Chapter XXXI: TO MAKE SYRUP FOR COMPOTES, &c (2)

_Mode_.--Put some of the fruit into a preserving-pan, and simmer it gently until the juice is well drawn. Strain it through a bag, measure it, and to every pint allow the above proportion of sugar and fruit. Put the sugar into the preserving-pan, moisten it with the juice, boil it up, skim well, and then add the mulberries, which should be ripe, but not soft enough to break to a pulp. Let them stand in the syrup till warm through, then set them on the fire to boil gently; when half done, turn them carefully into an earthen pan, and let them remain till the next day; then boil them as before, and when the syrup is thick, and becomes firm when cold, put the preserve into pots. In making this, care should be taken not to break the mulberries: this may be avoided by very gentle stirring, and by simmering the fruit very slowly.

_Time_.--3/4 hour to extract the juice;

1/4 hour to boil the mulberries the first time, 1/4 hour the second time.

_Seasonable_ in August and September.

MULBERRY.--Mulberries are esteemed for their highly aromatic flavour, and their sub-acid nature. They are considered as cooling, laxative, and generally wholesome. This fruit was very highly esteemed by the Romans, who appear to have preferred it to every other. The mulberry-tree is stated to have been introduced into this country in 1548, being first planted at Sion House, where the original trees still thrive. The planting of them was much encouraged by King James I. about 1605; and considerable attempts were made at that time to rear silkworms on a large scale for the purpose of making silk; but these endeavours have always failed, the climate being scarcely warm enough.

TO PRESERVE MORELLO CHERRIES.

1561. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of cherries allow 1-1/4 lb. of sugar, 1 gill of water.

_Mode_.--Select ripe cherries; pick off the stalks, and reject all that have any blemishes. Boil the sugar and water together for 5 minutes; put in the cherries, and boil them for 10 minutes, removing the scum as it rises. Then turn the fruit, &c. into a pan, and let it remain until the next day, when boil it all again for another 10 minutes, and, if necessary, skim well. Put the cherries into small pots; pour over them the syrup, and, when cold, cover down with oiled papers, and the tops of the jars with tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg, and keep in a dry place.

_Time_.--Altogether, 25 minutes to boil.

_Average cost_, from 8d. to 10d. per lb. pot.

_Seasonable_.--Make this in July or August.

THE CHERRY-TREE IN ROME.--The Cherry-tree was introduced into Rome by Lucullus about seventy years before the Christian era; but the capital of the world knew not at first how to appreciate this present as it deserved; for the cherry-tree was propagated so slowly in Italy, that more than a century after its introduction it was far from being generally cultivated. The Romans distinguished three principal species of cherries--the _Apronian_, of a bright red, with a firm and delicate pulp; the _Lutatian_, very black and sweet; the _Caecilian_, round and stubby, and much esteemed. The cherry embellished the third course in Rome and the second at Athens.

PRESERVED NECTARINES.

1562. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of sugar allow 1/4 pint of water; nectarines.

_Mode_.--Divide the nectarines in two, take out the stones, and make a strong syrup with sugar and water in the above proportion. Put in the nectarines, and boil them until they have thoroughly imbibed the sugar. Keep the fruit as whole as possible, and turn it carefully into a pan. The next day boil it again for a few minutes, take out the nectarines, put them into jars, boil the syrup quickly for 5 minutes, pour it over the fruit, and, when cold, cover the preserve down. The syrup and preserve must be carefully skimmed, or it will not be clear.

_Time_.--10 minutes to boil the sugar and water; 20 minutes to boil the fruit the first time, 10 minutes the second time; 5 minutes to boil the syrup.

_Seasonable_ in August and September, but cheapest in September.

STEWED NORMANDY PIPPINS.

1563. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of Normandy pippins, 1 quart of water, 1/2 teaspoonful of powdered cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoonful of ground ginger, 1 lb. of moist sugar, 1 lemon.

_Mode_.--Well wash the pippins, and put them into 1 quart of water with the above proportion of cinnamon and ginger, and let them stand 12 hours; then put these all together into a stewpan, with the lemon sliced thinly, and half the moist sugar. Let them boil slowly until the pippins are half done; then add the remainder of the sugar, and simmer until they are quite tender. Serve on glass dishes for dessert.

_Time_.--2 to 3 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. 6d. _Seasonable_.--Suitable for a winter dish.

ICED ORANGES.

1564. INGREDIENTS.--Oranges; to every lb. of pounded loaf sugar allow the whites of 2 eggs.

_Mode_.--Whisk the whites of the eggs well, stir in the sugar, and beat this mixture for 1/4 hour. Skin the oranges, remove as much of the white pith as possible without injuring the pulp of the fruit; pass a thread through the centre of each orange, dip them into the sugar, and tie them to a stick. Place this stick across the oven, and let the oranges remain until dry, when they will have the appearance of balls of ice. They make a pretty dessert or supper dish. Care must be taken not to have the oven too fierce, or the oranges would scorch and acquire a brown colour, which would entirely spoil their appearance.

_Time_.--From 1/2 to 1 hour to dry in a moderate oven.

_Average cost_, 1-1/2d. each.

_Sufficient_.--1/2 lb. of sugar to ice 12 oranges.

_Seasonable_ from November to May.

THE FIRST ORANGE-TREE IN FRANCE.--The first Orange-tree cultivated in the centre of France was to be seen a few years ago at Fontainebleau. It was called _Le Connétable_ (the Constable), because it had belonged to the Connétable de Bourbon, and had been confiscated, together with all property belonging to that prince, after his revolt against his sovereign.

COMPOTE OF ORANGES.

1565. INGREDIENTS.--1 pint of syrup No. 1512, 6 oranges. _Mode_.--Peel the oranges, remove as much of the white pith as possible, and divide them into small pieces without breaking the thin skin with which they are surrounded. Make the syrup by recipe No. 1512, adding the rind of the orange cut into thin narrow strips. When the syrup has been well skimmed, and is quite clear, put in the pieces of orange, and simmer them for 5 minutes. Take them out carefully with a spoon without breaking them, and arrange them on a glass dish. Reduce the syrup by boiling it quickly until thick; let it cool a little, pour it over the oranges, and, when cold, they will be ready for table.

