Nebraska Newspapers

    THE SEMI WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE. NEBRASKA.
STORE FRUIT JUICES
How to Prepare for the Future
Comfort of the Family.
ALL FRUITS CAN BE UTILIZED
Grape Juice Sirup Made From Wind
fall Apples and Apple Cider
Hero Is a Fine Flavor
Ing Sirup.
(From the United States Department of
Agriculture)
Various fruit Juices may bo prepared
Jn the homo und bottled for future use.
Practically any fruit may bo used In
the ilrst recipe following.
Sterilized Fruit Juices The fruit
juice may bo pressed out of fruit by
moans of n cider press, special fruit
press, or other Improvised presses ; then
heated in an acid-proof kettle up to
110 decrees Fahrenheit. The fruit Juice
may then be poured Into ordinary hot
jars, hot bottles, or tin cans, and han
dled by the same directions as those
for canning of fruit Itself. If poured
into miscellaneous bottles, It is sug
gested that the fruit Juice be sterilized
as follows:
Jlnko a cotton stopper and press
Into the neck of the bottle and leave
during the sterilization period. Set
bottles In boiling hot water up to the
neck of tho bottle, sterilizing the fruit
juice for 80 minutes at n simmering
temperature (1G5 degrees Fahrenheit),
ltemove tho product, press cork In top
over cotton stopper immediately. If the
ork fits well, no parallln need be used.
If a poor cork, It may be necessary tu
llp the cork In melted solution of wax
or parallln. Fruit juices und apple
cider when handled In this way will
not "flatten In taste" and will keep
fresh for future use.
Grape Juice by Two-Day Method.
For home use there are a large num
ber of vurietles of gropes which will
make a pleasant and healthful drink.
No mutter what the kind of grape,
ITBUTT
A Luscious Trio Yellow Tomato,
Prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)
Jams or mode of small fruits which
are not vnole or firm enough to use
for preserves. No attempt Is mode
to retain the original shape of the
fruit, tho finished product having n
uniform consistency. Marmalades have
a more Jellylike texture and thin slices
of tho fruit appear suspended through
out the mixture. In fruit butters and
pastes frequently less sugar Is used
than In jams and the product Is more
concentrated. Conserves may he made
of largo or small fruits, cooked In
tho same manner as jams. Sometimes
nuts are added.
In stirring jams use n wooden spoon
or paddle, moving It across tho cen
ter of tho vessel first one way nnd then
tho opposite, nnd next around the pan,
gently moving the mixture from the
bottom of tho pan, being careful not
to stir rapidly or beat. Cook the Jam
to 105 degrees Centigrade or 221 de
grees Fahrenheit, If a thermometer Is
used.
If n cooking or chemical thermome
ter Is available more accurate results
can be obtained by lis use. The prop
er condition of the cooked fruit can
be determined approximately, how
ever, without the use of such instru
ments. For determining when they
nro finished most Jama mny bo given
the same test as finished Jelly; that
Is, when n little Is held a moment and
cooled In a spoon, It will not pour from
tho side of the spoon, but will foil in
a sheet or flake. This Is not true of
Jams mude of peachos, cherries, straw
berries, and other fruits not contain
ing pectin, the Jellying principle. When
using such fruits, cook until the Jam
Is of the desired consistency.
Well-glazed hermetically sealed
stoneware Jars with capacity of eight
ounces and up, ore suitable and at
tractive containers for packing Jams,
mormalndesi etc. Large-necked bot
tles, glasses, etc., also may be used
nnd sealed with cork, parallln, etc.
Jams and marmalades may bo pack
ed hot In sterilized Jars, glasses or
large-necked bottles, and sealed Imme
diately. When packing for market,
JAMS, FRO
however, only clean, sound fruit
should be used and It should bo well
ripened, but not overripe. The grapes
should llrst be crushed and pressed In
nn ordinary cider mill or by hand If
no mill Is available.
Red Juice. For rod Juice, the
crushed grapes are heated to about
200 degrees Fahrenheit before tho Juice
is separated from tho pulp and then
strained through a clean cloth or drip
bag without pressure. Thereafter, the
process Is tho same ns for light-colored
juice.
