Chapter 6

Wash and quarter large Siberian crabs, but do not core; cover to the depth of an inch or two with cold water and cook to a mush; pour into a coarse cotton bag or strainer, and, when cool enough, press or squeeze hard to extract all of the juice. Take a piece of fine Swiss muslin or crinoline, wring out of water, spread over colander placed over a crock, and with a cup dip the juice slowly in, allowing plenty of time to run through; repeat this process twice, rinsing the muslin frequently. Allow the strained juice of four lemons to a peck of apples and three-quarters of a pound of sugar to each pint of juice. Boil the juice from ten to twenty minutes; while boiling, sift in the sugar slowly, stirring constantly, and boil five minutes longer. This is generally sufficient, but it is always safer to "try it" and ascertain whether it will jelly. This will make a clear, sparkling jelly.--_From Practical Housekeeping Cook Book._

The jelly is excellent.

PICKLES AND CATSUP

PICKLED ONIONS.

From MRS. HARRIET A. LUCAS, of Pennsylvania, Lady Manager

Peel carefully, by scalding, small onions; drain; place in salt and water, not too strong, for forty-eight hours; then drain again till dry. Put together one-half pint of milk and one-half pint water; place the small onions in it and allow them to scald, _not_ boil, or they will be softened. Remove, rinse in cold water and drain. Place in a jar and pour over them white wine vinegar, with a little mace and small red peppers; no dark spice. You will have a beautifully white, mild pickled onion if this is carried out.

OIL PICKLES. From MRS. IDA. M. BALL, of Delaware, Lady Manager.

Two dozen large cucumbers, sliced without paring; sprinkle with salt; place in a colander to drain for two or three hours. One dozen onions prepared in the same way, separately. Put in a stone jar, in alternate layers, sprinkling between with ground black pepper and a mixture of mustard and oil, the mixture to be made in the proportion of a small box of mustard to one-half pint of salad oil. When the jar is full, pour in enough cold vinegar to cover.

MIXED PICKLES.

From MRS. SAM. S. FIFIELD, of Wisconsin, Lady Manager.

Take small cucumbers, onions, beans, cauliflower, broken up, and pour over boiling hot brine made of one teacup of coarse salt to a gallon of water, for three mornings. The fourth morning drain well. (I put into a flour sack and hang out doors until dry.) To one gallon of good cider vinegar put a teaspoon of pulverized alum, four of white mustard seed, two of celery seed, five or six tiny red peppers, a handful of cloves and as much of stick cinnamon; pour over the pickles when real hot; add a good quantity of horseradish root to keep pickles from moulding.

CUCUMBER PICKLES.

From MRS. PARTHENIA P. RUE, of California, Lady Manager.

For two gallons of pickles, place the cucumbers in salt and water for three days; then rinse in fresh water. One teacupful of whole white mustard; one handful of whole cloves; allspice and black pepper; a teacupful of broken cinnamon. Put all into a large thin bag and boil in one quart vinegar. Put two or three red pepper pods and a few sprigs of horseradish root among the cucumbers, in a keg or jar. Take sufficient vinegar to cover them and put into it one pound of brown sugar; let it scald and cool a little; then pour over the pickles; then the spices and vinegar, allowing the spices to remain on top. The spices and vinegar must be poured off and scalded for five mornings, and, when cool, poured over the pickles; the last day pour over a cup of molasses. Use good cider vinegar. If desired sweeter, sugar to vinegar when heating. Cucumbers used late in the season make better pickles than the earlier ones. Put cucumbers in salt water when freshly picked.

GREEN CUCUMBER PICKLE.

From MRS. CORA PAYNE JACKSON, of Kentucky, Lady Manager.

One gallon of cider vinegar; one pound of brown sugar; one tablespoon of allspice; one tablespoon of cloves; one tablespoon of black pepper; one tablespoon of mace; two tablespoons of root ginger; two tablespoons of celery; two tablespoons of white mustard; one handful of horseradish. After it begins to boil add cold cucumbers, well soaked, and boil until tender enough to pierce with a fork.

