CANNED FRUITS
I clip from a family paper an item linking ancient and modern housewifery:
“It is a singular fact that we are indebted to Pompeii for the great industry of canned fruits. Years ago, when the excavations were just beginning, a party of Americans found, in what had been the pantry of a house, many jars of preserved figs. One was opened, and its contents were fresh and good. Investigation showed that the figs had been put into the jar in a heated state; an aperture had been left for the steam to escape and then sealed with wax. The hint was taken, and the next year fruit-canning was introduced in the United States.”
There is no reason why canned fruits which have kept one year should not keep for a hundred years in a dark place. The light acts chemically upon the contents. If not properly canned they will spoil within a few weeks. Hence, no preliminary which will make this, the heaviest work of the summer, thorough, yet as easy as possible, should be neglected.
Granite or porcelain lined kettles, with bales and lips for convenience in pouring, and which are free from all blemish or break in the glazing, are almost essential for this work. They should be broad, that considerable surface may be exposed to the heat, and deep enough to prevent boiling over.
A small, sharp-pointed knife for paring; also, an old silver-plated knife ground to a fine edge, will be found convenient for articles which a steel knife might discolor.
Wooden spoons, a wire spoon, large and small silver spoons, scales, a hair sieve, an agate-iron colander, a wooden masher, a fruit press, coarse and fine cheese-cloth, and fine cotton and wool flannel, are almost essential to the sort of work I have indicated.
Quart and pint glass jars, with large tops, are the best for general use. See that the glass covers are free from nicks, the spring, or clamp, in perfect order, and that the rubbers are new and free from cracks. A few jars of the two-quart size will not be amiss if you plan to can large fruit whole.
Use the best granulated sugar, and “agate-nickel-steel” or porcelain-lined ware as kettles.
Canned tart apples
Peel and quarter firm apples, throwing them into cold water as you do so. Weigh the fruit and allow two pounds of granulated sugar to eight pounds of apples. Put the apples into a preserving-kettle, pour over them barely enough cold water to cover them, and let them cook gently until tender. While these are cooking, make a syrup by mixing the sugar with water (allowing a cupful of water to each pound of sugar) and bringing to a boil. Cook for four minutes, then lift the tender apples from the water, lay them gently in the syrup, simmer for a minute, and while very hot, put into self-sealing jars. These apples make excellent pies.
Canned sweet apples
Core campfield, or “pound sweets,” or other sweet apples, dropping them in water as you do this. When all are ready, pack in heated glass cans. Have at hand a syrup made by mixing a cupful of sugar with a cupful of water, allowing this quantity to every two-quart can. Boil hard fifteen minutes, adding the juice of half a lemon for every two cups of sugar. Roll the cans in hot water before putting in the apples; fill at once with the boiling syrup, and set in a bake-pan of hot water, then in a good oven. When the syrup is again at the boiling point, seal immediately.
Larger apples may be put up in this way by coring and quartering. They are delicious eaten with cream.
Canned apple sauce
Cut up tart apples without paring, leaving out the cores. Put over the fire with a cupful of water in the bottom of a large kettle to prevent burning, and cook soft. Rub through a colander to get rid of the peel, reheat to the boiling point, add two tablespoonfuls of sugar to each pint of the sauce, stirring it over the fire; fill the jars to overflowing and seal while boiling-hot. It will keep well for years, and be most acceptable when apples are scarce.
Canned seckel pears
Peel the pears, dropping them into cold water as you do so, to prevent their turning dark. To every two quarts of fruit allow a quart of water and a half-pound of granulated sugar. Bring the sugar and water to a boil, and when bubbling lay the pears in this syrup. Boil until the fruit can be pierced with a straw. Pack the hot fruit in air-tight cans, fill to overflowing with the boiling syrup and seal.
Canned pears, unpeeled
Wash and core large, firm pears in cold water, put into a kettle, cover with cold water, and simmer gently until tender, but not until they begin to break or crumble. Remove from the fire and spread in pans to cool. Make a syrup of a pound of sugar to four pounds of the fruit and a quart of water, and boil for five minutes, then add the juice of two lemons. Pack the pears carefully into jars, fill the jars to overflowing with the scalding liquid, and seal.
Canned peaches
Peel, stone and halve the peaches, dropping them into cold water as you do so. Allow a cupful of sugar to four quarts of fruit. Pour a cupful of water into the bottom of a preserving-kettle, put in a layer of peaches, sprinkle with sugar, add more peaches and more sugar until all the fruit is used. Bring slowly to a boil, and do not cook for more than fifteen minutes. Can and seal immediately, boiling-hot.
Canned plums
To six quarts of plums allow a cupful, each, of sugar and water. Wipe the plums and prick each with a needle. Put the sugar and water into a porcelain kettle, and lay the plums in this. Bring slowly to a boil and cook for five minutes. Put the plums into jars and fill these to overflowing with the boiling liquid. Seal at once.
Canned green gages
Prick each plum in two places with a darning-needle. To every pound of fruit allow a half-pound of sugar and a half cupful of water. Bring the sugar and water to a boil, lay the plums in this, and simmer for five minutes. Pack the plums in jars, fill with boiling syrup and seal.
Canned cherries
To every pound of washed and stemmed Morello cherries allow a half-pound of sugar. Put the sugar over the fire with enough water to dissolve it, and boil to a thin syrup. As the scum rises to the top of the liquid, remove it. Turn the cherries into the boiling liquid, and cook for five minutes. Remove the cherries from the kettle, pack into pint jars, fill with the boiling syrup, and fit on air-tight lids.
These cherries may be used in filling baked pastry-shells, and thus form delicious tarts.
Canned rhubarb
Rhubarb may be canned the same as cherries, cut in inch lengths without peeling; allow three-fourths of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. Scald quickly, fill jars and seal.
Canned raspberries (1)
To each quart of raspberries allow a half teacupful of water and a half-pound of granulated sugar. Cover the berries with the sugar, and let them stand for an hour. Put berries and sugar over the fire with the water, bring to a hard boil, then can.
Canned blackberries
Measure your berries and allow a heaping tablespoonful of sugar to each quart of fruit. Put the berries on alone, and bring slowly to the boiling point, and if there is any surplus juice, dip this out before adding the sugar. Boil the berries and sugar for fifteen minutes and can quickly, filling each can to overflowing.
Canned strawberries
Weigh the berries, and to every pound of fruit allow a quarter-pound of granulated sugar. Put sugar and berries in an earthen jar, and stand for an hour. Turn into a preserving-kettle, add a pinch of alum, and simmer slowly for fifteen minutes. Dip out the superfluous juice. Fill the jars to overflowing with the fruit, and seal immediately.
Canned raspberries (2)
Follow the last recipe in every particular.
Canned gooseberries
Make a syrup with one pound of white sugar to each pound of fruit, stew them till quite clear and until the syrup becomes thick, but do not let them be mashed. Do not cover the pan while stewing.
Canned quinces
Pare, and cut into quarters, dropping into cold water as you do this, to preserve the color. Weigh the fruit and allow three-fourths as much sugar. Cook the quinces gently in boiling water until soft, skim out the fruit, add the sugar to this water, skim well and boil till clear. Return the quinces to the syrup till heated through, drain and put into jars. Boil the syrup ten minutes longer, strain it into the jars, fill to overflowing, and seal as usual.