PINEAPPLE, No. 2

Prepare the pineapples as above, allowing half a pound of sugar to two pounds of fruit.  Steam the sliced pines in a porcelain steamer until tender.  In the meantime make a syrup of the sugar, allowing a tumblerful of water to a pound of sugar.  Skim the syrup carefully, put in your steamed pineapples and can as above.

JELLIES AND PRESERVES

In making preserves or jellies use none but porcelain-lined or bell-metal kettles, being very careful to have them perfectly clean.  Scour with sapolio or sand before using.  Take plenty of time to do your work, as you will find that too great hurry is unprofitable.  Use glass jars and the best white sugar, and do not have any other cooking going on while preserving, as the steam or grease will be apt to injure your preserves.

When fruit is preserved with a large amount of sugar (a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit) it does not need to be sealed in airtight jars; because bacteria do not readily form in the thick, sugary syrup.  It is, however, best kept in small sealed jars.

In damp weather jelly takes longer to form.  Try to select a sunny, dry day for jelly making.  You can prepare your juice even if it is cloudy, but wait for sunshine before adding the sugar and final boiling.

UTENSILS FOR JELLY MAKING

Large enamelled kettle, syrup gauge, two colanders, wooden masher, wooden spoon, jelly glasses, one-quart measure, two enamelled cups, one baking-pan, two earthen bowls, paraffin wax, enamelled dishpan for sterilizing glasses and two iron jelly stands with cheese-cloth bags.

HOW TO TEST JELLY MADE AT HOME

Much waste of sugar and spoilage of jellies can be avoided by using a simple alcohol test recommended by the Bureau of Chemistry, United States Department of Agriculture.  To determine how much sugar should be used with each kind of juice put a spoon of juice in a glass and add to it one spoon of ninety-five per cent grain alcohol, mixed by shaking the glass gently.

Pour slowly from the glass, noting how the pectin—­the substance in fruits which makes them jell—­is precipitated.  If the pectin is precipitated as one lump, a cup of sugar may be used for each cup of juice; if in several lumps the proportion of sugar must be reduced to approximately 3/4 the amount of the juice.  If the pectin is not in lumps, the sugar should be one-half or less of the amount of juice.

The housewife will do well before making the test to taste the juice, as fruits having less acid than good tart apples probably will not make good jelly, unless mixed with other fruits which are acid.

TO COVER JELLY GLASSES