RIPE CUCUMBER PICKLE.

From MISS MARY ELLIOTT MCCANDLESS, of Pennsylvania, Lady Manager.

Slice twenty-five large cucumbers in pieces between one and two inches thick; lay in salt water two days; wash out the salt. Boil in alum water half an hour, alum size of a walnut (English); take out and boil in ginger water an hour; one ounce of ginger and water to cover. Make a syrup of five pounds of light brown sugar, three quarts of vinegar, one pint of water, two ounces of whole cloves, two ounces of stick cinnamon, half an ounce of whole allspice, half an ounce of mace (put spices in bags). Let all boil until a rich syrup, then put in the cucumbers and boil between one and two hours.

GOOSEBERRY CATSUP.

From MRS. AMEY M. STARKWEATHER, of Rhode Island, Superintendent State Work and Lady Manager.

Nine pounds of gooseberries; add five pounds of sugar, one quart of vinegar, three tablespoonfuls of cinnamon, one and one-half each of allspice and cloves. The gooseberries should be nearly or quite ripe. Take off the blossoms, wash, and put them into a porcelain kettle, scald, then put through a colander, add the sugar and spices; boil fifteen minutes; then add the vinegar; bottle immediately before it cools. Almost any recipe for spiced gooseberries makes a good recipe when the gooseberries are put through a colander or coarse sieve, and the vinegar added, cooled in this way.

If you wish a smaller recipe, use the following: To four quarts of fruit, take three pounds of sugar, one pint of vinegar, one tablespoonful each of ground cloves, allspice and cinnamon. Make as in the above recipe.

CABBAGE PICKLE.

From MRS. CARRINGTON MASON, of Tennessee, Alternate Lady Manager.

Quarter small, hard heads of cabbage, removing the outer leaves; put in a brine for three days, then let it soak in fresh water six hours. Wipe perfectly dry, squeezing the water out. Scald the cabbage in weak vinegar and water, to which add turmeric in a thin muslin bag. Then put into a stone jar alternate layers of cabbage and seasoning as follows: Mace, ginger, cinnamon, white mustard seeds, onions, red pepper, and horse radish. Bring to a boil enough good cider vinegar to cover the whole, and pour into the jar hot.

PICALILLY.

From MRS. ELLA RAY MILLER, of Idaho, Alternate Lady Manager.

One peck green tomatoes; twelve large onions; one ounce each of allspice, cloves, cinnamon, whole pepper and white mustard seed; two ounces flour of mustard, one and one-half pound sugar. Slice and salt tomatoes, drain over night. Put spices in bags, cover all with vinegar, and boil till tender. Seal in glass jars.

SWEET PICKLED PEACHES.

From MRS. NELLIE B. PLUMER, of Pennsylvania, Alternate Lady Manager.

Ten pounds peaches--pared; five pounds sugar; one quart best cider vinegar; one tablespoonful allspice; one tablespoonful mace; one tablespoonful cinnamon; one teaspoonful cloves. Put the spices in thin muslin bags. Boil all together half hour; then put in the peaches, and boil twenty minutes. Take out the fruit with a skimmer, and spread upon dishes to cool. Boil the syrup until thick, pack the peaches in glass jars, and pour syrup over them scalding hot.

CHOW-CHOW PICKLES.

From MRS. H.K. INGRAM, of Florida, Alternate Lady Manager.

One-half peck green tomatoes; one dozen peppers; two heads cabbage (medium size); one-half peck onions; one-fourth peck cucumbers. Chop fine (or, better still, run through a sausage grinder), and mix thoroughly with three handfuls of salt. Pour all into a thin bag to drain for twelve hours, or over night. At the end of this time put sufficient vinegar to cover into a large iron, tin or porcelain vessel, and add two ounces black pepper grains, two ounces allspice grains, two ounces celery seed, one-fourth pound mustard, one pound sugar. Scald the vinegar and pour contents of bag into it; add the spices, mix well, and let all come to a boil, and remove instantly. This will be found equal to the best imported bottled chow-chow.

