Directions for Cookery, in its Various BranchesLeslie, Eliza
General
Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches
Leslie, Eliza
Cooking, American
Take fine juicy free-stone peaches and pare and quarter them. Scald
them in a very little water, drain and mash them, and squeeze the juice
through a jelly-bag. To every pint of juice allow a pound of
loaf-sugar, and a few of the peach-kernels. Having broken up the
kernels and boiled them by themselves for a quarter of an hour in just
as much water as will cover them, strain off the kernel-water, and add
it to the juice. Mix the juice with the sugar, and when it is melted,
boil them together fifteen minutes, till it becomes a thick jelly. Skim
it well when it boils. Try the jelly by taking a little in a spoon and
holding it in the open air to see if it congeals. If you find, that
after sufficient boiling, it still continues thin, you can make it
congeal by stirring in an ounce or more of isinglass, dissolved and
strained. When the jelly is done, put it into tumblers, and lay on the
top double tissue paper cut exactly to fit the inside of the glass;
pressing it down with your fingers.
You may make plum jelly in the same manner, allowing a pound and a half
of sugar to a pint of juice.
TO PRESERVE APRICOTS.
Take ripe apricots; scald them, peel them, cut them in half, and
extract the stones. Then weigh the apricots, and to each pound allow a
pound of loaf-sugar. Put them into a tureen or large pan, in alternate
layers of apricots and sugar; cover them, and let them stand all night.
Next morning put all together into a preserving kettle, and boil them
moderately a quarter of an hour. Then take them out, spread them on
dishes, and let them stand till next day. Then boil them again in the
same syrup another quarter of an hour. Afterwards, spread them out to
cool, put them into glass jars, and pour the syrup over them. Peaches
may be preserved in the same manner. Also large plums or green gages;
but to the plums you must allow additional sugar.
TO DRY PEACHES.
The best peaches for drying are juicy free-stones. They must be quite
ripe. Cut them in half, and take out the stones. It is best not to pare
them; as dried peaches are much richer with the skin on, and it
dissolves and becomes imperceptible when they are cooked. Spread them
out in a sunny balcony or on a scaffold, and let them dry gradually
till they become somewhat like leather; always bringing them in at
sunset, and not putting them out if the weather is damp or cloudy. They
may also be dried in kilns or large ovens.
Apples are dried in the same manner, except that they must be pared and
quartered.
Cherries also may be dried in the sun, first taking out all the stones.
None but the largest and best cherries should be used for drying.
TO PRESERVE QUINCES.
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