107.As a rule, scoring, or judging, is done at the time the canned food is to be opened and used.
Thegeneral appearanceis judged before the jar is opened. If a jar of food is well and symmetrically packed and has clear liquid and a good color, it should receive a perfect score of 10.
Themethod of sealingmust also be judged before the can is opened. A properly filled jar with the rubber and cover in good condition and tightly sealed should receive a perfect score of 10.
Theproportion of food to liquidshould score 10. The jars should be as full of uncrushed food as possible, and the liquid that has been added should fill all crevices to the very edge of the jar.
Theflavoris judged after the can is opened, and if it is perfect, it is entitled to a score of 35. The flavor of canned fruit is injured by any kind of spoiling, such as molding, fermentation, etc. Fruits canned in good condition should retain the characteristic flavor of the fresh fruits; also, they should contain sufficient sugar to be agreeably sweet, but no more. Canned vegetables should retain their characteristic flavors, with no sour, musty, nor disagreeable taste, and be slightly salty. Canned meats and fish should also possess their characteristic flavors.
Thetexture of foodis entitled to a score of 20 if it is perfect. The canned food should be whole; that is, in the original pieces as they were put into the can. Underripe fruit or insufficiently cooked fruit or vegetables do not have the proper texture; neither do overripe or uncooked foods.
Thecolorof canned food merits a score of 15 if it is right. Fruits and vegetables should have retained their natural color. Fading after canning may be prevented by wrapping the cans, as has been explained.
108. DRYINGconsists in removing the moisture contained in foods by evaporation and thus rendering them less susceptible to the attacks of undesirable bacteria.Dried foods, as foods so treated are called, will not replace fresh or canned foods. However, they are valuable in many cases and possess some advantages over such foods. For example, the weight of dried foods is very greatly reduced, the storage space required by them is much less, and they are easy to keep without spoiling and easy to transport. Likewise, the containers for such foods are less costly than those required for canned foods and they are easily procured, since paper boxes or paper bags are satisfactory. In fact, the housewife, by taking care of the bags and boxes that come into the home, can easily provide all the containers she will possibly need at practically no cost.
109.The water in food that is to be dried may be evaporated by applying heat, by bringing the food in contact with moving air, or by subjecting it to a combination of both of these methods. The heat for drying may be obtained from the sun, as in thesun-drying method, or from the stove, as in thestove-drying method, while moving air for evaporating moisture may be obtained from an electric fan, as in theelectric-fan drying method.
In the application of any of these drying methods, however, it is important to note that the more surface of food there is exposed, the more quickly will evaporation take place. Drying should therefore be done on devices constructed in such a way that air may pass up through food, as well as across its surface. In drying foods, the racks should be turned frequently, so that all parts will be exposed equally to the heat or the currents of air. Also, the food must be turned over often, in order that all parts will dry evenly.
110.Any fruit or vegetable may be dried if the method is properly applied, but there is usually more or less change in both the flavor and the color of the dried food. The more rapidly the drying can be done, the more natural will the color and flavor remain; whereas, the longer the process is continued, the greater will be this change.
Foods should be dried when they are in such quantity that they cannot be used to advantage in the raw state, when there is no market for them, when the owner cannot afford to give them away, and when home canning ceases to be practical and profitable. In other words, if it is not practical to save foods in another way, they should be dried.
111. DEVICES FOR DRYING.--Many manufactured devices may be had for the drying of foods. Some are made so that they may be placed on top of a stove, like that shown in Fig. 23. This device is in the form of a metal box. It has a tray for holding the food to be dried, and underneath this is a space for holding water. Water is poured into this space through a funnel in one corner, and heat for drying is supplied by heating the water. Other devices are made so that they may be suspended over a stove, put into a stove oven, or used out of doors. Still others have a heating device placed inside of them. It is possible, however, to make drying devices in the home that will answer the purpose just as well as the devices that may be bought.
[Illustration: FIG. 23]
[Illustration: FIG. 23]
As has been stated, drying devices should be so made that the air may pass up through the food and across its surface. A pan, a platter, or a solid board, as will be readily seen, is not so good for drying as a wooden frame of convenient size that has small slats or fine, rustless-wire netting, or screening, attached to the bottom. Such a device may be covered with cheesecloth to keep out dirt. If it is to be used in the oven or set in the sun, a nail driven part way into each corner will provide feet and thus keep it from resting on the oven floor or any other flat surface.
