QUESTIONS

Why should processed jars, covers, and rubbers remain in boiling water until just ready for use?

Why not touch the inside of jars and covers with the fingers?

Why should berries and small fruits be washed before hulling or stemming?

Why should decayed or bruised spots on fruits be removed completely before canning the fruit?

Why is it that the cold pack method of canning is safer from the standpoint of processing than the open kettle method?

Why should the jar containing fruit that is to be processed by the

cold pack method be filled to 1/4 inch of the top with sirup rather than to overflowing?

Why should the covers of jars not be sealed tightly before placing in the kettle or steamer used for processing?

Why is it unnecessary and undesirable to dislodge air bubbles in jars containing food processed by the cold pack process?

When food is processed by immersing the jars in boiling water, why should the water extend above the covers of the jars to a depth of one inch?

LESSON CLXVIII

PROCESSING WITH MUCH SUGAR--PRESERVES, JAMS, AND CONSERVES

EXPERIMENT 93: THE USE OF SUGAR AS A PRESERVATIVE.--Place 2 thin slices of fresh fruit in a sauce dish. Sprinkle one of the slices generously with sugar. Set the sauce dish aside for at least 24 hours. Examine. What change has taken place in the fruit without sugar? What has caused the change? Compare the sugared fruit with that without sugar. What conclusion can be drawn concerning the use of sugar in preserving fruit?

PRESERVES

Sugar was mentioned as one of the preservatives used in the preservation of food (see _The Principles of Preserving Food_). Sugar in large quant.i.ty is unfavorable to germ life and hence is a most effective preservative. _Preserves_ are made by cooking fruit in a thick sirup as in the _Method of Canning_ (_a_) Open Kettle. A large quant.i.ty of sugar is desirable as far as preservation is concerned; but for flavor less sugar is usually to be preferred. Only a few fruits are better when preserved with considerable sugar. Fruits best adapted for preserving are strawberries, sour cherries, sour plums, quinces, currants, and raspberries. For preserves, use 3/4 to 1 pound of sugar for 1 pound of fruit. The less quant.i.ty of sugar should be used for peaches, plums, quinces, currants, and raspberries; the greater quant.i.ty, for strawberries and cherries. Use the quant.i.ty of water given in _Method of Canning_ (_a_) Open Kettle. Cook and seal as canned fruit.

JAMS

Jam is made as follows: Clean the fruit. If large fruits are used, pare or peel them and cut into small pieces. If small fruits,--berries or grapes, --are used, mash them. Cook the fruit in as little water as possible. When the fruit is soft, measure it and add the sugar,--use 3/4 to 1 part of sugar to 1 part of cooked fruit. Cook until thick, stirring to prevent burning. Test the thickness by dropping from a spoon. If it falls in heavy drops, the jam is sufficiently cooked. Pour into sterilized jelly gla.s.ses.

Cover the gla.s.ses with clean cloth or paper and set aside to cool and stiffen. Melt paraffin. Pour it (hot) over the cold jam. Allow the paraffin to harden and then cover the gla.s.ses with the lids. Wipe the outside of the gla.s.ses, label, and store.

Fruit that is too soft or too ripe for canning or preserving may be used for making jam.

MARMALADES

Marmalades are made much as jams. However, usually only the pulp and juices of fruits are used. The fruit is first cooked, and the skins and seeds removed before adding the sugar. In Orange Marmalade, the rind is used.

CONSERVES

Conserves consist of a combination of two or more fruits. Nuts and other materials are sometimes added. Conserves may be prepared as preserves, _i.e._ cooking the ingredients with sugar, until thick; or as jam, _i.e._ cooking the ingredients until tender, then adding the sugar and cooking until thick. It is thought by some that the latter method produces a finer flavor; it makes a product less tough and less sticky. In the special recipes for conserves given in this text, the latter method is followed.

ORANGE MARMALADE (I)

1 dozen oranges 1 grapefruit 6 lemons Sugar

Weigh the fruit, slice it. To each pound of fruit add 1 quart of cold water. Let the mixture stand for 24 hours. Then cook slowly for 2 hours.

Weigh the cooked fruit. Add an equal weight of sugar. Cook for 1 hour or until it stiffens. Pour into sterilized jelly gla.s.ses, seal, and cover as directed for Jams.

ORANGE MARMALADE (II)

1 dozen oranges 3 pounds sugar 2 quarts rhubarb Rind of 6 oranges

Wash the fruit. Slice the oranges and cut the rhubarb into pieces. (Do not peel the rhubarb.) Cook the oranges and rhubarb for 30 minutes. Add the sugar and cook slowly for 2 hours or until thick. Pour into sterilized gla.s.ses. When cool, seal and cover as directed for Jams.

CARROT MARMALADE

1 pound carrots 3 cupfuls sugar 2 lemons 1/2 teaspoonful salt

Wash, sc.r.a.pe, and chop the carrots. Extract the juice from the lemons. Put the carrots and lemon rinds through a food chopper, cover them with water, and cook until tender. Add the lemon juice, salt, and sugar to the cooked mixture. Cook until it is thickened. Turn into sterilized jelly gla.s.ses.

Let stand until cool. Then cover with melted paraffin.

STRAWBERRY AND PINEAPPLE CONSERVE

Use equal quant.i.ties of strawberries and shredded pineapple. Cook the shredded pineapple in the least possible quant.i.ty of water. When tender, add the strawberries and cook until they are soft. Measure the fruit and add three fourths as much sugar as fruit and a small quant.i.ty of salt.

Cook until thick (see _Jams_). Pour into sterilized gla.s.ses. Seal and cover as directed for Jams.

CRANBERRY CONSERVE

1 quart cranberries 1 1/2 cupfuls water 1/4 pound raisins 1/2 pound California walnuts, chopped 1 orange,--juice and grated rind 1 1/2 pounds sugar 1/2 teaspoonful salt

Wash the fruit. Cook the cranberries in the water until the berries burst.

Strain. Add the remaining ingredients and cook 25 minutes or until the mixture is thick (see _Jams_). Pour into sterilized gla.s.ses. When cool, seal and cover as directed for Jams.

GRAPE CONSERVE

1/2 peck grapes 2 oranges,--juice and rind 2 lemons,--juice and rind 1 cupful chopped nuts Sugar 1/2 teaspoonful salt

Wash the fruit. Remove the grapes from the stems; remove the skins from the pulp. Cook the pulp until soft; strain, to remove the seeds. Place the strained pulp and skins in a preserving kettle. Extract the juice from the oranges and lemons, then put the rinds through a food-chopper. Add the lemon and orange juice and rind to the grape mixture and cook for 1 hour.

Measure the mixture. Then add an equal quant.i.ty of sugar and the nuts and salt. Continue cooking until thick (_see Jams_). Pour into sterilized gla.s.ses. When cool, seal and cover as directed for Jams.

APRICOT CONSERVE

1 pound dried apricots 1 1/2 quarts water Sugar 2 pineapples _or_ 1 large can shredded pineapple 1/2 teaspoonful salt

Wash the dried apricots and soak them in the water. In the water in which they were soaked, cook the apricots until tender. Press through a colander. If fresh pineapples are used, shred them and cook, in as little water as possible, until tender. Combine the cooked fruits and measure.

Add 1/2 as much sugar and the salt. Cook until thick (see _Jams_).

Pour into sterilized gla.s.ses. When cool, seal and cover as directed for Jams.

PLUM CONSERVE