_Time_.--10 minutes to boil the syrup; 5 minutes to simmer the oranges; 5 minutes to reduce the syrup.

_Average cost_, 9d.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ from November to May.

THE ORANGE IN PORTUGAL.--The Orange known under the name of "Portugal Orange" comes originally from China. Not more than two centuries ago, the Portuguese brought thence the first scion, which has multiplied so prodigiously that we now see entire forests of orange-trees in Portugal.

ORANGE AND CLOVES.--It appears to have been the custom formerly, in England, to make new year's presents with oranges stuck full with cloves. We read in one of Ben Jonson's pieces,--the "Christmas Masque,"--"He has an orange and rosemary, but not a clove to stick in it."

ORANGE MARMALADE.

I.

1566. INGREDIENTS.--Equal weight of fine loaf sugar and Seville oranges; to 12 oranges allow 1 pint of water.

_Mode_.--Let there be an equal weight of loaf sugar and Seville oranges, and allow the above proportion of water to every dozen oranges. Peel them carefully, remove a little of the white pith, and boil the rinds in water 2 hours, changing the water three times to take off a little of the bitter taste. Break the pulp into small pieces, take out all the pips, and cut the boiled rind into chips. Make a syrup with the sugar and water; boil this well, skim it, and, when clear, put in the pulp and chips. Boil all together from 20 minutes to 1/2 hour; pour it into pots, and, when cold, cover down with bladders or tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg. The juice and grated rind of 2 lemons to every dozen of oranges, added with the pulp and chips to the syrup, are a very great improvement to this marmalade.

_Time_.--2 hours to boil the orange-rinds; 10 minutes to boil the syrup; 20 minutes to 1/2 hour to boil the marmalade.

_Average cost_, from 6d. to 8d. per lb. pot.

_Seasonable_.--This should be made in March or April, as Seville oranges are then in perfection.

II.

1567. INGREDIENTS.--Equal weight of Seville oranges and sugar; to every lb. of sugar allow 1/2 pint of water.

_Mode_.--Weigh the sugar and oranges, score the skin across, and take it off in quarters. Boil these quarters in a muslin bag in water until they are quite soft, and they can be pierced easily with the head of a pin; then cut them into chips about 1 inch long, and as thin as possible. Should there be a great deal of white stringy pulp, remove it before cutting the rind into chips. Split open the oranges, scrape out the best part of the pulp, with the juice, rejecting the white pith and pips. Make a syrup with the sugar and water; boil it until clear; then put in the chips, pulp, and juice, and boil the marmalade from 20 minutes to 1/2 hour, removing all the scum as it rises. In boiling the syrup, clear it carefully from scum before the oranges are added to it.

_Time_.--2 hours to boil the rinds, 10 minutes the syrup, 20 minutes to 1/2 hour the marmalade.

_Average cost_, 6d. to 8d. per lb. pot.

_Seasonable_.--Make this in March or April, when Seville oranges are in perfection.

AN EASY WAY OF MAKING ORANGE MARMALADE.

1568. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of pulp allow 1-1/2 lb. of loaf sugar.

_Mode_.--Choose some fine Seville oranges; put them whole into a stewpan with sufficient water to cover them, and stew them until they become perfectly tender, changing the water 2 or 3 times; drain them, take off the rind, remove the pips from the pulp, weigh it, and to every lb. allow 1-1/2 of loaf sugar and 1/2 pint of the water the oranges were last boiled in. Boil the sugar and water together for 10 minutes; put in the pulp, boil for another 10 minutes; then add the peel cut into strips, and boil the marmalade for another 10 minutes, which completes the process. Pour it into jars; let it cool; then cover down with bladders, or tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg.

_Time_.--2 hours to boil the oranges; altogether 1/2 hour to boil the marmalade.

_Average cost_, from 6d. to 8d. per lb. pot.

_Seasonable_--Make this in March or April.

ORANGE MARMALADE MADE WITH HONEY.

1569. INGREDIENTS.--To 1 quart of the juice and pulp of Seville oranges allow 2 lbs. of honey, 1 lb. of the rind.

_Mode_.--Peel the oranges and boil the rind in water until tender, and cut it into strips. Take away the pips from the juice and pulp, and put it with the honey and chips into a preserving-pan; boil all together for about 1/2 hour, or until the marmalade is of the proper consistency; put it into pots, and, when cold, cover down with bladders.

_Time_.--2 hours to boil the rind, 1/2 hour the marmalade.

_Average cost_, from 7d. to 9d. per lb. pot.

_Seasonable_.--Make this in March or April.

TO PRESERVE ORANGES.

1570. INGREDIENTS.--Oranges; to every lb. of juice and pulp allow 2 lbs. of loaf sugar; to every pint of water 1/2 lb. of loaf sugar.

_Mode_.--Wholly grate or peel the oranges, taking off only the thin outside portion of the rind. Make a small incision where the stalk is taken out, squeeze out as much of the juice as can be obtained, and preserve it in a basin with the pulp that accompanies it. Put the oranges into cold water; let them stand for 3 days, changing the water twice; then boil them in fresh water till they are very tender, and put them to drain. Make a syrup with the above proportion of sugar and water, sufficient to cover the oranges; let them stand in it for 2 or 3 days; then drain them well. Weigh the juice and pulp, allow double their weight of sugar, and boil them together until the scum ceases to rise, which must all be carefully removed; put in the oranges, boil them for 10 minutes, place them in jars, pour over them the syrup, and, when cold, cover down. They will be fit for use in a week.

_Time_.--3 days for the oranges to remain in water, 3 days in the syrup; 1/2 hour to boil the pulp, 10 minutes the oranges.

_Seasonable_.--This preserve should be made in February or March, when oranges are plentiful.

ORANGE SALAD.

