Chapter 11

~GREEN GRAPE MARMALADE~--If, as often happens, there are many unripened grapes still on the vines and frost threatens, gather them all and try this green grape marmalade. Take one gallon stemmed green grapes, wash, drain and put on to cook in a porcelain kettle with one pint of water. Cook until soft, rub through a sieve, measure and add an equal amount of sugar to the pulp. Boil hard twenty-five minutes, watching closely that it does not burn, then pour into jars or glasses. When cold cover with melted paraffin, the same as for jelly.

~GREEN TOMATOES CANNED FOR PIES~--To fifteen pounds round green tomatoes sliced thin allow nine pounds granulated sugar and a quarter pound ginger, washed, scraped and cut very thin, and four lemons scrubbed and sliced thin, removing all seeds. Put this mixture over the fire with a pint of water and cook about half an hour, taking care the contents of the kettle do not scorch. Turn into sterilised glass jars and seal air tight. A tablespoonful of cinnamon and a half tablespoonful each of cloves and allspice may be added to the sauce while cooking if desired.

~PEAR AND BLUEBERRY PRESERVES~--Pick over and wash two quarts of blueberries, add water to nearly cover and stew them half hour. Mash them well, when all are broken turn into a bowl covered with cheese cloth. Drain well and when cool squeeze out all the juice. Put the blueberry juice on to boil, add one pint of sugar to each pint of juice and remove all scum. Allow one quart of sliced pears to one pint of juice. Use hard pears not suitable for canning. Cook them in the syrup, turning over often and when soft and transparent skim them out into the jars. Boil down the syrup and strain over the fruit. Fill to overflowing and seal.

~PRESERVED CURRANTS~--Weigh seven pounds of currants before picking over, then stem them and throw out all that are not perfect. Put seven pounds of sugar with three pints of currant juice and boil three minutes, add the currants, one pound of seeded raisins, and cook all twenty minutes. Seal in small jars.

~PRESERVED STRAWBERRIES~--The following method for preserving strawberries is highly recommended. Weigh the berries and allow an equal amount of sugar. As two cups weigh a pound, the sugar can be measured. Put the sugar into the preserving kettle with enough cold water to moisten it, but not enough to make it a liquid. Set the kettle on the back of the range, and when the sugar has entirely dissolved lay in the fruit and heat. As soon as it boils skim and cook five minutes. Do not stir or mash the berries. Now spread them around on deep platters or enameled pans and cover with panes of window glass. Set in the sun, and the syrup will gradually thicken. Turn into small jars and seal.

~RHUBARB JAM~--Add to each pound of rhubarb cut without peeling, a pound of sugar and one lemon. Pare the yellow peel from the lemon, taking care to get none of the bitter white pith. Slice the pulp of the lemon in an earthen bowl, discarding the seeds. Put the rhubarb into the bowl with the sugar and lemon, cover and stand away in a cool place over night. In the morning turn into the preserving kettle, simmer gently three-quarters of an hour or until thick, take from the fire, cool a little and pour into jars.

~SPICED CRABAPPLES~--Wash the crabapples, cut out the blossoms end with a silver knife. To four pounds of fruit take two pounds of sugar, one pint of vinegar, one heaping teaspoon each of broken cinnamon, cassia buds and allspice, add one scant tablespoon whole cloves. Tie the spices in a thin bag and boil with the vinegar and sugar five minutes. Skim them, add the apples and simmer slowly until tender; which will take about ten or fifteen minutes. Skim out the apples, putting them in a large bowl or jar. Boil the sugar five minutes longer and pour over the fruit. Next day drain off the syrup, heat to the boiling point and pour again over the apples. Do this for the next two days, then bottle and seal while hot.

~SPICED CRABAPPLE JELLY~--With crabapples still on hand a nice spiced jelly can be made to serve with meats. Cook the apples without peeling until tender. Strain through a jelly bag, add vinegar to taste with cloves and cinnamon. Cook twenty minutes, add an equal quantity of sugar that has been heated in the oven. Boil five minutes, skim and turn in glasses.

~SPICED RIPE TOMATO~--Peel ripe tomatoes and weigh. For each seven pounds allow two cups of vinegar, seven cups of sugar, one ounce of whole allspice, the same of stick cinnamon and one-half ounce of whole cloves. Cook the tomatoes half an hour or until soft, cutting to pieces while cooking. Add the vinegar, sugar and spices tied in a muslin bag. Cook until thick like marmalade. Serve with cold meats.