For suspending food that is to be dried over a stove, a rack like that shown in Fig. 24 may be easily made in the home. As will be observed, it consists of three trays fastened together. These trays are suspended by four strings tied to another string that runs over small pulleys. The pulleys are attached to a wooden brace that is secured to the kitchen wall. The pulleys and string permit the rack to be raised or lowered, so that the food may be easily put into and taken out of the trays.
[Illustration: FIG. 24]
112. SUN-DRYING METHOD.--If food is to be dried in the sun, spread it in a single layer on each tray, cover the trays so that no dirt will fall into them, and set them out of doors so that the sun's rays will strike them. Glass covers will help to increase the heat from the sun. As the sun changes, change the position of the trays or turn them. Food that is being dried outdoors should be brought into the house when the sun goes down and put out again the following morning. This procedure should be kept up until the food is so dry as to beleathery; that is, in a condition that will permit of bending without cracking.
113. STOVE-DRYING METHOD.--If food is to be dried by the stove-drying method, it may be placed in the oven, on top of the stove, or suspended above the stove.
114.If the oven is to be used, a device that fits the oven should be employed. Spread the food on the trays in single layers, and put the device into the oven. The temperature of the oven demands attention in this method. Only a very moderate heat may be applied at first, 110 degrees Fahrenheit being considered the ideal temperature for beginning. As it is difficult to hold an oven at such a low temperature if a fire is burning, the oven door should be left open to admit air. The temperature of the oven of a coal stove in which the fire is banked or is being allowed to go out is usually ideal for drying foods. If desired, the heat of an oven may be gradually increased to about 180 degrees as the food dries; but the application of greater heat is liable to scorch the food and injure its flavor. The food must be turned often to permit it to dry evenly.
115.If food is to be dried on top of the stove, the device shown in Fig. 23 will prove satisfactory. The same arrangement may be improvised by placing a metal tray over a large flat vessel of water. Place the food to be dried in a single layer on the tray over the water. Let the water boil and keep it boiling, and turn the food frequently so that the heat will be applied to all sides. Continue this process until the food is leathery, when it may be stored.
116.If food is to be dried in a rack suspended above the stove, a rack like that shown in Fig. 24 should be used. Cover the trays in the rack with a single layer of food, and dry it to the leathery stage, when it may be removed and stored. In using this device, only a coal or a wood stove is practical. When the heat coming from the stove is not great, the rack may be allowed to come close to it, and when the heat is intense the rack may be drawn up. Regulating the distance of the rack from the stove will tend to keep the food at a uniform temperature and allow it to dry evenly, especially when the food is turned from time to time.
117. ELECTRIC-FAN DRYING METHOD.--If a house is wired for electricity, drying foods by means of the air-currents generated by a moving electric fan is a simple matter. Use devices like those required for the sun and oven-drying methods. Spread the foods to be dried on the trays in a single thin layer, and arrange them so that the air from the electric fan will blow over them. Turn the trays as the food dries, so that one part does not dry sooner than another; also, turn the food frequently so as to expose all parts alike. If the fan can be placed so as to blow across a stove and thus blow heated air on the food, it will dry more quickly. A very warm kitchen is an excellent place in which to do the work with an electric fan, as the combination of air and heat does the work more rapidly than either one used alone.
118. COMBINATION DRYING METHODS.--A combination of any of the drying methods mentioned may be used effectively. Drying may be started in the sun and completed in the oven, or it may be started with an electric fan and completed in the sun or the oven. Any means whereby the time required for drying may be shortened is advantageous.
119. PREPARATION OF FOODS FOR DRYING.--The correct preparation of the foods before drying is very important. The thinner and smaller the pieces to be dried are cut, the more quickly may the process be completed. Any skins or hulls that would prevent the rapid evaporation of moisture from the food must be removed or broken, and every raw food that is to be dried must first be immersed in salt water made in the proportion of 1 teaspoonful of salt to each quart of water, as this prevents discoloring to a great extent.
