88 COOKING EXPLAINED PRESERVING FRUIT AND VEGETABLES AT HOME 189

wo or more years. The colour of well-made jam should be clear and them and to free the pectin and will all be boiled away before sugar is
>right, it should have the full flavour of the fruit and it should set without added.
>eing stiff: in a few jams such as strawberry or cherry the set is less im- Fmits that co11tai11
little pectin and little acid arc:
>ortant than colour and flavour. Blackberries (gathered late in the season);
The keeping quality of jam depends mainly on the proportion of sugar Cherries;
:'chemical' preservative), on the right amount of boiling (heat treatment), Pears;
md on the exclusion of air and moisture in covering and storing it. Most strawberries;
no water is added to these fruits but acid may be added; they m:1y be
SETTING JAM mixed with other fruit or fruit juice rich in acid and pectin such as apples,
fhe setting of jam depends on a gum-like substance called pectin, which is red currants and gooseberries, or commercially prepared pectin may be
n fruit, and which, with the right proportion of acid and sugar, will form added.
l 'gel'. The pectin in ripe fruit is soluble and can be set free from the cell-
walls of the fruit by crushing or by stewing for a short time; in under- Adding Acid
,ipc fruit it is in an insoluble form called pectose which can be freed from To each I kg (2 lb) fruit add r to 2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice or } to I
the fruit and converted to pectin by stewing with acid but in over-ripe level teaspoonful tartaric acid; the acid is added to the fruit before cooking
fruit it has changed to pectic acidand has quite lost its setting-power so that is begun.
::iver-ripefruit is useless for jam-making. Of the three ingredients needed
:o form a gel, sugar is the only one that can be added in a known quantity: Mixing Fmits
1cid and pectin are contained in varying amounts in different kinds of
A fruit with a little pectin, mixed with one rich in pectin, is often im-
ruit and in fruits of different degrees of ripeness and are diluted in fruit
proved in flavour as well as in setting quality; examples are:
~own in very wet weather. Acid is needed in jam-making not only to
:hange pectose to pectin and to help the pectin to form a gel but also to Cherry or strawberry with red-currant juice;
mprove the flavour and colour of jam and to prevent crystals of sugar Cherry or strawberry with gooseberry juice;
:orming in it during storage. Blackberry and apple;
Pear and apple.
Fruits that contain plenty of pectin and acid are:
Cooking and crab-apples; The amount of sugar is calculated on the total quantity of mixed frt1its:
Black and red currants; if one fruit is harder it is cooked for a little while bdon.: adding the
Green gooseberries; softer fruit.
Damsons;
Commercially Prepared Pectin
~1eseall contain so much pectin that water is added to prevent the jam
being too stiff. Pectin can be bought in liquid or powder form and always with suitable
recipes enclosed: it is useful for making jam from fruits listl'd .1bovc as
Frnits that contain an adequate amount of pectin arzdacid are: deficient in pectin but is unnecessary with fruits that will normally make
Apricots; a well-set jam.
Blackberries (picked early in a dry season);
Plums; Choice of Fruit and Sugar
Raspberries and loganberries;
Frnit for jam must be perfectly sound and, if possible, picked in dry
 PRESERVING FRUIT AND VEGETABLES AT HOME 191
If fruit is bought for making jam it should be cheap enough to produce

~~~
jam at :i lower cost than the commercial kind.

u
• Fruit should be just ripe, or a mixture of ripe and under-ripe for the
reasons given above.
Cane ,rnd beet sugar :ire chemically identical and arc therefore equally
good for jam-making: as granulated sugar (usually made from sugar-
beet) is the cheaper it is the best kind to use.
\J \j
Good clot Fair clot Poor clot
Fig. 33. TJJSTING FOR PECTIN
The Amount of Sugar to Add
EQUIPMENT FOR MAKING JAM
To_(,11i1snry ricli in pectin add 1·25 to r-5 kg (r! tor½ lb) sugar to each
I kg (1 lb) fruit (water will have been added up to 900 ml (¾pine) per r kg A preseri,fogpan or a large saucepan is needed: it may be made of alumin-
(1 lb) for stewing). ium, stainless steel or heavy quality enamelled iron. If the cooker has a
To frnit with a11adequateamount of pccti11add I kg (1 lb) sugar to each solid hot-plate the base of the pan must be ground flat and for all cookers
I kg ( t Ib)_f,rrit. a pan with a thick base distributes the heat more evenly than a thin one
poor in pecti11add 750 g (1 lb) sugar to each I kg (1 lb) fruit.
Tt1_li11i1 and therefore lessens the chance of burning the jam.
When the Jam is boiled sufficiently for it to set and keep well it should If enamelled iron is used it must not be chipped as, apart from the danger
ont;1iJ165% sugar, 5°/oof which will be the natural sugar in the fruit and of chips of enamel in the jam, any exposed iron will discolour the jam
60% added sugar. As a weighed amount of sugar is added it is easy to and spoil its flavour.
ralrnlatchow muchjam can be 111adc_{r1>m any recipe. Copper and brass preserving pans have been found by modern in-
Added sugar= 60%, that is l, of the finished jam. Therefore added vestigation to remove some of the Vitamin C from jam, furthermore, if
mgar / ¾= weight of finished jam. the pan is carelessly washed any jam left in it will ferment and in the end
For example jam made with 2 kg (4 lb) fruit and r·5 kg (3 lb) sugar will produce acetic acid which, with copper, forms copper acetate or verdigris
produce r·5 kg (3 lb) x J = 2-5 kg (5 lb). which is poisonous.
As che amount of sugar needed depends on the amount of pectin a test Where hard fruit needs long simmering to soften it this should be done
must be made with the softened fruit before sugar is added. in a saucepan with a lid, so that too much water does not evaporate.
Greasing the inside of the preserving pan with butter prevents the fruit
To Test for Pectin sticking to the bottom and burning, the grease also reduces the scum.
A woodenspoor1is needed with a handle so long that it cannot slip right
When the fruit has been simmered to extract pectin and is quite soft put into tl1ejam or with a peg fitted into the handle to rest on the edge of
Dile teaspoonful of the juice, free of skin and pulp, into a tumbler and the pan.
:ool it for 2 to 3 minmes, then pour on to it 3 teaspoonfuls methylated Jnm-_iarsmust not be chipped or cracked and should have old labels
1pirit and again leave it for I minute. Now gently free the juice from the removed: they should be scrupulously clean.