Orapo Juice should bo stored nwny
in bottles or jars that arc not too lnrge,
for after these have boon qpened the
julco Is likely to spoil. If properly
made, however, tho juice should keep
Indefinitely as long as It Is kept In
sealed bottles.
Sirup Made From Windfall Apples
and Apple Cider. Add live ounces of
powdered calcium carbonate (obtained
af ;ny drug store) to seven gallons of
apple cider. I'owdcred calcium car
bonate (carbonate of lime) or, to give
it Is common name, precipitated chalk,
is low-priced and harmless. Boll the
mixture In a kettle or vat vigorously
for live minutes. Pour the liquid Into
vessels, preferably glass Jars or pitch
ers ; allow to stand six or eight hours,
or until perfectly clear. Pour tho clear
liquid into a preserving kettle. Do not
allow sediment at bottom to enter. Add
to the clear liquid one level teaspoon
fill of lime carbonate and stir thor
oughly. The process Is completed by
boiling down rapidly to a clear liquid.
Use density gauge or candy thermome
ter nnd bring tho temperature up to
220 degrees Fahrenheit. If a thermom
eter Is not available, boll until bulk Is
reduced to one-seventh of the original
volume. To determine whether tho
sirup Is cooked enough test as for
candy by pouring n little Into cold
water. Unboiled enough It should have
tho consistency of maple sirup. It
should not be cooked long enough to
harden like candy when tested.
When the test shows that the sirup
has been cooked enough, pour It Into
fruit Jars, pitchers, etc., and nllow it
to cool slowly. Slow cooling Is Im
portant, as otherwise the suspended
matter will not settle properly and tho
sirup will be cloudy.
ERSJM WOES, ETC
f mdK
Kumquat and Strawberry Preserves.
however, It is far safer to process them
both to insure sterilization and a tight
seal. Process pints for SO minutes at
simmering (87 degrees Centigrade or
1S8 degrees Fahrenheit).
Berry Jam. In selecting berries for
Jam the ripe, broken ones will give
fine color and flavor, but about one
half the quantity should be slightly un
derripe. This Is necessary to give a
Jelly-like consistency to the product.
Cooking In small quantities also helps
to retain color and flavor. Weigh the
berries and allow three-fourths of a
pound of sugur to each pound of fruit.
Kopld cooking with constant care Is
essential.
Peach Jam. Two nnd one-quarter
pounds peaches cut Into small pieces,
one pound sugar, six whole allspice,
ono cracked peach seed, one inch gin
ger root, one-half cupful peach Juice,
niie-half teaspoonful whole cloves, one
tenspoonful cinnamon bark, one sprig
mace. (Tie spices In cheesecloth hag.)
Cook all together until thick as murma
lndo and clear or until of the consis
tency desired (to 103 degrees Centi
grade or 221 degrees Fahrenheit). Pack
hot in hot jars and seal at once or
process.
Quince Paste. Three-fourths pound
powdered sugar for each pound of
fruit pulp. Wipe the fruit, cut Into
quarters, remove flower and core, and
cook In water until very tender. After
rubbing the pulp through a sieve,
weigh It and add the required amount
of sugar. It Is then cooked until very
thick. Scajded and chopped nut ker
nels may bo added. The pulp remain
ing after the Juice has been extracted
for quince Jolly may be used also.
Pear and Quince Preserves. For
pear and quince preserves, use the
same proportion of sugar and fruit.
Cut tho fruit Into half-circle slices.
Cook tho fruit until almost tender In
boiling wnter, drain, add the sirup,
nnd proceed as for peach preserves.
Apple Butter. Measure the apples,
wash to remove dirt, slice into small
pieces, and for each bushel of apples
add four gallons of water; boll until
the fruit is soft, then rub through a
screen or sieve.
GOOD FRUITS FOR PRESERVES AND
APPROVED PRESERVING METHODS
Not a Difficult Process and the Fruit Keeps Better'
Than When the Ordinary Canning Process Is
Used.