120. STRING BEANS.--Beans for drying should be selected while they are young and tender. Wash them and remove the strings if this is necessary. Cut them in half, lengthwise, with a sharp knife. Drop them into salt water, remove, and spread on the drying trays. Dry by any method selected.
121. CORN.--Corn that is to be dried should be at the dough stage; younger corn contains too much water for good results. Prepare the corn by husking it and removing the silk. Then blanch it in boiling water for 5 minutes, after which cut off the grains close to the cob with a sharp knife. Spread these on the drying trays and proceed according to the method desired.
122. GREENS.--Wash the greens thoroughly. Cut across the leaves several times. Drop them into salt water, remove, and spread on the drying trays. Dry by any method selected.
123. TUBER AND ROOT VEGETABLES.--Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and even onions may be successfully dried. First peel or scrape them. Then slice or cut them into small pieces. Drop them into salt water, remove from the water, and spread them on the drying trays. Dry them by the method selected.
124. SMALL FRUITS.--Berries, cherries, and other small fruits may be dried, but since they contain considerable water, the drying is not accomplished very rapidly. Ripe, firm fruit should be selected and cleaned. Cherries should have the seeds, or pits, removed. Such fruits must be dried as quickly as possible, or they will spoil in the process.
125. APPLES, QUINCES, AND PEARS.--In order to dry apples, quinces, and pears, wash, peel, core, and cut the fruit into eighths. Put the peeled fruit into the salt water and keep it there until all are peeled and cut and ready to dry. Then spread the cut pieces in a thin layer on the drying trays and proceed according to the method desired.
126. PEACHES AND APRICOTS.--Peaches and apricots are most easily dried with the skin on. Wash them thoroughly and, in the case of peaches, rub the fuzz off the skins. Cut the fruit into halves, remove the seeds, or stones, and drop the halves into salt water and keep them there until they are ready to be placed on the drying trays. Dry by any process desired.
127.When foods are taken from the various drying devices to be stored, they still contain a very small quantity of moisture. This moisture, however, is not distributed evenly, because some of the pieces of food are larger than others, or some have been exposed more than others to heat or air in drying. To offset this unequal drying, the containers in which the foods are to be stored should not be closed permanently as soon as the food is put into them. Rather, once a day, for about 3 days, the food should be poured from one container into another and back again several times. This will mix all the food and distribute the moisture equally.
128.The object in storing dried foods is to keep them as dry as possible; that is, not to allow them to absorb moisture from the air. The best containers in which they may be placed are those coated with paraffin. Paper bags or boxes may be prepared in the home by dipping them into paraffin, although heavy paper containers already covered with paraffin may be bought in supply stores. Heavy paper or cloth bags may be used, provided they are stored in a dry place where there is no danger from rats and mice. Containers of any kind should be securely tied before storing them permanently. Bags and boxes of dried food are preferably suspended from rafters in an attic, but if this is not possible a rack or a bin located in a place that is not damp will answer.
It is well, in storing dried foods, to use containers that will hold only a small quantity of food, so that when some is taken out to be cooked a large amount will not be exposed. It is best to store just enough for a meal or two in each container.
129.Before dried foods are cooked, as much as possible of the water evaporated in drying should be restored. In order to do this, soaking is necessary. The dried food should be put into cold salt water made in the proportion of 1 teaspoonful of salt to 1 quart of water and soaked for at least 1/2 hour. The salt water seems to help restore the original color of the food. When dried vegetables are to be cooked, they should be cooked in the salt water in which they are soaked; when dried fruits are to be cooked, the salt water should be poured off and fresh water used. Long, slow cooking at a low temperature is better for all kinds of dried foods than rapid cooking. The fireless cooker will be found valuable for cooking dried foods.
CANNING AND DRYING
EXAMINATION QUESTIONS
(1) Give three reasons for canning food.
(2) What foods may be canned?
(3) (a) How may satisfactory canning equipment be provided at little or no cost? (b) What metals are not good for canning or preserving kettles?
(4) (a) What are the requirements for satisfactory types of jars? (b) What are the qualities of good jar rubbers?
(5) What kind of tin cans should be used for canning fruits or vegetables that contain acid?
