Barberry Jelly
Mother saw to it that the barberries were bought just before any frost came, and she liked a few of the berries to be green. The reason for this, she told Adelaide, was to make the jelly firmer and a much better color.
Adelaide poured the barberries into the colander, and dipped them up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water, to rinse off all dust, then she picked them over and put them into the saucepan with two tablespoons of cold water; next she mashed the barberries with the wooden potato masher and placed over the fire to cook slowly until very soft. It was necessary, Adelaide found, to stir with the wooden spoon occasionally to prevent burning.
When the fruit was done, she poured it into the jelly bag and the juice dripped over night. In the morning she measured the juice, and for each cup she measured an equal amount of sugar, which she put in an earthenware dish and stood on the back of the stove to heat through, but not brown, while the juice boiled rapidly for twenty minutes. At the end of that time Adelaide added the sugar gradually, stirring constantly until it was all dissolved, then she let it cook to the "jelly point."
Skimming the jelly quickly, she poured the jelly into a pitcher and filled the sterilized small glasses at once. They were then placed in a sunny window, and, when cold, Adelaide wiped around the top and the outside of each glass with a damp cloth, poured melted paraffin over the jelly, and shook it gently from side to side to exclude all air. Before storing the glasses away in the preserve closet Adelaide pasted on the labels.
Quince Jelly
Quinces are very hard to cut, so Adelaide found it necessary to use the little sharp knife, after washing and wiping them thoroughly.
In preparing these, Adelaide removed the blossom ends and seeds, cut each quince into small pieces, nearly covered the fruit with cold water, placed the saucepan on the fire and let the quinces cook very slowly until soft, stirring occasionally with the wooden spoon to prevent burning.
As soon as they had finished cooking she poured the fruit into the jelly bag and let it drip over night. Next morning she measured the juice, and for each cup Adelaide measured an equal quantity of sugar. The sugar she stood at the back of the range in an earthenware dish to heat through, but not brown, and the juice she let boil rapidly for twenty minutes. Then she added the sugar gradually, stirring constantly until all the sugar had dissolved. When the "jelly point" was reached Adelaide skimmed quickly and poured the jelly into a pitcher. Filling the sterilized small glasses at once, she then stood them in a sunny window.
When cold, each glass was carefully wiped with a damp cloth around the top and on the outside, melted paraffin was poured over the jelly, the glass was shaken gently from side to side to exclude all air, and, finally, Adelaide pasted on the labels and stored the glasses away in the preserve closet.
Quince and Apple Jelly
The apples and quinces Adelaide wiped thoroughly clean with a damp cloth, and removed the stems and blossom ends. The apples she cut into quarters, but the quinces were cut into very small pieces. When she emptied the fruit into the saucepan she nearly covered it with cold water, then stood it over the fire, put on the cover and let it boil gently until very soft. Occasionally Adelaide stirred it with the wooden spoon to prevent burning.
As soon as the fruit was sufficiently soft she poured it into the jelly bag, where it remained over night to drip. In the morning she measured the juice, and to each cup she measured an equal quantity of sugar, which she put at the back of the range in an earthenware dish to heat through, but not brown.
The juice then boiled for twenty minutes, at the end of which time Adelaide added the sugar gradually, stirring constantly until all had dissolved. When the juice and sugar reached the "jelly point" Adelaide skimmed quickly, poured the jelly into a pitcher, filled the sterilized small glasses at once and stood them in a sunny window.
Each glass was carefully wiped with a damp cloth around the top and on the outside when they were cold and melted paraffin poured over the jelly. This Adelaide shook gently from side to side to exclude all air. Next she pasted on the labels, then stored the tumblers away in the preserve closet.
Cranberry Jelly
After Adelaide had emptied the cranberries into the colander, then dipped them up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water, she picked them over.
While her little fingers worked quickly she told mother the cranberries made her long for Thanksgiving Day to come, and especially this year, as she wanted her "cranberry jelly" served with the turkey. Mother said she would feel very proud to have it grace the "festive board."
When the cranberries were all in the saucepan, Adelaide poured enough cold water over the top so that she could see it easily among the berries. Placing the saucepan over the fire, the berries cooked slowly, and Adelaide used the wooden potato masher with which to mash them. She also stirred them occasionally to keep them from burning.