Packing Jams
(Prepared Specially by tho United States
Department of Agriculture)
Tho fruits which nre so plentiful In
mnny parts of the country this season
may bo saved by preserving as well
ns by conning. Preserves and simi
lar products differ from canned fruit
in that much larger proportions of
sugar are used in preparing them, In
that they nre cooked longer, and in
that special sterilization in containers
is not necessary In all cases. Because
of this many of these products may
bo packed in larg-uecked bottles and
glasses, and sealed with cork, paraffin,
etc. Tight-sealing Jars thus may be
saved for canning.
Preserves, jams, marmnlades, etc.,
differ among themselves in tho propor
tion of sugor used, the degree of cook
ing employed, and tho consistency of
the finished product. Though less
economical to prepare than canned
fruit because of the relatively largo
amounts o sugar used, preserves and
similar preparations furnish a variety
In tho ways of putting up fruits and
make valuable additions to tho winter
ration of sweet foods.
Sirups In Preserving.
When preserves are properly made
tho fruit keeps Its form, is plump, ten
der, clear, and of good color, tho sur
rounding sirup being nlso clear and of
proper density. In making preserves
the object Is to have the fruit per
meated with the sirup and this can lie
accomplished only by careful proced
ure. In order to prevent shrinkage It
Is necessary to put fruit at first Into
thin sirup nnd Increnso Its density
slowly by boiling tho fruit In tho sirup
or by alternately cooking and allow
ing the product to stand Immersed In
tho Birup. If at any time the fruit
shrivels or wrinkles the sirup should
bo made less dense by tho addition of
water.
To make these sirups boll sugar and
water together In the proportion giv
en below until sugar Is dissolved.
Strain all Impurities out of the sirup
before using:
Sirup No. 1 Fourteen ounces sugar
to one gallon water.
Sirup No. 2 One pound, 14 ounces
sugar to one gallon water.
Sirup No. n Three pounds nine
ounces sugar to one gallon wnter.
Sirup No. 4 Five pounds, eight
ounces sugar to one gallon water.
Sirup No. 5 Six pounds, 13 ounces
sugar to ono gullon water.
If no scales are available, the
amounts of sugar may bo approximat
ed by measuring, using one pint for
each pound and 10 toblespoonfuls to
tho hnlf-plnt. For tho recipes which
follow all measurements are level ami
the standard measuring cup holding
hnlf-plnt Is used.
For fruits like peaches, pears, wa
termelon rind, etc., preserving should
be begun In sirup not heavier than No.
!t. Juicy fruits like berries can be put
at the beginning into a heavier sirup,
about No. -1, because the abundant
Julco of tho fruit quickly reduces the
density of the sirup before shrinking
can take place. When the preserves
are finished and ready for packing, the
density of tho sirup should have
reached that of No. 4 or No. 5. Sirup
mado with very acid fruits can be
modo heavier than pure sugar sirup
without danger of crystallization be
cause the acid Inverts somo of the
sugar, changing it to a form which
cooking will not crystalllzo readily.
Cooking. Since long cooking In
Jures tho color anil flavor of fruits,
it Is deslroblo to cook delicate fruits
such ns berries for as short a time
as possible. Cooling rapidly after
cooking gives preserves a better color
and flavor than can bo secured when
they aro packed hot. Standing Im
mersed in sirup after cooking also
helps to plump them. If berry pre
serves are covered for a brief time
hoforo removing from fire and tho ves
sel left covered while cooling, tho
product will bo moro plump.
For cooling, shallow enamel trays
In the Home.
or pa s ore desirable. Tin Is not de
sirable because fruits will discolor in
it. Pack preserves cold, bring tho
sirup In which they havo stood to boil
ing test "by observing thlckuess when
poured from n spoon, and If of proper
density pour over tho packed pre
serves, paddling with thin wooden pad
dle or knife blade to remove all air
hubbies. If not of tho right density
for pocking, tho sirup must bo concen
trated by boiling. To seal properly
and to Insure safety from mold It Is
desirable that nil preserves bo pro
cessed. Tight-sealing Jurs must bo
used, therefore, for these products.
Since they con bo sterilized below tho
boiling point, processing at simmering
(SO degrees C.) for H0 minutes Is pre
ferable to boiling, because this tem
perature will give hotter color.