(6) (a) Why should care be exercised in the selection of foods to be canned? (b) What points must be considered in the selection of foods for canning?
(7) Why do canned foods spoil?
(8) How may canned foods be prevented from spoiling?
(9) (a) What are spores? (b) What connection have spores with the spoiling of canned food?
(10) Mention three things that assist in the keeping of canned foods.
(11) (a) How should jar covers and rubbers be treated in the open-kettle canning method? (b) Describe the filling and closing of jars in this method.
(12) (a) Describe the utensil used for processing in the one-period cold-pack canning method. (b) How should jars, covers, and rubbers be treated in this method?
(13) (a) How are foods blanched and scalded, and why are blanching and scalding done? (b) How are foods cold-dipped, and why is cold-dipping done?
(14) (a) How should foods be packed in jars in the cold-pack canning method? (b) How should the rubber and cover be adjusted before processing? (c) When should you begin to count the boiling time for food that is being processed in the water bath?
(15) (a) How and when should jars be closed in the cold-pack method? (b) How should jars of food be cooled?
(16) (a) How should jars of food be treated for storage? (b) How should they be stored?
(17) Mention some advantages of dried foods over fresh or canned ones.
(18) What important points should be considered in the process of drying food?
(19) What are the proportions of salt and water into which foods that discolor are placed before they are canned or dried?
(20) What precautions should be observed in the storing of dried foods?
1.Like canning and drying,JELLY MAKING, PRESERVING,andPICKLINGare methods of preparing perishable foods to resist decomposition and change. When treated by any of these three processes, fruits and vegetables will keep for long periods of time and will thus be ready for use during the seasons when they cannot be obtained fresh. The preservation of food by making it into jellies, preserves, and pickles does not, as in the case of canning, depend on the sterilization of the product, but rather on the use of certain ingredients that act as preservatives. These include sugar, spices, salt, and vinegar, all of which are considered harmless preservatives in both the home and the commercial preparation of foods.
2.The making of jelly, preserves, and pickles may seem like an extravagance in the expenditure of money for materials, as well as of time and energy on the part of the housewife. Whether this is the case or not is a matter that must be decided by the housewife herself. If these foods are not of enough value to her in the preparation of meals and the feeding of her family to make it worth her while to use her time and materials in storing them for winter use, then it is not wise for her to prepare them. But foods so preserved usually have sufficient merit to warrant the expenditure of the time and the money required in their making.
3.In the first place, it will often be necessary to throw away material that would make excellent jelly or jam unless the sugar can be supplied and the time given to make this material into something that is edible and at the same time attractive. As is well known, all through the canning season, there is some material, which may have been intended for canning, but which, for some reason, cannot be used in that way. Such material should be utilized in the preparation of these foods. For instance, some of the berries and other fruits bought for canning may be found to be too ripe to make a good-looking product, but may be very satisfactory for the making of jars or jellies. Then, too, if the open-kettle method of canning is used, there is almost certain to be a superfluous amount of juice that would be wasted if it were not used in the making of jelly. Such material need not necessarily be used at the time, for it may be canned and then made up later at some more convenient time.
In addition to material of this kind, there is often a surplus of vegetables and fruits on hand, particularly if one has access to a garden. Much of this can be canned and dried, but what is not desired for these purposes might be wasted if it were not made up into appetizing jellies, preserves, and pickles.
4.Even though it were not necessary to consider the matter of waste and the utilizing of surplus fruits and vegetables, there would still be sufficient reason for the making of jellies, preserves, and pickles, because these foods, when properly prepared, have great value in the meal. Jellies and preserves, because of the large quantity of sugar used in them, are foods high in carbohydrate. In view of this fact, they should be considered as a part of the meal in which they are served, instead of being used extravagantly or regarded as something extra in an already sufficiently large menu.
Besides their importance in food value, they should have a place in the diet because they stimulate the appetite through their attractive colors and delicious flavors. The familiar fact that a child will refuse to eat plain bread and butter, but will accept the same piece when it has been made attractive by the addition of a little jam, argues much for the use of foods of this sort in children's diet. As it is with children, so it is to a large extent with adults. During the winter months, when fruits and fresh vegetables are scarce and expensive, practically every one finds jellies and preserves appetizing, for these things, in a measure, take the place of the foods that are difficult to procure.
