FRUIT BOTTLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2815, 26 February 1908, Page 9

FRUIT BOTTLING.

For bottling purposes secure sound fruii, not over ripe ; wash if necessary ; nac-n firmly into the bottle to -within a.n inch of the top. In arranging the fruit in the lotfle the small or soit fruits may be mad.' firm by slapping -the bottom of the battle with the hand; large fruits, such ts plums and apricots, should be arranged in. the bottle by means oi a blunt instrument, such as the handle of a tablespoon or meta! fork. Pour in clean, cold water until the fruit is covered and an air space of about £in left at tlhe top. Adjust the rubber ring and lid, and screw the collar down tightly. Then place the bottles loosely in the boiler or other vessel and cover tihem with cold water. Light 'the fire, and allow the te-mperature to rise gradually to 160 bt F. This should take about li hours. When ♦bis temperature, tested by a thermometer has been reached, remove from the fire, arul allow the whole to gradually cool. When cold remove and store in a cool, dry place, standing the bottles upright. Fru.it thus treated will keep for years if necessaiy. When the fruit is required, unscrew the collar and pour the contents into a suitable dish, sweeten to (taste, and use to make tarts, pics, stewed fruit, etc. As soon as the fruit is used th<=> bottles and accessories should be well washed ami dried, and stored ready for use again. W ith ordinary care the bottles should last r or 3 ears. In seasons when some fruits ate scarce, or when blended flavours are de sired, excellent results may be secured by mixing red rhubarb with wtrawberr.ies o. with raspberries. Another blend tihat can be stronsriy reeommendrd is obtained oy mixing black cooking cherries and gooseberries in equal proportions. When 'bottling Strawberries or raspberries it is advisable to nlace a layer of rhubarb on the top of the frui-t so as -to prevent it from floating in the juice and becoming discoloured through contact with the air space. The flavour of the fruit is not impaired by the rhubarb. Pear* should be pee'ed, halved, and corod, and placed in ithe waiter or syrup at once to prevent discoloration. If fruits such as atrav berries, pears, peaches, apricots, etc.. are required for dessert, the fruit should be covered in the bottles with syrup instead of water. As a rule the syrup should be made by dissolving 41b of white sugar in a quart of water; the more aoid fruits, however, require a slightly stronger syrup. When plums are required for dossert the large and choice ones should be selected and bottlod in syrup; for cooking purposes the egg-plum and: cherry-plum, the wine-sour plum or other similar variety may be bottled in water. Thinnings or partly ripened plums, apricots, gooseberries, etc., bottled in water will be found very serviceable when fruit ia scarce. Should there be a superabundance of juice from tha bottled fruit, it may be used with. Wane mange or with puddings, or for flavouring jellies.

Frequent use of the microscope is said to prevent near-aiffhtednesa. Watchmakers are seldom afflicted with it.