,ottom of the tumbler and pour it into a second tumbler:
Coversfor jam-jars may be of cellophane or lessoften of parchment paper,
One firm clot of juice shows a high proportion of pectin; several smaller
all with rounds of waxed paper, and in sizes to fit the jars used.
but firm clots show an adequate amount of pectin; thin, soft, broken clots
R11bberrings are used to fix cellophane covers, string to tie parchment
show very little pectin (Fig. 33).
covers. Metal screw caps are not suitable for covering jam as they
If the pectin seems inadequate the fruit must either be simmered a little
allow moulds to grow on the top of the jam.
longer to extract more pectin or, ifit has already been simmering for over
A jug, jHg-meamre or large cup is needed for filling jars, and a saucer to be
! hour, more pectin must be added by using a fruit with plemy of pectin held beneath the jug to catch any drips is a help towards clean working.
,r rnn, 11,,...rri1 J t"l(·•rtin PYtr'lort-
192 COOKING EXPLAINED PRESERVING FRUIT AND VEGDTABLBS AT HOME 193

Eq11ipme11tfor testingfor setting-pointis a thermometer (efficient but not will the colour and flavour be as the acid in fruit, with the sugar, produce
essential), a saucer chilled on ice if possible, or a clean, dry wooden a slow darkening of the colours and a gradual change in flavours.
spoon. 11. Test thejam for setting-point when it makes a faint knocking noise as
it boils and when the bubbles begin to break more slowly. First remove
GENERAL Ml!TROD FOR MAKING JAM the pan from the hear.
1. Selectsuitablefruit, sound, partly under-ripe and free of bruises.
The testsfor settingare:
2. Wash thefrnit to remove dust and soil and drain it. Hard fruit may be
stirred round in a bowl of cold water, soft fruit dipped quickly in and out (i) The wrinkle test: put half a teaspoonful of jam on a cold saucer, cool it
of cold water in a colander, but very soft berries should be rolled gently quickly then push it with a fingernail across the saucer: if it forms wrinkles
about on a clean, damp cloth instead of washing. while still tepid che jam should set.
3. PrepareJr11itby removing any damaged parts, leaves, stalks, stones and (ii) The flake test: dip a clean, dry wooden spoon into the jam, twirl it
cores as necessary and by cutting large fruit in halves or apples and pears horizontally above the pan to cool the spoonful of jam then allow the jam
in quarters. to run off the spoon; if broad flakes form and break off short the jam is
4. Wash thejam-jars using a detergent if they are really dirty, rinse them ready: if it still trickles in an unbroken stream it needs more boiling.
in very hot water and drain them, do not wipe them with a cloth. Dry
and heat them by putting them open end upwards on several layers of
paper (newspaper will do) on an oven tray in a very slow oven. This
ensures that they are perfectly dry and hot enough to destroy moulds and
yeasts and it prevents cracking when the hot jam is poured in.
Q~ Good floke
00
5. Greasetirepreservingpat1with butter to prevent fruit sticking to the pan a
and also to prevent scum forming as the butter later floats on rhe surface. Dropping with no flake
6. Simmer tirefruit gently in the water or juice, if there is any in the recipe, Fig. 34. TESTING ran Sn OF JAM
until it is very soft and until its juice is flowing freely: for very hard fruit
a lid on the pan prevents coo much loss of moisture and hastens the (iii) Temperature:while still boiling the temperature of the jam should
softening of the fruit. The sugar will later harden all fruit skins, so chat reach 104° to 105°C (220°F)when it is ready. This temperature will only
unless they are softened at this stage they will spoil the finished jam with be reached if the sugar has been concentrated to a 6.5% solution. The
their toughness. Soft fruit such as raspberries or strawberries will need 10 thermometer should be kept ready in a small saucepan of boiling water so
to 20 minutes simmering; fairly hard fruit such as apricots and some plums that the new reading in the jam can be taken quickly; so that the accuracy
will need 30 to 35 minutes and very har<l fruit, or fruit with rough skins of the thermometer can be checked on rhe boiling-point of warcr roo°C
such as blackcurrants will need 45 minutes and oranges even longer-up (212°F) and so that the thermometer if put back iu the water ;1ltcrwards
to 3 hours. will be easy to wash.
7. Test tl1ejuicefor pecti11and take the necessary steps to ensure an adequate It is a good idea to use two tests as a double check on setting-point.
amount. 12. Fillingthejars: stir the jam steadily, off the heat, to break up the scum.
8. Warm tlie rngarin a slow oven while the fruit is simmering, this makes The scum is simply air entrapped by rhe stickiness of the jam as bubbles
it dissolve quickly and avoids cooling the panfol of jam too much. rise, and if tl1csebubbles can be broken before they set there will be no
9. Add the sugar to the fruit, warm it steadily and stir it until all is dis- scum to remove. If the scum has dried and set it must be removed as it
solved. spoils rhe appearance of the jam.
10. Boil thejam quickly, stirring from time to time to prevent fruit from Arrange the baking tray of jam-jars alongside the pan of jam and
sticking and burning on the bottom of rhc pan and to prevent the forma- quickly scoop up the hot jam with the jug or cup, scrape jam off the side
tion of scum. The shorter the time taken to reach setting-point the better of the jug on the edge of the pan and pour the jam cleanly into a jar placed
r94 COOKING EXPLAINED PRESERVING FRUIT AND VEGETABLES AT HOME 195
alongside the pan. Slide the filled jar along the tray and bring another one RECIPES fOR JAM
into position under the rim of the pan: in this way the edges of the jars In each of the following recipes 1·5 kg (3 lb) sugar is added and the yield
and table top do not get sticky; alternatively, without moving the jars should therefore be 2· 5 kg (5 lb) jam.
take the jug of hot jam to each jar and catch the drips in a saucer (Fig. 35). The general method should be followed as well as the particular points
to be noted for each jam.

~
Recipes with 1·5 kg (3 lb) Sugar
Apple Gitt.([Cr Specialpoints
Filled jar---fll J''~"~'
• jam making
i-5 kg (3 lb) apples Peel, quarter, core and cut up the apples. Tic
:;:;~2~ Preserving pan 625 ml (1pint) water, rind the cores and peels in clean muslin.
~~~~:::r-~ of 2 lemons or oranges Grate the lemon or orange rind.
fig. 3St\. PILI.tNGjARS WlTl{jAM 5 tablespoons lemon Add the bag of peel and cores, the lemon
juice or r level tea- juice and ginger to the fruit when it is

