WOMAN'S INSTITUTE LIBRARY OF COOKERY. VOLUME 5: FRUIT AND FRUIT DESSERTS; CANNING AND DRYING; JELLY MAKING, PRESERVING AND PICKLING; CONFECTIONS; BEVERAGES; THE PLANNING OF MEALS TEXT

36. CRANBERRIES grow wild in many localities, but most persons who use them buy them in the market as a cultivated fruit. Their season begins in the fall and lasts until early spring, and during this time they can usually be obtained in the market. They contain considerable acid and consequently require a great deal of sugar to make them sufficiently sweet to be palatable. They are more often served as an accompaniment to a dinner course, especially with turkey or other poultry, than eaten as a sauce. At times they are used in the making of muffins, pudding, and various kinds of pastry. One of the advantages of cranberries is that they keep very well in the raw state. However, before they are cooked, they should be looked over carefully, freed of any stems, foreign material, and spoiled berries, and then washed thoroughly in cold water. 37. CRANBERRY SAUCE.--One can hardly imagine a turkey dinner without cranberry sauce as one of the accompaniments; but it may be served when meats other than turkey are used. In fact, because of its tart flavor, it forms a most appetizing addition to any meal. CRANBERRY SAUCE (Sufficient to Serve Six) 1-1/2 c. water 2 c. sugar 4 c. cranberries Add the water to the cranberries and place over the fire to cook in a closely covered kettle. As soon as the skins of the berries have cracked, add the sugar. Cook slowly for a few minutes or until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the fire and cool before serving. 38. CRANBERRY JELLY.--If the cranberries are preferred without the skins, cranberry jelly should be tried. When cool, this solidifies and may be served in attractive ways. CRANBERRY JELLY (Sufficient to Serve Six) 2 c. water 1 qt. cranberries 2 c. sugar Pour the water over the cranberries and cook them for 10 or 15 minutes. Then mash them through a sieve or a colander with a wooden potato masher. Add the sugar to the mashed cranberries. Return to the heat and cook for 5 to 8 minutes longer. Turn into a mold and cool. RASPBERRIES 39. RASPBERRIES come in two general varieties, which are commonly known as _red_ and _black_. There are many species of each kind, and all of them are much favored, as they are delicious fruit. As a raw fruit, raspberries have their most satisfactory use, but they may be made into several excellent desserts and they are also much used for canning and preserving. They are a perishable fruit and so do not keep well. Because of their softness, they have to be washed very carefully to prevent them from breaking or becoming mushy. 40. RED-RASPBERRY WHIP.--No more dainty dessert can be made than raspberry whip, which is explained in the accompanying recipe. Cake that is not very rich, such as ladyfingers or sponge cake, makes a very good accompaniment for this dessert. RED-RASPBERRY WHIP (Sufficient to Serve Six) 1 qt. raspberries 1 c. powdered sugar 2 egg whites Put the raspberries, sugar, and egg whites into a bowl. Mash the berries before starting to whip. Beat the mixture with an egg whip until it is reduced to a pulpy mass and is stiff and fluffy. Pile lightly into a bowl, chill, and serve with ladyfingers or sponge cake. 41. RASPBERRY SHORTCAKE.--Either black or red raspberries make a delicious shortcake when combined with a cake or a biscuit mixture. Directions for making such a shortcake are given in the accompanying recipe. RASPBERRY SHORTCAKE (Sufficient to Serve Six) 1 qt. raspberries 1 c. sugar Biscuit or plain-cake dough Mash or chop the berries, as preferred, and add the sugar to them. Bake the biscuit or plain-cake dough in a single, thick layer, and when it has been removed from the pan split it into halves with a sharp knife. Spread half the berries between the two pieces of biscuit or cake and the remaining half on top. Cut into pieces of the desired size and serve with plain or whipped cream. STRAWBERRIES 42. STRAWBERRIES are perhaps more popular than any other kind of berry. They are reddish in color, have a somewhat acid flavor, and range in size from 1/2 inch to 2 inches in diameter. Strawberries are much used for jams and preserves; they may also be used for making a delicious jelly, but as they lack pectin this ingredient must be supplied. These berries are eaten fresh to a great extent, but are also much used for pastry making and for various kinds of dessert; in fact, there is practically no limit to the number of recipes that may be given for strawberries. Before they are used in any way, they should be washed thoroughly in cold water and then their hulls should be removed. [Illustration: FIG. 1] 43. STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE.--For strawberry shortcake, either a biscuit or a plain-cake mixture may be used, some persons preferring the one and other persons the other. This may be made in a large cake, as shown in Fig. 1, and then cut into pieces, or it may be made into individual cakes, as Fig. 2 shows. Whichever plan is followed, the cakes are split in the same way and the crushed berries inserted between the halves. This dish may be made more attractive in appearance if a few of the finest berries are saved and used as a garniture. STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE (Sufficient to Serve Six) 1 qt. strawberries 1 c. sugar Biscuit or plain cake dough Mash or chop the berries, add the sugar to them, and let them stand until the sugar has dissolved. Bake the biscuit or plain-cake dough in a single thick layer or, if desired, bake it in individual cakes, cutting the biscuit dough with a cookie cutter and putting the cake mixture in muffin pans. Remove from the pan, cut in two with a sharp knife, and spread half of the berries over the lower piece. Set the upper piece on the berries. In the case of the large cake, sprinkle powdered sugar over the top and then on this arrange a number of the largest and finest of the berries, as Fig. 1 shows, as a garniture. Cut in pieces of the desired size and serve with or without either plain or whipped cream. In preparing the individual cakes, spread a spoonful or two of the crushed berries over the top, as Fig. 2 shows, and serve with whipped cream. 44. STRAWBERRY WHIP.--Strawberries may be used instead of raspberries in the recipe for red-raspberry whip. When prepared in this way and served with fresh cake, strawberries make a very appetizing dessert. 45. OTHER STRAWBERRY DESSERTS.--If it is desired to serve strawberries just with sugar, they can be made attractive with very little effort. Garnish a plate with some of the strawberry leaves and on them place a few fine large strawberries that have been washed but have not had the hulls removed. Serve a small dish of powdered sugar with the strawberries, so that they may be dipped into the sugar and eaten by holding the hull of the berry in the fingers. Strawberries crushed with sugar and served with blanc mange or custard also make a very delicious dessert. [Illustration: FIG. 2] MISCELLANEOUS BERRIES 46. CURRANTS come in three varieties--red, white, and black. They are not often eaten fresh, but are generally utilized for making jellies, jams, and preserves, or for pastry and pies. When they are to be used for jelly, it is not necessary to pick them from the stems, as they may be washed and cooked on their stems. Some varieties of currants are dried and these are used extensively in the making of cakes, cookies, etc. The usefulness of this fruit as a food is not so great as many others. No recipes are given for it because of its little use in the fresh form. 47. GOOSEBERRIES, like currants, are somewhat limited in their variety of uses, being seldom used except for jelly, preserves, and pies. Before gooseberries are ripe they are light green in color and rather sour in taste, but as they ripen the amount of acid they contain decreases, so that they become sweet in flavor and change to brownish-purple. Green gooseberries are often canned for pies, and when in this state or when partly ripe they are also made up into many kinds of preserves and jelly. In their preparation for these uses, both the stems and the blossom ends should be removed. As a rule, berries of this kind keep very well and stand considerable handling because their outside skin is very tough. 48. LOGANBERRIES are a fruit produced by crossing a variety of red raspberries with a species of blackberry. They are not very common, but are an excellent berry and are well liked by those who can obtain them. They may be used for any purpose for which either raspberries or blackberries are used. Therefore, in the recipes given for these two kinds of berries, loganberries may be substituted whenever they can be obtained. * * * * * NON-TROPICAL FRUITS NATURE AND USE 49. Besides the berries that have just been described, there are a large number of fruits that are grown in temperate climates and are therefore regarded as NON-TROPICAL FRUITS. Extensive use is made of these fruits in the regions in which they are grown or in places that are within easy shipping distances of the source of supply. All of them have a protective covering, or skin, and consequently keep for long periods of time if they are not too ripe when picked. Those which contain the highest percentage of water are the most perishable. APPLES 50. APPLES, of which there are at least a thousand varieties, are probably the best known of the non-tropical fruits. Some apples mature early in the summer, while others do not ripen until late in the fall. The late apples can be kept during the entire winter if they are properly stored, but the summer varieties must generally be used immediately, as they do not have good keeping qualities. In each locality in which apples are grown, a few varieties seem to be especially popular and are used to the exclusion of others. Some apples are good for one purpose and some for another. For instance, many that are excellent if eaten raw are not good for cooking purposes, and others that cook well are not suitable for eating. It is therefore a good idea for the housewife to become familiar with the varieties of apples raised in her community and to learn the use to which each kind can be put to advantage. Apples of all kinds may be prepared in a large variety of ways. They are much used for sauce, pie, and numerous desserts, as well as for jelly and, with various fruit mixtures, for jams and preserves. The juice of apples, which upon being extracted is known as _cider_, is used in a number of ways, but its most important use is in the manufacture of vinegar. 