MUSTARD CHOW-CHOW.

From MRS. ALICE B. CASTLEMAN, of Kentucky, Alternate Lady Manager.

Two dozen cucumbers, cut in chunks about an inch thick; two heads of cabbage, chopped fine. Sprinkle with salt and let stand all night. One dozen large green peppers, chopped up; five dozen small seed onions. Soak the onions and peppers separately in salt water all night; next morning squeeze all the salt water from them. Then place in a kettle a layer of pickle and a layer of seasoning composed of two ounces of white mustard seed; two ounces celery seed; one ounce turmeric; one- half pound box of Coleman's mustard, mixed smooth with vinegar, adding two and one-half pounds brown sugar. After putting all in the kettle, cover with vinegar and boil thirty minutes, This recipe makes two gallons of pickles, and one and one half gallons of vinegar covers it. Use best cider vinegar.

CHOW-CHOW.

From MISS MARY ELLIOTT MCCANDLESS, of Pennsylvania, Lady Manager.

One peck green tomatoes; two large heads of cabbage; two good sized onions; three small red peppers; one-fourth pound yellow mustard seed; one-fourth pound ground mustard; one and one-half ounces celery seed; one tablespoonful cayenne pepper, three quarts best vinegar; one quart granulated sugar. Slice tomatoes, salt them, then chop very fine, and drain all green water off; put the chopped tomatoes on in a preserving kettle, with some good vinegar, bring them to the scald, then pour in colander to drain and cool. Chop cabbage, onions and peppers fine, and _when the tomatoes are cold_, mix all together. Bring to boil vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, celery seed, red pepper and more salt. Mix ground mustard with chopped tomatoes, cabbage, etc. When the vinegar, sugar, etc., is cold, pour on the chopped mixture; stir thoroughly and put in wide-mouthed bottles.

CHEESE

CHEESE FONDA.

From MISS HATTIE T. HUNDLEY, of Alabama, Lady Manager.

One cup of bread crumbs, very dry and fine; two scant cups of milk; one-half pound of old cheese, grated; three eggs, whipped very light, and one tablespoonful of butter. Season with pepper and salt and a pinch of soda dissolved in hot water and stirred into the milk. Soak the crumbs in the milk, beat with these the eggs, butter, seasoning, and lastly the cheese; put into a buttered baking dish, put dry bread crumbs on top and bake in a rather quick oven until a delicate brown. Serve immediately.--_Mrs. Henderson's Cook Book_.

CHEESE STICKS.

From MRS. MARGARET M. RATCLIFFE, of Arkansas, Alternate Lady Manager.

Six tablespoons of grated cheese; two tablespoons of melted butter; enough flour to make a soft dough. Roll thin, cut in strips and bake in floured pan in quick oven.

PIES

LEMON PIE.

From MRS. L. M. N. STEVENS, of Maine, Lady Manager.

One cup sugar; juice of one lemon; one egg and yolks of two eggs; one dessertspoonful rolled cracker, scalded in two-thirds cup milk. Bake in a deep plate. After baking frost with the whites of two eggs beaten stiff, adding two spoonfuls of sugar. Brown the frosting a little.

IDEAL LEMON PIE.

From MRS. IDA L. TURNER, of Texas, Lady Manager.

Make the crust, line pie tin and bake. While it is baking prepare the following filling: Grate one lemon (do not roll it); after the yellow rind is all grated, squeeze in the juice and if any little cells go in, do not say them nay; then put in a cupful of sugar and the yolks of two eggs; stir well together; upon this pour a large cupful of cold water, into which has been stirred a dessertspoonful of corn starch; put all into a sauce pan and stir until it is cooked into a rich, clear, straw-colored jelly. Then fill the crust and from the whites of the eggs make a meringue to cover each. Put into the oven for one brief instant.

LEMON PIE.