Rubber bands-

Plate with~
jam covers
~rn c.m- ~, )\
Basin of boiling
water
Clean muslin
spoon tartaric acid
2-3 level teaspoons
ground ginger
1·5 kg (3 lb) sugar
simmered in the water.
Remove the bag and squeeze its juice into the
pan before adding sugar.
Add the sugar cold to deepen the colour.
Apricot, Greengageor

0 ~
P/11,n
T.oyof P•--j O
8 O -~~
Preserving pan
1·5 kg (3 lb) fruit Halve and stone the fruit.
300 to 600 ml (½to I pint) Crack some of the stones, blanch the kernels
water (300 ml (½pint) and add them with the sugar.
fig. JSB, PLAN OI' TABLE WHEN l'IU.fNG j.\M-JARS if ripe, 600 mJ (1 pint) Stew the fruit with a cover on the pan.
if very hard or
under-ripe)
Jars sliould be filled to the top, as the jam will shrink as it cools and
waxed discs are made to fit the top of the jar, not the narrower neck. 4 tablespoons }
lemon juice
Neva froidajar whilefilli11git as the jam is so hot that it will scald the or 2 level with
l1andsbadly if it is spilt on them. teaspoons apricots
r3. Ctwai11,~ rlu! jars: at once slip a waxed disc on to the top of each full
tartaric acid
jar and with the back of teaspoon press any bubbles gently out to the
1·5 kg (3 lb) sugar
:dgcs. W ipc the rims of all jars with a cloth wrung tightly out of very hot
water. Damp each cellophane cover on the upper side, making sure that DriedApricot
the underside is dry and stretch it very tightly over the hot jar; fix it with 450 g (1 lb) dried apricots Soak the washed apricots for 24 hours in the
a rubber band. When the cover is cold it should be concave. 1·7 I (3 pints) water water in which the fruit will later be sim-
Parchment paper covers arc dipped in water, blotted dry in a clean 3 tablespoons lemon mered.
doth and tied on with string. juice Add the lemon juice when fruit has begun to
Lastly wipe the outside of all jars with a cloth wrung out of hot water 25 g (r oz) almonds soften. Total simmering-rime may be as
to remove any sticky patches and, when cooJ, Jabcl jars neatly wich the 1·25 kg (3 lb) sugar long as¾ hour.
r , • ' .. , -rt.I 1 1 t 'I 1 1 1 • 1 -
196 COOKING EXPLAINED PRESERVING FRUIT AND VEGETABLES AT HOME 197

BlackberryandApple Strawberry
1 kg (2 lb) blackberries Tic the peels and cores in muslin. 1·75 kg (3½lb) straw- Cut large fruit in halves, warm gently till
500 g (1 lb) green apples Stew the apples in the water till almost soft, berries juice flows and stir constantly during sim-
or crab apples then add blackberries and continue sim- .5 tablespoons lemon mering.
(weighed after peeling mering, with lemon juice if necessary, until juice or I level tea- If red-currant juice is required put the washed
and coring) both fruits arc quite soft. spoon tartaric acid currants 375 to 500 g (¾to I lb) in a very
or equal quantities of If the jam is to be seedless, rub the softened or strong linen doth and twist the ends in
the fruits fruit through a nylon sieve, weigh the pulp I• 5 kg (3 lb) strawberries opposite directions, hard and continuously
300 ml (½pint) water and juice and allow 500 g (1 lb) sugar to 300 ml (½pint) raw red- till only a dry mass of stalks, pips and skin
If either blackberries or each 500 g (1 lb) fruit if a good pectin clot currant juice remains.
apples are ripe add was found. 1·5 kg (3 lb) sugar Strawberry jam often needs a little skimming
2 tablespoons lemon at the end of cooking and must be cooled
juice or½level tea- till a skin begins to form before being
spoon tartaric acid bottled, otherwise the fruit will rise in the
1·5 kg (3 lb) sugar jars.