1571. INGREDIENTS.--6 oranges, 1/4 lb. of muscatel raisins, 2 oz. of pounded sugar, 4 tablespoonfuls of brandy.

_Mode_.--Peel 5 of the oranges; divide them into slices without breaking the pulp, and arrange them on a glass dish. Stone the raisins, mix them with the sugar and brandy, and mingle them with the oranges. Squeeze the juice of the other orange over the whole, and the dish is ready for table. A little pounded spice may be put in when the flavour is liked; but this ingredient must be added very sparingly.

_Average cost_, 1s.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ from November to May.

COMPOTE OF PEACHES.

1572. INGREDIENTS.--1 pint of syrup No. 1512, about 15 small peaches.

_Mode_.--Peaches that are not very large, and that would not look well for dessert, answer very nicely for a compôte. Divide the peaches, take out the stones, and pare the fruit; make a syrup by recipe No. 1512, put in the peaches, and stew them gently for about 10 minutes. Take them out without breaking, arrange them on a glass dish, boil the syrup for 2 or 3 minutes, let it cool, pour it over the fruit, and, when cold, it will be ready for table.

_Time_.--10 minutes. _Average cost_, 1s. 2d.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons. _Seasonable_ in August and September.

PEACH AND NECTARINE.--The peach and nectarine, which are among
the most delicious of our fruits, are considered as varieties of
the same species, produced by cultivation. The former is
characterized by a very delicate down, while the latter is
smooth; but, as a proof of their identity as to species, trees
have borne peaches on one part and nectarines on another; and
even a single fruit has had down on one side, and on the other
none; the trees are almost exactly alike, as well as the
blossoms. Pliny states that the peach was originally brought
from Persia, where it grows naturally. At Montreuil, a village
near Paris, almost the whole population is employed in the
cultivation of peaches; and this occupation has maintained the
inhabitants for ages, and, in consequence, they raise better
peaches than anywhere else in France. In Maryland and Virginia,
peaches grow nearly wild in orchards resembling forests; but the
fruit is of little value for the table, being employed only in
fattening hogs and for the distillation of peach brandy. On the
east side of the Andes, peaches grow wild among the cornfields
and in the mountains, and are dried as an article of food. The
young leaves of the peach are sometimes used in cookery, from
their agreeable flavour; and a liqueur resembling the fine
noyeau of Martinique may be made by steeping them in brandy
sweetened with sugar and fined with milk: gin may also be
flavoured in the same manner. The kernels of the fruit have the
same flavour. The nectarine is said to have received its name
from nectar, the particular drink of the gods. Though it is
considered as the same species as the peach, it is not known
which of the varieties come from the other; the nectarine, is by
some considered as the superior fruit.

PEACHES PRESERVED IN BRANDY.

1573. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of fruit weighed before being stoned, allow 1/4 lb. of finely-pounded loaf sugar; brandy.

_Mode_.--Let the fruit be gathered in dry weather; wipe and weigh it, and remove the stones as carefully as possible, without injuring the peaches much. Put them into a jar, sprinkle amongst them pounded loaf sugar in the above proportion, and pour brandy over the fruit. Cover the jar down closely, place it in a saucepan of boiling water over the fire, and bring the brandy to the simmering-point, but do not allow it to boil. Take the fruit out carefully, without breaking it; put it into small jars, pour over it the brandy, and, when cold, exclude the air by covering the jars with bladders, or tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg. Apricots may be done in the same manner, and, if properly prepared, will be found delicious.

_Time_.--From 10 to 20 minutes to bring the brandy to the simmering-point.

_Seasonable_ in August and September.

BAKED PEARS.

1574. INGREDIENTS.--12 pears, the rind of 1 lemon, 6 cloves, 10 whole allspice; to every pint of water allow 1/2 lb. of loaf sugar.

_Mode_.--Pare and cut the pears into halves, and, should they be very large, into quarters; leave the stalks on, and carefully remove the cores. Place them in a clean baking-jar, with a closely-fitting lid; add to them the lemon-rind cut in strips, the juice of 1/2 lemon, the cloves, pounded allspice, and sufficient water just to cover the whole, with sugar in the above proportion. Cover the jar down closely, put it into a very cool oven, and bake the pears from 5 to 6 hours, but be very careful that the oven is not too hot. To improve the colour of the fruit, a few drops of prepared cochineal may be added; but this will not be found necessary if the pears are very gently baked.

_Time_.--Large pears, 5 to 6 hours, in a very slow oven.

_Average cost_, 1d. to 2d. each.

_Sufficient_ for 7 or 8 persons.

_Seasonable_ from September to January.

PEAR.--The pear, like the apple, is indigenous to this country;
but the wild pear is a very unsatisfactory fruit. The best
varieties were brought from the East by the Romans, who
cultivated them with care, and probably introduced some of their
best sorts into this island, to which others were added by the
inhabitants of the monasteries. The Dutch and Flemings, as well
as the French, have excelled in the cultivation of the pear, and
most of the late varieties introduced are from France and
Flanders. The pear is a hardy tree, and a longer liver than the
apple: it has been known to exist for centuries. There are now
about 150 varieties of this fruit. Though perfectly wholesome
when ripe, the pear is not so when green; but in this state it
is fit for stewing. An agreeable beverage, called perry, is made
from pears, and the varieties which are least fit for eating
make the best perry.

PRESERVED PEARS.

1575. INGREDIENTS.--Jargonelle pears; to every lb. of sugar allow 1/2 pint of water.

_Mode_.--Procure some Jargonelle pears, not too ripe; put them into a stewpan with sufficient water to cover them, and simmer them till rather tender, but do not allow them to break; then put them into cold water. Boil the sugar and water together for 5 minutes, skim well, put in the pears, and simmer them gently for 5 minutes. Repeat the simmering for 3 successive days, taking care not to let the fruit break. The last time of boiling, the syrup should be made rather richer, and the fruit boiled for 10 minutes. When the pears are done, drain them from the syrup, and dry them in the sun, or in a cool oven; or they may be kept in the syrup, and dried as they are wanted.