~TOMATO FIGS~--Scald eight pounds of yellow tomatoes and remove the skins. Pack them in layers with an equal weight of sugar. After twenty-four hours drain off the juice and simmer five minutes, add the tomatoes and boil until clear. Remove the fruit with a skimmer and harden in the sun while you boil down the syrup until thick; pack jars two-thirds full of the tomatoes, pour the syrup over and seal. Add the juice of four lemons, two ounces of green ginger root tied up in a bag and the parboiled yellow rind of the lemons to the juice when boiling down.

~WILD GRAPE BUTTER~--If the wild frost grapes are used, take them after the frost has ripened them. Stem and mash, then mix with an equal quantity of stewed and mashed apple. Rub the mixture through a sieve, add half as much sugar as there is pulp and cook until thick, being careful that it does not burn. It is a good idea to set preserves and fruit butters in the oven with the door ajar to finish cooking as there is then much less danger of burning or spattering.

~YELLOW TOMATO PRESERVES~--Allow a pound sugar to each pound tomatoes and half cup of water to each pound fruit. Cover the tomatoes with boiling water, then skim. Make a syrup with the sugar, and when boiling skim and add the tomatoes. Have ready a sliced lemon that has been cooked in boiling water and a little sliced ginger. Add to the tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes are clear, remove, pack in jars, cook the syrup until thick, pour over and seal.

~MINCE MEAT~--One peck sour apples, three pounds boiled beef, two pounds suet, one quart canned cherries, one quart grape juice, one pint cider, one pint apple butter, one glass orange marmalade, half pound candied orange peel, half pound citron, two pounds currants, two pounds raisins, two tablespoonfuls salt. Put all together and boil up well. This may be canned for future use.

SOUFFLES

~ASPARAGUS SOUFFLE~--Only very tender asparagus should be used. Cut it fine and boil tender in salted water. Add the well beaten yolks of four eggs, one tablespoonful of soft butter, a saltspoon of salt and a little pepper. Then fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs and bake in a steady oven. Canned asparagus can be substituted for fresh.

~CABBAGE SOUFFLE~--Chop a solid white head of cabbage and cook in salted water until tender. Drain and place in a buttered dish in layers with a sprinkling of grated cheese between. Mix two tablespoonfuls each of flour and butter, add one cupful of rich milk, the beaten yolks of two eggs and a saltspoon of salt and mustard, stir over the fire until it boils. Then add the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs, pour over the cabbage and bake for half an hour.

~CHEESE SOUFFLE~--Mix together one-half cup breadcrumbs, a quarter teaspoon salt, a half teaspoonful mustard and a dash of cayenne. Add a tablespoonful butter, a cup and a half milk and cook over hot water. When heated remove. Add while hot two cups grated cheese and the well beaten yolks of three eggs. Cool. When ready to bake add the beaten whites of four eggs and a cup of whipped cream. Fill individual cups half full, set in a pan of hot water and bake fifteen minutes in a quick oven.

~CORN SOUFFLE~--To one pint of sweet grated corn (canned corn) drain and run through a food chopper (may be used), add the well beaten yolks of two eggs, one pint of sweet milk, one small teaspoonful of salt, one and one-half tablespoonfuls of sugar and the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. Mix well and bake in a buttered casserole or ramequins for forty minutes.

~GUERNSEY CHEESE SOUFFLE~--Pin a narrow folded paper thoroughly buttered on the inside, around six or eight ramequins and butter the ramequins thoroughly. Melt two tablespoonfuls butter and in it cook two tablespoonfuls of flour and a quarter teaspoonful each of salt and paprika. When the mixture looks frothy stir in half a cup of milk and stir until boiling. Then add four ounces grated cheese and the beaten yolks of three eggs. Lastly fold in the stiffly whipped whites of three eggs. Put the mixture into the ramequins letting it come up to the paper or nearly to the top of the dishes. Set the ramequins on many folds of paper in a dish, pour in boiling water to half fill, and let bake in a moderate oven until the mixture is well puffed up and firm to the touch. Remove the buttered paper, set the ramequins in place and serve at once. A green vegetable salad seasoned with French dressing and a browned cracker may accompany the dish.

~SOUFFLE OF CARROTS~--Boil the carrots and mash them fine, add a little sugar to taste, a pinch of salt, a spoonful of flour and a good lump of butter, the well beaten yolks of four eggs, and lastly fold in the stiffly beaten whites. Bake in a quick oven in the dish in which it may be served.

