RASPBERRIES AND LOGANBERRIES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 31, 26 January 1940, Page 44

RASPBERRIES AND LOGANBERRIES

HESE delicious berries are ready | now; and although we may feel that they should always be eaten fresh with cream and castor sugar, or piled in a Pavlova Cake, yet we hope there will be plenty for jam and preserves as well. The best flavoured raspberries I have ever eaten were those served at the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, to which I was so very fortunate as to be invited when in London in 1938. You'll probably think that I just imagined this, and that the glamour of that wonderful afternoon just camouflaged the raspberries; but I was assured that the July Garden Party is noted for raspberries of a specially good flavour. Potted Raspberries This recipe was given me in England, and raspberries preserved in this way keep their own lovely flavour and colour. Pick over four pounds of raspberries, using also the bruised ones, Have an equal quantity of sugar heating in a bowl in a warm oven. Rub the preserving pan well over with an ounce of butter, put it over a very low heat, and put the berries in. When they start to bubble, pour them into the warm sugar. Beat with a wooden spoon for half ‘an hour; then put into pots and cover. This should make about eight pounds of preserve; there is no waste, and I was assured that it keeps eenilontty, Raspberry Preserve This recipe is from, Yorkshire, and is very similar to the first one. Place four pounds of raspberries on a large dish and put into a hot oven. Then place the sugar on another" large ‘dish, and put that also into the oven. When they are very hot (but not boiling) ‘beat the fruit thoroughly, then gradually add the hot sugar, beating all well together until the sugar is dissolved. It is then teady to be put in the jars. This jam is said to keep any length of time, and has the flavour of freshly gathered fruit. It is easily made, as there is no boiling or simmering. Raspberry Jam This is a New Zealand recipe. It was sent to me from Lower Hutt, and the sender assured me that the natural flavour of the raspberries is beautifully preserved. Take pound for pound of raspberries and sugar. Put the berries in an earthenware bowl; do not mash them, but just put the sugar over, and cover _over to keep out the dust while they stand for twenty-four to thirty-six hours. Then put all into a preserving pan,

bring to the boil. and boil, rapidly for just five minutes. Add a knob of butter, and a teaspoon of glycerine; put into hot jars, and seal while hot. This jam is said to keep well. A Motueka Method Allow a pint of water to every four pounds of raspberries; and a pound of sugar to’ each pound of fruit. Boil the sugar and water together for ten minutes; then add the fruit and boil for fifteen minutes. It looks rather thin when done, says the sender of this recipe, but it sets quite well and is splendid. Three-Minute Raspberry Jam This is another popular recipe, by which the fruit keeps its natural flavour and its bright colour, and does not lose much weight. Strawberry jam can be made this way, too. Be sure to have plenty of room in the pan, so that it can boil very hard indeed. Do not try to make too large a quantity at once. Bring the berries to the boil; then add a pound of sugar to every pound of fruit, and bring it again to the boil, but very slowly indeed. Then boil hard for just three minutes. Take it off the fire, and bottle and seal at-once. Be very sure that the sugar is all thoroughly dissolyed before the mixture boils. This and the subsequent very fast boiling are essential points in the success of the jam. Raspberry and Plum Jam Six pounds of ripe raspberries; six pounds of red plums; and twelve pounds ‘of ¢rystallised sugar. Cut the plums in halves and remove the stones. Put them into a preserving pan with about onethird of the sugar. Stir over the fire until the juice begins to flow, and boil for twenty minutes. Now add the rasp- . berries and the rest of the sugar, warmed. Bring to the boil, see that the sugar is dissolved, and then boil for another twenty minutes, or until it will set when tested. Be careful this jam does not burn. Loganberry Jelly Have three parts of the berries underripe, and one part ripe. This gives a good colour and flavour. Allow one pint of water to every six pounds of fruit. Boil until quite soft, and leave to stand all night, or until quite cold. Then strain through a sieve, and afterwards through flannel or several thicknesses of buttercloth, first wrung out. of cold water. Measure the liquid and bring to the boil. "When boiling, add an equal measure of sugar, and be sure that this is dissolved, before it begins boiling again. Then boil until it will set when tested on a cold plate or saucer, Begin testing very soon, as over-boiling is a cause of crystallisation, = also makes the jelly tough, j ee