Pare, core, and cut into pieces the fruit. Put the skins and cores into a kettle; cover them with water, and boil thirty minutes, or until tender; strain off the water through a colander, and as much pulp as will pass without the skins. To this add the rest of the fruit and three quarters of a pound of sugar to each pound of fruit. Boil it until it becomes a jelly-like mass. Mash the fruit as much as possible. It may be colored red, if desired, with cochineal. Turn it into glasses, tin boxes, or wooden salt-boxes. It becomes solid, and is served cut into slices. The Russians cut it into inch squares, and serve it as a bonbon.
ORANGE MARMALADE
Allow the juice and grated rind of one lemon to every five oranges. Weigh the fruit before cutting it, and allow three quarters of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. Remove the peel in quarters, and boil it in plenty of water until it is tender enough to pierce easily with a broom-straw; then drain off the water and let it cool. Remove the seeds and as much of the skin as possible from the pulp. Boil the pulp with the sugar until the orange is well cooked. When the peel is cool take one piece at a time in the palm of the hand, and with a tablespoon cut out all the white pithy part, leaving the thin yellow rind. Place a number of these pieces together, and with a sharp knife cut them into thin shreds. By cutting many together in this way it is done quickly. Add the shredded rinds to the cooked oranges and let them cook until of the right consistency. It should be very thick, but not solid like jelly. This is a very good marmalade, and resembles the Dundee brand.
APPLE MARMALADE
Make the same as directed for jams.
BRANDY PEACHES
Cook the fruit the same as directed for preserving peaches; but for this purpose the peaches are left whole, the skin left on or not, as desired. If the skins are retained they should be carefully brushed to remove all the down; use only fine fruit. When the jars are filled, add to each quart a half cupful of brandy, and seal; or, after filling the jars with fruit, boil down the syrup until it is very thick, and to each cupful of syrup add a cupful of brandy; pour it over the fruit and seal. California brandy serves very well for this purpose.
JELLIES
CURRANT OR ANY BERRIES
To make clear jelly use only the perfect fruit. Pick it over carefully and remove the stems. Place it in a porcelain-lined kettle and crush it enough to give a little juice so it will not burn. Cook it slowly until the fruit is soft, then turn it into a heavy cloth and press out all the juice. Strain the juice several times if necessary, to make it clear. Passing it through filter paper is recommended. Measure the juice, and to each pint allow a pound of sugar. Put the sugar in the oven to heat, but do not let it burn. Put the strained juice into the kettle and let it boil twenty minutes; then add the hot sugar, and stir until the sugar is dissolved and the juice is clear again. Pour it into glasses and let it stand until set. Grapes and cherries do not jelly easily, and a little gelatine added will insure success. When fruit does not jelly it is usually because it is over ripe. The fruit should not be gathered after a rain, nor should it be washed.