vanilla to flavor.

Pare, core, and cut into small pieces some moderately tart apples, place in a saucepan, and add sufficient boiling water to stew to a pulp; cook slowly for about an hour, stirring but little. When cool, add sugar to sweeten.

Select good, sweet apples. Wash, but do not pare or core them; put into a baking pan with a little water, and bake in a hot oven. Baste occasionally with the juice in the bottom ofthe pan. When done, if desired, each apple may be dipped in the beaten white of an egg, then in powdered sugar, and returned to the oven until the icing is set. Plain sweet baked apples are very nice served with cream.

Pare, core, and slice a half dozen good cooking apples. Spread a layer in the bottom of a deep pudding dish, then over these a layer of bread crumbs mixed with a little sugar, thus alternating till the dish is filled, having a layer of apples on top. Add a half cup of cold water, and bake in a rather quick oven till done. Serve with rich milk or cream.

Remove the cores and cook whole, or in halves, in enough boiling water to cover them. Cook slowly. When tender, remove the apples to a dish with a spoon or fork. Sweeten the juice with sugar, add a little lemon extract, thicken slightly with a very little cornstarch blended with a little cold water, and pour over the apples. Serve when cool.

Take good, sound pears, cut in halves, pare, and fill an enameled pudding dish, sprinkling sugar through them; pour in a cupful of hot water, cover tightly, and bake slowly till tender. Serve cold. Or wash, wipe, and bake whole in a shallow dish, putting in a very little water.

Pare, quarter, and core nice ripe pears, and drop into cold water to keep from discoloring. Make a sirup, allowing two cups of water and a half cup of sugar to each quart of fruit. Boil the sirup for a few minutes, put in the fruit, and cook until tender and pink in color, being careful not to break the fruit by stirring. Three or four slices of lemon added to the sirup while boiling will improve the flavor of the pears. Remove the lemon before putting in the fruit.

Pare, core, and bake the same as apples. The fruit may be left whole, and the centers filled with sugar. Sufficient water should be used so the fruit will not become dry. Baste with the sirup while baking.

Take good, firm peaches, pare, cut in halves, removing the stones, and place in a deep pudding dish, sprinkling with sugar. Add a little water, and bake until tender.

Bake as above; when done, cover the top with a meringue made of the whites of two or three eggs beaten stiff and a little powdered sugar; return to the oven and brown slightly. Serve cold with cream.

Take ripe peaches, pare, or wipe carefully with a damp cloth; cut in halves, remove the stones, and drop into cold water. When ready, place the fruit in a saucepan, adding sufficient boiling water to keep from burning. Add sugar, two tablespoonfuls to each quart of fruit. Cook slowly until tender, generally from twenty to thirty minutes.

Wash the prunes thoroughly in warm water, rinse, then add water to cover, or about three parts water to one of prunes, and soak for several hours, or overnight. Put them to cook in the same water in which they soaked, and stew gently until tender. When nearly done, add a little sugar if desired. Serve cold.

Small fruits are better stewed in a double enamel saucepan, and the larger kind baked in a tightly covered earthen crock or jar in the oven, with as little water as possible. Dried fruit, such as figs, prunes, peaches, raisins, dates, etc., should first be well washed, rinsed, soaked for several hours in enough water to cover, and afterward cooked in the same water in which they have soaked.

Pare, cut into thin slices into a dish, and sprinkle lightly with sugar; let stand in a cool place for an hour, and serve.

Stew a quart of berries in a small quantity of water for fifteen or twenty minutes; then add sugar to taste, and two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch dissolved in a little cold water; cook until thickened, then turn into molds first wet with cold water; serve cold with milk or cream. Heat fruit juices and treat similarly.

Remove the peel, cut into thin slices, and sprinkle with a very little sugar and a few drops of orange juice. Serve in small dishes, placing a tablespoonful of whipped cream on eachdish. If bananas are slightly scraped after removing the skins, they will be more readily digested.

Large Spoon

Pare, quarter, and core about equal parts of sweet and tart apples. Boil sweet cider down, about four gallons into one gallon. Cook the apples in either sweet cider or water till soft, then add the boiled cider, and boil and stir with a wooden spoon until thick. A little butter and ground cinnamon may be added for flavoring, and sugar if necessary. Can in jars, or set away in jars without canning if desired for immediate use.

