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.
PRESERVED FRESH FIGS.
435. Select the fruit when fully ripe, though not soft, pick them carefully that they may not be broken. Pour boiling water over them, and let them simmer for five minutes.
Preserve them as other fruits.
PRESERVED CITRON MELON.
436. Cut off the hard rind of the melon (which should be the preserving citron, not the green cantelope) and cut it in pieces of any size and shape you choose: the slices should be from a quarter to half an inch thick. Weigh your fruit, and to every pound add one of sugar. Put the sugar in a preserving kettle with a gill of water to each pound of sugar and some isinglass dissolved in warm water; it will require a quarter of an ounce of isinglass to every five pounds of fruit. When the sugar is dissolved, put it over the fire and boil and skim it. Then pour the syrup out of the kettle, wash it and return the syrup to it. Now put in the fruit, and set it over a brisk fire, where it will boil rapidly. When the fruit appears translucent when held up towards the light it is done. It will take from an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half to cook it.
Then take it out a piece at a time, spread it on dishes, and strain the syrup in a pan. When the syrup is lukewarm, put your fruit in the jars and pour it over. Let them stand till next day, put brandy paper over and paste them.
This fruit may be flavored with lemons sliced and preserved with it. Do not peel the lemons, cut them in thin slices, and cook them with the fruit. To three pounds of fruit add one lemon. As the citron makes a beautiful but tasteless preserve, it is necessary to flavor it with lemon, orange, or some other fruit. If, when it is a little cool, it should not taste sufficiently of the lemon, a few drops of the essence of lemon may be added.