51. APPLE SAUCE.--When apple sauce is to be made, apples that are somewhat sour and that will cook soft easily should be selected. This is a dessert that can be made all during the winter when it is often difficult to obtain other fruits fresh. It is usually served when roast pork is the main dish of a meal, but is just as appetizing when served with other foods. APPLE SAUCE (Sufficient to Serve Six) 10 medium-sized apples 1/2 c. water 1 c. sugar Wash the apples, cut them in quarters, remove the cores, and, if desired, peel them. Put them into a saucepan, add the water, and allow them to cook until they are very soft. If the apples are inclined to be dry, a little more water may be necessary. When done, force them through a colander or a sieve, add the sugar to the pulp, and return to the stove. Cook until the sugar is completely dissolved and, if necessary, until the apple sauce is slightly thickened, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Remove from the heat, and season with lemon peel cut fine, cinnamon, or nutmeg. If there are apples in supply that do not cook well for apple sauce, they may be peeled, quartered, and cored, and cooked with the sugar and water. Then, instead of being forced through a sieve, they should be allowed to remain in pieces in the sirup. 52. PORCUPINE APPLES.--A pleasing change in the way of an apple dessert may be had by making porcupine apples. PORCUPINE APPLES (Sufficient to Serve Six) 6 large apples 1 c. sugar 1 c. water 2 doz. almonds Currant jelly Wash, core, and pare the apples. Make a sirup by bringing the sugar and water to the boiling point. Put the apples into the sirup, cook on one side for several minutes, and then turn and cook on the other side. Do not allow the apples to cook completely in the sirup, but when they are still hard remove them and continue to boil the sirup down. Set the apples in a shallow pan, stick the almonds, which should be blanched, into them so that they will project like porcupine quills, sprinkle them with sugar, and bake in the oven until they are soft and the almonds slightly brown. Remove from the oven, fill the center of each with currant jelly, pour the juice over them, and serve. 53. BAKED APPLES.--Nothing is more palatable than baked apples if a juicy, sour variety can be secured. BAKED APPLES (Sufficient to Serve Six) 6 medium-sized sour apples 1/2 c. brown sugar 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1 Tb. butter 1/2 c. water Wash and core the apples, place them in a baking dish, and fill the centers with the brown sugar mixed with the cinnamon. Put a small piece of butter on top of each apple, pour the water in the bottom of the pan, set in the oven, and bake until the apples are soft. Baste frequently with the juice that collects in the bottom of the pan. Serve hot or cold, as desired. Apples baked in this way may be improved in flavor by serving grape juice over them. Heat the grape juice, and then, if the apples are to be served hot, pour about 2 tablespoonfuls over each apple just before serving. In case the apples are to be served cold, pour the hot grape juice over them and then allow them to cool. 54. MAPLE APPLES.--Apples cooked in maple sirup have a very pleasing flavor. The sirup that remains in the pan is poured over the apples when they are served. MAPLE APPLES (Sufficient to Serve Six) 6 medium-sized apples 1 c. maple sirup Wash, peel, and core the apples. Bring the maple sirup to the boiling point in a saucepan. Drop the apples into the hot sirup, cook first on one side, and then turn and cook on the other. As soon as they become soft, remove from the sirup, pour the sirup over them, and serve. 55. STEAMED APPLES.--If it is desired to retain the color in apples that have red skins, they should be steamed instead of baked, for the color is lost in baking. Prepare apples that are to be steamed by washing them and removing the cores. Place the apples in a pan with a perforated bottom, put this over a pan of boiling water, cover closely, and steam until they are soft. Serve in any desired way. They will be found to be delicious in flavor and attractive in appearance. APRICOTS 56. APRICOTS, in appearance, are a cross between peaches and plums. They are grown extensively in the western part of the United States, but they can be grown in any climate where peaches and plums are raised. As they contain considerable acid, they require a large quantity of sugar when they are cooked with their skins and seeds. They are used most frequently for canning, but they make excellent marmalades and jams. They are also dried in large quantities and, in this form, make delicious desserts. 