PRESERVED PEACHES.
434. Choose the white cling-stones, known by the name of the "Heath peach." Insert the knife at the stem and cut them longitudinally through to the stone. Wring out the stones by placing one hand on each half of the peach and suddenly give each a turn in opposite directions; the fruit will break in half, leaving the stone attached to one side. With a pointed knife it may easily be extracted. After the peaches have all been prepared in this manner pare and weigh them. Then weigh a pound of sugar for each pound of fruit. Put the sugar into a preserving kettle, and allow a gill of water to each pound of sugar. Let the sugar stand until it is perfectly dissolved before it is put on the fire; to ten pounds of sugar add the half of the white of an egg, well beaten, or a piece of Russian isinglass, about an inch square, dissolved in two table spoonsful of water. Set the kettle over the fire, and as soon as the syrup begins to boil skim it. When the scum has ceased to rise, take the syrup off the fire, pour it into a pan, and wash the kettle in order to prevent the scum which adheres to the sides from boiling into the fruit. Now pour the syrup back into the kettle, add the fruit to it, and place it over a brisk fire, let the fruit boil fast for about an hour and a quarter, or until it appears translucent when held on a fork towards the light. Then take your peaches out very carefully, a piece at a time; place them on dishes so as merely to touch. Pour the syrup in pans, and let it stand until it is about lukewarm. Then put the fruit into your jars and pour the syrup over; paste the jars the next day.