~TOMATO SOUFFLE~--Stew three cupfuls of tomato down to two, add seasoning to taste and six eggs, the whites beaten stiff, and bake for ten or fifteen minutes or until set. Serve as soon as done.

FILLING FOR CAKES

~COFFEE CREAM FOR CHARLOTTE AND ECLAIR~--Flavor one pint of rich thick cream with one-fourth cup of black coffee and one teaspoon of lemon, add about a half a cup of sugar, chill and whip it until thick enough to stand. Pour it into molds lined with thin sponge cake or lady fingers. Fill them level and ornament the top with some of the cream forced through tube.

~FILLING~--For the filling scald one cup of milk with three level tablespoons of ground coffee and let stand where it will be hot but not boil, for five minutes. Strain, add one-half cup of sugar, three level tablespoons of flour and a pinch of salt. Cook in a double boiler fifteen minutes, add one beaten egg and cook two minutes, stirring to keep smooth. Cool and add one-quarter teaspoon of vanilla flavoring. Fill the cream cakes and cover with cream beaten thick, sweetened with powdered sugar and flavored with a few drops of vanilla.

~FILLING FOR CAKE~--Soak a level tablespoon of gelatin in one tablespoon of cold water for half an hour, add one tablespoon of boiling water and stir. Beat one pint of cream stiff, then beat in the soaked gelatin, add powdered sugar to make sweet and a small teaspoon vanilla flavoring or enough to suit the taste. Put this filling in thick layers between the cakes and cover the top one with a white icing.

~FIG OR DATE FROSTING~--These frostings are excellent to use upon any kind of cake, but as they are rather rich in themselves, they seem better suited for light white cake. If figs are preferred they should be chopped fine. If dates, the stones and as much as possible of the white lining should be removed and then they should be chopped fine. For a good size loaf of cake, baked in two layers, use a scant quarter of a pound of either the chopped dates or figs, put into a double boiler or saucepan with a very little boiling water, just enough to make the mass pliable. Let them stand and heat while the syrup is boiling. For this two cups of fine granulated sugar and half a cup of boiling water are required. Boil without stirring till the syrup taken upon the spoon or skewer will "thread." Do not allow it to boil too hard at first. When the sugar is thoroughly melted, move the saucepan to a hotter part of the stove so that it may boil more vigorously. Have ready the whites of two eggs beaten dry, now to them add the fig or date paste and pour the boiling syrup in a fine stream over the two, beating all the time. Beat occasionally while cooling, and when thoroughly cold add one teaspoonful of lemon extract, and it is ready for use. These frostings may be a trifle sticky the day they are made, especially if the syrup is not boiled very long, but the stickiness disappears by the second day, even if kept in a stone jar.

~LEMON JELLY~--Grate two lemons, add the juice, one cup of white sugar, one large spoonful of butter and the yolks of three eggs. Stir constantly over the fire until it jellies, when cold spread between cakes.

~MAPLE ICING~--Scrape half a pound of maple sugar and melt, add two tablespoons of boiling water. While hot pour over the cake. Be sure to melt the sugar before adding the water.

~MOCHA FILLING AND ICING~--A rich but much liked filling for small cakes is made by boiling one cup of sugar and one-half cup of very strong or very black coffee together until the syrup will thread. In the meantime wash one cup of sweet butter in cold water to take out all the salt. Put in a piece of cheesecloth and pat it until all the moisture is dried out. Beat until creamy, adding slowly the beaten yolk of one egg and the syrup. Spread this filling between layer cakes, but it is more often used to pipe over the top of small cakes.

~ORANGE FILLING~--One-half cup of sugar, two and one-half level tablespoons flour, grated rind of one-half orange, one-third cup of orange juice, one tablespoon lemon juice, one egg beaten slightly, one teaspoon melted butter. Mix the ingredients and cook in double boiler for twelve minutes, stirring constantly. Cool before using.

DESSERTS

~APPLES STUFFED WITH DATES~--Core large, slightly acid apples and fill with stoned dates. Pour over them equal parts of sugar and water boiled together. Baste the apples frequently while baking. Serve as a dessert at dinner or luncheon.