Blackwmmt Special Jams with little Setting Quality

1 kg (2 lb) blackcurrants Keep a lid on the pan and have at least 3 inches Rhubarb
900 ml (1½pints) water depth of fruit and water or the mixture will 1·5 kg (3 lb) rhubarb Cut the rhubarb in sl10rt lengths, put it m
1·5 kg (3 lb) sugar lose too much moisture before the skins are 6 tablespoons lemon a basin in layers with the lemon juice and
soft. JUICC sugar; leave it for 24 hours. Grate the rinds
Make sure that skins are ver}'soft. rind of 2 lemons or and add them.
oranges Add the ginger and boil guickly, stirring all
Grec11Gooseberry or the time till a jam-like consistency is
1·25 kg (2½ lb) goose- Cut large gooseberries in halves to free some 2 to 3 lcvd teaspoons reached. Test ,vith a thermometer. This
berries juice more quickly: sec notes for black- ground ginger jam <locsnot form a gd.
625 ml (1 pint) water currants. 1·5 kg (3 lb) sugar
I· 5 kg (3 lb) sugar The green colour of this jam depends on the
kind of gooseberry but is ensured if a Vegetable?J.1arrow
copper pan is used. 1·5 kg (3 lb) marrow Choose a ripe marrow with ycllov,; fleshat
weighed without peel the end of the season, peel it thickly.
Raspberryor Loganberry or seeds Clt marrow in 10--mm (!-inch) cubes and
1· 5 kg (3 lb) fruit \Vann the fruit gently till the juice begins 5 tablespoons lemon put it in layers with sugar in a bowl; leave
1·5 kg (3 lb) sugar to flow and stir constantly until the fruit is juice, rind 2 lemons it for 24 hours.
(For home-grown dry quite soft. 25 g (1 oz) root ginger Wash the root ginger and bruise it by putting
raspberries, 1·84 kg For fruit rich in pectin, boil the jam for 3 1·5 kg (3 lb) sugar it between two clean sheets of paper and
(3! lb) sugar, if pectin minutes only, after adding higher propor- hammering it, or banging it with a heavy
test gives a good clot tion of sugar. weight.
Yield= 1·84 kg (3¾ lb) For good pectin dot boil for about rn Tic ginger and lemon rinds in muslin and add
X f = 3 kg (6t lb)) minutes after adding sugar. them to the marrow.
198 COOKING TIXPLATNF.D PRESERVING FRUIT AND VBGBTABLI!S AT HOME 199

Vegct,1/,/,·
1\1111To111-contd.
Simmer the marrow, sugar and lemon juice adding it, but for a deeper colour in apple or gooseberry jelly add cold
(with a bag of ginger or peel), verygently sugar to cold juice. Dissolve the sugar and boil and test the jelly for setting-
until all the marrow is quite dear; then point just as for jam.
boil till the juice is syrupy and test with a All scum must be removed as it spoils the look of the clear jelly and the
thermometer. hot jars must be filled quickly before a skin can form on the jelly. The jars
of jelly must not be tilted before the jelly has cooled and set.

JELLY-MAKING
RECIPES FOR JELLY
The mks for making and testing jam all apply to the making of jelly, but
the ::imountof ~ugar must be calculated on the yield of strained juice from Hardfruits ricliin pecti11
suchas blackcu"a,1ts,
gooseberries,
greencookingor
the fruit. crab-apples
To I kg (2 lb) fruit water to cover
EQU!l'MENT FOR JELLY-MAKING

This is the same as for jam with the addition of a woollen or felt jelly- Fruitswith a goodsrrpplyofpectinsuchas redcurrants,damsons
bag or a strong linen cloth for straining the juice. A jelly-bag may have To 1 kg (2 lb) fruit '\vater to cover
~ woodm hoop at the top and be made to hang from a suitable hook; a
tclt jelly-bag and a jelly doth arc both hung from the four legs of an up- (For both these groups a second extract can usually be made.)
turned stool or chair; the bag should have four loops of t;1pe to hang it
Scft fmits with adeq11ate
supply of pectins11eli
as raspberries,
loganbmies,
by, the cloth should be tied on firmly with tape.
blackbmies,bilberries
METHOD FOR MAKING JELLY
To 1 kg (2 lb) fruit water to cover
Choose and prepare the fruit as for jam, but skins, cores or stones need
not be removed. Simmer the fruit in the water or sometimes only in its Applejdly may be flavoured as for apple ginger jam.
own juice until it is very soft. Mash it to a pulp with a wooden spoon. Mint jelly may be made by adding chopped mint to gooseberry jelly or
Scald the jelly-bag by dipping it in boiling water and draining it, then fi.x lemon-flavoured apple jelly one minute before it is removed from the
it in position with a large bowl below. heat for bottling and after any scum has been removed.
Pour the pulped fruit and jnicc into the jelly-bag and leave it until it Q11i11Cl's
are so rich in pectin and so hard that 2 litres (3 pints) of water at
stops dripping in 2 to 3 hours, or it may be left overnight. least may be added to 1 kg (2 lb) fruit.
Fruit rich in pectin may beremoved from the bag after an hour, thinned
again to a soft pulp with water, simmered for another½ hour and this pulp
also strained. MARMALADE-MAKING
The juice, or the mixture of juices, is tc~tcd for pectin and then
measured. The name 'marmalade' comes from the Portuguese 'marmelada', a pre-
For juice giving a very good pectin clot allow I kg (1¼lb) sugar to each serve made from quinces, but it now generally means a preserve made
I litre (1 pint). from citrus fruits, that is, from oranges, lemons, grapefruit or limes.
For juice giving a good pectin clot allow 800 g (r lb) sugar to each litre The same rules apply to marmalade-making as to jam-making but, as
(1 pint). the citrus fruits contain a very high proportion of pectose in the pith and
For juice giving an adequate pectin clot allow 600 g (! lb) sugar to each pips, they need long simmering in a large amount of water to extract the
litre ( 1 pint). pectin. Citrus fruits, with the exception of lemons and limes, contain a
.-. 0 ,,.. • 1 • J r 1 •. , .,. • . ,. I.;.,.
WO COOKING EXPLAINED PRESERVING FRUIT AND VEGETABLES AT HOME 201