5.Not so much can be said of the various kinds of pickles, as they are not so valuable in the diet from the standpoint of food values. They are made from fruits and vegetables, as are jellies and preserves, but the preservatives used in their preparation are vinegar and spices. In addition to having no food value, such ingredients produce overstimulation and irritation in the alimentary tract, toughen the cellulose in the foods used, and consequently often cause indigestion and various gastric disturbances. For these reasons, pickles should not be included in the diet of children. However, because of the stimulation they produce in the stomach, foods of this kind, if taken in small quantities, are properly served as appetizers, and can be eaten by normal adults without fear of digestive disturbances. Then, too, as every one who has meals to prepare knows, they are valuable for relieving monotony in the diet, a point that should not be overlooked.
6.Because the preservation of food in jellies, preserves, and pickles is accomplished by the use of certain preservatives instead of by the sterilization of the food, as in canning, these preparations do not mold or spoil readily. Therefore, containers of a different nature from those used in canning may be used to store these foods. Jars having tightly sealed covers are not required, but such containers as wide-necked bottles, stone jars or crocks, glasses, etc. may be utilized for this purpose. In fact, containers of almost any description may be used for jellies, preserves, and pickles. They should, of course, be sealed in some way to prevent the entrance of bacteria, and various methods of accomplishing this have been devised. A very satisfactory way consists in pouring melted paraffin over the top of the food and then covering the container with a piece of heavy paper and tying this on securely with cord.
7.Since jellies, preserves, and pickles occupy a place of importance in the diet and at the same time provide an opportunity to utilize material that might otherwise be wasted, they are entitled to a certain amount of attention from the housewife. To equip her with the knowledge she needs for this work and give her practice in jelly making, preserving, and pickling, the details of these processes are taken up, step by step, in this Section.
8. JELLY MAKINGconsists in cooking fruit juice with sugar until, upon cooling, it will solidify, or jell. While this is not a difficult nor a complicated process, there are some housewives who do not have success with it. Often the result may be very good when a certain fruit is used, whereas it may be entirely unsatisfactory at another time, even though the same fruit is used and practically the same procedure is followed. If the best results are to be assured in jelly making, the principles that are involved in this process must first be thoroughly understood and then the correct procedure must be painstakingly followed out.
9.To solidify properly and thus become a desirable jelly, the fruit juice that is used for this purpose must have the following characteristics and treatment: (1) it must contain certain jelly-making properties; (2) it must be extracted properly; (3) it must be combined with the correct proportion of sugar; and (4) it must be cooked the proper length of time. There are, of course, numerous degrees of solidity of jelly, varying from that which will barely retain its shape to that which is very tough and hard, but neither extreme is desirable. To be right, the jelly should be firm enough to stand up well, but should be tender and soft when a spoon is cut into it.
10.Fruit is the principal ingredient in the making of jelly, as it is the source from which the juice is obtained. Such imperfections in fruits as poor shape or unattractive appearance do not count in this matter, since only the juice is used; but they must contain jelly-making properties in order that jelly can be made from them.
Green or slightly unripe fruits are better for jelly making than fruits that have become ripe. In fact, when in this immature state, fruits may be used to make jelly, whereas the same fruits, when perfectly ripe, often will not make jelly at all, or, if they do, will produce a jelly that is inferior in quality.
11.The chief requirement of fruits that are to be used for jelly making is that they contain acid and pectin.Pectinis the real jelly-making property of fruits. When it is in the presence of acid and combined with the correct proportion of sugar and the combination is properly boiled, a desirable jelly is the result. Without pectin, however, it is impossible to make the juice solidify, or jell. Pectin is closely related to the carbohydrates, but as it does not yield heat energy nor build tissue, its food value is not considered. In this respect, it is like the cellulose of fruits and vegetables.
It is because green fruits contain more pectin than do ripe fruits that they are more suitable for jelly making. The lack of either acid or pectin need not, however, prevent the making of jelly from fruits, such as sweet fruits, that contain other jelly-making properties, for either or both may be supplied from some other source. In other words, jelly may be made from any fruit that will yield juice and flavor.