~APPLE SPONGE PUDDING~--One cup of sifted pastry flour and sift it with one level teaspoon of baking-powder. Beat the yolks of three eggs until light colored, add one cup of sugar and the juice of one lemon. Fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the three eggs and then the flour. Spread the batter thinly on a large shallow pan and bake about twenty minutes in a moderate oven. Turn out of the pan, trim off any hard edges, spread with stewed, sweetened, and flavored apples, and roll up at once like a jelly roll. Serve with a liquid sauce or a syrup made from sugar and water.

~APRICOT KISSES~--Beat the whites of two eggs until very light and still, flavor with one-half teaspoon vanilla and then carefully fold in one cup of fine granulated sugar. Lay a sheet of paraffin paper over the bottom of a large baking part and drop the mixture on the paper, in any size you wish from one teaspoon to two tablespoons. Have them some distance apart so they will not run together. Bake them in a very moderate oven and be careful to bake sufficiently, say forty-five minutes. They should be only delicately colored and yet dry all through. When done remove to a platter and break the top in, remove a little of the inside and fill pulp of sifted peaches, sweetened and mixed with equal parts of whipped cream. Sprinkle pistachio nuts over the top and serve fancy cakes.

~BAKED CUSTARD~--Beat four eggs, whites and yolks together lightly, and add a quart of milk, four tablespoons sugar, a pinch of salt and flavoring. Bake in stoneware cups or a shallow bowl, set in a pan of water.

~BAKED BANANAS, PORTO RICAN FASHION~--Select rather green bananas, put them, without removing the skins, into hot ashes or a very hot oven and bake until the skins burst open. Send to the table in a folded napkin. The skins help hold in the heat and are not to be removed until the moment of eating. Serve plenty of butter with them.

~BANANA AND LEMON JELLY CREAM~--Soak one-half box of gelatin in one cup of cold water. Shave the rind of one lemon, using none of the white, and steep it with one square inch stick of cinnamon in one pint of boiling water ten minutes. Add the soaked gelatin, one cup of sugar and three-fourths of a cup of lemon juice, and when dissolved strain into shallow dishes. When cold cut it in dice or break it up with a fork, and put it in a glass dish in layers with spiced bananas. Pour a cold boiled custard over them and cover with a meringue. Brown the meringue on a plate and slip it off over the custard.

~CUSTARD PUDDING~--Line a baking dish with slices of sponge cake. Make a boiled custard with four cups of milk and the yolks of five eggs, one-half cup of sugar and flavored with vanilla. Pour the custard into the baking-dish. Beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth with one-half cup of powdered sugar and spread over the top. Set in a very slow oven to brown slightly.

~CUSTARD SOUFFLE~--Mix one-fourth cup of sugar, one cup flour and one cup of cold milk. Stir till it thickens, add one-fourth cup of butter, cool, stir in the beaten yolks of four eggs and then the stiffly beaten whites. Turn into a buttered shallow dish, set in a pan of hot water and bake in a moderate oven half an hour. Serve at once.

~FIG AND RHUBARB~--Wash two bunches of rhubarb and cut into inch pieces without peeling. Put into boiler with a cupful sugar and four or five figs cut in inch pieces. Put on the cover and cook over hot water until the rhubarb is tender and the syrup is rich and jelly-like in consistency. Raisins are nice cooked in rhubarb the same way. If preferred, and you are to have a hot oven anyway, put the rhubarb and figs or raisins in a stone pot, cover closely and bake in the oven until jellied.

~COLD RHUBARB DESSERT~--Peel tender stalks and cut enough into half-inch pieces to measure two cups. Cook with one cup of water, the grated rind from a large orange and two cups of sugar. Do not stir while cooking, but lift from the range now and then to prevent burning; When soft but not broken, add two and one-half tablespoons of gelatin soaked fifteen minutes in one-half cup of cold water. Stir with a fork just enough to mix and pour all into a large mold. When formed, unmold, and serve with cream.

~GERMAN DESSERT~--Beat two eggs and a pinch of salt, add two cupfuls of milk and pour into a deep plate. Soak slices of bread in this, one at a time until softened, but not enough to break. Melt a rounding tablespoon of butter in a pan and in this brown the bread on both sides. Serve with an orange pudding sauce or any kind of liquid sauce preferred.

~LEMON SPONGE~--Soak one-half box of gelatin in one-half cup of cold water. Add the juice of four lemons to one cup of sugar then the beaten yolks of four eggs, add two cups of cold water, and bring to a boiling-point. Stir in the soaked gelatin and strain into a large bowl set in a pan of ice. Beat now and then until it begins to harden, then add the unbeaten whites of four eggs and beat continuously until the sponge is light and firm. Fill into molds before the sponge is too hard to form into the shape of the mold.

