THE ART OF JAM MAKING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 47, 24 February 1923, Page 24

THE ART OF JAM MAKING.

Yew modern housewives possess the still-room skill of their grandmothers. Even in the professional and industrial world jam-making is admitted to be an exacting and sometimes capricious art. The expert of a Arm of English preservers was recently asked why housewives could not make jam as successfully as manufacturers. "There are two principal reasons, he stated, "insufficient sugar and slow boiling. The manufacturer scientifically estimates his sugar and brings it to the boil very rapidly. Twenty to thirty minutes is ample time to cook the fruit. Housewives are apt to let their preserves simmer and bubble. That means browning and caramelling it—a very bad method. The traditional ..0 per cent, of sugar is not enough to preserve the fruit. Approximately GO per cent, of sugar is required, and some kinds of fruit need more sugar thnn others. "The bogey of thin, watery jam is easily vanquished. In most cases reboiling will make it thicker, but the real preventative is in selecting the fruit. Pectin, the jelling factor, decreases as the fruit ripens. It is therefore essential to use under-ripe and firm, rather than too ri) _, fruit. "A valuable tip in making strawberry jam is to use either a little green gooseberry or red currant juice with the liquid. Avoid damp sugar. The best grain for jam is that with good-sized even crystals." An expert in cookery and domestic science gives the following detailed rules: — Sec that all jars are perfectly clean, dry, and free from cracks. Place them on the rack over tbe file or in a cool oven, while making the jam, so that they are hot when tbe jam is put into them". If there should be slight fermentation open the po te, put the jam into a pan with a little more sugar and reboil, skimming well. Reduce to about a quarter of tne original bulk, and do not keep it long afterwards. If badly fer-| mented it is useless. .Store preserves in a dry, cool place, and examine the contents of the store room from time to time to see whether any of the various goods arc becoming mouldy or fermented. Kor this reason glass jars and bottles are preferable to any other kind, as the state of the contents can be easily seen. Rub the bottom of the preserving pan with butter, or sweet oil to prevent the jam sticking. Use loaf, preserving or granulated sugar. Most people like the proportion of Jib sugar to lib fruit, though melon and marrow jam can do with less sugar. Use wooden or silver spoons when stirring jam. Iron or metal spoons spoil the colour. Remove all scum carefully, as it boils into the jam and discolours it. The fruit should cook gently until soft. After the sugar is added stir until it has dissolved. Then boil fast until the jam sets when tested. Place a spoonful on a plate and put it in a cool place; if the jam sets or a film forms on it it is finished. If fruit is overripe or damaged, the jam is liable to ferment, and does not keep well. If the fruit is picked on a wet day or the jam stored in a damp place it becomes mouldy. If jam does not boil very fast after the Bugar is added it docs not stiffen well. If boiled too short a time it does not set .ell or keep for long. If too much boiled it becomes sticky and the flavour of the fruit is spoilt. If jam be stored in too warm a place it may ferment.