Boil one cupful of sugar and one-fourth cupful of water until it slightly thickens; add a small teaspoonful of butter and a tablespoonful of lemon-juice. Serve hot.

Put two tablespoonfuls of butter into a saucepan to warm; then add one cup of sugar, the juice and grated rind of two lemons, and two eggs well beaten; cook until thickened, stirring constantly that no lumps be formed, and, if not cooked in a double boiler, being careful not to burn. When done, turn into cups and cover the same as jelly. Nice used as a filling for layer cake.

Wash the plums, cut them in halves, removing the stones, and cook for about fifteen minutes, allowing a scant cup of water to each quart of fruit. Then rub through a colander, add one cup of sugar to each quart of pulp, and boil slowly one hour, stirring often to prevent burning.

Make the same as plum marmalade, only allowing half a cup of water to a quart of fruit for cooking.

Choose a bright, sunny day for making jelly, in order to have it as firm and clear as possible. Make in small quantities at a time, using only porcelain or graniteware in preparing fruit or juice. Small fruits should be used as soon after being picked as possible, and should not be overripe. Cherries should be mixed with one fourth their quantity of currants, as they do not jelly easily. Two parts red raspberry with one part currantjuice makes a nice-flavored jelly. Place the fruit desired for the jelly in the saucepan, add only enough water to keep from burning, and cook until tender or well scalded; then drain through a strong, coarse, white flannel or cotton bag first wrung out of hot water. If the bag is made three-cornered, the weight of the fruit at the large top presses the juice out more freely at the point. Heat the sugar in the oven, stirring frequently to prevent burning. About three fourths of a pound should be used to each pint of juice. To prevent the jelly glasses from breaking, place them in a pan of cold water and allow it to come nearly to boiling; or with a cloth rub the outside of them well with a little butter or oil, and pour in the juice slowly. A little paraffin poured over the jelly when cooled, or writing-paper cut to fit the glasses, and oiled, is good for covering before putting on the covers.

Select nice tart, red apples, wash, quarter, and core, but do not pare; add a small quantity of water, and boil only until soft. Then strain as directed for making fruit jelly, measure the juice, return it to a clean saucepan, and boil for ten or fifteen minutes, skimming thoroughly. Add the heated sugar, three-fourths pound to each pint of juice. Boil a few minutes, or until it jellies nicely, then turn into glasses.

Weigh the fruit, and to each pound weigh out half the weight of granulated sugar. Place a few of the currants in a granite saucepan, mash with a potato masher to extract enough juice to keep it from burning, then add the remainder of the fruit, and boil about twenty minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning; strain, return juice to a clean saucepan, let boil for five minutes, skim, then add the sugar previously heated. This should jelly at once. Turn into glasses. Make blackberry and raspberry jelly in the same way.

Wash, wipe, and remove any imperfect spots, quarter and core, but do not pare the fruit. Cut into small pieces, and place in the preserving pan, with water enough to half cover. Cook until tender, stirring frequently. Remove from the fire, and strain through a jelly-bag, measure the juice, return to a clean saucepan, let boil fifteen minutes, then add sugar, three-fourths pound to each pint of juice. Boil until it jellies nicely, removing the scum, and when done, turn into the jelly cups at once.

Pick over and wash one quart of cranberries, and put them in a granite saucepan with one cupful of boiling water; cook about ten minutes, or until soft. Then put them through astrainer or vegetable press, return the juice to the pan, add two cupfuls of sugar, place over the fire, and cook about five minutes. Turn into a mold to cool.

Boiling or canning fruit consists in sealing up in air-tight bottles, or jars, fruit which has previously been cooked. Many do not appreciate the value of canning fruit because they have never tried it. But the process is so simple, and the result so satisfactory, that those who have ever given it a trial usually feel well repaid for the effort put forth.

Canning fruit practically lengthens the fruit season until it is perennial. Fruit, if properly canned, can be preserved, even for years, in a very natural and wholesome state.

