THE STRAWBERRY SEASON HERE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 300, 18 December 1937, Page 3

THE STRAWBERRY SEASON HERE

.HANY TRIED RECIPES. It is probable that if a vote were taken for the most popular dessert, strawberries and cream would win. They are so delicious served in this simplest of ways, that it seems almost a crime to do anything else with them. However, they lend themselves readily to other means of serving, especially when it is necessary to make them go further, or when there is a glut, to preserve them for future use. It is a matter for remark that strawberries are not grown more in home gardens, for they are of simple culture, and in the average situation and with ordinary care, w-.1l yield a very passable crop. As a jam fruit, they are perhaps unsurpassed, as the preserve has a distinctive flavour. It may be noted that strawberries are not acid fruits, and therefore it is often advisable to add some acid fruit juice to the jam, so that it will jell more quickly. Also by combining with certain other fruits, a small proportion may be used and the delicate flavour imparted. For this purpose red currants, rhubarb, and gooseberries may be used with advantage and the juices of all these fruits may be added to a pure strawberry jam, as may also tartaric acid or citric acid or lemon juice. Jam Recipes. Strawberry and Red Currant Jam.— To each pound of fruit allow one and a quarter pounds of sugar, and naif a pint of red currant juice. Prepare the strawberries as usual, and put them on a dish; then sprinkle over half the sugar and leave 24 hours. Meantime prepare the red currant juice, boil it with the rest of the sugar until it forms a thin syrup, then put in the strawberries and sugar and simmer until it will jelly. In making this jam take care not to break the fruit. If sufficient red currant juice is not available, one gill can be allowed to each pound of fruit and added with the sugar in making ordinary jam. Strawberry Jam.—The proportion of sugar is usually three-quarters of a pound to a pound of fruit. The fruit may be allowed to cook alone a short time, stirring constantly; then the sugar is added and boiling continued until the jam will set when tested. A small piece of butter stirred in will remove any scum which may form. Strawberry jam with tartaric acid. —Four pounds of fruit, six pounds of sugar, two teaspoons tartaric acid. Boil fruit and sugar three minutes. Add the acid and boil fast for five minutes.

Strawberry and Rhubarb Jam. —To each pound of strawberries allow half a pound of rhubarb, and one and a quarter pounds of sugar. Cut the rhubarb small and cover with one pound of sugar. Leave over night, and next day add the rest of the sugar and the strawberries and bring to Ihe boil, and boil about half an hour. Desserts and Salads.

Strawberries bottle very well, and make a delicious dessert for winter use. The syrup tor bottling may be prepared in the proportion of one part of sugar to three parts of water, or if wanted stronger, one part to two parts This is boiled first and allowed to cool, and sufficient should be made for filling up the bottles after processing is complete. Strawberries for bottling must be picked in dry weather and not be over-ripe. They need to be packed rather tightly in the jar. It is more than probable that when processing is finished, they will float in the liquid. This is because the strawberry is naturally a soft fruit and the structure breaks down readily. Also, if the syrup is too heavy, the fruit will tend to float, so that for sweet, soft fruits the lighter syrup suffices. General method for bottling small fruits. —Sterilise jars, rings, and tops. Pack with the fruit; pour the cooled syrup over to overflowing, put on the rubbers and screw lid lightly. When using the electric oven, have the bottom switch on high until the oven reaches 250. Then put in the grilling pan containing one-quarter inch of water, and place on the lowest rack. Put in the jars, and leave switch on high until the syrup boils in the jars. Then turn to low for 15 minutes to complete; turn off and open the oven door to allow jars to cool a little. Take out one by one, if necessary fill with boiling syrup to overflowing, seal lid tightly, and invert. Strawberry Salad.—As a variant to strawberries and cream, take equal proportions of red and white currants and strawberries, pick them over and place in layers and pile in a dish and leave a short time. Just before serving, sprinkle powdered sugar over, and either pour thick cream over or decorate with whipped cream. Strawberry Delice.—Take a pound of ripe strawberries, which if large can be cut in halves, and one cup of fine sugar sprinkled over them. Toss fruit and sugar together and then

stand for half an hour. Add one small cup of orange juice or red currant juice and leave one hour. Then serve in glasses with sweetened whipped cream and a whole strawberry on top. Serve wafer biscuits with this. Or, half-fill the glasses with fruit, then add some cream, then more fruit, piling up in the centre. Decorate wk.h whipped cream and a whole strawberry. For Sandwiches and Tarts. Sweet sandwiches may be made by cutting slices from a madeiiu or plain sponge cake, and spreading one half with whipped cream and sliced strawberries, and covering wit.i the oth-?r half, and press-ng lightly together. If made fresh and caintily a-ranged on a dish, these will be popular and a change from Ihe usual cream sponge decorated with strawberries. Open Tart or Tartlets. —If the pastry shell is prepared first, it can be filled with the fruit, cooked or raw as liked, or with bottled strawberries which would need only to be warmed in their syrup. Serve with cream or custard. Strawberry Moulds.—Bottled fruit can be used for this. To about three-

quarters of a pint of fruit and syrup allow two dessertspoons of cornflour, mixed with a little of the cold syrup. Heat the remainder of fruit and syrup and stir into the cornflour. Return to saucepan adding one ounce of butter, and cook gently. If a bright colour is wanted, add a few drops of cochineal. Then turn into moulds to set. As a variant, a small amount of strawberry jelly made with jelly crystals may be prepared first and set In the bottom of the moulds, and the cornflour mixture poured in after cooling a little. Or it may be set in separate glasses, and the mixture moulded separately, and turned into the glasses afterwards. In either case, the top may then be decorated with' cream, and a whole strawberry.