proportion of pectin; they therefore all need some lemons or some m. Using a Pressure Cooker
tartaric acid in recipes for marmalade. 1. Put the whole fruit (or halved grape-fruit) in half the 11s11alamount of
Bitter oranges are popular for marmalade as they give the sharp, water in the pressure cooker without the rack.
slightly bitter tang that is usually liked for breakfast. Bitter oranges come 2. Put on the lid with the valve open or without weights, bring the
from Seville or Malaga in Spain, from Italy or South Africa; Seville
contents slowly to boiling-point, close the valve or put on weights and
oranges are usually considered the best and may be recognized by their bring it to 4·5 kg (10 lb) pressure.
dark orange, deeply pitted skins and by the stalk~ which are often still 3. Cook for 20 minutes at 4·5 kg (10 lb) pressure, then cool at room tem-
ttached to them. perature for JO minutes. See pp. rr-r2.
It is specially important that the skins of citrus fruits should be soft 4. Measure the liquid which should not have reduced at all. Continue as
before sugar is added to marmalade otherwise the sugar hardens them to for Method I.
an uneatable toughness. Note. For clear marmalade, by :my method, remove as much of tf1i;; pith
as possible and stew it, tied in muslin, with the pips until the sugar is
added. Grapefruit and sweet orange pith often remains cloudy in the
METHODS FOR MAKJNG MARMALADE
marmalade and is often removed and treated in this way.
I. Quick Method

l
r. Scrub the fruit and simmer it in a covered pan in the measured water GENERAL RECIPE FOR MARMALADE
until the skins are very soft in about 2 hours. This may be done in a slow Yield almost 3·5 kg (10 lb)
oven once the liquid is simmering. Measure the water and reduce it or I kg (3 lb) frnit
make it up to l1alfits original volume. 2· 5 litre (6 pints) water reduced by ½to! after simmering
,. Quarter the fruit, remove the pips. 2 kg {6lb) sugar
3. Remove and cut up the fruit-pulp and add it to the liquid.
4. Slice the peel very thinly, and mix all the fruit, peel and liquid. Variations of Fruit
5. Bring the whole to simmering point, stirring it well, and test for pectin. Bitter Marmalade
6. Add warmed sugar, stir till dissolved then boil the marmalade rapidly
till setting-point is reached in about 10 minutes; test it as for jam. I kg (3 lb) bitter oranges and 3 tablespoons lemon juice

7. Cool the marmalade slightly before filling the jars so that the peel will or 850 g (2i-lb) bitter oranges and 150 g (½lb) lemons
not rise.
Grapefr11it
•· Using a Marmalade Cutter 750 g (2½lb) grapefruit, 250 g (½lb) lemons

r. Halve the scrubbed fruit, squeeze out the juice and tie the pips in or r kg (3 lb) grapefruit, 2 level teaspoons tartaric acid
muslin.
Three Fruit
2. Slice the peels in the cutter.
3. Put juice, peel, bag of pips and measured water into a large basin, Roughly 250 g (f lb) sweet oranges, 250 g (!llb) lemons
cover it and soak it overnight, or put it all into the preserving pan and 500 g (r½lb) grapefruit.
simmer it at once.
4. Simmer all until the peel is very soft and the volume reduced by one-
third. BOTTLING FRUIT
5. Test for pectin, remove bag of pips and finish the marmalade as for Successfulbottling depends on good quality fruit, accurate heat-treatment
'I. ,t ~1 1 T
202 COOKING EXPLAINED
PRESERVING FRUIT AND VEGETABLES AT HOME 203
rubber ring under the cover of the bottle which is screwed or clipped
oven and the bottom of the bottles will not get sticky if any juice should
tight while still very hot: as the contents of the bottle cool they shrink overflow.
and, as no air can enter, a partial vacuum is produced.
A water-bath,which may be a very deep saucepan or .fish-kettle for
short bottles, or a clothes-boiler, must hold a depth of water to cover the
bottles completely and must be fitted with a false bottom of perforated
EQUIPMENT FOR BOTTLING
metal, wooden slats or thick, clean paper or cloth.
Vacuum Bottles of two types are sold in various sizes. A 'sterilizer', that is a ready-made water-bath with a thermometer
fitted through the lid, may be bought if much bottling is done at home;
Screw Ba11d being large enough to hold the tallest bottles, it is an widuly large piece
This type of bottle has a glass or lacquered metal lid, a ffat rubber ring and of equipment to store if it is to be used only occasionally.
a metal band to screw on to the neck of the bottle. The lids and screw
bands rn:,y be used year after year. If the metal bands are greased before Preparation
~f Eq11ip111ellf
storage they will not rust.
As for jam-making all the equipment must be perfectly clean before use.
Bottles and glass lids should be washed, rinsed in very hot water and
Cfip T,,p
drained but arc only heated for special cases; they should not be dried.
This typr has a bcguered metal cap, a thick rubber ring which fits a groove Rubber rings should be soaked before use.
either in the neck of the jar or the rim of the cap, and a spring clip to grip Metal caps should be washed and scalded.
the cap tightly to the bottle. Metal caps often get damaged as the bottles All bottles and glass lids must be examined to make sure that they have
are opened and should generally be used only once. no cracks or chips.