_Time_.--1/2 hour to simmer the pears in water, 20 minutes in the syrup.

_Average cost_, 1d. to 2d. each.

_Seasonable_.--Most plentiful in September and October.

STEWED PEARS.

1576. INGREDIENTS.--8 large pears, 5 oz. of loaf sugar, 6 cloves, 6 whole allspice, 1/2 pint of water, 1/4 pint of port wine, a few drops of prepared cochineal.

_Mode_.--Pare the pears, halve them, remove the cores, and leave the stalks on; put them into a _lined_ saucepan with the above ingredients, and let them simmer very gently until tender, which will be in from 3 to 4 hours, according to the quality of the pears. They should be watched, and, when done, carefully lifted out on to a glass dish without breaking them. Boil up the syrup quickly for 2 or 3 minutes; allow it to cool a little, pour it over the pears, and let them get perfectly cold. To improve the colour of the fruit, a few drops of prepared cochineal may be added, which rather enhances the beauty of this dish. The fruit must not be boiled fast, but only simmered, and watched that it be not too much done.

_Time_.--3 to 4 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. 6d.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons. _Seasonable_ from September to January.

THE BON CHRETIEN PEAR.--The valuable variety of pear called _Bon
Chrétien_, which comes to our tables in winter, either raw or
cooked, received its name through the following incident:--Louis
XI., king of France, had sent for Saint Francois de Paule from
the lower part of Calabria, in the hopes of recovering his
health through his intercession. The saint brought with him the
seeds of this pear; and, as he was called at court Le Bon
Chrétien, this fruit obtained the name of him to whom France
owed its introduction.

PINEAPPLE CHIPS.

1577. INGREDIENTS.--Pineapples; sugar to taste.

_Mode_.--Pare and slice the fruit thinly, put it on dishes, and strew over it plenty of pounded sugar. Keep it in a hot closet, or very slow oven, 8 or 10 days, and turn the fruit every day until dry; then put the pieces of pine on tins, and place them in a quick oven for 10 minutes. Let them cool, and store them away in dry boxes, with paper between each layer.

_Time_.--8 to 10 days.

_Seasonable_.--Foreign pines, in July and August.

PRESERVED PINEAPPLE.

1578. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of fruit, weighed after being pared, allow 1 lb. of loaf sugar; 1/4 pint of water.

_Mode_.--The pines for making this preserve should be perfectly sound but ripe. Cut them into rather thick slices, as the fruit shrinks very much in the boiling. Pare off the rind carefully, that none of the pine be wasted; and, in doing so, notch it in and out, as the edge cannot be smoothly cut without great waste. Dissolve a portion of the sugar in a preserving-pan with 1/4 pint of water; when this is melted, gradually add the remainder of the sugar, and boil it until it forms a clear syrup, skimming well. As soon as this is the case, put in the pieces of pine, and boil well for at least 1/2 hour, or until it looks nearly transparent. Put it into pots, cover down when cold, and store away in a dry place.

_Time_.--1/2 hour to boil the fruit. _Average cost_, 10d. to 1s. per lb. pot.

_Seasonable_.--Foreign pines, in July and August.

THE PINEAPPLE IN HEATHENDOM.--Heathen nations invented
protective divinities for their orchards (such as Pomona,
Vertumnus, Priapus, &c.), and benevolent patrons for their
fruits: thus, the olive-tree grew under the auspices of Minerva;
the Muses cherished the palm-tree, Bacchus the fig and grape,
_and the pine and its cone were consecrated to the great Cyble_.

PRESERVED PINEAPPLE, for Present Use.

1579. INGREDIENTS.--Pineapple, sugar, water.

_Mode_.--Cut the pine into slices 1/4 inch in thickness; peel them, and remove the hard part from the middle. Put the parings and hard pieces into a stewpan with sufficient water to cover them, and boil for 1/4 hour. Strain the liquor, and put in the slices of pine. Stew them for 10 minutes, add sufficient sugar to sweeten the whole nicely, and boil again for another 1/4 hour; skim well, and the preserve will be ready for use. It must be eaten soon, as it will keep but a very short time.

_Time_.--1/4 hour to boil the parings in water; 10 minutes to boil the pine without sugar, 1/4 hour with sugar.

_Average cost_.--Foreign pines, 1s. to 3s. each; English, from 2s. to 12s. per lb.

_Seasonable_.--Foreign, in July and August; English, all the year.

PLUM JAM.

1580. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of plums, weighed before being stoned, allow 3/4 lb. of loaf sugar.

_Mode_.--In making plum jam, the quantity of sugar for each lb. of fruit must be regulated by the quality and size of the fruit, some plums requiring much more sugar than others. Divide the plums, take out the stones, and put them on to large dishes, with roughly-pounded sugar sprinkled over them in the above proportion, and let them remain for one day; then put them into a preserving-pan, stand them by the side of the fire to simmer gently for about 1/2 hour, and then boil them rapidly for another 15 minutes. The scum must be carefully removed as it rises, and the jam must be well stirred all the time, or it will burn at the bottom of the pan, and so spoil the colour and flavour of the preserve. Some of the stones may be cracked, and a few kernels added to the jam just before it is done: these impart a very delicious flavour to the plums. The above proportion of sugar would answer for Orleans plums; the Impératrice Magnum-bonum, and Winesour would not require quite so much.

_Time_.--1/2 hour to simmer gently, 1/4 hour to boil rapidly.

_Best plums for preserving_.--Violets, Mussels, Orleans, Impératrice Magnum-bonum, and Winesour.

_Seasonable_ from the end of July to the beginning of October.

