Raspberry Jelly. - The raspberries should be picked very ripe and two or three dozen of the best-looking ones of the largest and ripest should be reserved for ornamenting. If possible, also gather some red currants and mix with the raspberries, on account of the color, which otherwise would be very poor indeed. It will be found best to rub the raspberries through a hair sieve, as the addition of the pulp very much improves the flavor of the jelly. The sieve should be sufficiently fine to prevent the pips of the raspberries passing through it. The juice and pulp from the raspberries and currants can now be thickened with corn-flour as directed in the recipe for blackberry jelly. Raspberry leaves should be placed round the base of the jelly and a ripe raspberry placed on each. The best-looking raspberry can be placed on the top of the mold in the center of two or three raspberry leaves stuck in the jelly.

Apple Jam and Apple Jelly. - The following recipe is taken from "A Year's Cookery," by Phyllis Brown: - "The best time for making apple jelly is about the middle of November. Almost all kinds of apples may be used for the purpose, though, if a clear white jelly is wanted, Colvilles or orange-pippins should be chosen; if red jelly is preferred, very rosy-cheeked apples should be taken and the skins should be boiled with the fruit. Apple jam is made of the fruit after the juice has been drawn off for jelly. Economical housekeepers will find that very excellent jelly can be made of apple parings, so that where apples in any quantity have been used for pies and tarts the skins can be stewed in sufficient water to cover them and when the liquor is strongly flavored it can be strained and boiled with sugar to a jelly.

To make apple jelly, pare, core and slice the apples and put them into a preserving-pan with enough water to cover them. Stir them occasionally and stew gently till the apples have fallen, then turn all into a jelly-bag and strain away the juice, but do not squeeze or press the pulp. Measure the liquid and allow a pound of sugar to a pint of juice. Put both juice and sugar back into the preserving-pan, and, if liked, add one or two cloves tied in muslin, or two or three inches of lemon-rind.

Boil gently and skim carefully for about half an hour, or till a little of the jelly put upon a plate will set. Pour it while hot into jars and when cold and stiff cover down in the usual way. If yellow jelly is wanted a pinch of saffron tied in muslin should be boiled with the juice. To make apple jam, weigh the apple pulp after the juice has been drawn from it, rub it through a hair sieve and allow one pound of sugar to one pint of pulp and the grated rind of a lemon to three pints of pulp. Boil all gently together till the jam will set when a little is put on a plate. Apple jam is sometimes flavored with vanilla instead of lemon."

Damson Jelly. - Damson jelly can be made in two ways. The juice can be boiled with sugar till it gets like red currant jelly, or the juice of the damsons can be sweetened with less sugar and thickened with corn-flour. In order to extract the juice from damsons they should be sliced and placed in a jar or basin and put in the oven. They are best left in the oven all night. If the mold of jelly is made in a round basin, a single whole damson can be placed on the top of the mold and green leaves placed round the base.

Pineapple Jelly. - The syrup from a preserved pine, should the Pineapple itself be used for mixing with other fruits, or for ornamental purposes, can be utilized by being made into a mold of jelly and by being thickened with corn-flour. It will bear the addition of a little water.

Apricot Jelly. - The juice from tinned apricots can be treated like that of Pineapple. When a mixture of fruits is served in a large bowl, the syrup from tinned fruits should not be added, but at the same time, of course, should be used in some other way.

Mulberry Jelly. - Mullberries, of course, would not be bought for the purpose, but those who possess a mulberry tree in their garden will do well to utilize what are called windfalls by making mulberry jelly. The juice can be extracted by placing the fruit in a jar and putting it in the oven; sugar must be added and the juice thickened with corn-flour. There are few other ways of using unripe mulberries.

JAMS. - Home-made jam is not so common now as it was some years back. As a rule, it does not answer from an economical point of view to buy fruit to make jam. On the other hand, those who possess a garden will find home-made jam a great saving. Those who have attempted to sell their fruit probably know this to their cost. In making every kind of jam it is essential the fruit should be picked dry. It is also a time-honored tradition that the fruit is best picked when basking in the morning sun. It is also necessary that the fruit should be free from dust and that all decayed or rotten fruit should be carefully picked out.

Jam is made by boiling the fruit with sugar and it is false economy to get common sugar; cheap sugar throws up a quantity of scum. Years back many people used brown sugar, but in the present day the difference in the price of brown and white sugar is so trifling that the latter should always be used for the purpose. The sugar should not be crushed. It is best to boil the fruit before adding the sugar. The scum should be removed and a wooden spoon used for the purpose. A large enamel stew-pan can be used, but tradition is in favor of a brass preserving-pan. It will be found best to boil the fruit as rapidly as possible. The quantity of sugar varies slightly with the fruit used. Supposing we have a pound of fruit, the following list gives what is generally considered about the proper quantity of sugar

Apricot Jam. - Three-quarters of a pound.

Blackberry Jam. - Half a pound; if apple is mixed, rather more.

Black Currant Jam. - One pound.

Red Currant Jam. - One pound.

Damson Jam. - One pound.

Gooseberry Jam. - Three-quarters of a pound.

Greengage Jam. - Three-quarters of a pound.

Plum Jam. - One pound.

Raspberry Jam. - One pound.

Strawberry Jam. -Three-quarters of a pound.

Carrot Jam. - If you wish the jam to be of a good color, only use the outside or red part of the carrots. Add the rind and the juice of one lemon and one pound of sugar to every pound of pulp; a little brandy is a great improvement.

Rhubarb Jam. - To every pound of pulp add three-quarters of a pound of sugar and the juice of one lemon and the rind of half a lemon. Essence of almonds can be substituted for the lemon.

Vegetable Marrow Jam. - Add three-quarters of a pound of sugar to every pound of pulp. The jam can be flavored either with ginger or lemon-juice.

Cassell & Company, Limited: London, Paris & Melbourne. 1891.

Tags: Recipes and Cooking