Part 98

Remove the hard muscles from the oysters, scald and drain. Melt the butter, add the cream and seasonings. Cayenne, celery salt, Worcestershire sauce and onion juice are good seasonings. When this is hot add the oysters, cook two minutes and serve on the toast. The bread should be toasted on one side only. Sprinkle with the minced parsley.

[830 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

Welsh Rarebit.--

1 tablespoon butter. 1/4 teaspoon mustard. 1 cup soft mild cheese. 1/4 teaspoon salt. 1 egg. Few grains cayenne. 1/2 cup ale or beer.

Cut the cheese into small pieces and beat the eggs slightly. Put the butter in the chafing dish, and when it is melted add the cheese and seasonings, stirring constantly. Add the ale slowly and when smooth the slightly beaten egg. Much of the success of a rarebit depends upon the cheese. It should be smooth and creamy, and never stringy. Cook over hot water. The rarebit may be served on toast or wafers.

Cream Welsh Rarebit.--

1 tablespoon butter. 1 cup soft mild cheese. 1/4 teaspoon salt. 1/4 teaspoon mustard. Few grains cayenne. 1/2 cup milk. 1 egg. 1/8 teaspoon soda.

Follow directions for welsh rarebit (above) adding the soda with the cheese and the milk in place of the ale. Curry powder and celery salt make good additions as seasoning.

Curry of Tomato.--

4 tomatoes. 1 tablespoon butter. 1 tablespoon flour. 2 teaspoons curry. 1/2 teaspoon onion juice. 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Select large, firm, fresh tomatoes. Peel and cut in slices. Melt the butter in the blazer. Add the tomatoes and cook for several minutes. Add the cream, flour and curry and seasonings. When hot serve on toast. Care must be taken or the acid in the tomato will curdle the cream.

Salted Almonds.--

1 cup almond meats. 1/2 cup olive oil.

Cover the almonds with boiling water. Remove the skins, then soak for several hours in strong salted water. Drain and dry. Put in enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the blazer. Put in the nuts and cook until brown. Drain on paper. A shorter method is to remove skins and dry the nuts, then cook in olive oil until brown, and while draining to sprinkle them with salt. Peanuts, pecans and walnuts can be prepared in the same way. Butter may be substituted for olive oil, if desired.

[CANNING, PICKLING AND PRESERVING 830]

ONE HUNDRED CHOICE RECIPES on CANNING, PICKLING, PRESERVING, JELLIES, JAMS MARMALADES, RELISHES, CATSUPS, SPICES.

FOREIGN WORDS IN THE MENU.

In this list are many of the foreign words used on menu cards in hotels, with their translation:

Cafe--Coffee.

Demitasse--After-dinner cup of coffee.

Frappe--Semi or half-frozen.

Fricasse--Stew.

Fromage--Cheese.

Glace--Frozen.

Cafe au lait--Coffee with hot milk.

Neufchatel--A soft Swiss cheese.

Timbale--Pie crust baked in a mould.

Croutons--Bread toasted in squares, used for soup and in garnishing.

Bouillon--A clear broth, usually of beef.

Au Gratin--Dishes baked, prepared with cheese.

Menu--Bill of fare.

Puree--Ingredients rubbed through a sieve; usually the term given a thick strained soup.

Tutti Frutti--Various kinds of fruits (chopped fine).

Consomme--Clear soup.

Jus--Gravy or juice of meats.

[832 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

CANNING.

1. Apples and Quinces.--Pare and cut the apples and quinces, the same amount of each. Cook the quinces in enough water to cover them until tender. Remove these from the water and cook the apples in the same liquid. When these are done put in a jar or kettle a layer of quinces, then of apples until all are used. Pour over them a syrup made of a half pound of sugar to pound of quinces, dissolved in a little water and let it stand over night. The next day heat them thoroughly and seal in cans.

2. Apple Sauce.--Take as many apples as desired, pare them and cut in quarters. Put in a stew pan filled about two-thirds with water and cook until tender. Remove from the fire and beat up thoroughly, adding a teaspoonful of butter to a quart of apple sauce, half cup sugar and grate in a quarter of nutmeg. Serve with or without cream.

3. Apples to Can.--Cook the same as for apple sauce, leaving out all seasoning and sugar. Put in glass jars and seal. When these are opened in the winter, just add such seasoning as may be desired.

4. Apple Butter.--Five pounds of brown sugar, three gallons of cooked apples, one quart of cider vinegar. Boil this down to about two gallons and season with cinnamon.

