COOKERY MATTERS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18444, 30 March 1922, Page 8

COOKERY MATTERS

JAM MAKING. Many city women hardly know the taste of good home-made jam, the fac-tory-made product appealing t-o most because of its labour-saving suggestion and also because of its economy, fruit in the city being less plentiful and more expensive that that which is so ready to hand in the country. It is the country housewife who generally makes the best jam. The fruit is freshly picked, unbruised and not too ripe, which cannot be said of much offering in the city after a rail journey to town. However, a great many women make quite a work of jam-making. Here is a rather simple process which may appeal ro my readers. A friend of mine has explained to me this method, and as her jams are always delicious 1 pass it on for those who are looking for lightened labour: Fruit is stoned and allowed to stand overnight with half its weight ofsugar (brewers’ crystals) added. When ready to put it on the stove, butter the bottom of the preserving pan, place in it several cleaned half-crowns (florins will do) and pour in the fruit and sugar. Heat the remaining half of the sugar and add it when the jam is about half-cooked. Never stir the jam. The coins do the work much better than any stirring would do it. The fruit remains whole, and the appearance of the jam is much improved. In adding the hot sugar, gently move it with a wooden spoon, to mix it and prevent it settling in a spot, but do not put the spoon deep down into the jam. Place an asbestos mat under the preserving pan and regulate the heat In this way jam-making interferes very little with the ordinary day’s work JELLY MAKING. There are many women who admit that they are afraid to try the making of jelly.' if these simple directions are carefully followed, a gratifying result should be obtained. Failure is often due to careless measurements, or insufficient or over boiling.

The pro portion of one pint of juice to one pound of sugar is a good rule to keep to in jellies. Remove the stalks from the fruit, place in a very clean preserving pan, and add enough water so that it is just seen between the fruit. Allow it to come slowly to the boil, and ivoil until the fruit is tender and the juice flows freely. Strain through aclean muslin; try if possible not to disturb the muslin while the juice is dripping through. When it has all dripped through, just pass a cup of boiling water over the remaining pulp, so as not to lose more than is necessary. Measure the liquid, return to the pan, and when boiling add tlie sugar. Brewers' crystal is the most suitable to useStir until dissolved, and then boil rapidly. Begin testing after 20 minutes’ boiling, when it sets readily it is done. Pour into jelly glasses; and cover when cold.

GRAPE JSLLY. The grapes must not be more than half ripe. Pick and wash them, put into preserving pan, and crush with bands. No water is needed, as enough drains off after washing them. Put on to boil for about three-quarters of an hour, then strain through muslin or a glass towel, and allow one cup sugar to one cup juice, and boil quickly for 11 hours. PLUM JELLY. For jelly take 41b. of ripe plums (red are perhaps the best) and put them on with four breakfast cups of water and boil nearly half an hour till they are quite soft. Then strain through a jelly bag and add 11b. of sugar to each large breakfastcupful of juice. Boil 15 or 20 minutes or until a little in a saucet sets, then bottle and seal. PLUM JAM. To every pound of plums, weighed before stoning, allow 31b. sugar. In making plum jam the quantity of sugar to each pound of fruit must be regulated to the quality and size of the fruit, some plums requiring much more sugar than others. Divide the plums, take out stones and put them into a dish with sugar sprinkled over them, and let them remain for one day. Then put fruit into preserving pan, stand by the side of the fire and simmer gently for about half an hour; then boil rapidly for another 15 minutes. The scum must be carefully removed as it rises. Some of the stones should be cracked and a few kernels added' to the jam just before it is cooked, as they impart a delicious bavour. Bottle and seal with paraffin wax. GRAPE JAM. By squeezing the pulp out of the skins of yrapes and boiling for about 15 to 25 minutes, then strain the seeds and add skins and sugar, it will be found less trouble in getting the seedsout than putting all in together. Isabella grapes make the best jam. Allow Alb. sugar to lib. fruit. Boil very quickly for 30 to 4 0 minutes, and the jam will be a much better colour and flavour than with long slow boiling. HOME-MADE YEAST. A country reader, “Miss C. F.” (Ipswich) has supplied the following receipe for home-made yeast, which she says she has used successfully many a time: — Get one potato the size of a tennis ball, peel and put together with one leaf of hops and threequarters of a pint of cold water, boil till ready. Take out potato and mash it in a jug. Strain the rest through a piece of net into the jug, let stand till quite cold, then add to it two tablespoons of sugar and one tablespoon of flour;