The gonernl directions given mny bo
applied to practically any fruit to
make preserves. For additional con
venience, however, tho following spe
cific recipes aro given for products
most likely to bo nbundnnt during thu
remainder of the season.
Watermelon Preserves. Cut ono
pound watermelon rind into inch
squares. Allow to stand overnight In
clear water. Drain and cover with
about No. 51 sirup (2 cupfuls sugar to
1 quart water. Boll for 25 minutes.
Let stand overnight Immersed In sirup.
Next morning odd Juice of half lemon
nnd three slices of lemon additional
for each pound. Cook until transpa
rent (about ono hour). Let stand un
til cold. Pack, add the sirup, garnish
ing with slices of lemon, cop, and pro
cess. Gingered Watermelon Rind. To
each pound of rind cut Into 1-1 noli
squares, odd two quarts of water and
one ounce slaked lime. Let stand in
llnio water overnight. Next morning
drain and let stand one to two hours
In fresh, cold water. Drain well and
boll rapidly in strong ginger tea (ono
ounce ginger to ono quart water) for
Ifi minutes. Drain, put Into No. 3
sirup mode by using one pint strained
ginger tea with ono quart water and
one and a half pounds of sugar. Cook
until tender und transparent (about
ono and a half hours). After boiling
n half-hour odd half a lemon sliced
thin. Place In shallow pans to cool,
having tho rind well covered with si
rup. When cool arrange pieces at
tractively in Jars, cover to overflowing
with sirup. Cap, clamp, and process.
The density of the packing Rlrup for
preserved and gingered wntermelon
rind (also figs and peaches) should bo
between that of No. 5 and No. (5.
Peach Preserves. Boll three pounds
sugar and three quarts water together
until sugar Is dissolved. Strain out all
impurities. Have four pounds peaches
well sorted so that all aro sound and
firm. I'eel the fruit after Immersing
for about one minute (or until the
skin slips off easily) Into boiling wa
ter then Into cold. If desired, cut
tho fruit Into halves, or thinner crescent-shaped
slices. Add tho peaches
to the sirup and cook until clear and
transparent. Hemove fruit to shallow
tray, cover with sirup and let stand
over night to plump.
Pack tho preserves In sterilized Jars,
cover to overflowing with sirup, which
should bo further reduced by boiling
If not thick enough. Adjust lid and
rubber and process.
Tomato Preserves. Make a sirup,
using two cupfuls sugar and three
cupfuls wuter; add one lemon sliced
thinly, six Inches of stick cinnamon,
and let boll 15 minutes; then add nuo
pound of small "yellow plums" or "egg
tomatoes," which havo been pricked
with a coarso needle or scalded nnd
skinned, let simmer until tomatoes are
clear. Itemovo tomatoes and spread
nut In a troy. Cook sirup until prop
er consistency, pour over thu toma
toes nnd allow to stand over night
Next morning pack Into small Jars,
pour Hlrup over them, partly seal, and
process pint Jars ID minutes.
HOME JELLY MAKING
Fruits That Are Best Suited for
This Delicious Product.
PECTIN IS PRIME ELEMENT
Amount of Sugar Can Be Determined
by the Alcohol Test Mistakes
to Be Avoided by tho
Housewife.
(Prepared by tho United Stntcs Depart
ment of Agriculture.)
A good jelly should bo bright, of good
color, and clear. When removed from
the glass It should retain tho shape of
tho mold. Good Jelly can bo cut with n
distinct cleavage, retaining tho angles
where cut. It should sparkle and he
tender enough to quiver without break
ing. Fruit for Jelly Making. Tho Julco
from certain fruits, such as grape,
apple, crabapple, orange, kumquat and
currnnt, Is better suited for making
n natural fruit Jelly than Juices from
other fruits. Tho Juices from these
fruits contain the properties necessary
for Jelly making. Tho best fruits for
Jelly making contain pectin nnd ncld.
Pectin, tho fundamental Jelly-making
substance, does not exist In some fruits
In sufficient amount to make jelly with
out the addition of pectin from somo
other source. Tho peach, strawberry
and cherry aro examples of fruits
which contain acid but aro lacking In
pectin. Pear, guava and quince con
tain pectin but nro deficient In acid.
