WHAT TO DO WITH CHERRIES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 28, 5 January 1940, Page 44

WHAT TO DO WITH CHERRIES

LTHOUGH one of. the prettiest and most attractive fruits, "Cherry-Ripe" is not one of the most suitable for jam. It is better preserved whole, candied, or brandied; also it is invaluable for various liqueurs and beverages. If used for jam Sreat care must be taken not to let it boil a minute too long, or it becomes treacly. Only " cooking"’ cherries should be used for this purpose. Cherry Jam Stalk and stone twelve pounds of fresh ripe cherries; put them in a preserving pan with one pint of red currant juice and eight pounds of granulated sugar. Mix thoroughly, put pan on sharp fire, and cook for half an hour, stirring and mixing frequently, Pour into jars when thickened and set. Do not cover till cold. Or to every four pounds of cherries, edd one pint of red_ currant juice. Simmer till the fruit is soft, then add Sugar, pound for pound. Boil up and pour off as soon as the jam will set. Here is a slightly different recipe: Take ripe, but not over-ripe cherries, stone and weigh them. Add an equal weight of sugar, and leave overnight. Next day, boil up till the jam will thicken and set. Cherry Jam Again Take four pounds of cherries, and stone them carefully, saving any juice. Place four pounds of sugar with three teacupfuls of water in a preserving pan, and bring to boiling point. When it has boiled ten minutes, put in the cherries, and let them boil for thirty minutes. As soon as the jam begins to set, remove it from the stove. Cherry Sherbet Stone three pounds of cherries, saving all the juice. Smash twelve stones and put with the cherries into a large earthenware crock. Add the finely grated rind and juice of two lemons, one teaspoon of cream of tartar, six cloves, three black peppercorns, a few grains of nutmieg, and two pounds of loaf sugar. Stir well; then pour over all three quarts of fast boiling water, cover with a thick cloth, and leave all night to infuse. Next day bring slowly to the boil, allow just to simmer for fifteen minutes, then cool to blood heat. Stir in three tablespoons of rosewater, and when quite cold strain through a flannel and bottle. Keep in a cool place till wanted, and do not use under one week. To serve, put a pinch of bicarbonate of soda in the bottom of the glass, if you like it fizzy. : Cooking cherries require twice as much sugar, and white cherries require colouring.

Candied Cherries ' Weigh pound for pound of sugar and of stoned cherries; make a syrup with the sugar and a little water-about half a cupful for each pound, and let it simmer in the preserving pan till all the sugar is melted. When the syrup boils, put in the cherries; simmer them very slowly till quite clear. Pour off the syrup, place the fruit on flat dishes, and let dry in the sun, or in a slow ovenit may take ten hours or more. When they are thoroughly dry, dust them over with sugar and put in a papered tin box. Cherry Jelly Take cherries not quite ripe, stone them, and put. them in an earthenware dish in a slow oven till all the juice

is extracted. Boil down till it is reduced by one third; then measure it, and for each pint of juice allow one pound of sugar. Heat the sugar and juice in separate pans, then put them together and boil till the jelly sets, about twenty minutes. Cherry jelly can also be made with equal parts of cherries and red currants, or with equal parts of cherries and raspberries. Cherry Liqueur To every three pounds of cherries, allow three pounds of sugar. Remove the stalks and wash the cherries, and drain them well. Place a layer of cherries in an earthenware jar, then a layer of sugar, a layer of cherries, and so on, Cover, and place in a sunny place for three weeks or a month. Strain off the juice and add about quarter of a pint of rum or brandy. Pour it into bottles, and you have a delicious liqueur ready for use. Brandied Cherries (No. 1) Take some. fine, ripe, and large cherries; cut off half the stalks, and

put them into a large-mouthed bottle, with a few cloves and a little cinnamon, Prepare some very thick syrup, allowing six ounces of sugar to each pint of water, and boiling for twelve minutes. Strain through muslin and add brandy, allowing equal parts of brandy and syrup. When cold, pour it over the cherries, and cover, making airtight. Brandied Cherries (No. 2) Take five pounds of sound, fresh cherries; cut off half each stem with the scissors; place in a glass jar, and fill up with brandy. Cork tightly, and put away for three weeks. Then open, add one pound of castor sugar for each quart of brandy, and cork up again. Shake the bottles smartly, and put away for two months before using.