[Illustration: FIG. 1]
[Illustration: FIG. 1]
12. NECESSARY EQUIPMENT.--In the making of jelly, as in the preparation of many other foods, numerous utensils will be found convenient and may, if desired, be supplied to make the work easier. However, the necessary ones are comparatively few in number and, for the most part, are found in almost every kitchen. In Fig. 1 are shown assembled practically all the equipment used in the making of jelly, and if a housewife is provided with these things or substitutes for them, she will be well equipped for her work.
13. KETTLES.--As will be observed, two kettles are required in jelly making. The larger one is used for cooking the fruit, and the smaller one, to cook the juice and the sugar. These should have a perfectly smooth surface, and may be made of almost any material used for such utensils, except tin or iron. These two metals are undesirable, as they are liable to lend to the jelly a disagreeable flavor and in all probability an unattractive color. The one used to cook the fruit should generally be a little larger than the other. As about 6 glassfuls of jelly may be cooked at one time, the kettle in which the juice is boiled should be of adequate size to cook this amount without danger of its boiling over. When fruit juice and sugar are boiled together, the mixture often boils up and runs over if the vessel is not large enough.
14. JELLY BAG.--The jelly bag, which is used for straining the boiled fruit and thus obtaining the juice, may be a home-made one or, as shown in the illustration, one that is purchased for the purpose. If the bag is made at home, a heavy, closely woven material, such as flannel, should be selected, so as to prevent the tiny particles of fruit from passing through with the juice. A liquid strained in this manner will be much clearer and will make better looking jelly than that which has been run through a coarse material, such as cheesecloth. The juice can be strained very conveniently if the bag is attached to a wire arrangement, like the one shown, or to an upright standard that can be fastened to a chair or a table, for then the bag is held securely over the vessel into which the juice drips. Sometimes, especially when more than one extraction of the juice is to be made, the first extraction is made by means of a strainer or a colander and the juice thus obtained is then strained through the bag.
15. ADDITIONAL UTENSILS.--As accurate measurements are absolutely essential in jelly making, a measuring cup should be included in the equipment. Then, too, a quart measure will be found very convenient, especially if large quantities of materials are to be cooked at one time. A large spoon or two for stirring, skimming, and testing should also be provided. The spoon used for skimming will produce better results if the bowl contains holes that will permit the juice to drop back into the vessel, for then none of the juice will be wasted.
16. CONTAINERS FOR JELLY.--Various types of receptacles in which to keep jelly are in use, some turning out more attractive molds than others. The shape of the mold, however, is a matter of minor importance. Almost any wide-mouthed glass receptacle with comparatively smooth sides will do very well, since the sealing of jelly is not a difficult thing to do. Therefore, new receptacles should not be purchased if there is a supply of any suitable kind on hand, for many other containers besides purchased jelly glasses may be used for this purpose. The most convenient type, which may be bought in any store selling kitchen utensils, is that shown in Fig. 1. As will be observed, these are somewhat broad and not very tall. A mold of jelly turned from a tall, narrow glass does not stand up so well as that turned from a flat, wide one. Then, too, a tall glass is much more likely to tip and spill than a more shallow one.
17.Metal covers that fit the tops of the glasses, like the ones shown, are the most convenient kind that can be used, but they are not an absolute necessity. In their place may be used paper caps that fit the glasses, or the tops of the glasses may be covered with paper and then tied. Before a cover of any kind is put on a glass, paraffin, several cakes of which are arranged on a plate in Fig. 1, is melted and poured in a thin layer over the top of the jelly itself.
To designate the kind of jelly, it is advisable to label the glasses with neat labels, a box of which is included in the equipment here shown.
18.Paraffin-covered paper cups have been recommended to take the place of jelly glasses, and while they do very well in the case of scarcity of containers they have some disadvantages. In the first place, they can be used only once, as it is impossible to wash them. In addition, it will be necessary to wait until the jelly is partly cold before pouring it into such cups, as hot jelly will melt the paraffin on the surface of the paper.
19.When the necessary utensils have been conveniently placed and the desired fruit has been selected, the housewife may proceed at once to the work of making jelly. Each step is here outlined in the order in which it should be taken up in doing the actual work. The entire procedure should be properly followed out in order to insure the best results, and every part of the work should be carefully done so as to avoid any waste of material.
