MAKING THE MOST OF THE SEASON

Ladies' Mirror, Volume 3, Issue 9, 2 March 1925, Page 49

MAKING THE MOST OF THE SEASON

“ctffCaking Kay while the Sun Shines” —or rather how to preserve Pruit and tomatoes while the opportunity lasts

&fow to" Bottle fruit HPHERE are several methods of bottling fruit, but whatever the means employed. there is one golden rule — air must be excluded. If bottled fruits or vegetables show signs of going bad, it is quite clear that the bottle or jar has not been hermetically sealed in the first instance. All fruits can be bottled without the addition of sugar. In bottling hard fruits, such as pears or apples, first remove the skins and then core the fruit. Pears are best split in two. Have ready some very clean jars. If they cannot be scalded,

the jars should be washed in a weak disinfectant and then rinsed in clear water. If the jars have been used the previous season, new rubbers must be purchased to insure sate sealing. The first step consists in "scalding" the fruit. This is done by emptying the fruit into a clean piece of muslin, and dipping the whole into a pail of boiling water and holding it there for a couple of minutes. Next dip the fruit into cold water so that it can be comfortably handled, and then pack the jars with the fruit. Be sure that each jar is well packed. The fruit should reach to within half an inch from the top of the jar. zASubstitute JV/TANY people do not possess a proper "steriliser," so probably the copper will have to be used for the purpose. If so, see that there is a layer of straw at the bottom, or else a wooden rack for the bottles to stand on. They must not stand directly over the copper fire; otherwise they will crack. Having filled the jars with fruit, place them in the copper without the lids or caps, and so that the water comes very nearly up to the neck of the jars. Bring the water - bath slowly to the boil and keep it at this temperature for about half an hour, less if the fruit happens to be soft.

The caps should be put on immediately on removing the jars, and they must be screwed down very tightly. Be sure that all the caps are in proper working order. Some people prefer to bottle fruit in syrup so that it is just ready for use. In this way, of course, there is far less danger of the fruit going bad, though if unsweetened bottling is carried out properly, the fruit ought to keep in just as perfect order. To make the syrup, use three pints of water to two pints of sugar, and boil until it is of a syrupy consistency. The syrup should be quite cold before pouringover the fruit, and then the fruit sterilised in the usual way. Sterilising in the O^en nPHOSE who have neither copper nor steriliser will find bottling in the oven quite successful. Place the bottles, filled with fruit only, on a drainer or piece of thick board, so that they do not come in contact with the oven shelf. Heat the oven until the fruit just begins to crack, and then fill each jar up with boiling water. Screw down the caps, or, if ordinary jam jars are used, pour mutton fat over the top, about half an inch in thickness. The mutton fat acts as a seal and keeps the fruit air-tight. Parchment caps should not be used. Tomato Jam ,r pAKE tomatoes not quite ripe (the green ones are best), wipe them with a damp cloth. Cut into four and put into a preserving pan. Allow half a pound of white sugar to every pound of tomatoes and add a little water or syrup. Slice and add

SOME HINTS ON FRUIT BOTTLING, AND SOME EXCELLENT RECIPES FOR PICKLING TOMATOES—AND OTHER TOMATO RECIPES

two large lemons to every 21b. of fruit. Boil slowly, for about two hours, or until the syrup is thick. Do not put much water in at first add it by degrees. Tomato "Preserve ''T'HE tomatoes should be firm, and not too ripe. Pour boiling water over them, after which the skin will peel off. Then place them whole in a preserving bottle. Make a brine of salt and water, allowing a teaspoonful of salt to a pint of water. Boil the brine, allow it to cool, then skim thoroughly. Fill the bottles with the brine, then place in a stcwpan, in which the water reaches nearly to the necks of the bottles, and boil for three minutes. Straw or paper should be put at the bottom of the stewpan, and between the bottles, to prevent them from cracking. A kettle of boiling water should be kept handy, so that when the bottles are taken out of the pan they can be filled to the top with hot water. Then screw down immediately, using new rubbers in all cases Tomato Tulp 'THIS is very useful in emergencies. Scald the tomatoes and remove the skins. Cut them into quarters on a plate, and pack them tightly into clean dry bottles. Add the juice that escaped when cutting the tomatoes. Put on the rubber rings and caps loosely. Place the bottles in a fish kettle or large pan, on a false bottom, and fill the pan with cold water up to the necks of the bottles. Place it over low heat and bring the water gradually to the boil. Keep it at this temperature for 45 minutes. The tomato

pulp will be found to have shrunk considerably, so fill one bottle up from another, adjust the rubber rings, screw on the tops lightly, and replace in the steriliser. Again bring up to boiling point, keep at this temperature for 30 minutes, take each bottle out separately, and screw down tightly before removing the next. When cold, wipe the bottles and store in a . dry, cool place. Tomatoes Pickling CPICED : Two quarts tomatoes, one quart brown sugar, mixed

spices to taste (mace, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg). Stand three hours, then boil like jam. Sweet Pickled: One peck tomatoes, 2 onions, 1 red pepper, 3 cups mild vinegar, 2 cups brown sugar, 2 tablespoons salt, 1 teaspoon each cinnamon and nutmeg, h teaspoon cloves and allspice. Simmer slowly. Pack tomatoes when tender. Boil down syrup. Mustard: Simmer i bushel sliced tomatoes and 6 red peppers 40 minutes. Sieve, add 1 tablespoon black pepper, 1 ounce cloves, salt to taste, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 grated onions, ; I ounce mace. Boil until quite thick. When cold add 1 ounce each mustard and curry powder and 1 cup vinegar. Sauce: Eighteen each tomatoes, 1 apples, small onions; 6 green peppers—all chopped. Simmer with ii 1 cups raisins, 3 cups each sugar and vinegar, 2 tablespoons each of ginger and salt, i teaspoon paprika, juice 5 lemons, i teaspoon curry powder. Cook like marmalade. Green Pickle: One peck green tomatoes and 1 dozen white onions, sliced. Arrange in layers with salt and stand overnight. Drain off brine. Simmer 10 minutes with mild vinegar to cover, 4 shredded red chili peppers, 2 tablespoons celery seed, 1 of mustard seed and i cup or more mixed whole spices in a bag. Stir in 1 tablespoon grated horse radish. Seal.