If tho missing property bo added to
each of these fruits, n Jelly with tho
color and flavor of tho fruit selected
can bo mode.
Extracting the Juice. Wash such
fruit as berries, grapes and currants
In running water nnd add ono cupful
of water for each pound of fruit. For
npples, quinces, guuvas and such hard
fruits, wash, slice and add thrco cup
fuls water to each pound of fruit. Thu
fruit should ho cooked until tender,
u small quantity of water being added
to help extract tho Julco. Tho fruit
Juice will flow more freely when heat
ed than when cold, and tho cooking
develops tho pectin. As soon as tho
fruit is tender the liquid should be
squeezed through a cheesecloth and
then bo nllowcd to drip, without pres
sure through a flannel Jelly bag (Illus
trated). Overcooking of tho fruit is apt
to result In n cloudy jolly. After cool
ing the Julco to room temperature test
It to determine tho amount of pectin
present. This tost gives somo Idea of
tho proper proportion of sugar to Juice.
Add ono tablespoonful 05 per cent
grain alcohol to an equal volume of
cooled fruit Julco and shnko gently.
Tho effect of tho alcohol Is to bring
together tho pectin In a Jellyllko mass.
If a largo quantity of pectin Is present
It will appear In ono mass or clot when
poured from the glass. This Indicates
that equal quantities of sugar and
Julco may bo used. If tho pectin does
not slip from tho gloss In ono mass,
less sugar will bo required. A fair
A Drip or Drain Bag for Use In Jelly
t Making (Above) and a Jelly Bag
With Rack (Below).
proportion Is three-fourths cupful of
sugar to ono cupful of Juice. If the
pectin Is thin and much separated, one
half cupful of sugar allowed for each
cupful of Julco will be sulllclent.
Quantity of Juice to Cook. Tho
quantity of Juice to be cooked at one
tlmo will depend upon tho size of tho
vessel and the methods of heating
available. Tho capacity of tho vessel
used should be four times as great
as the volume of Julco to ho cooked. If
the attempt Is mado to cook a largo
quantity of Julco at ono tlmo over a
slow flame, there will bo a loss of color
and a decrease In tho yield, pnrtly duo
to tho destruction of tho pectin.
When to Add Sugar. When the pro
portion of sugar to Juice has been de
termined, measure thu fruit Julco and
place over tho fire to cook. When tho
Julco begins to boll, add tho sugar im
mediately and stir until tho sugar is
dissolved. By adding tho sugar when
tho Julco begins to boll, moro tlmo Is
4i
given for tho Inversion of the sugar by
tho acids of tho fruit nnd thcro is less
danger of crystallisation.
Cooking the Jelly. After tho sugar
has dissolved, the cooking should bo ns
rapid as possible. Finished Jelly can
bo obtnlned more quickly by rapid
cooking. Long cooking will tend to
darken tho product nnd destroy tho
pectin, which will cause tho finished
Jelly to bo less firm.
Since no definite tcmpernturo can bo
given for tho finished Jelly, tho most
convenient means of determining when
It Is finished is to test It with n spoon
or paddle. Dip n spoon or wooden
pnddlo In tho boiling mass. Itemovq
and cool by moving It back nnd forUi
for n few seconds nnd then allow tho
Jelly to drop from it. As long ns thero
Is sirup present It will run or drop
from tho spoon. When the jellying
point Is reached, It will break from tho
spoon In llnkcs or sheets. When this
Jelly stage Is reached, remove from tho
firo Immediately and skim. Skimming
at this point saves, wnsto.
Filling Glasses. After skimming tho
Jelly, pour at onco Into hot sterilized 1
glasses and set aside to codl.
Cooling and Sealing.- Cool as rapid
ly as possible, avoiding dust which will
give contamination with mold. When
tho Jelly is cold cover It with molted
parallln. By running n pointed stick
around the edge of tho glass while tho
parallln Is still hot, ri better seal can
bo obtained.
Storing. .Telly should he stored In n
cool, dark, dry place. If Jelly Is stored
for a long period of time, It will de
teriorate In texture, color and flavor.