While it is true that in semitropical countries some kind of fruit can be obtained from the markets at most seasons of the year, it is both a matter of providence and economy to lay by, at a time when fruit is cheap and in season, for those times when it is scarce, high-priced, or unobtainable. A lesson can here be learned from the bee. During the summer, when the flowers are in bloom, it culls the sweet, that it may have a store of honey to eat in the winter hours.

It is very desirable to have the fruit fresh, as picked from the tree or vine; but many of the nicest and most juicy and delicately flavored fruits, such as strawberries, raspberries, currants, gooseberries, plums, blueberries, cherries, peaches, and apricots are in season for only a comparatively short time. It is, therefore, of value to know how to preserve these for the unseasonable portions of the year. It is a matter of no little convenience for the housewife to have these delicious fruits in her house, ready for use at a moment’s notice. But this can be the case only by having on hand a supply of canned fruit.

Some may think that this supply of canned fruit can readily be substituted by the same kinds of fruit put up in jams, marmalades, etc., and that these can be purchased at reasonable prices at the stores all ready for use, and the trouble of preserving fruit one’s self is thereby saved. While this may be true, the fruit prepared thus is not to be compared to fruit in its more natural state. The amount of sugar generally used in making jams and marmalades causes them to be too rich in saccharine matter, and consequently more liable, if freely used, to injure the teeth, cause acidity of the stomach, dyspepsia, and liver trouble, while nearly all, even dyspeptics, can eat simple stewed fruit of one kind or another without injury.

Mason Can

In canning fruit, care should be taken to provide good cans and perfectly fitting covers. This is a matter of much importance. The Mason glass cans, or jars, with the white porcelain-lined covers and white rubber bands, are, perhaps, the best. It may seem a little expensive on the start to purchase these, but there is practically no further expense connected with them, aside from providing new rubbers or covers occasionally, as the jars can be used year after year, or until broken. Either the pint, quart, or two-quart jars may be used, as best suits the needs of the family.

If a Mason can opener is not at hand, the process of opening the jars may be made easier by first running the edge of a thin knife blade around under the rubbers, care being taken not, by prying or otherwise, to injure the rubbers or lids.

After the fruit has been used from the jars, wash and dry them, and set away for future use. The rubbers and covers may be put into a cloth bag and hung away from the dust.

Select good, sound, fresh fruit, but not overripe, or it will be mushy and insipid when cooked. The larger fruits should not be quite as soft for canning as for eating.

Cook in a graniteware or enameled saucepan or preserving kettle. Iron, tin, copper, or brass should not be used.

Always cook slowly, as rapid boiling breaks up the fruit, and causes it to lose much of its nice flavor.

Cook thoroughly and evenly, in small quantities, and in as little water as possible, fruit being better cooked in its own juice, which soon boils out. The length of time required for cooking will depend upon the kind and quantity of fruit, hard and less ripe fruit requiring more time.

Two or three tablespoonfuls of sugar to each quart of fruit will generally be found sufficient for the milder fruits; the more tart, such as plums, currants, gooseberries, etc., will require from six to eight tablespoonfuls.

While the fruit is cooking, immerse two or three jars in a large pan of scalding (not boiling) water, laying them down if there is room. If the jars are new, put them in cold water, and gradually raise the temperature, to prevent them from breaking. Likewise put the covers in a basin of hot water. Much depends on keeping everything hot.

Have ready an enameled dipper or cup, a cloth for wiping the outside of the jars, a spoon, fork, and a small pan in which to set the jars while being filled.

Utensils for Canning Fruit

When the fruit is well cooked, roll one of the jars over in the hot water, empty it, place it in the small pan, and quickly fill with the boiling fruit, putting in a little of the juice first. Fill to overflowing. Skim off all foam or bubbles of air that come to the top. If any bubbles are seen in the fruit, pass a fork or spoon handle, first dipped in hot water, down into the jar, slightly stirring, when they will come to the top, and can be skimmed off. Wipe the juice from the top of the jar, and screw down the cover quickly and tightly. See that the rubber extends beyond the cover all around. Should any part of the edge of the cover fail to fit down into the rubber tightly after being screwed on, press down all around with the edge of the handle of a strong knife. Turn the jars upside down to cool. If no juice leaks out, the sealing is perfect.

