THE PRESERVES PANTRY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 February 1941, Page 8

THE PRESERVES PANTRY

SET LT IN ORDER. 1 BOTTLE SURPLUS FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. Now is the time when the careful housewife thinks of setting her preserves pantry in order for the winter months. Remember, food is preserved in season for use out of season, so plan ; well ahead. ' In general, the procedure for bottling i fruit and vegetables is similar. In both I cases the following rules must be | strictly carried out: Grade fruit act cording to size and ripeness. The fruit should be just ripe—better under-ripe than over-ripe. After preparing syrup. strain through a tine muslin. This makes and keeps the syrup clear. Use jars free from chips and cracks and provide new rubbers each season. Perished . rubbers are useless. Pack fruit in hot wet jars and ar- : range with wooden spoon or pick. Use I a false bottom in steriliser. Remember ' to unscrew the lop just a little before ! sterilisation. If too tight, it will pre- ! vent the escape of steam and the botI lies will burst. i After sterilisation is completed, reI move bottles one by one. place them I en a wooden surface, and screw down tightly. Turn upside down till next day. . If any bottles leak, they must be re-steri-i lised and bands and lids adjusted. All acid fruits must be covered with a weak solution of salt and water immediately after preparing and allowed to stand in it until they are ready to be placed in bottles. The brine prevents the action of enzyme, which causes; oxidisation and discoloration. For the brine, use 1 level tablespoon salt to each quart of water. Before placing j fruit in bottles, rinse oil' the brine. Any large pan or boiler with a tighl- | fitting lid and deep enough to subl merge bottles is all that is required to I bottle fruit and vegetables successfully. A false bottom or rack for the bottles to stand on is necessary to keep them from coming in contact with direct; heat. The false bottom may be made! from thin, flat pieces of wood joined ' together trellis fashion, or from a piece j of felt or blanket. Several thicknesses I of brown paper may also be used. To Sterilise. When bottles are filled, place in steriliser and fill it with water up to the necks of bottles. Cover with a tightfitting lid and place on a very low gas until temperature is 185 degrees. Maintain this degree of heat f0r.20 minutes. If thermometer is not used. slowly j bring steriliser to simmering point (this | takes one and a half hours). At this! point small bubbles will be seen rising! from the bottom to the surface of the j boiler. On no account should the bub-! bles be large, as this indicates the water is far too hot.

The syrup is very important. The .ise of a very heavy syrup tends to make tiie fruit rise, thus spoiling the appearance of the bottles. The strength the syrup varies from 11b sugar to ?ach quart of water. and for sour ’rails up to 21b to each quart. Bring iugar and water to boil and simmer ’or a few minutes strain through musin, and allow to cool. >o Not Make Too Much. When making jelly it is not a good dec to make too much at a time; two marts should be the maximum. The oilowing are very good combinations vith the amount of sugar and water o be used: Apple and pineapple: cup apple md I cup pineapple juice, two-thirds up sugar. Apple and peace: A cup apple and A up peach juice, two-thirds cup sugar. Apple and strawberry: A cup apple md A cup strawberry, two-thirds cup ugar. Blackberry and apple: cup blackterry and ‘ cup apple syrup, twohirds cup sugar. Apple and mulberry: cup mulberry aid A etip apple juice and ■ cup sugar. Remove blossom ends from fruits nd wipe well. Cool: juicy fruit in ■ trial! amount of water until tender, hen stram through a chain kitchen, owe! or jelly bag. Apples should be cell covered with waler. There is no iced to peel fruit for jelly. Simply ui it up, using cores with quinces pplet:. etc. Do not squeeze towel or iag. This will cloud the jelly and spoil lie appearance. The pulp may be boild up again wit!) enough water to over and simmer for half an hour, ‘urn once more into towel or jelly Bund allow to drip. Do not mix first nd second boiling tugclhei F.>r cherry, peach and pineapple tilly, ti.se 3 cups juice. W cups sugar.! nd 1 cup prepared pectin. Measure :ie juice into a large pan and boil! apidly for minute:. Skim well if ecessnry. Add sugar and stir until uite dissolved Hoi! syrup rapidly ;is his p;-t • vrve~ the colour. Slow hmlmg ives a dark dull jell'. and rather an ife; texture To les: jellv lake a small spun: fid f yyriip and .d’.v. in drop fi. . ub of >. . If di‘= o- 'lev. l>igethit nd i> - kin forms w> :■><> remove from re at once I’eir into hot jars tilling tth and the- cavity should bo tilled .lib p.ar.i!'';’: w.c: when jelly <-..1d ml set