From MRS. VIRGINIA C. MEREDITH, of Indiana, Lady Manager and Vice- Chairman of Executive Committee.

Two cups of sugar; one cup of boiling water; four eggs; two lemons; one and one-half tablespoon flour. Stir the sugar and flour well together; add the juice and grated rind of the lemons; to this add the well beaten yolks; after stirring well, add the boiling water; put over a clear fire and stir constantly until it boils, then pour into the shells. Spread over the top a meringue made of the whites of the four eggs and one tablespoon of sugar; place in the oven and brown slightly. This is sufficient for two pies. The shells should he made of ordinary pie pastry and baked before being filled with the mixture.

LEMON PIE.

From MISS LUCIA B. PEREA, of New Mexico, Alternate Lady Manager.

One and one-half cups of sugar; one cup of water; two tablespoonfuls flour or corn starch; one tablespoonful butter; yolks of three eggs; two lemons, grated; add juice, beat well all together, then boil until thick. Beat up one cup of pulverized sugar with the whites of three eggs. Pour over the pie when done, and brown.

PUMPKIN PIE.

From MRS. FRANCES C. HOLLEY, of North Dakota, Alternate Lady Manager.

Pare pumpkin, cut into inch pieces; steam till well done, or stew until soft and dry; then sift through a wire sieve or colander. Add one well beaten egg for each pie, also one tablespoonful of cream, if you have it, for each, together with sufficient milk to give the required thickness when cooked. Sugar and salt to your taste, flavor with nutmeg, adding also a little ginger. Use deep custard plates; bake, rather slowly at first, until well thickened and nicely brown on top.

APPLE CUSTARD PIE.

From MRS. ANNIE L. Y. ORFF, of Missouri, Alternate Lady Manager.

One cup milk; yolks of two eggs; four grated apples; small spoon of melted butter; one-half cup sugar; nutmeg to flavor; pinch of salt. Bake in one crust. Make a frosting with whites of eggs and two spoons of sugar. Brown delicately.

CREAM PIE.

From MRS. M. R. LEE, of Mississippi, Lady Manager.

Put one-half pint milk and one-half cupful sugar in a frying pan and let it come to a boil; then dissolve one tablespoonful corn starch in a little milk reserved from the half pint. Add to it the beaten yolk of one egg, stir into the boiling milk, and when thickened and smooth, remove and add a little salt and lemon flavoring. Pour into a flaky crust that has been just baked, and frost with the white of one egg and one tablespoonful sugar; place in hot stove till a delicate brown.

CREAM PIE

From MRS. LOUISE CAMPBELL, of New Mexico, Alternate Lady Manager.

Bake an undercrust. Boil one pint of sweet milk; when boiling, stir in one-quarter cup of corn starch, one-half a cup of sugar, and the yolks of two eggs, which must be well beaten together. Cook thoroughly, flavor with vanilla, and add a little salt. Pour this mixture into the baked crust. Beat the whites of the two eggs, and to them add half a cup of sugar, and use as meringue.

APPLE PIE.

From MRS. ALICE VINEYARD BROWN, of North Dakota, Alternate Lady Manager.

Sift into a chopping bowl three small caps of flour; then with the knife chop in thoroughly one cup of lard, one-half cup of butter, that have been on ice for an hour; mix with four to six tablespoons of ice water, as may be needed to handle, roll thin and line a shell, into which slice thinly any tart apples that will cook rather quickly. Dredge with the grated rind of a lemon--a somewhat dry lemon is preferable--which has been mixed thoroughly with one tablespoon of sugar and one small teaspoon of corn starch. Now break an egg into a howl, beat well and add four tablespoons of sugar and one cup of rich milk; pour this over the apples; with the jag iron cut the remainder of the paste into narrow strips and lay across to form squares. Bake in a moderate oven until the custard "sets." Place on ice in summer; eat slightly warm in winter.

PIE CRUST.

From MRS. ANNIE L, Y. ORFF, of Missouri, Alternate Lady Manager.