After a few hours turn the jars right side up, and watch for a few days. If there is any leakage or sign of fermentation, the work is a failure, and the fruit should be opened at once,a little more sugar added, boiled, and used as soon as possible. If all is right, store in a cool, dark place for future use. If a proper place is not convenient, wrap the jars in brown paper to keep out the light, as this is likely to cause fermentation.

If the foregoing directions are carefully followed, there is no reason why the work should not be a perfect success.

Cooking Boiler

If it is desired to preserve the fruit as nearly whole as possible, prepare it as for cooking, place it, dry, compactly in the jars, and screw the covers on loosely without rubbers. Place the jars, six or eight at a time, in a boiler, standing them on thin pieces of board, and filling the boiler with sufficient warm water to come up half way on the jars. Cover tightly, using a thick cloth, if necessary, to keep in the steam; place on the range, and after the water comes to the boiling-point, cook for from one-half to one hour, according to kind and ripeness of fruit. When cooked, remove the jars, taking care not to allow a draft to strike them, to prevent cracking; allow to settle a few minutes; remove the covers, and fill with a sirup, boiling hot, allowing about a cup of sugar to each quart of fruit; or, if desired to can without sugar, fill the jars with boiling water. Put on the rubbers, and seal at once, testing by turning bottom side up.

This method should be employed in canning vegetables. Only perfectly fresh vegetables should be used for canning.

Prepare string-beans as for ordinary cooking, then press and pack them closely into the jars until full, adding a little salt; fill the jars to overflowing with cold water, then screw on the covers fairly close, place the jars in a boiler, as directed above, and cook for four hours; remove from the water, take off the covers, place on the rubbers, screw on the covers tightly. Peas should be shelled, then canned in the same manner.

Select that which is fresh, and cut from the cob as directed for stewed sweet corn (page 57). Then press and pack closely into the jars until the milk appears on the top, and they are full. No water or salt should be added. Boil for five or six hours.

Select ripe, firm peaches, nearly soft enough to eat, avoiding the clingstones. The Crawfords are perhaps the best. Pare, divide in halves, removing the stones, and drop into cold water to prevent discoloring. For each quart of fruit pour a cupful of water into a saucepan, add three or four tablespoonfuls of sugar, and let boil up; drain the peaches from the cold water, and put them into the hot sirup; cook slowly till tender, and can.

Select those freshly picked; if necessary to be washed, place a few at a time in a colander and dip in and out of cold water; cook in a small quantity of water, adding the necessary sugar when nearly done, and can.

Wipe with a cloth, pare, quarter, core, and divide each quarter into thirds. For each two quarts of fruit pour three cups of water into a saucepan, add nearly two cups of sugar, and let boil up; then put in the fruit, and cook slowly for an hour and a half, or until tender and of a rich pink color, and can. Equal parts of quinces and apples or pears may be stewed together.

Select smooth, a little under-ripe, meaty tomatoes; put them into a pan, and pour scalding water over them to make the skins come off readily; then with a sharp, pointed knife remove the cores, pare, cut into thick slices, press well into the jars, screw the covers on loosely without rubbers, place in boiler, and cook for thirty minutes after reaching the boiling-point, according to directions under “Another Method.” But little filling will be needed after being cooked. For this have a few tomatoes stewed in a saucepan. Turn upside down till cool, then wrap in brown paper, and keep in a dark place.

Take fresh, well-ripened, dark, juicy grapes, such as the Black Prince or Concord; pick from the stems, rejecting all that are imperfect; wash well, and put to cook in an enameled saucepan with a pint of water for each three quarts of grapes. Cook slowly for half an hour, or until the grapes burst open; then drain off the juice through a jelly-bag, filtering the skins and seeds through a separate bag. Reheat, add one-half cup of sugar to a quart of juice if desired to sweeten, and can in jars the same as fruit; or, put in sterilized bottles, filling within an inch of the top, and cork at once with good, solid corks; cut off the corks close to the bottle, and seal over with sealing-wax. Bottle the juice from the skins separately, as it will be less clear. Keep in a cool, dark place.

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