CARRYING LUNCH TO SCHOOL. As important»as knowing what to put in the lunch for school children is knowing how to pack the lunch so that it will keep fresh and tasty. Metal boxes or pails are the best because they can easily be cleaned and scalded -to keep them in a safe condition. There should be no jiart of the container which cannot be cleaned thorougly. Small air holes may be punched in metal containers making them more suitable for carrying moist foods which are likely to spoil. In packing, things least likely to crush should be packed on the bottom. Sandwiches, etc., should be wrapped in separate packages instead of all in one. If no provision is made in the school room for serving lunches, an extra napkin should be included in the lunch box for the child to spread over the desk while eating. Napkins may be of paper or may be made out of cotton crepe which may be purchased for a small sum per yard. The edges of the napkin need not be ironed after washing. An excellent sweet to be included when packing the school lunch box is a composition of fruit and nuts. It is also good to have in the house as an emergency novelty. Use one pound figs, one pound dried prunes or seedless raisins, one pound nut meats and confectioner’s sugar. Wash, pick over and stem and stone the fruits; put them witfl the nut meats through a meat chopper and mix thoroughly. Roll out to a thickness of about onehalf inch on a board covered with confectioner’s sugar. Cut into small pieces. If the candy is to he kept for some time the pieces should be separated by means of paraffin paper. This recipe makes about 24 2-ounce portions. LESSEN CHANCE OF FIRE. Fabrics that are fire-proof reduce the risk of fire in the home. The following directions for fire-proofing material for wearing apparel and house draperies such as curtains are easy to apply : In one quart of boiling water should be dissolved two ounces of borax, one ounce of sal ammoniac (the same harmless substances as is used for electrio batteries). The fabrics which are to be fireproofed should be soaked in this solution for about a quarter of an hour, when they may be gently squeezed and hung up to dry. In most cases this fireproofing process does not effect colored fabrics, but it is advisable to first test a small portion of the fabric. Where fabrics require stiffening a suitable amount of starch may be added to the fireproofing solution. This treatment renders materials almost non-inflammable, and prevents their ignition by flying sparks. GOOD RECIPES. MEAT PIE. A good baked meat pie can be made with one and a half pounds beef, one quart cut potatoes, half cup cut onion, half pup finely cut carrot, two tablespoons finely cut parsley, one teaspoon salt, one-eight teaspoon paprika, one tablespoon flour. Wash the meat quickly, cut in small pieces, put into saucepan, cover with boiling water ; boil slowly two and a half hours. Then add the onion, carrot, potatoes, salt, paprika and boil 30 minutes; there must be two cups of gravy. Mix the flour with a little cold water; add and boil three minutes. Line bakepan with crust, pour in the meat and vegetables; cover and brush the ton with cold milk ; bake 20 minutes, or until light brown. PRESERVING PAINT AND VARNISH BRUSHES. Paint brushes should be kept in water when not in use. but the bridles, whether of cord or of metal, should be kept dry. Brushes that are seldom used should be cleansed with turpentine or petroleum, then washed clean with soap and warm water, and finally rinsed with cold water and put aside to dry. Varnish brushes that are in constant us© should stand in varnish instead of water or oil, but those that are only used at intervals should be washed in the same way as paint brushes before being set aside. Camelhair and sable brushes should be washed out in turps or paraffin, and then, after washing them in soap and warm water, they should be well greased with tallow, taking care to keep the hairs straight and smooth. Brushes in which the bristles are secured to the stock with glue are apt to come to pieces if soaked for very long in water, and should, therefore, be kept in oil or spirit. New brushes are usually soaked in water for a time before being used: it would be better to place them in oil.