FROM THE MAIL BAG

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 44, 26 April 1940, Page 44

FROM THE MAIL BAG

Dear Aunt Daisy, Could you give me through The Listener recipes for Fig Jam and Cape Gooseberry Jam? I feel sure other listeners would be glad of them, as both these fruits are almost ready. I am not always able to listen to you, and may miss you over the air.-"Fig and Gooseberry" (Taupaki) Not only "Fig and Gooseberry" (Taupaki), but also several other "Listener" readers have asked for some tried methods of preserving-and conservingthese two delicious fruits, now in full season. To Dry Figs For drying, the figs should be perfectthat is, ripened on the tree, and gathered carefully, not bruised. Drop them into vigorously boiling lye solution, made by dissolving two tablespoons of caustic soda in two quarts of water, and leave them in this for one minute. Then lift them out carefully and wash them in three changes of water. Do not put your hands in the solution, of course. Drain the figs well, and dry off all the surface moisture before spreading them, in single layers, on the trays of the oven. Begin the drying in a cool oven about 115 degrees, until the fruit has lost enough moisture to appear shrivelled. Then gradually increase the heat to about 135 degrees F., and then towards the end, to a little more-about 145 degrees. See that the figs do not stick to the trays-move them frequently. To see if they are done, tear one across. They should be leathery, and not moist in the centre. They are really much nicer if they are boiled in syrup after their soda-bath and subsequent rinsings. Just drop them into hot syrup (made by boiling together equal parts of sugar and water), and allow them to boil rapidly until they are clear-looking. Then drain them and dry in the cool oven, as described above. Crystallised Figs Take 6lb. of figs, 6 cups of sugar, 3 ‘cups of water, 3 tablespoons of vinegar. ‘Bring the water, sugar and vinegar to the boil, and drop in the figs, which have been pricked with a fork, and the end removed. Boil gently for three hours. Remove from the syrup and place on a wire tray for 24 hours. Then roll them in castor sugar and put on a tray again for three or four days, turning them every day. They should then be dry. Roll them again in castor sugar, and pack them tightly in boxes lined with wax paper. Very nice for dessert. (Continued on next page)

(Continued from previous page) Special Fig Conserve The "special" parts of this recipe are the substitution of lemon juice for vinegar; and the peeling of the figs. It needs attention all the time it is being made, but the delicious flavour of the jam is ample reward. You need 8lb. of figs, weighed after peeling; 534lb. of sugar; llb. of preserved ginger; and the juice of three large lemons. Peel the figs, and cut into halves or quarters, as preferred. Put into a pan with the sugar and ginger, then pour over this the juice of the lemons. Leave this for two or three hours, then put it on the stove over a very: low heat and keep sifting the sugar through gently, until it is melted. If left alone. it may catch at the bottom. This takes. time, but it is much better than adding water. Try not to do this, and in any case, do not put more than two or three tablespoons. When the sugar is melted, boil fairly fast for one and a-half hours, just lifting gently with a spoon during the boiling, so as not to break the figs more than can be helped. It is a delicious conserve. Fig Jam Twelve pounds of green figs; 12lb. of sugar; 1 breakfast cup of vinegar and the same of water; 12lb. of preserved ginger; and 2 ounces of whole ginger, bruised and put into a muslin bag. Wipe the figs and slice them, let stand in half the sugar overnight. Next day, boil, after adding the rest of the sugar and the other ingredients. Boil for three hours. As this jam catches easily, it is well to butter the pan first, also to put three or four marbles in the bottom. Cape Gooseberry, Melon and Passion Fruit Jam One and a-half pounds of cape gooseberries; 6lb. of melon; 16 passion fruit; 6lb. of brewers’ crystals, or Al sugar. Cut the melon into dice, and shell the gooseberries. Cover with sugar, and leave for 24 hours. Then boil for two or three hours, putting in the passion fruit when the jam boils. Cape Gooseberry Jam Five pounds of cape gooseberries; 5lb. of sugar; 1 pint of water, and the juice of 5 lemons. Put the sugar and water in the pan, bring to the boil and remove the scum as it rises. Add the lemon juice, and when the syrup is clear, add the gooseberries, which have been hulled, washed, and pricked with a needle. Baji for about 1% hours, or until the syrup is thick, and falls from the spoon. Do not bottle the jam until it is cold. Cape Gooseberry Conserve Three pounds of shelled gooseberries; 1M4lb. of sliced apples; 1141b. of sliced, unskinned tomatoes; 6 large bananas, sliced; 6lb. of sugar; and the juice of 6 lemons. Put the gooseberries, apples and tomatoes in the pan with the sugar, and allow to stand for 1 hour at least. Then add the lemon juice, and boil hard for fifteen minutes. Add the bananas, and boil for another 5 minutes. Remove from the fire, and stir well for five minutes. Then bottle and seal while hot. This is just like fruit salad, and is beautiful. Cape Gooseberry Marmalade Three pounds of cape gooseberries, weighed after shelling; 2 lemons and

four cups of cold water. Boil all these for 1 hour, stirring well, and then add 5lb. of sugar. Boil for three minutes, or longer. It is a good idea to gut up the lemons overnight and soak them in some cold water and add this to the berries the next day, and boil for the hour. Or you may boil the lemons separately first, if you like, but do not use more than the 4 large cups of water altogether. Simple Cape Gooseberry Jam Weigh the berries, and allow pound for pound of sugar. Squeeze the juice of the lemon into the preserving pan, put in the berries, and keep stirring until it is cooked to a pulp. Then add the sugar, and boil until it is a pale amber colour. This is delicious, but no water is required.

A Tin Will Not Do! Dear Aunt Daisy, I am a reader of The Listener, and seeing where a lady was in trouble over salting butter, I feel I must write a warning. Well, my dear, you must always put butter in a wooden barrel or an earthenware jar, never a tin! The tin rusts with the salt, and the butter gets awful. This is a wonderful soap recipe. 1 have made it for forty years: 41 gallons of water; 3lb. of caustic soda; 16lb. of clean fat; 2%4lb. of resin; and %lb. of borax. Place all in the copper, and boil slowly till it becomes very stringy. Boil for 2 hours; leave in the copper until cold, then cut into bars. You can get it out of the copper with a spade on to a table, and then cut it up. Do not have a big fire; be very careful. It is a very good soap, and lasts for a long time. A FISH DISH This is a fish dish called Bredditto. Put some onions into a pot and fry until brown, with dripping; then put some pieces of fish, one piece for each person. Next, put 2 tablespoons of vinegar and one teaspoon of spice. Finally, put potatoes on top, and cook slowly for one hour. This is good, and cheap for a family-and tasty for Friday. I do hope you can read this, my dear; I am a bad writer. I am over 60 years old; I make all our jams and jellies and bottled fruit. I have a cupboardful for hubby and me-no family. We just love jams and fruit-‘"L.C." (Auckland). Your writing is perfectly all right, and I think you are kind indeed to send us the benefit of your years of experience in housekeeping. That is a very valuable tip about the rusty tin spoiling the taste of the butter. I must remember that. Thank you very much for your letter.