MAKING PRESERVES AIRTIGHT

New Zealand Listener, Volume 6, Issue 141, 6 March 1942, Page 23

MAKING PRESERVES AIRTIGHT

Sealing with Wax or Melted Fat "HESE hints are to help those who have not perfectly fitting screw top jars. Clarified mutton fat, or half beef and half mutton fat, is an old fashioned material for sealing fruit and jam. The medern wax has taken its place. Both are good if carefully done; but sometimes it does not stick to the glass, and when cold, the juice may be seen oozing up round the edge. This is easily prevented by cutting rounds of writing paper to fit the top of the jar (and even a little larger so that the edges turn up a little, all round), dipping these into the hot fat with a pair of scissors, and then laying it carefully on top of the water or the syrup. Then pour over your fat or wax on top of that, to the depth of about three quarters of an inch. Cover the jars then with two thicknesses of lunch paper or even brown paper, and thick flour or starch paste. Dipping the inner paper in the hot fat sterilises it, and makes it waterproof. Salad Oil For Sealing This is good for sealing fruit juices or sauces or anything in bottles with a small neck-like beer bottles. We have to make use of whatever is available at the present time. Have the oil just hot, and pour it in about % of an inch, then tie or paste two thicknesses of paper over. When using the juice or sauce, use cotton wool to absorb the oil, Corks For Sealing Scald the corks and put them into the bottles with a piece of greaseproof paper under them. Trim away any roughness or paper from the top, and then paint over with-or better still,