One cup lard; one-half cup cold water; a pinch of salt, and flour enough to roll. This will make exactly two pies.

MINCE MEAT.

From MRS. MARCIA LOUISE GOULD, of Illinois, President State Board and Lady Manager.

Two pounds of lean fresh beef boiled; when cold chop fine; one pound of beef suet cleared of strings and minced to a powder; five pounds of apples, pared and chopped; two pounds of raisins, seeded and chopped; one pound of Sultana raisins, washed and picked over; two pounds of currants, washed and _carefully_ picked over; three-quarters of a pound of citron, chopped fine; two tablespoonfuls of cinnamon, one of nutmeg (powdered), two of mace, one of cloves, one of allspice, one of fine salt; two and a quarter pounds of brown sugar; one quart brown sherry, and one pint best brandy or three pints of grape juice.

MINCE MEAT.

From MRS. LAURA F. COLEMAN, of Colorado, Lady Manager.

Two pounds of beef; half pound suet; half pound butter; five pounds apples; two pounds raisins; two pounds seedless raisins; half pound citron; three tablespoonfuls cinnamon, two of mace, two of allspice; one nutmeg; three pounds brown sugar; half gallon sweet cider. Boil beef until tender, then chop fine; also chop suet, apples and citron. Then mix all the ingredients thoroughly and boil until the apples are cooked. After removing from the stove add one-half teacupful of brandy if desired.

PUDDING

GRAHAM CHRISTMAS PUDDING.

From MRS. ROLLIN A. EDGERTON, of Arkansas, Secretary of State Board and Lady Manager.

_ The Christmas pudding which I add was served up this Christmas on my table and pronounced delicious. Dyspeptics need not fear this "Plum Pudding" and it is rich enough to please the most fastidious.

Wishing your philanthropic efforts every success, I am, Very truly yours,_

Beat two eggs; take one-half cup of sweet milk; one-half cup of molasses, in which dissolve one-half teaspoon of soda; a lump of butter the size of an egg; one cup of Graham flour (don't sift) two cups of flour, in which a cup of stoned raisins are well rubbed; one small teaspoon of salt; spice with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, one teaspoonful all together. Then steam two hours and serve with a hard sauce of butter and fine sugar creamed together, with one well beaten egg and grated nutmeg as a finish. Wholesome, delicious, and extremely simple to prepare.

GRAHAM PUDDING.

From MRS. GEORGE A. MUMFORD, of Rhode Island, Alternate Lady Manager.

One and one-half cups of Graham flour; one cup of milk; one-half cup of molasses; one cup of raisins, seeded and chopped; one teaspoonful soda; one-half teaspoonful salt. Sift the Graham flour to make it light, but return the bran. Dissolve the soda in one tablespoonful of the milk and add the remainder of the milk, molasses and salt. Then pour all the mixture on the Graham flour, beating it thoroughly with a spoon; then stir in the fruit (and spice if you wish). Pour the pudding into a well greased mould and steam four hours. Serve with a wine or any rich sauce.

LADY ROSS FIG PUDDING.

From MRS. WM. P. LYNDE, of Wisconsin, Lady Manager.

Three-quarters pound grated bread; one-half pound best figs, minced fine; six ounces minced beef suet; six ounces sugar; one teacup sweet milk; a little nutmeg; one egg. Mix the bread and suet together; then add figs, sugar and nutmeg; then the egg, well beaten; lastly the milk. Boil in a mould four hours.

_Wine Sauce_--Two cups sugar; one-half cup butter. Stir to a cream; then add one glass of wine and some flavoring and a little nutmeg; then pour in a small cup boiling water and set on the stove in a pan or kettle of water and keep hot until served.

ALEXANDRE PUDDING.

From MRS. M. D. THATCHER, of Colorado, Lady Manager.

