Dried Peach Butter
Soak dried peaches over night. Cook slowly until tender. To each 2 pounds of dried peaches add 1 quart of canned peaches and 1¾ pounds of sugar. If a fine texture is desired, strain pulp through a colander. Cook slowly, stirring often, until thick. Pack in hot jars and sterilize 5 minutes in steam.
CHAPTER IX
THE GOVERNMENT WAY OF PRESERVING EGGS
A friend hearing of Adelaide's "Preserving efforts," said laughingly to the little girl, "I hope, dear, you have not forgotten eggs." "Oh, no," replied Adelaide, "we've already done those. Mother ordered a whole crate of thirty dozen and we preserved them in 'water glass,' just as the government told us, although we could have preserved them by the 'Lime Method' if we had wished."
The friend's face was a study, while Adelaide's mother shook with silent laughter, exulting at her little daughter's instant reply. All unconsciously she had commanded a feeling of profound respect, instead of the desire for gentle teasing which the friend had at first intended.
"Suppose you read what the government says about eggs," said mother, thus giving the friend a chance to recover from her surprise. Adelaide at once went for her little "wooden box," and this is what she read from its proper card:
During the spring and early summer, when eggs are abundant and reasonable in price, attention should be given to preserving them for winter use. Fresh eggs properly preserved may be kept for 8 to 12 months in excellent condition and used with good results.
Eggs laid during April, May, and early June have been found to keep better than those laid later in the season.
If satisfactory results are to be obtained, the eggs should be fresh and clean and, if possible, infertile. Eggs that float when placed in the solution are not fresh and therefore cannot be preserved. When an egg is only slightly soiled, a cloth dampened with vinegar can be used to remove such stains. Under no circumstances should badly soiled eggs be used for preserving; if put into the jar while dirty they will spoil, and washing removes a protective coating which prevents spoiling.