[628.] Baked Pears.— Remove the eyes from 1 dozen nice, ripe pears, put them in a pan with 1 cup water, sprinkle over a little sugar and bake till done; remove them to a glass dish, pour over the syrup from pan, sprinkle with sugar and serve cold.
[629.] Stewed Pears.— Pare 2 dozen stewing pears (if they are large cut them in halves or quarters, if small leave them whole); put a kettle with 1 cup sugar and 2 cups water over the fire and boil a few minutes; put in the pears and stew till done; pour them into a dish and serve cold. If the syrup should be too thin a teaspoonful cornstarch wet with cold water may be added and boiled with them for a few minutes. A little claret, cinnamon, lemon juice and rind may also be added if liked.
[630.] Stewed Dried Pears.— Wash and soak 1 pound dried pears for 2 hours; put them over the fire, covered with cold water, add a small stick of cinnamon, a little lemon juice and peel and boil until nearly done; then add 5 tablespoonfuls sugar and boil till done.
[631.] Stewed Dried Prunes.— Wash 1 pound dried prunes in several waters, put them in a saucepan, cover with cold water, add the juice and rind of 1 lemon and stew till tender; if the water boils away add more; when done add 4 tablespoonfuls sugar, pour them into a glass dish and serve cold. If the liquor of the prunes should be too much or too thin dissolve a little cornstarch in cold water, add it to the prunes and let them boil for a minute; but care must be taken not to get them too thick.
[632.] Prunelles.— Wash ½ pound prunelles in several waters and soak them for 2 hours in cold water; then put them over the fire with the same water they were soaked in to boil slowly till tender; when nearly done add 1 cup sugar and boil till done; pour them into a dish and serve when cold. If not sweet enough add more sugar.
[633.] Stewed Cranberries.— 1 quart cranberries, 2 cups sugar and 1 cup water; wash and pick over the cranberries carefully, put them in a saucepan with 1 cup water, cover and stew till tender; then strain them through a sieve; return the pulp to saucepan and boil for a few minutes; add the sugar and stir and boil just long enough to melt the sugar; rinse out a mould with cold water and sprinkle with granulated sugar; pour the cranberries when nearly cold into the mould and set it in a cool place to get firm.
[634.] Stewed Huckleberries.— Pick over 1 quart huckleberries, put them in a colander and rinse with cold water; put a saucepan with ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water over the fire and add the juice of 1 lemon; when it boils add the huckleberries, cover and stew slowly 10 minutes; add 1 teaspoonful cornstarch wet with cold water and boil for 1 minute; remove the berries from the fire, add ½ cup port wine, pour them into a dish and serve when cold. They are excellent when eaten with German pancake, fried bread or French toast. Or put the huckleberries with ½ cup water, a little lemon juice (or 1 tablespoonful vinegar) and a small stick of cinnamon in a saucepan over the fire, boil 8 or 10 minutes and sweeten them to taste; break 2 or 3 zwiebacks into small pieces, put them in a dish and pour the huckleberries over them; remove the cinnamon and serve when cold. ½ cup claret added to the huckleberries adds greatly to the flavor.
[635.] Stewed Rhubarb.— Pare and cut 2 bunches rhubarb into small pieces and put over the fire in a porcelain-lined or agate saucepan; add ½ cup water and boil till soft; add 1½ cups sugar or sweeten to taste; boil until the sugar is dissolved, pour into a dish and serve cold.
[636.] Stewed Rhubarb (with Eggs).— Stew the rhubarb the same as in foregoing recipe and take it from the fire; beat 3 eggs to a froth and add 2 tablespoonfuls cold water; then stir in the rhubarb a little at a time; mix well together and serve cold. If stewed rhubarb is too thin add 1 teaspoonful cornstarch wet with cold water and let it boil 1 or 2 minutes.
[637.] Compote of Gooseberries.— Select 1 quart large gooseberries, remove heads and stems and wash and drain them; put them in a kettle, cover with boiling water and boil 5 minutes; pour in a colander to drain; boil 1 cup sugar with ¼ pound water to a syrup and add ¾ cup white wine; put the gooseberries in a porcelain or glass dish and pour the syrup over them; serve when cold.