Set a jelly mould on ice; put a layer of maraschino jelly (or any wine jelly) in the bottom of the mould; when set, add a layer of pink jelly (made by adding a drop of prepared cochineal); when set, put a lining in the centre of the mould; if you have not the centre-form, use a small tin baking-powder box, placing it in the centre of the mould; then add alternate layers of the jellies until the mould is filled, and when well set and firm, gently withdraw the lining (or can), filling the hollow thus formed with a custard cream. When all is quite firm, turn out on a dish and serve with whipped cream around the pudding.

PLUM PUDDING.

From MRS. FLORENCE H. KIDDER, of North Carolina, Lady Manager.

One and one-half pounds of stoned raisins, torn in half; one pound of currants; one and one-half pounds of citron, cut fine; one and one- quarter pounds of butter; one pound of sugar; eight eggs, well beaten; one pound of stale bread crumbs; one and one-half pints of sweet milk, boiled and poured on bread crumbs; two grated nutmegs; two tablespoons of cinnamon; one tablespoon of mace, one of cloves and two of allspice; eight tablespoons of sifted flour, rubbed in with fruit; one-half pint of French brandy and one-half pint of Madeira or sherry. Have a bag two thicknesses of white unbleached cloth; grease and flour the inside well; pour in mixture, tie tightly to exclude water, and leave room for pudding to swell. Put in a pot of boiling water, which must be kept boiling for five hours. Put plate in bottom of pot to prevent sticking. The bag must be turned repeatedly and kept under water.

_Sauce for Plum Pudding_--Butter and powdered sugar, thoroughly stirred, and seasoned with wine and nutmeg. When pudding is ready to serve, pour alcohol over it and set on fire.

This recipe makes a large pudding, but it can be packed away with brandy poured over it, and can be used by steaming over as long as it lasts.

ENGLISH PLUM PUDDING.

From MRS. PHOEBE M. HARTPENCE, of Ohio, Chairman Committee on Woman's Work, Lady Manager.

One cup molasses; one cup sour milk; one cup suet, chopped fine; one cup raisins; one-half cup currants; two and one-half cups flour; one teaspoonful soda. Mix well, salt and spice to taste, and steam two hours.

_Dressing_--Mix one heaping tablespoonful flour and two of sugar; add to these grated nutmeg. Stir and add one-half pint of boiling water; add to this a small tablespoonful of butter, a little lemon and vanilla, one teaspoonful vinegar. Let it come to a boil, and if too thick, add more water.

ENGLISH PLUM PUDDING.

From Mrs. S. W. McLaughlin, of North Dakota, Lady Manager.

A pound of suet, chopped fine; a pint of sugar; one pound of grated stale bread; one pound of raisins, two of currants; a glass of unfermented wine or jelly; two teaspoonfuls of ginger, one of soda; two nutmegs; half a pint of milk; a little salt. Beat well and steam five hours. Serve with rich sauce.

VEGETABLE PLUM PUDDING.

From MISS MARY E. BUSSELLE, of New Jersey, Lady Manager.

One-half pound flour; one-half pound chopped suet; one-half pound currants; one-half pound prunes; one-quarter pound grated raw carrots; three-quarters pound grated raw potatoes; one-half pound brown sugar; one large teaspoonful of baking powder; pinch of salt. Flavor with a teaspoonful each of nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. The moisture from the raw vegetables makes sufficient wetting.

PLUM PUDDING

From MRS. HELEN C. BRAYTON, of South Carolina, Vice-President of State Board and Lady Manager.

One pound seedless raisins; one pound dried currants; one pound stale bread crumbs; one-half pound finely chopped beef suet; one-fourth pound shredded citron; eight eggs; one quart milk; one-half cup sugar; mace or nutmeg; one gill of brandy; one teaspoon salt; eggs well beaten and put in last; raisins floured before stirring in. Boil gently five hours without stopping. Water must be boiling when pudding is put in and kept boiling till done. Eat with liquid wine sauce. Pour alcohol around pudding and set it on fire. A sprig of holly in centre for Christmas.

CHRISTMAS PLUM PUDDING.

From MRS. ALICE J. WHALEN, of Utah, Lady Manager.