~MOSAIC JELLY~--One and one-half cups of milk, two level tablespoons sugar, rind of one-half lemon, one-half bay-leaf, one level tablespoon granulated gelatin, one-fourth cup of water, yolks two eggs. Scald the milk with the sugar, lemon rind, and bay-leaf, then add the gelatin soaked in water for twenty minutes. Stir until dissolved and strain the hot mixture gradually into the egg yolks slightly beaten. Return to double boiler and stir until thickened. Remove from fire and color one-half of the mixture either pink or green, and turn each half into a shallow pan wet with cold water. When cold cut into squares or oblongs. Line a mold with lemon jelly and garnish with the colored pieces. Add the remaining jelly, chill thoroughly and serve on a platter garnished with whipped cream.

~PINEAPPLE BAVARIAN CREAM~--Grate enough pineapple to make two cups. Soak two level teaspoons of gelatin in one-half cup of cold water for twenty minutes. Heat the pineapple to the scalding point, add the soaked gelatin and stir until dissolved, then add one-third cup sugar, stir and fold in three cups of beaten cream. Turn into molds and chill.

~SCALLOPED APPLE~--Measure two even cups of fine breadcrumbs and pour over them one-quarter cup of melted butter. Mix two rounding tablespoons of sugar with the grated yellow rind and the juice of one lemon and four gratings of nutmeg. Butter a baking dish, scatter in some crumbs, put in one pint of pared, cored and sliced apples, scatter on one-half of the seasoning, another pint of apples, the remainder of the seasoning and cover with the last of the crumbs. Put a cover on the dish and bake twenty minutes, uncover and bake twenty minutes longer.

~SPANISH CREAM~--Put one and two-thirds teaspoons of gelatin into one-third cup of cold water. Heat two cups of milk in a double boiler, add the yolks of two eggs, beaten with one-half cup of sugar until light, and when the custard thickens take from stove and set in pan of cold water. Beat the whites of two eggs until stiff, and dissolve the soaked gelatin in three-quartets cup of boiling water. When the custard is cool, add a teaspoon of vanilla, the strained gelatin and the whites of the eggs beaten stiff. Stir all together lightly and turn into mold.

~STEAMED PUDDING~--Beat one-half cup of butter with one cup of sugar to a cream, add two beaten eggs and cup of flour sifted with one teaspoon each of cinnamon and soda, two cups of breadcrumbs, soaked in one cup of sour milk. Add one cup of chopped and seeded raisins and one-half cup of chopped dates. Steam two hours and serve with whipped cream.

~STRAWBERRY SARABANDE~--Whip a cupful thick cream until very stiff, then fold carefully into it a pint of fresh berries cut in small pieces with a silver knife. Have ready a tablespoonful gelatin soaked in a quarter cup cold water for half an hour, then dissolved by setting the cup containing it in hot water. Add by degrees to the berries and cream, whipping it in so that it will not string. Add three tablespoonfuls powdered sugar and when it stiffens turn into a cold mold and set on the ice. When ready to serve turn out onto a pretty dessert platter.

~WALNUT SUNDAE~--Put one cone of vanilla ice cream in a sherbet cup, or better yet in a champagne glass and sprinkle with minced walnuts.

~YORKSHIRE PUDDING~--Take an equal number of eggs and tablespoonful of sifted flour, and when the eggs are well beaten mix them in with the flour, add some salt and a little grated nutmeg, and then pour in as much new milk as will make a batter of the consistency of cream, stir the batter with a fork well for ten minutes and then put in at once into a baking tin, which must be very hot, containing a couple of tablespoons of hot drippings. Set the pudding in oven to bake or before the fire under the roasting meat. When ready to serve cut the pudding into squares and send to the table on a separate dish.

~APPLE PUDDING~--Butter a pudding dish and line it with slices of toasted stale bread buttered and wet with milk. Over these put a thick layer of peeled, cored, and sliced tart apples, and sprinkle generously with granulated sugar and cinnamon or nutmeg. Over these put a cover of more toast buttered, moistened and sprinkled with sugar. Cover with a plate and bake for two hours in a moderate oven, taking off the plate toward the last that the top may brown. Serve with maple or other syrup for sauce.