RECIPES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2758, 12 March 1910, Page 4 (Supplement)

RECIPES.

•Hints on Bottling Fruit.—Secure sound fruit, not over-ripe, wash if necessary ; pack firmly into the bottle to •within an inch of the top. In arranging the fruit in the bottle the small.or soft fruits niay be made firm by slapping the bottom of the bottle with the hand; large fruits, such as plums and apricots, should be arranged in the bottle by means of a blunt instrument, such as handle of a tablespoon or metal fork. Pour in clean cold water until oovered and an air space of about Jin left at the top. Adjust the rubber ring and lid, and screw tho collar down tightly. Then place the bottles loosely in the boiler of other vessel, and cover them with cold -water. Light the firo and allow the temperature to rise gradually to IGOdeg. F. This should take about an hour and a hah. When this temperature, tested by a thermometer, has been reached, remove tlie- fire, and allow the whole to gradually cool. W’iien cold remove and store in a cool dry place, standing the bottles upright-. Fruit thus treated will keep for years if necessary. When the fruit is required, unscrew the collar, and pour the contents into a suitable dish, sweeeten. to taste, and use to make tarts, pies, stewed fruit, etc. As soon as the fruit is used the bottles and accessories should be well washed and dried, and stored ready for nsdStegain. With ordinary care the bottles should last for years. When bottling strawberries or raspberries, it is advisable to place a layer of rliubarb on the top of the fruit, so as to prevent it from floating in the juice and -becoming discoloured through contact with the air space. The flavour of the fruit is not impaired by the rhubarb. Pears should be peeled, halved, and cored, and placed in the water or syrup at once to prevent discoloration. If fruits such as strawberries, pears, (peaches, apricots?, etc., are repuired for dessert, the fruit should be covered in the bottles with syrup instead of water. As a rule 1 the syrup should ho made by dissolving Jib of white sugar in a quart of water; the more acid fruits, however, require a slightly stronger syrup. When plums are required for dessert the large and choice should be selected and bottled in syrup; for cooking purposes the egg plum, the cherry plum, the wine sour plum, or other similar variety may be bottled in water.