57. APRICOT SOUFFLÉ.--No more attractive as well as delicious dessert can be prepared than apricot soufflé, which is illustrated in Fig. 3. The apricots are just tart enough to give it a very pleasing flavor. [Illustration: Fig. 3] APRICOT SOUFFLÉ (Sufficient to Serve Six) 2 Tb. butter 4 Tb. flour 1/3 c. sugar Pinch of salt 1 c. scalded milk 3 eggs 1/2 tsp. vanilla 1 can apricots Melt the butter, add the flour, sugar, and salt, and stir in the hot milk. Bring this mixture to the boiling point. Separate the yolks and whites of the eggs. Beat the yolks until they are thick and lemon-colored, and then pour the hot mixture over them, stirring constantly to prevent the eggs from curding. Beat the whites until they are stiff, fold them into the mixture, and add the vanilla. Place the apricots without juice in a layer on the bottom of the buttered baking dish, pour the mixture over them, and bake for 45 to 60 minutes in a hot oven, when it should be baked through and slightly brown on top and should appear as in Fig. 3. Remove from the oven and serve with the sirup from the apricots. Whipped cream may also be added if desired. CHERRIES 58. CHERRIES come in numerous varieties, some of which are sweet and others sour. The method of using them in cookery depends largely on the kind of cherry that is to be used. Any of the varieties may be canned with varying quantities of sugar and then used for sauce. They also make excellent preserves, especially the sour varieties. However, they do not contain pectin in sufficient quantity for jelly, so that when cherry jelly is desired, other fruit or material containing pectin must be used with the cherries. When purchased in the market, cherries usually have their stems on. They should be washed before the stems are removed. The seeds may be taken out by hand or by means of cherry seeders made especially for this purpose. 59. CHERRY FRITTERS.--Something different in the way of dessert can be had by making cherry fritters according to the accompanying recipe. CHERRY FRITTERS (Sufficient to Serve Six) 1 c. flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 2 Tb. sugar 1/2 c. milk 1 egg 2 Tb. butter 1/2 c. cherries cut into halves Mix and sift the dry ingredients, add the milk and egg, and beat all together well. Add the melted butter and fold in the cherries. Drop by spoonfuls into hot fat and fry until brown. Remove from the fat, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve. GRAPES 60. GRAPES are a fruit extensively cultivated both for eating and for the making of wines and raisins. Although found in many varieties, they naturally divide themselves into two general classes: those which retain their skins, such as the Malaga, Tokay, Muscat, Cornichon, Emperor, etc., and those which slip out of their skins easily, such as the Concord, Niagara, Delaware, Catawba, etc. Grapes are much used as a fresh fruit. When they are to be used in this way, the bunches should be put into a colander and washed thoroughly by running cold water over them. Then all the imperfect ones should be removed and the grapes kept cool until they are to be served. Clean grape leaves make an attractive garnish for the individual plates or the serving dish on which the grapes are placed. Grapes are also used extensively for making jelly and grape juice, a beverage that is well liked. 61. It will be found that through proper care grapes can be kept a long time in the fall after they are removed from the vines, provided perfect bunches are obtained and they are picked before they have become too ripe. To preserve such grapes, dip the ends of the stems into melted sealing wax in order to prevent the evaporation of moisture through the stems. Then, in a cool, dry place, lay the bunches out on racks in a single layer, taking care not to crush nor bruise them. 62. UNFERMENTED GRAPE JUICE WITH WATER.--Grape juice may be made either with or without water. That in which water is used in the making usually requires no diluting when it is served as a beverage. Concord grapes are perhaps used more commonly for the making of grape juice than any other variety, but other kinds, particularly Catawbas and Niagaras, may be used as well. UNFERMENTED GRAPE JUICE WITH WATER 12 qt. grapes 2 qt. water 4 lb. sugar Wash the grapes and remove them from the stems. Put them with the water into a preserving kettle, and heat gradually until the skins of the grapes burst. Dip off as much juice as possible, and put it into a jelly bag. Continue to heat and dip off the juice in this way until the pulp is comparatively dry. Then add a little more water to the pulp and put it in the bag to drip. When all the juice has dripped through the bag, pour it back into the preserving kettle, add the sugar, and bring to the