Covers for Jam-jars Choice of Pruit for Bottling

Several kinds o'f lacquered metal caps are sold to fit on to jam-jars: they Fruit for bottling is chosen :i.sfor jam-making, sec pp. I 89-90, but freshness
may be fitted with flat rubber rings and spring clips or the caps may have is even more important because in bottling less sugar is used and lower
a depression allround filled with synthetic skin. This latter type may have temperatures arc reached. All fruit for bottling, except gooseberries,
no clips and must be treated according to the directions sold with them. should be fully ripe so that it has the best possible flavour and colour but
should be quite firm as the necessary heat-treatment will reduce over-ripe
Rubber Rings fruit to pulp.
Fruit for bottling is prepared as for jam-making with the addition of
These must be bought in sizesand of the right shape to fit the kind of jars
special treatment for certain kinds as in the list which follows.
used. They should be used only once and should not be stored for longer
than 2 years as rubber perishes.
Some Fruitss11itable
for Bottfi11g
Equipment for Heat-treatment of Bottles Apples.As sound apples may be stored satisfactorilywithout any preserva-
tion process, usually only windfalls or apples damaged by birds or by
t1 heat-cor1trolled
011e,1
is a simple and satisfactory means of heating bottles
bruising are bottled. To prevent discoloration they are put into salt water
though unsuitable for very tall shapes which would be overheated at the
50 g to 4 litre (2 oz to I gallon) cold water directly after peeling, coring
top. The bottles should be arranged, with a 50-mm (2-inch) space between
and removing any damaged part; a plate floated on top keeps them under
them, on a shelf placed so that the middle of a bottle is half-way down the
"IVl"n • it thr hntrlr~ ~t~nrl in ,i tin "'ith Tr>-m,.., (!_;nrh\ ,j,,.,__~hnf ,.,,..,,. ,1-,,.
the water. They .must be rinsed in col~ water bcfo~e the nex~ proc:ss.
w4 COOKING EXPLAINED PRESERVING FRUIT AND VEGETABLES AT HOME 205

:nough water to prevent them sticking, adding grated lemon rind for Times and Temperatures
for Three MethodsofBottlings
~avour if liked and from 85 to 125 g (3 to 4 oz) sugar to 500 g (r lb)
Sterilizer wit/1
1pplcs. O1,eu W,uer-batlr t/1cr111t>meler
The boiling pulp is packed into hot bottles, covered at once and pro-
:essed in boiling water for 5 minutes only, or in the oven at 150°C Method Heat oven to 150°C Heat water (to cover Heat cold water (to
(300°F) or Regulo I bottles) from blood cover bottles) to
'.300°F) for 20 minutes. to ;z. for t hour. heat to slow sim- temperature shown
Apricots and largep/11111sshould be halved and stoned to take less room Stand bottles in 10 mering in ½hour. below in J ! hours.
.n bottles and because the stones, ifleft in the fruit, tend to give it a rather mm (½ inch) water Maintain slow sim- Maintain tfos tem-
in a tin. Heat bottles mering for the times peratun: for times
·.crongflavour as of almonds. Some stones may be cracked and the kernels for times shov.'IIbe- shown below shown below
1ddcd to the bottle. low: for 2 kg (4 lb)
Blackl,erries,raspberries,loganberriesarc best if picked with clean hands fruit the shorter
time; for s to 6 kg
nto a clean container and not washed. They keep their flavour best if (10 to u lb) fruit
)ackcd with dry sugar, 250 to 500 g (¼to½ lb) to each kg (1 lb) of fruit. the longer time
When heated the fruit will shrink slightly. One bottle should be used to Syrup Boiling syrup to Hot syrup to over- Cold syrup to over-
:ill the others which must be covered again and reheated for 5 minutes. within 10 mm (½ flowing flowing
Cherries,dark red varieties or morello cherries keep their colour best, inch) from top of
bottle
they are often stoned and if this is done the juice should be collected and
Time and/or 4S to 60 minutes s minutes 75°C (r65°F) for rn
bottled with them. temperature minutes
C11rra111s,both blackand red and bilberries,keep their fbvour and colour for soft
well. berries and
currants
G()osebcrricsshould be 'topped and tailed' and a small slice taken off one
Gooseberries, 50 to 70 minutes 10 minutes 8:z.°C (rSo~F) for IS
!nd of each berry to allow syrup to penetrate the fruit to keep it from minutes
small stone
;hrivelling and to sweeten it. fruit,
Pears.Dessert pears are prepared as for apples but are bottled in halves rhubarb
:,r quarters, the core is removed with a teaspoon. A strong syrup, 300 g Apricots and 6o to 80 minutes 20 minutes 0
82°C (r8o F) for 20
:t lb) sugar to 500 ml (1 pint) of water, should be used with¼ level tea- large plums,
halved
minutes
;poonful tartaric acid to each pint to keep them white. Cooking-pears
Pears 70 to 90 minutes 40 minutes 90°C (190°F) for 30
;hould be srewed in syrup till almost soft before bottling. minutes
Rhubarb,wiped with a damp cloth, cut in 5 to 7 cm lengths should be Tomatoes 80 to 100 minutes so minutes 90°C (190°F) for 40
;oaked in hot syrup overnight 300 g (! lb) sugar to 500 ml (1 pint): this minutes
,wectens and shrinks it. The syrup should be boiled down to its original
volume and used for filling bottles. quarters and packed very tightly with I level teaspoon salt and I level
Strawberriesare not usually successfol as they lose both colour and teaspoon sugar to each 500 g (r lb) sprinkled in among the fruit: by the
flavour and get very soft during heat-treatment. Small, dark red kinds time the bottle is full there will be enough juice to cover the tomatoes.
may be treated like rhubarb.
Tomatoes.The most practical method of packing is a 'solid pack'. The Bottling in Syrup
tomatoes are plunged into boiling water for½ minute, lifted out and put All fruits develop more acid and lose their colour and flavour if they are
into cold water, they are then easy to skin. The tomatoes are cut in bottled in water: a syrup of 200 g (8 oz) sugar to each 500 ml (1 pint)
water is sufficient to prevent this loss except _inspecial cases su_chas straw-
206 COOKING I!XPLAINED
PRESERVING FRUIT ANO VEGETABLES AT HOME 207