When the fruit was soft, Adelaide poured the cranberries into the jelly bag and the juice dripped over night. In the morning she measured to each cup of juice a cup of sugar. This she stood at the back of the range in an earthenware dish, to heat through but not brown.
Adelaide cooked the juice rapidly for twenty minutes, then added the sugar gradually, stirred constantly until the sugar was all dissolved, and let it continue to cook until the "jelly point" was reached.
Now she worked quickly, skimming the jelly, pouring it into a pitcher and filling the sterilized small glasses at once. These she stood in a sunny window.
As soon as the jelly was cold she wiped around the top and the outside of each glass with a damp cloth, poured melted paraffin over the top, shaking it gently from side to side to exclude all air, pasted on the labels, then stored the tumblers away in the preserve closet.
Adelaide tried the combination of cranberries and apples which mother said made a very good jelly.
Cranberry and Apple Jelly
After wiping the apples thoroughly with a damp cloth, Adelaide removed the stems and blossom ends and cut into quarters. The cranberries Adelaide placed in the colander, dipped up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water, set aside to drain, then picked them over.
Putting the apples and cranberries into the saucepan she nearly covered them with water, placed them over the fire to cook slowly, stirred occasionally with the wooden spoon, then when they were very soft and mushy, Adelaide poured the fruit into the jelly bag. The juice dripped over night, and, in the morning, she measured the juice. To each cup, Adelaide measured an equal amount of sugar. The sugar was placed at the back of the range in an earthenware dish to heat through, but not brown, while the juice boiled rapidly for twenty minutes. Adding the sugar gradually, Adelaide stirred constantly until it had all dissolved.
When the cooked juice and sugar reached the "jelly point" she skimmed quickly, poured into a pitcher, filled the sterilized small glasses at once, and stood in a sunny window. After the jelly was cold, Adelaide wiped around the top and outside of each glass with a damp cloth, poured melted paraffin over the top, shook it gently from side to side to exclude all air, pasted on the labels, then stored the jelly away in the preserve closet.
This finished the "jelly making."
CHAPTER IV
PRESERVING AND CANNING
"Mother," questioned Adelaide, "what is the difference between 'preserving' and 'canning'?"
"Well, dear, according to the cook books, preserved fruits are cooked with from three-fourths to an equal weight of sugar, while canned fruits have only sufficient added to sweeten. Some fruits are often canned without sugar, as it is not the sugar that keeps the fruit, but the perfect sterilization of fruit and jars. Sterilizing, you remember, is the killing of all germs by boiling."
"Some fruits I much prefer canning without sugar, such as apples, peaches, blueberries and rhubarb. When you open the jars in the winter time and add the sugar as you need it the flavor is almost like that of fresh fruit," answered mother.
"Oh, I see, so that is why our peaches taste so much better to me than anybody else's!" exclaimed Adelaide.
Adelaide began with strawberries, but first she read the "general rules" again that she had written down in the beginning, because she did not wish to make a single mistake.
Canned Strawberries
Emptying the berries into the colander she dipped it up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water, then let them drain thoroughly. The berries were hulled, weighed, and put into the saucepan, which she placed over the fire, heating the fruit through very gradually. It was better, mother said, to let them stand at the back of the range until the juice began to run, before bringing the berries to the boiling point. These boiled slowly five minutes, and then Adelaide added one-third their weight in sugar. The sugar had been standing in an earthenware dish at the back of the range, to heat through, but not brown.
While Adelaide added the sugar very gradually she stirred the fruit gently with the wooden spoon, and was very careful not to break the berries.
It did not take long for the fruit and sugar to come to the boiling point, and then Adelaide filled to overflowing the sterilized pint jar at once, inserted the silver knife between the jar and fruit to let the air bubbles rise and break, put on the new rubber smoothly, sealed quickly and stood the jar upside down out of the way of any draft.
The next morning she inspected the jar carefully, to be sure it did not leak, then wiped away all stickiness with a damp cloth, pasted on the label and stored it away in the preserve closet.
Canned Raspberries
Mother was delighted with this quart of raspberries, they were just ripe enough, large, and almost every one perfect. It did not take Adelaide long to pick these over, and she could see each center very easily. There wasn't a single bug or worm.