PLUMS.--The Damson, or Damascene plum, takes its name from
Damascus, where it grows in great quantities, and whence it was
brought into Italy about 114 B.C. The Orleans plum is from
France. The Greengage is called after the Gage family, who first
brought it into England from the monastery of the Chartreuse, at
Paris, where it still bears the name of Reine Claude. The
Magnum-bonum is our largest plum, and greatly esteemed for
preserves and culinary purposes. The best sorts of plums are
agreeable at the dessert, and, when perfectly ripe, are
wholesome; but some are too astringent. They lose much of their
bad qualities by baking, and are extensively used, from their
cheapness, when in full season, in tarts and preserves; but they
are not a very wholesome fruit, and should be eaten in
moderation.

PRESERVED PLUMS.

1581. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of fruit allow 3/4 lb. of loaf sugar; for the thin syrup, 1/4 lb. of sugar to each pint of water.

_Mode_.--Select large ripe plums; slightly prick them, to prevent them from bursting, and simmer them very gently in a syrup made with the above proportion of sugar and water. Put them carefully into a pan, let the syrup cool, pour it over the plums, and allow them to remain for two days. Having previously weighed the other sugar, dip the lumps quickly into water, and put them into a preserving-pan with no more water than hangs about them; and boil the sugar to a syrup, carefully skimming it. Drain the plums from the first syrup; put them into the fresh syrup, and simmer them very gently until they are clear; lift them out singly into pots, pour the syrup over, and when cold, cover down to exclude the air. This preserve will remain good some time, if kept in a dry place, and makes a very nice addition to a dessert. The magnum-bonum plums answer for this preserve better than any other kind of plum. Greengages are also very delicious done in this manner.

_Time_.--1/4 hour to 20 minutes to simmer the plums in the first syrup; 20 minutes to 1/2 hour very gentle simmering in the second.

_Seasonable_ from August to October.

TO PRESERVE PLUMS DRY.

1582. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of sugar allow 1/4 pint of water. _Mode_.--Gather the plums when they are full-grown and just turning colour; prick them, put them into a saucepan of cold water, and set them on the fire until the water is on the point of boiling. Then take them out, drain them, and boil them gently in syrup made with the above proportion of sugar and water; and if the plums shrink, and will not take the sugar, prick them as they lie in the pan; give them another boil, skim, and set them by. The next day add some more sugar, boiled almost to candy, to the fruit and syrup; put all together into a wide-mouthed jar, and place them in a cool oven for 2 nights; then drain the plums from the syrup, sprinkle a little powdered sugar over, and dry them in a cool oven.

_Time_.--15 to 20 minutes to boil the plums in the syrup. _Seasonable_ from August to October.

PLUMS.--The wild sloe is the parent of the plum, but the
acclimated kinds come from the East. The cultivation of this
fruit was probably attended to very early in England, as Gerrard
informs us that, in 1597, he had in his garden, in Holborn,
threescore sorts. The sloe is a shrub common in our hedgerows,
and belongs to the natural order _Amygdaleae_; the fruit is
about the size of a large pea, of a black colour, and covered
with a bloom of a bright blue. It is one of the few indigenous
to our island. The juice is extremely sharp and astringent, and
was formerly employed as a medicine, where astringents were
necessary. It now assists in the manufacture of a red wine made
to imitate port, and also for adulteration. The leaves have been
used to adulterate tea; the fruit, when ripe, makes a good
preserve.

STEWED FRENCH PLUMS.

(_A Dessert Dish_.)

1583. INGREDIENTS.--1-1/2 lb. of French plums, 3/4 pint of syrup No. 1512, 1 glass of port wine, the rind and juice of 1 lemon.

_Mode_.--Stew the plums gently in water for 1 hour; strain the water, and with it make the syrup. When it is clear, put in the plums with the port wine, lemon-juice, and rind, and simmer very gently for 1-1/2 hour. Arrange the plums on a glass dish, take out the lemon-rind, pour the syrup over the plums, and, when cold, they will be ready for table. A little allspice stewed with the fruit is by many persons considered an improvement.

_Time_.--1 hour to stew the plums in water, 1-1/2 hour in the syrup.

_Average cost_,--plums sufficiently good for stewing, 1s. per lb.

_Sufficient_ for 7 or 8 persons.

_Seasonable_ in winter.

PRESERVED PUMPKIN.

1584. INGREDIENTS.--To each lb. of pumpkin allow 1 lb. of roughly pounded loaf sugar, 1 gill of lemon-juice.

_Mode_.--Obtain a good sweet pumpkin; halve it, take out the seeds, and pare off the rind; cut it into neat slices, or into pieces about the size of a five-shilling piece. Weigh the pumpkin, put the slices in a pan or deep dish in layers, with the sugar sprinkled between them; pour the lemon-juice over the top, and let the whole remain for 2 or 3 days. Boil altogether, adding 1/4 pint of water to every 3 lbs. of sugar used until the pumpkin becomes tender; then turn the whole into a pan, where let it remain for a week; then drain off the syrup, boil it until it is quite thick; skim, and pour it, boiling, over the pumpkin. A little bruised ginger and lemon-rind, thinly pared, may be boiled in the syrup to flavour the pumpkin.

_Time_.--From 1/2 to 3/4 hour to boil the pumpkin tender.

_Average cost_, 5d. to 7d. per lb. pot.

_Seasonable_ in September and October; but better when made in the latter month, as the pumpkin is then quite ripe.

_Note_.--Vegetable marrows are very good prepared in the same manner, but are not quite so rich.

QUINCE JELLY.

1585. INGREDIENTS.--To every pint of juice allow 1 lb. of loaf sugar.

_Mode_.--Pare and slice the quinces, and put them into a preserving-pan with sufficient water to float them. Boil them until tender, and the fruit is reduced to a pulp; strain off the clear juice, and to each pint allow the above proportion of loaf sugar. Boil the juice and sugar together for about 3/4 hour; remove all the scum as it rises, and, when the jelly appears firm when a little is poured on a plate, it is done. The residue left on the sieve will answer to make a common marmalade, for immediate use, by boiling it with 1/2 lb. of common sugar to every lb. of pulp.

_Time_.--3 hours to boil the quinces in water; 3/4 hour to boil the jelly.

_Average cost_, from 8d. to 10d. per lb. pot.