To wake the symp bring the cold water and sugar slowly to boiling- Tire vinegar should contain 5% acetic acid to be sufficiently acid to
point, if rhere is any grey scum, strain the syrup through clean muslin; prevent the development of micro-organisms. Brown, malt vinegar gives
use it hot or cold according to the method of heating bottles. a good flavour; white, malt vinegar gives a poorer flavour but keeps the
Tl1t·11111ow1rof symp needed depends on the tighmess of the pack, a I kg colour pale and spices improve the flavour and possibly also the pre-
(2 lb) bc,ttlc rarely needs more than 250 ml (½pint).
servative action.
PackingrheBarries Vegetablesarc usually treated first with salt to extract some of the water
and to prevent the growth of some bacteria; the salt may be used dry or
The fruit is packed into cool, rinsed bottles, small soft fruit such as currants as a strong solution or 'brine'.
and raspberries can be shaken down in the bottle, putting in one-third of Fruit is usually cooked gently in the spiced vinegar with added sugar.
the bottlcful at a time. Small, hard fruit such as gooseberries can be shaken Vegetablesandfruit for pickling must be perfectly fresh and sound as for
and packed into position with the handle of a woo<len spoon. It is often all preserving.
found easier to add a little syrup with each layer of sm.ill fruit to expel air The only equipmentneeded is a supply of screw-topped jars with waxed
bubbles. Large fruit must be arranged carefully, foting them in to waste cardboard discs to prevent the vinegar coming in contact with the metal,
as little space as possible. or wide-necked bottles with fitting corks which may be coated witb
All p:icking must be as tight as is possible without bruising the fruit and melted paraffin-wax.
the fruit should be pressed firmly under the shoulder of the jar.

Bottles tl'ith Syrup

F'illii~I[ Recipefor Bri11e
Put the bottles on a tray, wipe the necks clean of pips or ~craps of fruit, 100 g (¼lb) salt to each r litre (r quart) cold water
and, if the rnbbcr rings are fitted on the jars, put them on or have the
rubbers fitted into the caps. Fill the bottles with syrup almost to the top,
then give each a guick twist or bump it gently on a folded cloth to expel Recipefor Spiced Vinegar
air bubbles. The syrup is added cold or hot according to the method of to r litre (r quart) vinegar:
l1eat-treatmcnt and the bottles filled to overflowing for water-batl1s; to r teaspoon blade mace r teaspoon allspice berries
within 10 mm(½ inch) of the top for oven-method. a teaspoon stick cinnamon 1 teaspoon peppercorns
When all bubbles arc expelled put on the lids, screw on the bands, 1 teaspoon cloves 2 teaspoons bruised root ginger
~iving the screw band a half turn back again to allow for expansion during
heating, or fix the cap and clip in place (the clip allows for expansion). Put the vinegar in a double saucepan or a deep earthenware basin over a
After heating for the correct time, as shown in the chart on page 205, pan of water, cover it with a lid or plate. Boil the water and then keep it
:he bottles arc removed, the screw bands tightened and clips checked to just hot over low heat for 2 hours. Strain the vinegar through a nylon
;ee that they are in position. Next day remove clips and screw bands and strainer or muslin and bottle it for future use.
Test the Seal by lifting the bottle by its glass lid or metal cap only. If any Cold method. The spices may be added to cold vinegar, bottled and
;aps come off, a new rubber must be fitted and the bottles re-heated for stored for two months before use.
1alf eh~,original time.

GENERAL METHOD OF PICKLING

PICKLES AND CHUTNEY
0
Wash any soil off vegetables, prepare them in the usual way, removing
ickliit~i; ;l 'chem.id' method of preserving in which vegetables and outer leaves of c:ibbage and any damaged parts and cutting large vege-
:ruits arc stored completely covered with spiced vinegar to which sugar
tables into suitably sized cubes or slices.
~ mm,·timr< ~<lrlf'H. . . .
.08 COOKING EXPLAINED PRBSBRVING FRUIT AND VEGETABLES AT HOME 209

