JAM MAW

Evening Star, Issue 21636, 3 February 1934, Page 21

JAM MAW

(Contributed by the Home Science Extension Service.) We are all encouraged to be thrifty and are doing our best to make our pennies go as far as possible, but there is another kind of thrift besides wise spending, and that is wise use of what we have. At present‘most of us have a plentiful supply of fruit or else we are able to' obtain it at a reasonable price. Unfortunately, however, it will soon be past unless we use some means of preservation to prevent decay, so most of us are making jams, jellies, conserves, and marmalades, and many 'are bottling the surplus for winter use. Hence to-day let us consider jam making, which is one of the many methods of food preservation. In this case the fruit is cooked with sugar and usually a certain amount of water, to the desired consistency which should be soft or jelly-like, and contain practically no free liquid. For a syrup to “jell” on cooking there must be three ingredients present in it in the right proportions—sugar, acid, and pectin. However, the acid and pectin are present in generous quantities in the fruits or combinations of fruits which we have .found from experience make the best jams and jellies. For instance, fruits of relatively low acidity are often combined with those of high acidity, and fruits containing little pectin are combined with those rich in pectin—e.g., in making strawberry jam we usually combine a fruit or fruit juice such as red currant or rhubarb. Strawberry and Rhubarb Jam. Strawberries, 21b; rhubarb, 11b; sugar, 2Jlb. Method: Cut*the rhubarb small and put 11b sugar over it and Jet stand all night, then add the rest of the sugar and strawberries, bring to the boil, and boil half'an hour. Black Currant Jam. Black currants, (31b; water, 6 pints; sugar, 91b. Method: Boil water and fruit threequarters of an hour, then add sugar and boil till the required thickness—about half an hour.

Green Tomato Jam. Green tomatoes, 101 b; ginger (pro* served), Jib; lemons, 3; sugar, 81b, Method; Slice lemons and steep in water to cover for 2_ days. Slico tomatoes thinly. Place ingredients in saucepan, and boil steadily for two and a-half to three hours, or until it “ jells ” on cold surface. Peach Jam. Peaches, 21b; sugar, 21b. Method ; Blanch peaches and. removo stones. Add sugar and boil until consistency of marmalade (test on cold surface), Seal in sterilised jars. Apricot and Pineapple Jam., Method : Apricots -81bpineapple, X (cut up); sugar, 81b. Stone and skin tne apricots and put all together and boil for 45min.