5. Canned Pears.--Prepare a syrup of one pint of water and one cup sugar to one quart of fruit. Before doing this, have your pears all pared and ready for the syrup when done. As you pare each piece of fruit drop it into a dish of cold water. This will prevent the fruit from turning dark. When the syrup has come to a fast boil, put in the pears carefully and boil until they look clear and can be easily pierced with a fork, which will probably be about twenty minute. Then done place in glass jars.

6. Canned Pineapple.--Pare the pineapple and cut in slices about one-half inch thick. Be sure that all the eyes are cut out, as the fruit will spoil quickly if these remain in. Make a syrup of one pound of sugar to quart of water. When this syrup becomes thick enough, add the fruit and let boil about fifteen minutes. When done place in glass jars and seal while hot.

7. Canned Peaches.--Pare the peaches and cut in halves and lay in a dish of cold water until ready to put in the syrup. Make a syrup of one quart of hot water to a pound of sugar. Let this cook to a syrup, then add the fruit. Cook about eight minutes. Put in glass jars and seal while hot.

8. Brandy Peaches.--Drop the fruit into hot water. Let it remain there until the skin can be taken off easily. Make a very thin syrup and cover the peaches, after skin has been removed. Boil in this thin syrup until the fruit can be pierced with a straw. While these are cooking make another syrup, very rich, into which put the fruit after it is done. Remove this from the fire and add an equal quantity of brandy while the syrup is still hot.

9. Canned Plums.--Wash the fruit well in cold water, then add one pound of sugar to a pound of fruit and let boil ten minutes. When done put in glass jars and seal while hot.

[CANNING, PICKLING AND PRESERVING 833]

10. Canned Strawberries.--Wash the berries thoroughly before removing the stems. Then weigh them, and to each pound of berries allow a half pound of sugar. Let these boil about ten minutes, and they are ready for the cans.

11. Canned Rhubarb.--Take rhubarb when it is young and tender, or even the later plant will do, cut into pieces about an inch long. Wash well and put in glass jars, into which has been poured a cupful of cold water. Fill the jar full of the rhubarb and then cover completely with water. Seal and put in a cool place. When opened in the winter time a few minutes' boiling with sugar added will make a delightful sauce.

12. Canning Corn.--The following is one of the safest and surest ways of canning sweet corn, without the use of acids or the necessity of putting up the corn with tomatoes, etc. Cut the corn from the cob and put in glass jars, pack down tightly and screw covers on loosely to allow the air to escape. Set the jars in a boiler and fill the boiler with cold water until it reaches the rim of the jars and let boil for four hours. Remove the cans and when sufficiently cool tighten the lids and set them away. A good plan is to place a board or some corn husks in the bottom of the boiler on which to set the jars to prevent them from cracking. Corn will keep as long as you want it if canned in this way.

13. Canned Grapes.--Take the grapes and wash them thoroughly. Have two dishes on the table. Put the seeds in one dish and the skins in the other. Boil the pulp until all the seeds come out easily, then put through a sieve. Add the skins, allowing one-half pound sugar to one pound of fruit. When done put either in glass jars or crocks, taking precaution to see that they are sealed tightly in either case.

TABLE FOR CANNING FRUIT. Time Quantity of sugar for boiling per quart. fruit. Apricots 2 teacupfuls 10 minutes Sour Apples 1-1/2 " 10 " Crab Apples 2 " 25 " Black Berries 1-1/2 " 6 " Gooseberries 2 " 8 " Raspberries 1 " 6 " Huckleberries 1 " 5 " Strawberries 2 " 8 " Cherries 1-1/2 " 5 " Currants 2 " 6 " Wild Grapes 2 " 10 " Sour Pears (whole) 2 " 30 " Bartlett Pears 1-1/2 " 20 " Peaches (in halves) 2 " 8 " Plums 2 " 10 " Peaches (whole) 1 " 15 " Pineapple (sliced) 1-1/2 " 15 " Quinces 3 " 30 " Rhubarb 3 " 10 " Tomatoes 0 " 20 "

[834 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

PICKLING.

1. Tip-Top Pickles.--Take one peck green tomatoes, one dozen large onions. Slice both of these in separate kettles, sprinkling salt between the tomatoes, then letting them stand two hours. Pour scalding water over the onions and let stand until wanted. After the tomatoes have stood the desired length of time squeeze the liquid off from them, also the onions and arrange in a crock in alternate layers, sprinkling celery seed between them (white and black mustard seed). Pour over this a quart of vinegar and a pint of sugar brought to a boil. This is ready for use when cold.