Recipes for Vinegar Pickles Pack drained vegetables loosely but neatly into clean, dry, cold jars,
only to within an inch of the top. Fill the jars with the spiced vinegar (cold
Spiced vinegar for a crisp result, hot for a soft one) to 10 mm (½inch) above the vege-
Vegetable Merlrodof preparatioti Salt a11dadditio11s
tables, screw on the caps and label.
Beetroot Cook (see page 328) till just None Cold, white or brown
Store most pickles for 2 or 3 months before using them. Cabbage may
tender, slice to 15 mm thick about 250 ml (½pine) be eaten 2 weeks after pickling and gets less crisp on longer storage.
(½to¾ inch) to each 400 g (1 lb)
:abbage, Trim, quarter, shred finely Dry ., Sweet Fruit Pickles. Basic Recipe
red
2 kg (4 lb) fruit: 650 ml (r pint) spiced vinegar
Cauliflower Divide into small sprigs, stalk Brine
into 10 mm (½ inch) dice " damsons
•Cauliflower as above, or morello cherries I kg (2 lb) sugar
Cucumber, diced, peeled if or stewing pears
Mixed liked
pickle, French or runner beans, 10 or crab-apples
e.g. equal mm (½-inch) lengths Dry or
quantities Green tomatoes, quartered Brine " I. Dissolve the sugar in the spiced vinegar. Wash the fruit, warm jars.
Marrow, peeled, 10 nun (½- 2. Peel, quarter and core pears, leave small fruit whole but pierce them to
inch) dice prevent shrinkage. Leave crab-apples whole and pierce them.
Onions, small for pick.ling,
, whole 3. Stew the fruit in the vinegar syrup, very gently till tender, pears may
need as long as 2 hours, apples up to I hour and small fruit as little as
Onions, Skin after brining Brine ,. ., ,. .,
small for or hot for soft result
¼hour.
pick.ling or quick use 4. Half fill hot, dry jars with drained fruit.
lotes. (I) A few small red and green chillies and bay leaves add flavour and colour 5. Boil the vinegar-syrup until it is reduced to half.
to light-coloured pick.Jes. 6. Pour hot syrup over fruit in hot jars, tap out air bubbles and screw
(2) If a slightly sweet pickle is preferred, 50 to 100 g (2 to 4 oz) sugar may be dissolved down caps.
in 500 ml (1 pine)spiced vinegar.
Piccalilli Mixed vegetables as above, Driue Add to 500 ml (1 pint)
prepared as ahove, afrer spiced vinegar: 50 to
brining stew in spiced 75 ml (2 to 3 oz) CHUTNEY
vinegar till half cooked and white sugar
unbroken, pack into hot I teaspoon turmeric Chutneyis the name given to a l1ot, sweet pickle or condiment originating
dry jars powder in India where it usually contained mangoes and chillies. It is now widely
r teaspoon dry mustard varied but always includes fruit, sweet and hot spices, vinegar and sugar
I teaspoon ground
ginger and is usually of the consistency of jam although it does not jell.
2 teaspoons cornflour. Very roughlytireproportionsare:
Blend the powders
with vinegar and I kg (2 lb) fresh fruit
cook as for corn- 250 to 500 g (½to I lb) dried fruit
flour sauce. Use hot
250 to 500 g (½to I lb) onion
with brine and float a china plate on top to keep them under liquid or 250 to 500 g (½to I lb) sugar
1>ackthem in layers with salt, finishing with a covering of salt. Leave them 500 ml (1 pint) vinegar which may be spiced
ur 12 to 48 hours, then drain the brined vegetables or rinse and drain the a variety of spices, including some hot ones
he dry salted-ones. Drain thoroughly or vinegar wilJ be diluted, salt to taste
 2IO COOKING .BXPLAJNBD PRESERVING PRUIT AND VEGETABLES AT HOME 211

The swccr. savoury, hot and sour flavourings may vary widely. therefore be gentle and the chutney must be stirred frequently with a
The fruits may be any of which there is a glut, such as apples, black- wooden spoon. The first cooking may well be done in a slow oven.
berri~s, gooseberries, marrow, plum~, rhubarb and tomatoes, either green 5. Fill dry, hot jars and screw on caps or fit corks (which should be painted
or ripe. with melted paraffin-wax or tied down with parchment) or cellophane
The fruit 1111d011io11s arc chopped or minced and stewed in their own. jam covers. Jam covers alone are not sufficient covering as iliey allow the
juice till soft then cooked with all other ingredients until the right jam- chutney to evaporate and shrink.
like consim:ncy is reached. For long storage cl1echutney should be more
liquid than for quick use.
should be aluminium or stainless steel or an earilicnware
Tiu· .<,11-1ccpm1
SALTING BEANS
casserole may be used in au oven. Copper, brass and enamel are all acted French and runner beans arc the only vegetables that are suitable for
upon by rhc strong acid and may spoil the flavour of the chutney; a.11 salting, and this is a worth-while method only if there is a glut which can
mamcl surface wiJI be roughened, and copper and brass may produce be picked fresh, young, and tender, as salt.ing inevitably toughens the
verdigris (sec p. 191). beans which are much better eaten fresh.
Note. A pressure cooker may be used for the first stage of cooking but Allow 175g (½lb) salt to enclz500 g (1 lb) beaus
pressure should be reduced, the lid removed and the last stage com-
pleted with the lid off. Prepare the beans as for cooking. Pack them in layers of salt in an earthen-
ware jar or crock, finishing with a layer of salt ~inch deep and pressing
Recipe for a Typical Chutney each layer firmly down. After 3 or 4 days the beans will have shrunk and
liquid brine will have formed. The brine must on no account be drained
tipple andior Grce11Tomato Chutney
olf as it serves to exclude air but ilie jar must be filled to the top with
500 g (1½lb) cooking-apples or green I level teaspoon mixed spice beans and salt as before.
tonutoes
Cork the jar firmly or seal on the lid of the crock with an adhesive tape
or250 g (¾lb) cooking-apples, 250 g I or 2 level teaspoons and store it in a cool dry place.
(¾lb) green tomatoes ground ginger To rise the beans they must be rinsed in 3 or 4 changes of water and
250 g G lb) sultanas or seedless raisins ½level teaspoon cayenne soaked for I hour in tepid water before cooking for rather longer than
pepper fresh beans.
125 g (6 oz) onions or shallot~ 170 g (½lb) brown sugar
2 level teaspoons salt 425 ml (1 pint) brown malt
For drying of Herbs, see page 29.
vmegar
Notr: spiced vinegar may be used and mixed spice omitted.
FOOD FREEZING AT HOME
Yield 1·3 kg (4 lb).
Home freezing, also called food freezing, is a method of preservation
I. Wash apples and tomatoes, peel, quarter a11dcore apples, peel onions. which is becoming increasingly popular, particularly in country areas.
2. Put tomatoes, onions or shallots and raisins through a 1nincer or chop Where fruits, vegetables, poultry and game arc readily available cheaply
them with a stainless knife. Leave apples in quarters and sultanas whole. and in prime condition this method of preservation is excellent. It is
3. Stew these fruits and vegetables with salt, spices and pepper in a covered extremely simple to carry out and the avoidance of waste in times of glut,
pan till pulped. the convenience of having a reserve of food and the enjoyment of eating
4. Add sugar and vinegar and simmer without a lid for 2 hours or until out-of-season foods more than justify the cost of the special freezer
the consistency is like jam. cabinet.
, -1 l•t .• 1 . .t 11 .1 I •