CANNING FRUITS

Cleanse the cans thoroughly and test to see if any leak or are cracked. If tin cans leak, send them to the tinner ; if discolored inside they may be lined with writing paper just before using. If you buy stoneware for canning purposes, be sure that it is well glazed, as fruits canned in jars or jugs imperfectly glazed sometimes become poisonous. Never use de- fective glass cans, but keep them for storing things in the pantry ; and in buying cans, take care that they are free from flaws and blisters, else the glass will crumble off in small particles when subjected to heat. " Self-sealers are very convenient, but the heat hardens the rubber rings, which it is dijfificult to replace, so that in a year or two they are unfit for use. For this reason, many prefer those with a groove around the top for sealing with wax or putty. The latter is very convenient for use, as jars sealed with it can be opened readily with a strong fork or knife, and are much more easily cleaned than when wax-sealed. Putty may be bought ready for use, and is soon made soft by moulding in the hand, when it should -be worked out into a small roll, and pressed firmly into the groove

142 THE BUCKEYE COOK BOOK.

with a knife, care being taken to keep it well pressed down as the can cools.

Fruit should be selected carefully, and all that is imperfect rejected. Large fruits, such as peaches, pears, etc., are in the best condition to can when not quite fully ripe, and should be canned as soon as possible after picking ; small fruits, such as berries, should never stand over night. Use only the best sugar, in the proportion of half a pound of sugar to a pound of good fruit, varying the rule of course, with the sweetness of the fruit and your own taste. When ready to can, first place the jars (glass) in a large pan of warm water on the back of the stove, , make ready the syrup in a nice clean porcelain kettle, add the fruit, — it is better to prepare only enough fruit or syrup for two or three cans at a time, — and by the time it is done, the water in the pun will be hot and the cans ready for use. Take them out of the water and set on a hot platter, which answers the double purpose of preventing their contact with any cold surface, like the table, and saving any fruit that may be spilled. Fill as full as possible, and set aside where no current of air will strike them, — or, better, wring out a towel wet in hot water and set them on it, — let stand a moment or two, or until wiped off, when the fruit will have shrunk away a little ; fill up again with hot syrup if you have any ; if not, boiling water from the teakettle Will do, and then seal.

There are several other ways of preparing glass cans for fruit, among them the following : Wring a towel, from cold water, double and wrap closely about

CANNING FRUITS. 143

and under the can so as to exclude the air, put a cold silver spoon inside and fill ; or, put a towel in a steamer, set in the cans, and place over a kettle of cold water, boil the water, and when ready to fill, remove the cans and wrap in a towel wrung from warm water, put a tablespoon rinsed in hot water inside and fill ; or, wash the cans in tepid water, place an iron rod inside, and at once pour in the boiling fruit, but not too fast. In using glass cans with tops which screw on, be sure that the rubbers are firm and close fitting, and throw away all that are imperfect. When the can is filled to overflowing, put on the top at once and screw down tightly, and as the fruit and cans cool, causing con- traction of the glass, turn down again and again, until perfectly air tight.

In canning berries, select those of which the skins have not been broken, or the juice will darken the syrup ; fill cans compactly, set in a kettle of cold water with a cloth beneath them, over an even heat ; when sufficiently heated, pour over the berries a syrup of white sugar dissolved in boiling water, (the richer the better for keeping, though not for preserv- ing the flavor of the fruit,) cover the cans closely to retain heat on the top berries. To insure full cans when cold, have extra berries heated in like manner to supply the shrinkage. If the fruit swims, pour off surplus syrup and fill with hot fruit, and seal up as soon as the fruit at the top is thoroughly scalded.

Glass cans should be wrapped, as soon as cold, with brown wrapping paper, unless the fruit closet is very dark; lieht injures all fruit, but especially tomatoes.

144 THE BUCKEYE COOK BOOK.

in wljich it causes the formation of citric acid, which no amount of sugar will sweeten. The place where canned" fruits are kept should also be dry and cool. In canning, always use a porcelain lined kettle, silver fork and wire spoon or dipper.

Cans should be examined two or three days after filling, and if syrup leaks out from the rim, should be unsealed, the fruit thoroughly cooked, and kept for jam or jelly, as it will have lost the delicacy of color and flavor so desirable in danned fruits. Pint cans are better for berries than quart. Strawberries keep their color best in stone jars ; if glass cans are used they should be buried in sand.

In using self-sealing cans, the rubber ring must show an even edge all round, for if it slips back out of sight at any point, air will be admitted.

On opening tin cans, remember to pour all the fruif out into an earthen or glass dish, never leaving it in tin.

Wines, cider, shrubs, etc., must be bottled, well corked, sealed, and the bottles placed on their sides in a box of sand or saw dust.

Plums pricked with a fork will not break when canned.

The fine display of canned fruits at the Centennial was prepared as follows : The fruit was selected with great care, of uniform size and shape, and all perfect. They were carefully peeled with a thin, sharp silver fruit knife, which did not discolor them, and immedi- ately plunged into cold water in an earthen or wooden vessel to prevent the air from darkening them. As

CANNING FRUITS. 145

soon as enough for one can was prepared, it was put up by laying the fruit piece by piece in the can, and pouring syrup, clear as crystal, over it, and then, after subjecting the whole to the usual heat, sealing up.