2. Chow-Chow.--Two quarts tomatoes, half dozen green peppers, one dozen cucumbers, two white onions, two heads cabbage. Chop these all fine and let stand over night, sprinkling a cup of salt on it. In the morning drain off the brine and season with one ounce tumeric, one tablespoon celery seed, half teaspoonful cayenne pepper, one ounce of the following spices, cinnamon, allspice, one ounce black pepper, one quarter ounce cloves, one cup brown sugar, vinegar enough to cover, then boil two hours.

3. Sweet Apple Pickle.--Pare the apples, leaving them whole, then take three pounds of sugar, two quarts of vinegar, one-half ounce each of cloves and cinnamon. Boil them in part of the vinegar and sugar until tender; then take them out, heat the remainder of the fluid and pour over them. Care should be taken not to boil the apples too long, as they will fall to pieces.

4. Sweet Tomato Pickles.--Peel and slice eight pounds of tomatoes, four and a half pounds of sugar, one pound of mace and cinnamon mixed, one quart of vinegar and one ounce cloves. Mix all together and boil one hour.

5. Standby Pickles.--Chop fine one gallon green tomatoes, twelve onions, slice fine two gallons of cabbage, one gallon vinegar, one pound brown sugar, half an ounce turmeric powder, one tablespoon black pepper, one ounce celery seed, one tablespoonful ground allspice, also ground cloves, white mustard, one quarter pound, and one gill salt. Boil all these together for two hours except spices, stirring well. When taken from the fire add the spices, put in air-tight jars. If this pickle is kept in a cool, dry place, you will find them in perfect condition at the end of the winter.

6. Pickled Peppers.--Select nice large peppers, cut off the stems and rind. Then put into strong hot brine, repeating this for three mornings, and then drain off and cover with hot vinegar. When wanted to use, take out of brine and stuff with creamed sweetbreads and mushrooms and serve on a lettuce leaf. This makes a very attractive and appetizing dish.

7. Piccalili.--One-half peck green onions, sliced, one peck green tomatoes, one cauliflower, one peck small cucumbers. Leave in salt water twenty-four hours; then put in a kettle with a handful of scraped horseradish, one ounce tumeric, one ounce cloves (whole), one-quarter pound whole pepper, one ounce cinnamon, one pound white mustard seed, one pound English mustard. Place in kettle in layers and cover with cold vinegar, boil fifteen minutes, stirring constantly.

[CANNING, PICKLING AND PRESERVING 835]

8. Sweet Pickled Peaches.--Make a liquid of three pounds brown sugar, one pint strong cider vinegar, and small handful each of cinnamon and cloves and bring to a boil. Wash clean, but do not peel, several pounds of peaches. Put in as many peaches as the liquor will cover; cook until moderately soft and put into jars. Cook all alike, and pour liquid over them. These are delicious.

9. Chopped Pickles.--Chop and mix together one peck green tomatoes, two large heads of cabbage, three green peppers, one small cup salt, let stand over night and drain. Then cover with cider vinegar and boil until soft; drain again and mix with one tablespoon cloves, same amount of mustard, two pounds each of raisins and sugar, one-half cup grated horse-radish, three chopped onions, celery and salt to taste. Hot vinegar enough to make moist, can rather dry.

10. Pickled Onions.--Select small white onions, peel and boil them in equal portions of sweet milk and water for ten minutes, or until tender, drain and pour scalding spiced vinegar on them immediately. Never use allspice, as it darkens the onions.

11. Pickled Red Cabbage.--Choose purple red cabbage, slice into a colander, sprinkle each layer with salt, let it drain two days, then put into a jar, pour boiling vinegar enough to cover, put in a few slices of red beet-root. A few spices in bunches and thrown in after being salted, will look red and pretty.

12. Pickled Grapes.--Select grapes that are not quite ripe, but dark colored, pick from the stem and wash, put in glass jars; in a separate kettle make a syrup of sugar and vinegar and boil a few minutes, add spices to suit the taste; pour over grapes and seal jars.

13. Spiced Cherries.--Take nine pounds of fruit, one pint cider vinegar, four pounds sugar, one-half ounce cinnamon bark, one-half ounce whole cloves, let the syrup come to a boil before putting in the fruit; cook the fruit until the skin breaks, then take out the fruit and boil the syrup down until thick, pour over the fruit hot.