Mistakes to Avoid. Soft Jelly. Jel
lies sometimes are slrupy because moro
sugar hos been used thnn tho fruit
Juices requlro or becauso boiling nfter
tho addition of sugar was not con
tinued long enough to drive off exces
sive wnter.
Tough Jolly. Jelly Is tough or
stringy becauso too small nn .amount
of sugnr was used for the quantity of
fruit Juice taken or becnuso tho boil
ing was continued after tho1 jellying
point hnd been reached.
Crystnls In Jelly. Crystals appear
throughout tho Jelly becoufjo of nn ex
cess of sugar. When sugor Is boiled
with nn acid for a sufficient length of
time, it Is changed Into a form which
does not crystallize. Crystals nro found
in Jelly sometimes becauso tho Julco
Is boiled to too great a concentration
before the addition of sugnr, or In boil
ing tho sirup spatters on the oldo of
the pan, dries, and In pouring the fin
ished product these crystals nro car
ried Into tho glasses of Jelly, and In
that way tho Jolly becomes seeded
with crystnls.
Cloudy Jelly.-This mny bo' duo to
Iiaving cooked tho fruit too long be
fore straining off the Juice or to not'
hnvlng used sulllclent caro in strain
ing the Juice. Sometimes It la noticed
In apple and crnbopplc Jelly that al
though It Is clear when first made, the
Jelly becomes cloudy after a time. In
these ensos It usually Is duo to tho uso
of partly green fruit, tho starch In this
fruit probably causing tho cloudy ap
pearance. 'JELLIES FROM PECTIN.
Pectin, tho essential Jelly-making
substance, may be extracted from
fruits rich In It, and this concentrated
product used with the Juices of fruits
deficient In pectin, for tho making of
excellent Jellies.
Apple Pectin. One pound npplo
pulp (or skins nnd cores), julco of
ono lemon, four pounds water. Boll
for half to three-quarters hour, press
tho Julco through u cloth hag, then al
low this Juice to drain without pres
sure through n heavy flannel or hair
cloth Jolly bag. This julco when cold
should ho tested with alcohol to .deter
mine the proportion of sugor to add to
a volume of Juice. Pectin enn bo bot
tled, processed for 15 minutes In n wu
ter bath at boiling, nnd kept until
needed for Jelly making.
Orange Pectin. Cut or scrape tho
yellow rind from tho peel of tho or
ange, tho white portion remaining bo
Ing passed through tho food chopper
and weighed. For each pound of this
prepared peel add two pounds of wn
ter. nnd four tnblcspoonfuls of lemon
Juice, mix t thoroughly, nnd allow to
stand 15 'minutes. Then ndd two
pounds water, boll ten minutes, let
stund overnight. Next morning boll
ten minutes, allow to cool, press to re
move Jirfco and then drain Juice
through n (funnel hag. If not desired
for immediato use, hottio nnd process
as for apple pectin.
Mint and Orange (or Apple) Pectin
Jelly. Ono pint concentrated orange
(or apple) pectin Juice, ono pound
sugar, two drops oil of peppermint,
two drops green vegetable coloring.
Bring the orange or npplo pectin Julco
to boiling,, add sugar, and boll rapidly
until the Jollying point is reached. At
this point two drops of green vegeta
ble coloring matter Is added, together
with two drops of oil of peppermint.
Stir thoroughly, and pour while hot
Into clean, sterilized Jelly glnsses.
Strawberry and Orance (or Apple)
Pectin Jelly. One-half pint concen
trated orange (or apple) pectin, one
half pound sugar, one-half pint straw
berry Juice. Mix orange (or apple)
pectin Julco and tho strawberry Juice,
bring to a boll and add sugar. Con
tinue boiling until tho Jellying point
is reached. Pour Immediately Into hot
sterilized Jelly glasses and skim. When
cold, pour hot parallln over tho Jelly.
Pineapple and Orange (or Apple)
Pectin Jelly. Add ono pint orango (or
apple) pectin Juice to one pint pineap
ple Julco which has been boiled for
ten minutes, add one pound sugar ami
continue boiling until tho Jellying
point Is reached. Pour Immediately
Into hot sterilized Jelly glasses and
skim, -When cold, pour hot purullla
over tho Jelly.