[Illustration: FIG. 2]
20. COOKING THE FRUIT.--Prepare the fruit in whatever way is necessary. The preparation needed will depend, of course, on the kind of fruit selected for the jelly, but usually not so much preparation is needed as in the case of canning. For instance, when crab-apple jelly is made, the stems are removed and the fruit is cut into halves or quarters, but they need not be peeled nor have the seeds taken out. Specific directions for the different varieties of fruits are given in the various recipes. The chief precaution to take in preparing the fruit, no matter what kind is used, is to see that it is thoroughly cleaned.
With the fruit prepared, put it into a large kettle and add enough water to start the cooking and prevent scorching. Some fruits will require more water than others, especially when they must be cooked a long time in order to soften them sufficiently to extract the juice. Juicy fruits, like plums, need only the minimum amount of water, while drier fruits, such as apples, require more. Place the kettle on the stove, as in Fig. 2, and allow the fruit to cook until it is soft or is reduced to a pulp. The length of time for cooking will also depend entirely on the kind of fruit that is being used.
21. EXTRACTING JUICE.--When the fruit is thoroughly cooked, pour the pulp and the juice that has formed into the jelly bag and allow it to drip into a pan placed directly under the bag, as shown in Fig. 3. Formerly, it was the custom to let the juice drip until no more remained in the bag. This method is followed to some extent at present, but it is falling into disuse, as it is not the most economical way of extracting the juice from the pulp. More juice can be obtained and more jelly made from the same amount of fruit if three extractions instead of one are made. Make the first extraction by pouring the pulp and juice into the bag and permitting the juice to drip only until it begins to run very slowly. Then return the pulp to the kettle, add a small quantity of water, and let it boil again for a few minutes. Pour it the second time into the jelly bag, and let it drip as before. Cook it the third time in the same way, and then allow it to drip until all the juice is extracted. At this point, mix the juice from the three extractions. They should not be used separately, for they are much different in quality, the third one being not so good as the second and the second, inferior to the first. On the other hand, when all three are mixed, an excellent quality is the result, provided all conditions are correct, and a larger quantity of juice is obtained for the jelly.
[Illustration: FIG. 3]
22.The quantity of juice that may be extracted depends on the quality as well as the kind of fruit. If the season is a rainy one, the fruits will be found to contain more juice than they would in a dry season. Then, too, if the fruits are picked immediately after a rain, they will contain more juice than the same fruits before the rain. The amount of juice the fruit contains determines, of course, the quantity of water that should be added in the cooking. If only one extraction is intended, 3 to 4 quarts of water may be used for 8 quarts of fruit, depending on the kind of fruit; but if three extractions are to be made, less water should be added for each extraction. In case the extracted juice contains more water than it should have, either because the fruit contains an excessive amount of water or because too much water was added to the fruit in its cooking, the superfluous water will be extracted by boiling the juice with the sugar a little longer as the jelly is being made.
It is not always necessary to have the fleshy part of fruit for jelly making, for often the skins, seeds, and cores of fruits may be cooked with water and the juice then extracted from them. Another point to remember is that the pulp from which the juice is extracted may sometimes be used for jam or marmalade. If points like these are taken into consideration, it will not be necessary to waste any part of edible fruits.
23. TESTING THE JUICE FOR PECTIN.--When the juice has been extracted from the fruit, it should be tested for pectin in order to determine whether or not it will be satisfactory for the making of jelly. A test that can be applied by the housewife is illustrated in Fig. 4. Into a tumbler, put a tablespoonful of juice and with this mix a tablespoonful of alcohol. If, upon adding the alcohol, the fruit juice turns into a gelatinous, or jelly-like, mass that may be easily gathered up on the spoon, it may be known that pectin is present. As has already been stated, the presence of this substance in fruit juice insures the fact that jelly can be made from the juice.
