Mother's Remedies, Thomas Jefferson Ritter [reading well .TXT] 📗

syrup and cover the peaches, after skin has been removed. Boil in this thin syrup until the fruit can be pierced with a straw. While these are cooking make another syrup, very rich, into which put the fruit after it is done. Remove this from the fire and add an equal quantity of brandy while the syrup is still hot.

9. Canned Plums.—Wash the fruit well in cold water, then add one pound of sugar to a pound of fruit and let boil ten minutes. When done put in glass jars and seal while hot.

[CANNING, PICKLING AND PRESERVING 833]

10. Canned Strawberries.—Wash the berries thoroughly before removing the stems. Then weigh them, and to each pound of berries allow a half pound of sugar. Let these boil about ten minutes, and they are ready for the cans.

11. Canned Rhubarb.—Take rhubarb when it is young and tender, or even the later plant will do, cut into pieces about an inch long. Wash well and put in glass jars, into which has been poured a cupful of cold water. Fill the jar full of the rhubarb and then cover completely with water. Seal and put in a cool place. When opened in the winter time a few minutes' boiling with sugar added will make a delightful sauce.

12. Canning Corn.—The following is one of the safest and surest ways of canning sweet corn, without the use of acids or the necessity of putting up the corn with tomatoes, etc. Cut the corn from the cob and put in glass jars, pack down tightly and screw covers on loosely to allow the air to escape. Set the jars in a boiler and fill the boiler with cold water until it reaches the rim of the jars and let boil for four hours. Remove the cans and when sufficiently cool tighten the lids and set them away. A good plan is to place a board or some corn husks in the bottom of the boiler on which to set the jars to prevent them from cracking. Corn will keep as long as you want it if canned in this way.

13. Canned Grapes.—Take the grapes and wash them thoroughly. Have two dishes on the table. Put the seeds in one dish and the skins in the other. Boil the pulp until all the seeds come out easily, then put through a sieve. Add the skins, allowing one-half pound sugar to one pound of fruit. When done put either in glass jars or crocks, taking precaution to see that they are sealed tightly in either case.

TABLE FOR CANNING FRUIT.
                                                Time
                       Quantity of sugar for boiling
                       per quart. fruit.
    Apricots 2 teacupfuls 10 minutes
    Sour Apples 1-1/2 " 10 "
    Crab Apples 2 " 25 "
    Black Berries 1-1/2 " 6 "
    Gooseberries 2 " 8 "
    Raspberries 1 " 6 "
    Huckleberries 1 " 5 "
    Strawberries 2 " 8 "
    Cherries 1-1/2 " 5 "
    Currants 2 " 6 "
    Wild Grapes 2 " 10 "
    Sour Pears (whole) 2 " 30 "
    Bartlett Pears 1-1/2 " 20 "
    Peaches (in halves) 2 " 8 "
    Plums 2 " 10 "
    Peaches (whole) 1 " 15 "
    Pineapple (sliced) 1-1/2 " 15 "
    Quinces 3 " 30 "
    Rhubarb 3 " 10 "
    Tomatoes 0 " 20 "

[834 MOTHERS' REMEDIES] PICKLING.

1. Tip-Top Pickles.—Take one peck green tomatoes, one dozen large onions. Slice both of these in separate kettles, sprinkling salt between the tomatoes, then letting them stand two hours. Pour scalding water over the onions and let stand until wanted. After the tomatoes have stood the desired length of time squeeze the liquid off from them, also the onions and arrange in a crock in alternate layers, sprinkling celery seed between them (white and black mustard seed). Pour over this a quart of vinegar and a pint of sugar brought to a boil. This is ready for use when cold.

2. Chow-Chow.—Two quarts tomatoes, half dozen green peppers, one dozen cucumbers, two white onions, two heads cabbage. Chop these all fine and let stand over night, sprinkling a cup of salt on it. In the morning drain off the brine and season with one ounce tumeric, one tablespoon celery seed, half teaspoonful cayenne pepper, one ounce of the following spices, cinnamon, allspice, one ounce black pepper, one quarter ounce cloves, one cup brown sugar, vinegar enough to cover, then boil two hours.

