Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/1315

Rh melons. On three consecutive days reboil the vinegar, and pour it boiling over the melons. When cold, cover closely, and store in a cool, dry place.

Ingredients.—To each gallon of vinegar allow ¼ of a lb. of bruised ginger, ¼ of a lb. of mustard, ¼ of a lb. of salt, 2 ozs. of mustard-seed, 1½ ozs. of turmeric, 1 oz. of ground black pepper, ¼ of an oz. of cayenne, cauliflowers, onions, celery, gherkins, French beans, nasturtiums, capsicums.

Method.—Have a large jar, with a tight-fitting lid, in which put as much vinegar as required, reserving a little to mix the various powders to a smooth paste. Put into a basin the mustard, turmeric, pepper and cayenne; mix them with vinegar, and stir well until no lumps remain; add all the ingredients to the vinegar, and mix well. Keep this liquor in a warm place, and thoroughly stir it every morning for 1 month with a wooden spoon, when it will be ready for the different vegetables to be added to it. As these come in season, have them gathered on a dry day, and after merely wiping them with a cloth, to free them from moisture, put them into the pickle. The cauliflowers must be divided into small bunches. Put all these into the pickle raw, and at the end of the season, when as many of the vegetables as could be procured have been added, store the pickle away in jars, and tie over with bladder. This old-fashioned method of preserving vegetables is largely employed by those who live in the country. The pickle should be kept for at least 3 months in a cool, dry place before being used.

Ingredients.—An equal weight of small mild onions, sour apples and cucumbers, vinegar to cover. To each pint of vinegar add 2 tablespoonfuls of sherry, 1 teaspoonful of salt, ½ a teaspoonful of pepper, a good pinch of cayenne.

Method.—Peel and slice the onions, apples and cucumbers thinly, put them into wide-necked bottles, add the seasoning and sherry, cover with vinegar, and cork closely. This pickle may be used the following day, and should not be kept for any length of time.

Ingredients.—1 lb. of onions, 1 lb. of apples, ¼ of a lb. of chillies, 1½ pints of white-wine vinegar, 1 good tablespoonful of salt.

Method.—Chop the onions and apples coarsely, and the chillies finely. Boil the vinegar, add the salt, and when dissolved pour over the prepared ingredients. Turn into small jars, and, when cold, cover closely.

Average Cost.—1s. 10d.