_Seasonable_ from August to October.

QUINCE MARMALADE.

1586. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of quince pulp allow 3/4 lb. of loaf sugar.

_Mode_.--Slice the quinces into a preserving-pan, adding sufficient water for them to float; place them on the fire to stew, until reduced to a pulp, keeping them stirred occasionally from the bottom, to prevent their burning; then pass the pulp through a hair sieve, to keep back the skin and seeds. Weigh the pulp, and to each lb. add lump sugar in the above proportion, broken very small. Place the whole on the fire, and keep it well stirred from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until reduced to a marmalade, which may be known by dropping a little on a cold plate, when, if it jellies, it is done. Put it into jars whilst hot; let it cool, and cover with pieces of oiled paper cut to the size of the mouths of the jars. The tops of them may be afterwards covered with pieces of bladder, or tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg.

_Time_.--3 hours to boil the quinces without the sugar; 3/4 hour to boil the pulp with the sugar.

_Average cost_, from 8d. to 9d. per lb. pot.

_Sufficient_.--Allow 1 pint of sliced quinces for a lb. pot.

_Seasonable_ in August, September, and October.

RAISIN CHEESE.

1587. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of raisins allow a lb. of loaf sugar; pounded cinnamon and cloves to taste.

_Mode_.--Stone the raisins; put them into a stewpan with the sugar, cinnamon, and cloves, and let them boil for 1-1/2 hour, stirring all the time. Let the preparation cool a little, pour it into a glass dish, and garnish with strips of candied lemon-peel and citron. This will remain good some time, if kept in a dry place.

_Time_.--1-1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 9d. _Sufficient_.--1 lb. for 4 or 5 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.

RASPBERRY JAM.

1588. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of raspberries allow 1 lb. of sugar, 1/4 pint of red-currant juice.

_Mode_.--Let the fruit for this preserve be gathered in fine weather, and used as soon after it is picked as possible. Take off the stalks, put the raspberries into a preserving-pan, break them well with a wooden spoon, and let them boil for 1/4 hour, keeping them well stirred. Then add the currant-juice and sugar, and boil again for 1/2 hour. Skim the jam well after the sugar is added, or the preserve will not be clear. The addition of the currant juice is a very great improvement to this preserve, as it gives it a piquant taste, which the flavour of the raspberries seems to require.

_Time_.--1/4 hour to simmer the fruit without the sugar; 1/4 hour after it is added.

_Average cost_, from 6d. to 8d. per lb. pot.

_Sufficient_.--Allow about 1 pint of fruit to fill a 1-lb. pot.

_Seasonable_ in July and August.

RASPBERRY JELLY.

1589. INGREDIENTS.--To each pint of juice allow 3/4 lb. of loaf sugar.

_Mode_.--Let the raspberries be freshly gathered, quite ripe, and picked from the stalks; put them into a large jar, after breaking the fruit a little with a wooden spoon, and place this jar, covered, in a saucepan of boiling water. When the juice is well drawn, which will be in from 3/4 to 1 hour, strain the fruit through a fine hair sieve or cloth; measure the juice, and to every pint allow the above proportion of loaf sugar. Put the juice and sugar into a preserving-pan, place it over the fire, and boil gently until the jelly thickens when a little is poured on a plate; carefully remove all the scum as it rises, pour the jelly into small pots, cover down, and keep in a dry place. This jelly answers for making raspberry cream, and for flavouring various sweet dishes, when, in winter, the fresh fruit is not obtainable.

_Time_.--3/4 to 1 hour to draw the juice.

_Average cost_, from 9d. to 1s. per lb. pot.

_Sufficient._--From 3 pints to 2 quarts of fruit should yield 1 pint of juice.

_Seasonable_.--This should be made in July or August.

RHUBARB JAM.

1590. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of rhubarb allow 1 lb. of loaf sugar, the rind of 1/2 lemon.

_Mode_.--Wipe the rhubarb perfectly dry, take off the string or peel, and weigh it; put it into a preserving-pan, with sugar in the above proportion; mince the lemon-rind very finely, add it to the other ingredients, and place the preserving-pan by the side of the fire; keep stirring to prevent the rhubarb from burning, and when the sugar is well dissolved, put the pan more over the fire, and let the jam boil until it is done, taking care to keep it well skimmed and stirred with a wooden or silver spoon. Pour it into pots, and cover down with oiled and egged papers.

_Time_.--If the rhubarb is young and tender, 3/4 hour, reckoning from the time it simmers equally; old rhubarb, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hour.

_Average cost_, 5d. to 7d. per lb. pot.

_Sufficient_.--About 1 pint of sliced rhubarb to fill a lb. pot.

_Seasonable_ from February to April.

RHUBARB AND ORANGE JAM, to resemble Scotch Marmalade.

1591. INGREDIENTS.--1 quart of finely-cut rhubarb, 6 oranges, 1-1/2 lb. of loaf sugar.

_Mode_.--Peel the oranges; remove as much of the white pith as possible, divide them, and take out the pips; slice the pulp into a preserving-pan, add the rind of half the oranges cut into thin strips, and the loaf sugar, which should be broken small. Peel the rhubarb, cut it into thin pieces, put it to the oranges, and stir altogether over a gentle fire until the jam is done. Remove all the scum as it rises, put the preserve into pots, and, when cold, cover down. Should the rhubarb be very old, stew it alone for 1/4 hour before the other ingredients are added.

_Time_.--3/4 to 1 hour. _Average cost_, from 6d. to 8d. per lb. pot.

_Seasonable_ from February to April.

RASPBERRY AND CURRANT, or any Fresh Fruit Salad.

(_A Dessert Dish_.)

1592. _Mode_.--Fruit salads are made by stripping the fruit from the stalks, piling it on a dish, and sprinkling over it finely-pounded sugar. They may be made of strawberries, raspberries, currants, or any of these fruits mixed; peaches also make a very good salad. After the sugar is sprinkled over, about 6 large tablespoonfuls of wine or brandy, or 3 tablespoonfuls of liqueur, should be poured in the middle of the fruit; and, when the flavour is liked, a little pounded cinnamon may be added. In helping the fruit, it should be lightly stirred, that the wine and sugar may be equally distributed.

