Foods and Household Management: A Textbook of the Household ArtsKinne, Helen
General
Foods and Household Management: A Textbook of the Household Arts
Kinne, Helen
Cooking; Food; Home economics
=Jelly making.=
There is another principle involved in jelly making in addition
to the principle of preservation. Fruit contains a substance
known as pectose, one of the carbohydrates, that partially
solidifies the fruit juice when the water in the juice is
partially evaporated. The addition of sugar helps in this
process, but no amount of sugar will set the jelly if the pectose
is not present. Some fruits have more than others, and also more
when not over-ripe. Currants and firm apples are good jelly
makers, and serve as a basis for other fruits that do not jelly
well. Mellow summer apples do not set well. Crab apples are
excellent for this purpose.
There is another step in this process, the straining out of the
juice from the pulp. For this, prepare a jelly bag from firm
cotton cloth which has been boiled and washed. This bag must be
hung in such a way that the juice drops from the point of the bag
into a bowl below. It may be hung upon a stick between two chairs,
or upon the rod of a strong towel rack over a table.
1. =Apple jelly.=
Select tart, red-skinned apples, cut them in small pieces with
the skins on, retain the cores, and put them in a kettle with
cold water to barely cover. When thoroughly cooked and mashed,
put this pulp into the jelly bag, and allow the juice to drip as
long as it will. Do not squeeze the bag, nor stir the pulp if you
wish clear jelly. This dripping process is a matter of hours, and
in the home kitchen may continue all night. Allow a pint of sugar
to a pint of juice. Return the juice to the kettle, and allow it
to simmer for twenty-five minutes or half an hour, skimming when
necessary. In the meantime, heat the sugar, being careful not to
melt or burn it. Stir the sugar gently into the juice, and boil
five minutes. Test a little upon a saucer. It should show signs
of jellying as it cools. Boil longer, if necessary. Finish as
directed. Jelly often does not set until twenty-four hours have
elapsed.
=2. Currant jelly.=
The method is the same as with apple jelly. It is not necessary
to remove the currants from the stem. Heat just long enough
before the straining to make the juices flow well.
Very agreeable flavors are secured by the combining of two or more
fruits in a jelly; quince and pineapple with apple;——a leaf of
rose geranium or lemon verbena in a glass of apple jelly;
raspberry with currant. White apple jelly may be flavored with
mint leaves, and used in place of mint sauce with meat.
=Pickling.=
Pickles are not desirable in the diet. If acid is craved, it is
much wiser to secure it by fresh fruits, and by the use of lemon
juice.
=Drying.=
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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