14. Beet Pickles.--Cook beets in hot water until tender. Then remove the skin and if the beets are large slice them, as you would for table use. Place these in a glass jar. Take a quart of cider vinegar, one cup granulated sugar, teaspoonful of salt, let this come to a boil, then pour over beets. If vinegar is very strong dilute about half. When these are opened in the winter, you will think you are eating fresh beets from the garden.

15. Pickled Cauliflower.--Choose good firm cauliflower, and full size. Cut away all the leaves and pare the stalks. Pull away the flowers in bunches. Steep in brine two days, then drain them, wipe dry and put in hot pickle.

[836 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

16. Pickled Cabbage.--The cabbage should be sliced and salted for two or three days, then placed before the fire for twenty-four hours, spread upon a dry cloth, after which they are put into a jar, and covered with spiced vinegar.

17. Cantelope Sweet Pickle.--Select melons not quite ripe, weighing about seven pounds in all, put them in a weak brine over night. Then boil in weak alum water until transparent. Take them out and place in a jar. Then take 1 quart cider vinegar, 2 ounces stick cinnamon, 1 ounce cloves, 3 pounds granulated sugar; let this boil, then add the cantelope, cooking it twenty minutes longer. Pour in a jar and close tight. Scald it over for two mornings.

18. Mother's Pickled Blackberries.--Take three quarts of blackberries, one quart of sugar, one quart vinegar. Put all together at the same time into your kettle and boil ten or fifteen minutes. No spices are required. After standing a few weeks they are very nice.

19. Pickled Brocoli.--Choose the whitest, closest and finest vegetables before they are quite ripe, pare off all green leaves and the outside of the stalks. Parboil them about five minutes in well-salted water. Then drain well and pull the branches in convenient sized pieces and put into a jar of pickle, prepared as follows: Heat vinegar to boiling point, add a little mace and whole red peppers, and pour hot over the brocoli.

20. Mixed Pickles.--One quart boiled beets, chopped fine, one quart raw cabbage chopped fine, two cups sugar, tablespoon of salt, one teaspoonful red pepper, one cup grated horse-radish. Cover with cold vinegar and keep from the air.

21. Mustard Pickles.--One quart small cucumbers, one quart large cucumbers, cut in pieces, one quart large tomatoes, two quarts small onions, three heads cauliflower, six red and six green peppers cut in strips. Put these in separate dishes and let stand over night. In the morning drain off and cook in separate dishes of clear water until nearly tender. Then put together and boil a short time in the following paste: One ounce pulverized tumeric seed, half pound ground mustard, two cups flour, seven cups sugar, one gallon vinegar. This is an excellent recipe.

22. Sweet Pickled Peaches.--Boil together four pounds sugar and one pint vinegar to twelve pounds of fruit. Add the fruit and let it come to a boil; the next day drain off the liquor and boil again; do this three times and your pickles are delicious; add cinnamon to the liquor and stick two or three cloves in each peach.

23. Sweet Pickled Prunes.--Soak four pounds prunes for two or three hours, then steam them ten or fifteen minutes. While the prunes are soaking, boil together for ten minutes two pounds sugar, one pint vinegar, one ounce each of cloves and cinnamon and one-fourth of an ounce of ginger. After the prunes have been strained, pour the hot vinegar over them and boil all together until the prunes are soft. These are delicious.

[CANNING, PICKLING AND PRESERVING 837]

24. Celery Sauce that Mother Used to Make.--Take fifteen large ripe tomatoes, two red peppers, two onions, two and one-half cups vinegar, two stalks (arrowroot) celery, eight tablespoons sugar, two spoons salt; chop all fine and boil one and one-half hours.

25. Spiced Tomatoes.--Take red and yellow pear-shaped tomatoes; prick two or three times with a fork, sprinkle with salt, let stand over night, pack in a glass jar and cover with vinegar, prepared as follows, for a half-gallon jar: 1 pint vinegar, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoonful ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoonful ground allspice, 1 teaspoonful pepper, 1 tablespoon sugar. Let this come to a boil and pour over the tomatoes; after they get cold tie strong paper over them.

26. Ripe Cucumber Pickles.--Take twelve large cucumbers and remove the pulp. Cut them in strips about two inches wide and four inches long. Let these stand while you boil for a few minutes the following: 2 pounds sugar, 1 ounce cinnamon, 1/2 ounce cloves, 1 pint vinegar. Be sure and skim this while it is boiling, then put in the cucumbers, letting them cook until tender. Take the cucumbers out and let the liquor boil for fifteen minutes. Pour this over the cucumbers and cover tight.