She weighed the raspberries before putting them in the colander to dip up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water. When they had drained, she emptied the berries into the saucepan and stood it on the back of the range to let the juice run. She also placed a third of their weight of sugar in an earthenware dish at the back of the range, to heat through, but not brown.
When the juice had run sufficiently, Adelaide moved the saucepan forward, the berries came slowly to the boiling point, and continued to boil very slowly for five minutes. It was then time to add the warm sugar, stirring very gently while it dissolved. Adelaide was very careful not to break the fruit. As soon as the fruit boiled again it was ready to pour into the sterilized pint jar.
Adelaide filled the jar to overflowing, inserted a silver knife between the jar and the berries to let all air bubbles come to the top and break, put on the new rubber smoothly, sealed quickly, then stood the jar upside down out of the way of any draft.
In the morning she made sure that the jar had not leaked, then with a damp cloth she wiped away all stickiness, pasted on the label and stored the jar away in the preserve closet.
Canned Raspberries and Currants
Adelaide picked over the raspberries and currants very carefully, washed and drained them in the usual manner, but kept them separate.
The currants she placed in the saucepan and mashed with the wooden potato masher. Next she cooked them very slowly until the currants looked white, then she strained them through two thicknesses of cheese cloth. Returning the juice to the saucepan, she added the sugar, stirring until it was all dissolved, and let it boil slowly twenty minutes, then she poured in the raspberries carefully and boiled them three minutes.
The sterilized pint jar Adelaide filled to overflowing at once, inserted the silver knife to force the air bubbles to the top, placed the new rubber on smoothly, sealed quickly and stood upside down out of the way of any draft.
In the morning she wiped off all stickiness with a damp cloth, made sure the jar did not leak, pasted on the label and stored it away in the preserve closet.
Canned Cherries
Mother liked to have her cherries cut in halves and the stones taken out, though she told Adelaide many people preferred them canned whole. Adelaide followed mother's way, so the large ripe cherries she placed in the colander, and washed thoroughly by dipping it up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water.
Next she removed the stems, and cut the cherries in halves with a silver knife, taking out the stones. Then she weighed the fruit. If they were tart, she used one-half their weight of sugar, but if they were of the sweet variety, she needed only one-third of their weight of sugar.
The cherries and sugar Adelaide put in the saucepan together and stood at the back of the range to heat gradually. As the sugar began to melt and the juice to run, she removed the saucepan forward and stirred the fruit gently with the wooden spoon. Adelaide was careful not to break the halves, and boiled the cherries slowly twenty minutes.
She filled the sterilized pint jar to overflowing, inserted the silver knife to bring the air bubbles to the top, placed the new rubber on smoothly, sealed quickly and stood the jar upside down out of the way of any draft.
In the morning she wiped off all stickiness with a damp cloth, inspected the jar carefully to see that it did not leak, pasted on the label and stored the jar away in the preserve closet.
Canned Blackberries
These were great big blackberries, firm but ripe, and Adelaide poured them into the colander. She could not resist popping the biggest one into her mouth, but mother told her that that was a very bad practice to begin. Adelaide sighed, but she realized mother was right, so she stopped eating any more and proceeded to wash the blackberries. She dipped the colander up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water, drained thoroughly, then weighed the fruit. Weighing one-third their weight of sugar, she put it in an earthenware dish and placed it at the back of the range to heat through, but not brown.
The saucepan containing the blackberries was also stood toward the back of the range until the juice began to run, when it was moved forward, and Adelaide watched it while it came slowly to the boiling point.
For five minutes the berries boiled very slowly, then the warm sugar was added a little at a time, and Adelaide stirred gently with the wooden spoon, being careful not to break the blackberries.
They were ready to put in the sterilized pint jar as soon as they boiled up again. Adelaide filled the jar to overflowing, inserted a silver knife to bring all bubbles to the top, placed on the new rubber smoothly, sealed quickly, and stood the jar upside down, out of the way of any draft. The next morning she examined the jar carefully to see that it did not leak, wiped off the stickiness with a damp cloth, pasted on the label, then stored the jar away in the preserve closet.