_Sufficient._--1-1/2 pint of fruit, with 3 oz. of pounded sugar, for 4 or 5 persons.

_Seasonable_ in summer.

STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM.

1593. INGREDIENTS.--To every pint of picked strawberries allow 1/3 pint of cream, 2 oz. of finely-pounded sugar.

_Mode_.--Pick the stalks from the fruit, place it on a glass dish, sprinkle over it pounded sugar, and slightly stir the strawberries, that they may all be equally sweetened; pour the cream over the top, and serve. Devonshire cream, when it can be obtained, is exceedingly delicious for this dish; and, if very thick indeed, may be diluted with a little thin cream or milk.

_Average cost_ for this quantity, with cream at 1s. per pint, 1s.

_Sufficient_ for 2 persons.

_Seasonable_ in June and July.

STRAWBERRY JAM.

1594. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of fruit allow 1/2 pint of red-currant juice, 1-1/4 lb. of loaf sugar.

_Mode_.--Strip the currants from the stalks, put them into a jar; place this jar in a saucepan of boiling water, and simmer until the juice is well drawn from the fruit; strain the currants, measure the juice, put it into a preserving-pan, and add the sugar. Select well-ripened but sound strawberries; pick them from the stalks, and when the sugar is dissolved in the currant juice, put in the fruit. Simmer the whole over a moderate fire, from 1/2 to 3/4 hour, carefully removing the scum as it rises. Stir the jam only enough to prevent it from burning at the bottom of the pan, as the fruit should be preserved as whole as possible. Put the jam into jars, and when cold, cover down.

_Time_.--1/2 to 3/4 hour, reckoning from the time the jam simmers all over.

_Average cost_, from 7d. to 8d. per lb. pot.

_Sufficient._--12 pints of strawberries will make 12 lb. pots of jam.

_Seasonable_ in June and July.

PRESERVED STRAWBERRIES IN WINE.

1595. INGREDIENTS.--To every quart bottle allow 1/4 lb. of finely-pounded loaf sugar; sherry or Madeira.

_Mode_.--Let the fruit be gathered in fine weather, and used as soon as picked. Have ready some perfectly dry glass bottles, and some nice soft corks or bungs. Pick the stalks from the strawberries, drop them into the bottles, sprinkling amongst them pounded sugar in the above proportion, and when the fruit reaches to the neck of the bottle, fill up with sherry or Madeira. Cork the bottles down with new corks, and dip them into melted resin.

_Seasonable_.--Make this in June or July.

TO PRESERVE STRAWBERRIES WHOLE.

1596. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of fruit allow 1-1/2 lb. of good loaf sugar, 1 pint of red-currant juice.

_Mode_.--Choose the strawberries not too ripe, of a fine large sort and of a good colour. Pick off the stalks, lay the strawberries in a dish, and sprinkle over them half the quantity of sugar, which must be finely pounded. Shake the dish gently, that the sugar may be equally distributed and touch the under-side of the fruit, and let it remain for 1 day. Then have ready the currant-juice, drawn as for red-currant jelly No. 1533; boil it with the remainder of the sugar until it forms a thin syrup, and in this simmer the strawberries and sugar, until the whole is sufficiently jellied. Great care must be taken not to stir the fruit roughly, as it should be preserved as whole as possible. Strawberries prepared in this manner are very good served in glasses and mixed with thin cream.

_Time_.--1/4 hour to 20 minutes to simmer the strawberries in the syrup.

_Seasonable_ in June and July.

TO MAKE EVERTON TOFFEE.

1597. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of powdered loaf sugar, 1 teacupful of water, 1/4 lb. of butter, 6 drops of essence of lemon.

_Mode_.--Put the water and sugar into a brass pan, and beat the butter to a cream. When the sugar is dissolved, add the butter, and keep stirring the mixture over the fire until it sets, when a little is poured on to a buttered dish; and just before the toffee is done, add the essence of lemon. Butter a dish or tin, pour on it the mixture, and when cool, it will easily separate from the dish. Butter-Scotch, an excellent thing for coughs, is made with brown, instead of white sugar, omitting the water, and flavoured with 1/2 oz. of powdered ginger. It is made in the same manner as toffee.

_Time_.--18 to 35 minutes.

_Average cost_, 10d.

_Sufficient_ to make a lb. of toffee.

DESSERT DISHES.

1598. The tazza, or dish with stem, the same as that shown in our illustrations, is now the favourite shape for dessert-dishes. The fruit can be arranged and shown to better advantage on these tall high dishes than on the short flat ones. All the dishes are now usually placed down the centre of the table, dried and fresh fruit alternately, the former being arranged on small round or oval glass plates, and the latter on the dishes with stems. The fruit should always be gathered on the same day that it is required for table, and should be tastefully arranged on the dishes, with leaves between and round it. By purchasing fruits that are in season, a dessert can be supplied at a very moderate cost. These, with a few fancy biscuits, crystallized fruit, bon-bons, &c., are sufficient for an ordinary dessert. When fresh fruit cannot be obtained, dried and foreign fruits, compotes, baked pears, stewed Normandy pippins, &c. &c., must supply its place, with the addition of preserves, bon-bons, cakes, biscuits, &c. At fashionable tables, forced fruit is served growing in pots, these pots being hidden in more ornamental ones, and arranged with the other dishes.--(See coloured plate W1.) A few vases of fresh flowers, tastefully arranged, add very much to the appearance of the dessert; and, when these are not obtainable, a few paper ones, mixed with green leaves, answer very well as a substitute. In decorating a table, whether for luncheon, dessert, or supper, a vase or two of flowers should never be forgotten, as they add so much to the elegance of the _tout ensemble_. In summer and autumn, ladies residing in the country can always manage to have a few freshly-gathered flowers on their tables, and should never be without this inexpensive luxury. On the continent, vases or epergnes filled with flowers are invariably placed down the centre of the dinner-table at regular distances. Ices for dessert are usually moulded: when this is not the case, they are handed round in glasses with wafers to accompany them. Preserved ginger is frequently handed round after ices, to prepare the palate for the delicious dessert wines. A basin or glass of finely-pounded lump sugar must never be omitted at a dessert, as also a glass jug of fresh cold water (iced, if possible), and two goblets by its side. Grape-scissors, a melon-knife and fork, and nutcrackers, should always be put on table, if there are dishes of fruit requiring them. Zests are sometimes served at the close of the dessert; such as anchovy toasts or biscuits. The French often serve plain or grated cheese with a dessert of fresh or dried fruit. At some tables, finger-glasses are placed at the right of each person, nearly half filled with cold spring water, and in winter with tepid water. These precede the dessert. At other tables, a glass or vase is simply handed round, filled with perfumed water, into which each guest dips the corner of his napkin, and, when needful, refreshes his lips and the tips of his fingers.

