Page:Australian enquiry book of household and general information.djvu/86

 let them cool in the water by degrees. Store the jars away for a month or two, the longer they are kept the nicer they become. When opened, the fat must be taken off very carefully so as not to break and get into the syrup. I have had them turn out in one solid mass from the jar, but they do not always, it greatly depends upon the juiciness of the fruit I think. If put into the ice chest an hour or two before turning out it makes a lovely dish, fit for the gods as the saying is. If it were possible to patent a dish I think I should have done so to this. As it is, I have letters from several professional cooks complimenting me upon it. The lemon juice can be increased or lessened as liked, or the lemon can be done in slices, or orange can be used instead. Whole oranges can be done in the same way, but all pips must be taken out.

Tomato Preserve.

Ingredients: Use the yellow egg shaped tomatoes. 5 lbs. tomatoes, 5 lbs. white sugar, three lemons.

Mode: Cover the fruit with the sugar over night. In the morning strain off the syrup, put it on to boil, and skim it carefully; then put in the fruit and boil slowly for half-an-hour. Remove the fruit on to a dish, and continue boiling the syrup till it is thick, and then add the juice of the lemons. If liked, the lemons can be sliced and boiled when the tomatoes are. Now put the tomatoes into jars, and cover with the hot syrup, and seal up the corks at once.

Pie Melon Conserve.

Ingredients: 18 lbs. of fruit, six lemons, 10 ozs. of sugar to 1 lb. of fruit, one cupful of lime or lemon juice.

Mode: Cut up the melon into pieces about an inch square, and the same thickness, carefully removing all seeds. Put it into your preserving pan, but be careful it is not too full, as there is a great deal of water in the melon. Cut up some lemons as if for marmalade, allow six to eighteen pounds of melon, if possible use the rough skinned lemons instead of the Lisbon. When all is in the pan, cover it with sugar, and let it stand all night. Next morning there will be a great deal of water or syrup, do not take any of it away. Put it on to boil over a good fire, and let it boil as fast as it possibly can till it becomes thick, then draw some of the fire, and if you prefer it acid add the lime or lemon juice. Let it boil till the pieces are clear, and the syrup will set on a saucer. This is an excellent recipe for melon jam.

Apricot Preserve.

Ingredients: Apricots, sugar.

Mode: Peel, quarter, and stone some ripe apricots, put them into the preserving pan with very little water, and let them boil gently, stirring constantly. When reduced to a pulp, add three quarters of a pound of sugar to each pound of fruit. Crack the stones, blanch and cut up the kernels and add them too, and boil again till clear. Put into jars, pour a little mutton fat over the top to keep out the air, and cover with bladder or gum paper.

Apricot Preserve.—No. 2.

Ingredients: Apricots, sugar.

Mode: Halve and stone your apricots, put them in the preserving pan over night in layers of sugar, one pound of sugar to one pound of fruit. Crack the stones, blanch and cut the kernels, and add them. Next day put on the fire, stir well till it boils, then boil from thirty to forty minutes till stiff enough. This makes a beautiful clear preserve.

Apple Jelly.

Ingredients: Apples, sugar.

Mode: Pick out apples with bright red skins if possible, wipe, and cut into quarters, but do not peel them. To each pound of fruit allow two pints of water, bring it to a boil, and let it simmer for half-an-hour. Strain, and to every pint of juice allow one pound of good white sugar, and boil quickly for half-an-hour, or a little more if necessary. While hot strain through a piece of net, when cold put into jars or bottles and tie down.