Canned Blueberries
The blueberries that mother bought were almost as large as currants and they were firm and dry.
Adelaide picked them over carefully, put them into the colander, which she placed in a pan of clear cold water, dipping it up and down several times to cleanse the berries thoroughly, then set aside to drain. The berries were then weighed, put into the saucepan and heated gradually.
To each pound of berries Adelaide added one-third of a pound of sugar, setting it in an earthenware dish at the back of the range to heat through, but not brown. When the berries had boiled slowly for five minutes, Adelaide added the sugar very gradually, stirring gently until it had all dissolved. The fruit was ready to can as soon as it boiled up again, and at once Adelaide filled to overflowing the sterilized pint jar. She inserted a silver knife between the fruit and the sides of the jar to bring all air bubbles to the top, then placed the new rubber on smoothly, sealed quickly and stood the jar upside down out of the way of any draft.
In the morning Adelaide removed all stickiness from the jar with a damp cloth, inspected it thoroughly to see that it did not leak, pasted on the label and stored the jar away in the preserve closet.
Canned Blueberries (without sugar)
Mother let Adelaide put up a jar of blueberries without sugar. They made delicious pies in the winter.
Adelaide picked over the berries carefully into the colander, then she dipped it up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water to cleanse them from all dust. After they had drained thoroughly, Adelaide poured them into the saucepan, with two tablespoons of cold water (this was to prevent burning), then she placed the saucepan over the fire and let the berries heat through very gradually. It was necessary to stir occasionally with the wooden spoon. They needed to boil but a minute or two, as they had softened sufficiently while heating through.
As soon as they were done, Adelaide filled the sterilized pint jar to overflowing, inserted a silver knife to let all air bubbles rise to the top, then break, placed the new rubber on smoothly, sealed quickly and stood it upside down out of the way of any draft.
After inspecting the jar next morning to be sure it did not leak, she wiped it carefully with a damp cloth to remove all stickiness, pasted on the label and stored the finished product away in the preserve closet.
Canned Peaches No. 1
There were three different ways mother told Adelaide that she might put up peaches, two ways with sugar and one without. Adelaide put up a dozen peaches at a time.
The first dozen Adelaide placed in a pan and covered with boiling water and let them stand a few minutes. It was then easy for her to remove the skins with a silver knife, cut in halves and take out the stones. The peaches were large, and mother said they should fill two pint jars. So Adelaide washed and sterilized two jars. Into a saucepan Adelaide measured two cups of water and one cup of sugar, which she placed over the fire and let boil ten minutes, then she dropped the peaches in carefully and let them cook until you could pierce them with a silver fork. When they were done she lifted each half peach out with great care and put twelve of them in one pint jar, and the remaining twelve in the other pint jar. Next she filled the jars to overflowing with the syrup, inserted a silver knife between the fruit and the sides of the jars, to let the air bubbles rise to the top and break, placed new rubbers on smoothly, sealed quickly and stood both jars upside down out of the way of any draft.
The next morning she inspected them carefully to see that they did not leak; then Adelaide wiped off all stickiness with a damp cloth, pasted on the labels and stored the jars away in the preserve closet.
Canned Peaches No. 2
The second dozen of peaches Adelaide prepared in the same manner. She placed them in a pan, covered them with boiling water, let them stand a few minutes, removed their skins with a silver knife, cut them in halves, took out the stones, then weighed the peaches. Placing them carefully in the saucepan, Adelaide poured over the peaches one-third of their weight of sugar, and let them stand over night.
In the morning she added two cups of cold water and stood the saucepan over the fire, letting it come slowly to the boiling point.
From then on the peaches simmered slowly, until they could be pierced easily with a silver fork, Adelaide stirring occasionally in a careful manner with a wooden spoon so as not to break the fruit.
When they were sufficiently cooked, she picked out the fruit with the fork, putting twelve halves in each pint jar, filled them to overflowing with the syrup, then inserted a silver knife between the fruit and the jars to let all air bubbles rise to the top and break, placed the new rubbers on smoothly, sealed quickly, and stood the jars upside down out of the way of any draft.
In the morning she examined each jar carefully to be sure they did not leak, wiped off all stickiness with a damp cloth, pasted on the labels, then stored the peaches away in the preserve closet.