After the dishes are placed, and every one is provided with plates, glasses, spoons, &c., the wine should be put at each end of the table, cooled or otherwise, according to the season. If the party be small, the wine may be placed only at the top of the table, near the host.

DISH OF NUTS.

1599. These are merely arranged piled high in the centre of the dish, as shown in the engraving, with or without leaves round the edge. Filberts should always be served with the outer skin or husk on them; and walnuts should be well wiped with a damp cloth, and then--with a dry one, to remove the unpleasant sticky feeling the shells frequently have.

_Seasonable_.--Filberts from September to March, good; may be had after that time, but are generally shrivelled and dry. Walnuts from September to January.

HAZEL NUT AND FILBERT.--The common Hazel is the wild, and the
Filbert the cultivated state of the same tree. The hazel is
found wild, not only in forests and hedges, in dingles and
ravines, but occurs in extensive tracts in the more northern and
mountainous parts of the country. It was formerly one of the
most abundant of those trees which are indigenous in this
island. It is seldom cultivated as a fruit-tree, though perhaps
its nuts are superior in flavour to the others. The Spanish nuts
imported are a superior kind, but they are somewhat oily and
rather indigestible. Filberts, both the red and the white, and
the cob-nut, are supposed to be merely varieties of the common
hazel, which have been produced, partly by the superiority of
soil and climate, and partly by culture. They were originally
brought out of Greece to Italy, whence they have found their way
to Holland, and from that country to England. It is supposed
that, within a few miles of Maidstone, in Kent, there are more
filberts grown than in all England besides; and it is from that
place that the London market is supplied. The filbert is longer
than the common nut, though of the same thickness, and has a
larger kernel. The cob-nut is a still larger variety, and is
roundish. Filberts are more esteemed at the dessert than common
nuts, and are generally eaten with salt. They are very free from
oil, and disagree with few persons.

WALNUTS.--The Walnut is a native of Persia, the Caucasus, and
China, but was introduced to this kingdom from France. The ripe
kernel is brought to the dessert on account of its agreeable
flavour; and the fruit is also much used in the green state, but
before the stone hardens, as a pickle. In Spain, grated walnuts
are employed in tarts and other dishes. The Walnut abounds in
oil which is expressed and which, being of a highly drying
nature, and very limpid, is much employed for delicate painting.
This, on the continent, is sometimes used as a substitute for
olive-oil in cooking, but is very apt to turn rancid. It is also
manufactured into a kind of soap. The mare, or refuse matter
after the oil is extracted, proves very nutritious for poultry
or other domestic animals. In Switzerland, this is eaten by poor
people under the name of _pain amer._

BOX OF FRENCH PLUMS.

1600. If the box which contains them is exceedingly ornamental, it may be placed on the table; if small, on a glass dish; if large, without one, French plums may also be arranged on a glass plate, and garnished with bright-coloured sweetmeats, which make a very good effect. All fancy boxes of preserved and crystallized fruit may be put on the table or not, at pleasure. These little matters of detail must, of course, be left to individual taste.

_Seasonable_.--May be purchased all the year; but are in greater perfection in the winter, and are more suitable for that season, as fresh fruit cannot be obtained.

DISH OF MIXED FRUIT.

1601. For a centre dish, a mixture of various fresh fruits has a remarkably good effect, particularly if a pine be added to the list. A high raised appearance should be given to the fruit, which is done in the following manner. Place a tumbler in the centre of the dish, and, in this tumbler, the pine, crown uppermost; round the tumbler put a thick layer of moss, and, over this, apples, pears, plums, peaches, and such fruit as is simultaneously in season. By putting a layer of moss underneath, so much fruit is not required, besides giving a better shape to the dish. Grapes should be placed on the top of the fruit, a portion of some of the bunches hanging over the sides of the dish in a négligé kind of manner, which takes off the formal look of the dish. In arranging the plums, apples, &c., let the colours contrast well.

_Seasonable_.--Suitable for a dessert in September or October.

GRAPES.--France produces about a thousand varieties of the
grape, which is cultivated more extensively in that country than
in any other. Hygienists agree in pronouncing grapes as among
the best of fruits. The grape possesses several rare qualities:
it is nourishing and fattening, and its prolonged use has often
overcome the most obstinate cases of constipation. The skins and
pips of grapes should not be eaten.

BOX OF CHOCOLATE.

1602. This is served in an ornamental box, placed on a glass plate or dish.

_Seasonable_.--May be purchased at any time.

DISH OF APPLES.

1603. The apples should be nicely wiped with a dry cloth, and arranged on a dish, piled high in the centre, with evergreen leaves between each layer. The inferior apples should form the bottom layer, with the bright-coloured large ones at the top. The leaves of the laurel, bay, holly, or any shrub green in winter, are suitable for garnishing dessert dishes. Oranges may be arranged in the same manner; they should also be wiped with a dry cloth before being sent to table.

DISH OF MIXED SUMMER FRUIT.