3. Sweet Apple Pickle.—Pare the apples, leaving them whole, then take three pounds of sugar, two quarts of vinegar, one-half ounce each of cloves and cinnamon. Boil them in part of the vinegar and sugar until tender; then take them out, heat the remainder of the fluid and pour over them. Care should be taken not to boil the apples too long, as they will fall to pieces.

4. Sweet Tomato Pickles.—Peel and slice eight pounds of tomatoes, four and a half pounds of sugar, one pound of mace and cinnamon mixed, one quart of vinegar and one ounce cloves. Mix all together and boil one hour.

5. Standby Pickles.—Chop fine one gallon green tomatoes, twelve onions, slice fine two gallons of cabbage, one gallon vinegar, one pound brown sugar, half an ounce turmeric powder, one tablespoon black pepper, one ounce celery seed, one tablespoonful ground allspice, also ground cloves, white mustard, one quarter pound, and one gill salt. Boil all these together for two hours except spices, stirring well. When taken from the fire add the spices, put in air-tight jars. If this pickle is kept in a cool, dry place, you will find them in perfect condition at the end of the winter.

6. Pickled Peppers.—Select nice large peppers, cut off the stems and rind. Then put into strong hot brine, repeating this for three mornings, and then drain off and cover with hot vinegar. When wanted to use, take out of brine and stuff with creamed sweetbreads and mushrooms and serve on a lettuce leaf. This makes a very attractive and appetizing dish.

7. Piccalili.—One-half peck green onions, sliced, one peck green tomatoes, one cauliflower, one peck small cucumbers. Leave in salt water twenty-four hours; then put in a kettle with a handful of scraped horseradish, one ounce tumeric, one ounce cloves (whole), one-quarter pound whole pepper, one ounce cinnamon, one pound white mustard seed, one pound English mustard. Place in kettle in layers and cover with cold vinegar, boil fifteen minutes, stirring constantly.

[CANNING, PICKLING AND PRESERVING 835]

8. Sweet Pickled Peaches.—Make a liquid of three pounds brown sugar, one pint strong cider vinegar, and small handful each of cinnamon and cloves and bring to a boil. Wash clean, but do not peel, several pounds of peaches. Put in as many peaches as the liquor will cover; cook until moderately soft and put into jars. Cook all alike, and pour liquid over them. These are delicious.

9. Chopped Pickles.—Chop and mix together one peck green tomatoes, two large heads of cabbage, three green peppers, one small cup salt, let stand over night and drain. Then cover with cider vinegar and boil until soft; drain again and mix with one tablespoon cloves, same amount of mustard, two pounds each of raisins and sugar, one-half cup grated horse-radish, three chopped onions, celery and salt to taste. Hot vinegar enough to make moist, can rather dry.

10. Pickled Onions.—Select small white onions, peel and boil them in equal portions of sweet milk and water for ten minutes, or until tender, drain and pour scalding spiced vinegar on them immediately. Never use allspice, as it darkens the onions.

11. Pickled Red Cabbage.—Choose purple red cabbage, slice into a colander, sprinkle each layer with salt, let it drain two days, then put into a jar, pour boiling vinegar enough to cover, put in a few slices of red beet-root. A few spices in bunches and thrown in after being salted, will look red and pretty.

12. Pickled Grapes.—Select grapes that are not quite ripe, but dark colored, pick from the stem and wash, put in glass jars; in a separate kettle make a syrup of sugar and vinegar and boil a few minutes, add spices to suit the taste; pour over grapes and seal jars.

13. Spiced Cherries.—Take nine pounds of fruit, one pint cider vinegar, four pounds sugar, one-half ounce cinnamon bark, one-half ounce whole cloves, let the syrup come to a boil before putting in the fruit; cook the fruit until the skin breaks, then take out the fruit and boil the syrup down until thick, pour over the fruit hot.

14. Beet Pickles.—Cook beets in hot water until tender. Then remove the skin and if the beets are large slice them, as you would for table use. Place these in a glass jar. Take a quart of cider vinegar, one cup granulated sugar, teaspoonful of salt, let this come to a boil, then pour over beets. If vinegar is very