THE JAM CUPBOARD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 February 1939, Page 8

THE JAM CUPBOARD

MUST BE REPLENISHED. SOME RELIABLE RECIPES. In spite of unseasonable cold weather and continuous winds, fruit continues to ripen—such of it as is left on the trees!—and the jam cupboard must be replenished. Plums and peaches are plentiful, cherries and loganberries and other small fruits still fairly abundant, and the new season’s apples now coming in. And since there is a larger crop of windfalls this year than ever, here is a recipe for making good use of them. Pies, apple chutney and apple sauce are all satisfactory ways of utilising them, but the best way of all is to convert them into apple jelly. Apple Jelly from Windfalls. Wash and remove bruised or damaged portions from about 121 b. sour apples, but do not peel or core them. Cut roughly across into thick slices and put into the pan with sufficient cold water to cover. About six quarts is the approximate quantity. Flavouring is a matter of choice, though generally something ,is liked to enliven the rather mild apple flavour. Old-fashioned cooks add a dessertspoon of cloves or a stick of two of cinnamon; others like the juice and the rind of two lemons; others again prefer a mint flavour. Some apples give a jelly of nondescript colour, and in that case it is a good plan to add a handful or two of raspberries, red currants or loganberries. if these are easily obtained. Put any of these flavourings into the pan with the water and the apples, and bring slowly to the boil. (If lemons are used, add the rind only at this stage). Simmer until , the apples are reduced to a pulp, taking one hour 01 longer. Then pour the whole mass into a jelly bag and allow it to drip for several hours, or preferably all night. Next day measure this juice into a clean preserving pan, and for each cup of juice allow a cup of sugar. 11 lemons are being used,.add the juice at this stage. Bring to the boil, boil for five minutes and remove scum, and then add the warmed sugar. Boil briskly now! stirring as required, for about 15 minutes. Test at short intervals on a cold plate for jelling, and when the signs are satisfactory, skim well, and pot and seal at once. Four Fruit Jelly. Apples and gooseberries in equal parts make a good jelly, and then there is a delightful four-fruit jelly that uses two pounds each of red currants, raspberries, cherries and strawberries. This should be easy for readers who live in the hills or near the city. Wash the fruits, leaving the stems on the red currants. Add a small teaspoon of tartaric acid, cover the Whole with two pints of cold water and proceed to boil to a pulp. Strain, and boil the lyice again next day, with an equal weight of sugar. Test for jelling and seal at once. Apricot and Pineapple.

If you can possibly manage it, make up a few pots of apricot jam with pineapple as an appetiser. It has a tang that makes it ideal for hot weather breakfasts. Four- pounds apricots (weighed after stoning), a 21b. tin of pineapple, including the juice, 51b. sugar. Stone anct halve the apricots and cut the pineapple into small cubes. Put both fruits and the tinned juice into the pan and boil for about 15 minutes, or until the apricots are tender. (Add half-cup of water also if needed to prevent burnWhen it is cooked, add the warmed sugar and boil quickly, stirring as necessary, for a further 20 minutes or so, or until the jam shows the usual signs of setting. Bottle and seal at once. Raspberry or Loganberry. Every cook likes to have a few pots of this useful berry jam in the larder. Modern methods make a perfect jam in a -very short time. Eight pounds raspberries or. loganberries, i cup water, 81b. sugar. Heat fruit and water slowly until the juice runs, and then simmer until the fruit is tender. Add the warmed sugar and boil briskly for about 15 minutes or until it shows the usual signs of jelling. Bottle and seal immediately. Plum Jam with Variations. Plum jam can always be made with lib. sugar to 11b. fruit, and quite well, too; but try these proportions and this method for a really first-class exhibition plum jam:— Twelve pounds plums, 3 pints water; 131 b. sugar. Cook the fruit with the water, slowly, for about 1J hours, until well cooked, and the contents of the pan reduced by one-third. Then add the warmed sugar and boil quickly until it jells. Another delicious variation is plum and apple jam:— Four pounds plums, 41b. sour apples, 4 pints water, 81b. sugar. Chop the apples, halve the plums where possible, remove stones, and then proceed as in the above recipe. Mulberry and plum jam is made in exactly the same way, with 61b. plums, 21b. mulberries, 1 cup water, 81b. sugar, J teaspoon tartaric acid. Cherry Jam with Additions. Although cherry jam can be made with cherries alone, it is much better to use gooseberry juice or red currant juice. All kinds of variations can be run. For instance, cherry and pineapple makes delicious preserve. Cherry and orange jam, too, is worth making. The following recipe is for the use of red currants with cherries. Ingredients: To 51b. of cherries allow 41b. of red currants, which need not be picked, 1 quart of water and 6llb. of best preserving sugar. Method: Wash the currants, dry in a clean cloth, put them in the preserving pan with the water, bring to the boil, then simmer gently for one hour. Strain through a jelly bag. Put the juice so obtained into the pan, add the stoned cherries, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 20 minutes, then stir in the heated sugar, bring to the boil and simmer for ten minutes. Test in the usual way and pot off.