27. Green Tomato Pickles.--Chop a peck of green tomatoes and stir in half a cupful of salt. Let these drain over night. Then add 3 green peppers, chopped, 1 teacup of grated horseradish, 2 quarts of vinegar, 1 teacupful of sugar. Let this all boil, stirring occasionally, gently, until the tomatoes are tender, then add a large spoonful of cinnamon and cloves. These are very good and easily kept.

28. Pickled Tomatoes.--Select tomatoes that are thoroughly ripe, and let them lie in strong salt and water for four days; then put them down in layers in jars, mixing with them small onions and pieces of horseradish; then pour on vinegar, cold, after having spiced it. Be sure and use plenty of spices, cover carefully and let stand for a month before using.

29. Green Tomato Sauce, for Meats or Fish.--Slice two gallons of green tomatoes without peeling; slice one dozen good sized onions; one quart of sugar, two quarts vinegar, two tablespoons each of salt, ground mustard, and ground black pepper, one tablespoonful of cloves and allspice. Mix all together and stew until tender, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Put up in small glass jars.

30. Chili Sauce.--One peck ripe tomatoes, one pint vinegar, one cup sugar, two red peppers, three sweet peppers, six large onions, one tablespoon each of cinnamon, pepper and salt. Chop the onions and peppers fine. Boil for two hours.

31. Tomato Relish.--One peck good ripe tomatoes, chop and drain, 3 large onions, a peppers, red or green, 3 heads celery, chopped fine, 3/4 cup salt, 2 pounds brown sugar, 2 oz. white mustard seed, 1 oz. cinnamon, a pints vinegar. After the tomatoes have drained thoroughly, mix in the balance of the recipe. Do not cook; keep in a jar. This relish cannot be beaten. Everyone will like it.

[838 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

32. Tomato Catsup No. 1.--Take one gallon ripe tomatoes, peel them, one teaspoon allspice, one tablespoon mustard, one red pepper; let all boil, then strain and to this add one tablespoon salt, one teaspoon ground pepper, one teacup vinegar, two pounds granulated sugar. Let all of this boil until reasonably thick, or as thick as desired.

33. Aunt Mary's Catsup.--One cup onions, one peck ripe tomatoes (chopped), one and one-half cups celery, one cup horseradish (grated), one cup sugar, half cup salt, one cup white mustard seed, two red peppers, one teaspoon each of black pepper, ground cloves, mace, cinnamon and celery seed, one quart vinegar. Drain tomatoes thoroughly, before adding spices. Keep this in stone jars and tie closely and it will keep nicely for a year or more.

34. Gooseberry Catsup.--To one pound of gooseberries, use three-fourths pound sugar and spices to taste. One pint of vinegar to ten pounds of the fruit. Boil two hours. This is delicious.

35. Spiced Vinegar for Pickles.--(This can be used generally for pickles.) 1 gallon of vinegar, 1 pound of sugar, 2 tablespoonfuls of allspice, 2 tablespoonfuls mustard seed, 2 tablespoonfuls celery seed, 2 tablespoonfuls salt, 1 tablespoonful of tumeric powder, 1 tablespoonful of black pepper, 1 tablespoonful mace, 2 nutmegs, grated, 3 onions, 1 handful grated horseradish. This can always be relied upon as good.

36. Tomato Catsup No. 2.--1 gallon tomatoes (strained), 6 tablespoons salt, three tablespoons black pepper, 1 tablespoon cloves, 2 tablespoons cinnamon, 2 tablespoons allspice, 10 pints vinegar, boil down to half. One peck tomatoes will make one gallon strained.

37. Bottled Pickles.--Wash the pickles and pour boiling water over them, letting them stand for four hours; to every gallon of vinegar take 1 teacup of sugar, 1 teacup of salt, 1 teaspoonful of pulverized alum, one ounce of cinnamon bark, 1/4 of an ounce of whole cloves. Boil spice and vinegar and pour over the pickles. Seal while hot.

38. Sliced Cucumbers.--Peel and slice one gallon of cucumbers and soak them over night in weak salt water. Drain and put them in weak vinegar on the stove and let them get hot; drain and pack in glass jars. Then bring to a boil, one quart vinegar, a few slices of onions, sugar and spices to taste. Then pour this over the cucumbers, while hot, and seal.

39. Grandmother's Dill Pickles.--Fill a stone jar with alternate layers of grape leaves, fresh cucumbers, dill and salt. Cover with water and an inverted plate; place a brick on the plate to keep all under water. The cucumbers will be ready for use in about two weeks.