[Illustration: FIG. 4]
24. USING JUICE LACKING IN PECTIN.--If, in the test for pectin, the addition of alcohol to the fruit juice does not turn the juice into a jelly-like mass, pectin is not present. Such juice, or juice that contains only a small amount of pectin, will prove unsuccessful in jelly making unless some substance or juice high in pectin is added to it. The white skin from the inside of orange, lemon, or grapefruit peelings or the juice from apples, crab apples, currants, green gooseberries, or other fruit containing a large quantity of pectin may be used for this purpose. Also, commercial pectin may be purchased and used with fruits according to the directions that accompany it.
It is always necessary to supply pectin in some way to such fruits as strawberries, peaches, raspberries, blueberries, cherries, pears, etc. To the sweet ones, like peaches and raspberries, lemon juice or other acid fruit juice also must be added if satisfactory jelly is desired.
25. DETERMINING PROPORTION OF SUGAR.--The only other ingredient used in jelly making, besides the fruit juice, is sugar. After the juice has been strained from the fruit, the next step is to determine how much sugar must be used. This is of extreme importance, as the success of the jelly depends very largely on whether or not the correct proportion is used. If too much sugar is added to the juice, a greater quantity of jelly will result, but it will not stand up as it should when it is turned out of the glass. On the other hand, if too little sugar is used, a smaller quantity of jelly than the required amount will be made and it will be tough and sour.
[Illustration: FIG. 5]
[Illustration: FIG. 5]
26.It is difficult to give the exact proportion of sugar to use with every kind of fruit, for some fruits require more than others. However, in general, 3/4 cupful of sugar to each cupful of juice, as shown in Fig. 5, will be sufficient. This is especially true if the season has been a dry one and the fruits are neither very sour nor very juicy. After a wet season or with very sour or very juicy fruits, it will usually be necessary to use 1 cupful of sugar to each cupful of juice.
27.Much waste of sugar and spoiling of jelly can be avoided by the use of the test for pectin, which has just been described. After the juice and the alcohol have been mixed, pour the mixture slowly from the glass, noting how the pectin is precipitated. If it is precipitated as one lump, a cupful of sugar may be used for each cupful of juice; if in several lumps, the proportion of sugar must be reduced to approximately three-fourths the amount of juice. If the pectin is not in lumps, but is merely precipitated, the sugar should be one-half or less of the amount of the juice.
[Illustration: FIG. 6]
28.To assist in determining the correct proportion of sugar to use in the making of jelly, the hydrometer, or sirup gauge, which is explained inCanning and Drying, will be found helpful. After the juice has been extracted, mix with a small amount of it the proportion of sugar that is to be used when the jelly is cooked. Allow the sugar to dissolve completely, pour a little of the mixture into a glass or a graduate, and insert the hydrometer, as shown in Fig. 6. Regardless of the kind of juice, the hydrometer should register 25 degrees for perfect jelly. If it registers less than 25 degrees, more sugar should be added. Then if it is necessary to add either sugar or juice, the additional ingredient should be carefully measured in order that the proportions may be correct for the making of jelly. It must not be understood that a hydrometer is an actual necessity in the making of jelly, for very good jelly can be made without measuring the ingredients in this manner. However, if a hydrometer is not used, it will be necessary to apply the best judgment possible to the rules given for the proportion of ingredients used in jelly making.
29. COMBINING THE JUICE AND SUGAR.--The mixing of the juice and the sugar may seem like a trivial matter, but in reality much is involved in combining these ingredients properly. It may be done in three different ways. In the first method, which is calledlong boiling, the sugar and the juice are mixed cold and are then allowed to come to the boiling point together. The second, which is known asmean boiling, consists in putting the cold juice on the stove, allowing it to boil about half the required time, and then adding the sugar, which has also been heated. In the third, which is known as theshort-boiling method, the juice is boiled without the sugar almost the full length of time required for making the jelly, and the sugar, which has been heated, is added just before the boiling is completed.
30.Experience in the use of these three methods has shown their advantages and disadvantages. The first one, or the long-boiling process, has the disadvantage of losing sugar through the skimming that is always necessary in the making of jelly. In addition, the long boiling often causes the sugar to crystallize and thus produces a jelly that would not score very high. The short boiling is not entirely satisfactory, because of the difficulty in determining just when to add the sugar to the juice. The process of mean boiling, having neither of these drawbacks and usually resulting in jelly of excellent quality, is the most satisfactory and the one that is recommended.