CAPE GOOSEBERRIES AND GRAPES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 20, Issue 515, 6 May 1949, Page 20

CAPE GOOSEBERRIES AND GRAPES

OTH of these rather luxury fruits are plentiful this year, and here are some suggestions for their use, especially -in preserves. Remember peeled fresh grapes are delicious in a saladsliced preserved peaches, grapes, ‘cottage cheese or pasteurised cheese, arranged in crisp lettuce-cups, make a delicate luncheon served with wholemeal bread and butter. Grapes are also excellent in fruit-salad. Cape gooseberries mixed with apples make a luscious pie, say half a pound shelled cape gooseberries to a pound of apples. Stew them together first, and cool before putting on the pie-crust, either flaky or short. For those who do not eat pastry, slice the apples thickly, add shelled cape gooseberries and a little water and sugar, and cook in covered casserole in slow oven. This is delicious either hot or cold, with cream or custard. Grape Juice Crush the grapes and allow to stand a little. Add a very little water and place over low heat to make the juices flow, stirring often. After a while increase the heat a little and bring juice gradually to the boil. Then strain slowly through muslin. Bring strained juice slowly back to boil, and add Ylb. sugar to each pint of juice, stirring till dissolved. Then boil for 5 minutes steadily and bottle while boiling in hot sterilised bottles. Seal airtight immediately. Cover cork and top of bottles with wax as an extra precaution. Grape Juice (without sugar) Although sugar is a preservative, many people find this unsweetened recipe keeps quite well. Put grapes in pan with a very little water and place over low heat. As fruit softens crush with potatomasher, or something similar, — bring slowly to boil and boil steadily for 10 minutes. Strain slowly, 12 to 24 hours, -as if for jelly. Then boil juice again for a few minutes and bottle while boiling in hot sterilised bottles. Be sure to seal thoroughly airtight. This may be done by putting a teaspoon of olive oil on top of each bottle before sealing, The oil does not flavour, it effectively excludes air, and is easily poured off when opening the bottle. Soak up any residue with cotton wool. Grape and Blackberry Jelly Equal quantities of green grapes and blackberries. Boil with a little water till. ‘soft, mashing and stirring. Strain through jelly-bag as usual. It is always a good plan to wring the jelly-bag out of cold water first. Return ‘strained juice to the boil, add cup for cup of warmed sugar, stir till dissolved, and boil till it. will set when tested. A pinch of citric or tartaric acid or the juice of a lemon added during last boiling helps it to set. Cape Gooseberry and Apple Jam Four and a-half pounds shelled cape gooseberries to 114lb. green apples, Mince or grate apples. Put 1 tablespoon of butter in saucepan, and all the fruit. Crush gooseberries, and if not enough

juice to start with add 2 tablespoons water. When soft add 6lb. sugar, stir till dissolved and boil fast till it will set when tested. Cape Gooseberry and Lemon Jam Five pounds cape gooseberries, 5lb. sugar, 1 pint water, juice 5 lemons, Put sugar and water in pan, bring to the boil, add lemon juice, and when syrup is quite clear add shelled gooseberries. They may be pricked with a needle. Boil about 114 hours, or until it will set when tested. Test frequently. Cape Gooseberry Jam Weigh cape gooseberries, and allow pound for pouad of sugar. Squeeze juice of 2 or 3 lemons into preserving pan,

add berries and keep stirring until cooked to pulp. Then add the sugar and boil until pale amber colour. No water requited. Test before taking up, Cape Gooseberry Conserve Four pounds apples, 8 cups water and 2lb. cape gooseberries. Boil the cut-up apples in water till soft. Strain through jelly bag all night. Next day cook berries in ‘that juice until soft, then add cup for cup of sugar, stir till dissolved and boil till it will set when tested. Cape Gooseberry, Peach and Tomato Three pounds peaches, 1lb, cape gooseberries, 1 dozen ripe tomatoes (mediumsized). Skin and cut up tomatoes, shell goosebetries, cut up peaches, and boil together with 2 cups water till soft. Add 1 cup sugar to each cup of pulp. Stir till dissolved and boil fast until it will set when tested.