PEACHES AND CREAM.—­Pare the peaches just as late as practicable, since they become discolored by standing.  Always use a silver knife, as steel soon blackens and discolors the fruit.  If sugar is to be used, do not add it until the time for serving, as it will start the juice, and likewise turn the fruit brown, destroying much of its rich flavor.  Keep on ice until needed for the table.  Add cream with each person’s dish.

PINEAPPLES.—­The pineapple when fresh and ripened to perfection, is as mellow and juicy as a ripe peach, and needs no cooking to fit it for the table.  Of course it must be pared, and have the eyes and fibrous center removed.  Then it may be sliced in generous pieces and piled upon a plate, or cut into smaller portions and served in saucers.  No condiments are necessary; even the use of sugar detracts from its delicate flavor.  Pineapples found in our Northern markets are, however, generally so hard and tough as to require cooking, or are valuable only for their juice, which may be extracted and used for flavoring other fruits.  When sufficiently mellow to be eaten raw, they are usually so tart as to seem to require a light sprinkling of sugar to suit most tastes.  Pineapples pared, cut into dice or small pieces, lightly sprinkled with sugar, to which just before serving, a cup of orange juice is added, form a delicious dish.

PLUMS.—­Plums make a most artistic fruit piece, served whole and arranged with bunches of choice green grapes, in a basket or glass dish.  A fine edge may be made from the velvety leaves of dark purple foliage plants.

PRESSED FIGS.—­Look over carefully, and select only such as are perfectly good.  They may be served dry, mixed with bunches of raisins, or steamed over a kettle of boiling water.  Steamed figs make an excellent breakfast dish, and are considered much more wholesome then when used dry.  Steamed raisins are likewise superior to dried raisins.

RASPBERRIES, BLACKBERRIES, DEWBERRIES, BLUEBERRIES AND WHORTLEBERRIES, require careful looking over to remove all insects, stems, and over-ripe fruit.  Blueberries and whortleberries frequently need to be washed.  They are then drained by spreading on a sieve or colander.  Perfectly ripe, they are more healthful without condiments; but sugar and cream are usually considered indispensable.

If necessary to wash strawberries, they should be put into cold water, a few at a time, pushed down lightly beneath the water several times until entirely clean, then taken out one by one, hulled, and used at once.  Like all other small fruits and berries they are more wholesome served without cream, but if cream is used, each person should be allowed to add it to his own dish, as it quickly curdles and renders the whole dish unsightly; if allowed to stand, it also impairs the flavor of the fruit.

FROSTED FRUIT.—­Prepare a mixture of the beaten white of egg, sugar, and a very little cold water.  Dip nice bunches of clean currants, cherries, or grapes into the mixture; drain nearly dry, and roll lightly in powdered sugar.  Lay them on white paper to dry.  Plums, apricots, and peaches may be dipped in the mixture, gently sprinkled with sugar, then allowed to dry.  This method of preparing fruit is not to be commended for its wholesomeness, but it is sometimes desirable for ornament.