The small glasses were all sterilized, and as soon as the juice had boiled the necessary time, Adelaide added the sugar gradually and stirred with the wooden spoon until it was all dissolved.
Adelaide tended the juice and sugar carefully until it reached the "jelly point," then, skimming quickly, she poured the jelly into a pitcher, and from there into the small glasses. Next she stood them in a sunny window, and when the jelly was cold the glasses were wiped around the tops and on the outsides with a damp cloth. Melting the paraffin she poured it over the jelly and shook it gently from side to side to exclude all air. The labels were pasted on finally, and the jelly was stored away in the preserve closet.
Wild Plum Jelly
| Wild Plums, | 1 quart |
| Sugar | |
| Water, | 2 tablespoons |
The wild plums that Adelaide used were brought to her by a friend who lived in the country. They were about the size of large cherries. The flavor of the jelly was most delicious and a general favorite with everybody.
Adelaide washed the plums after emptying them into the colander, by dipping the colander up and down several times in a pan of clear cold water, after which she drained them. Into the saucepan she had measured two tablespoons of cold water, and as she picked over the plums she slit each one with a silver knife and dropped it into the waiting saucepan.
These she let simmer until soft and mushy, not forgetting to stir occasionally to keep them from burning, then poured the fruit into the jelly bag to drip over night. In the morning Adelaide measured the juice, and to each cup she measured three-quarters of a cup of sugar. The juice she let boil rapidly for twenty minutes, while the sugar was stood at the back of the range in an earthenware dish to heat through, but not brown.
When the juice had boiled sufficiently, Adelaide added the sugar gradually and stirred with the wooden spoon until it was all dissolved. As soon as the "jelly point" was reached, Adelaide skimmed it quickly, poured it into a pitcher, from there into the sterilized small glasses, and stood them in a sunny window. After the jelly was cold she wiped each glass around the top and on the outside with a damp cloth, poured melted paraffin over the jelly, shaking it gently from side to side to exclude all air, pasted on the labels and stored the tumblers away in the preserve closet.