Twelve pounds of peaches, 1 quart of vinegar, 3 pounds brown sugar.  Rub the fuzz from the peaches.  Do not pare them.  Stick half a dozen whole cloves in each peach.  Add spices to taste, stick-cinnamon, whole doves and mace.  Put spices in a small cheese cloth bag and do not remove the bag, containing spices, when putting away the peaches.  Scald sugar, vinegar and spices together and pour over the peaches.  Cover closely and stand away.  Do this twice, one day between.  The third time place all together in a preserving kettle.  Cook a few minutes, then place fruit in jars, about three-quarters filled.  Boil down the syrup until about one-quarter has boiled away, pour over the peaches, hot, and seal in air-tight jars.  This is an old and very good recipe used by “Aunt Sarah” many years.

CURRANT JELLY

Always pick currants for jelly before they are “dead ripe,” and never directly after a shower of rain.  Wash and pick over and stem currants.  Place in a preserving kettle five pounds of currants and 1/2 cup of water; stir until heated through then mash with a potato masher.  Turn into a jelly bag, allow drip, and to every pint of currant juice add one pound of granulated sugar; return to preserving kettle.  Boil twenty minutes, skim carefully, pour into jelly glasses.  When cold cover tops of glasses with melted parafine.

PINEAPPLE HONEY

Pineapple honey was made in a similar manner to quince honey, using one large grated pineapple to one quart of cold water and three pounds of sugar.  Boil 20 minutes.

PRESERVED PINEAPPLE

Pare the pineapples, run through a food chopper, weigh fruit, and to every pound of fruit add three-quarters of a pound of sugar.  Mix sugar and fruit together and stand in a cool place over night.  In the morning cook until fruit is tender and syrup clear; skim top of fruit carefully; fill jars and seal.

GRAPE CONSERVE

Wash and drain ten pounds of ripe grapes, separate the skins from the pulp, stew pulp until soft, mash through a sieve, reject seeds.

Place pulp and skins in a preserving kettle, add a half pound of seeded raisins and juice and pulp of 4 oranges.  Measure and add to every quart of this 3/4 of a quart of sugar.  Cook slowly, until the consistency of jam.  A cup of coarsely-chopped walnut meats may be added, if liked, a few minutes before removing jam from the range.  Fill pint jars and seal.

MARY’S RECIPE FOR RHUBARB JAM

Skin and cut enough rhubarb in half-inch pieces to weigh three pounds.  Add 1/2 cup cold water and 2 pounds of granulated sugar, and the grated yellow rind and juice of 2 large oranges.  Cook all together, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, a half hour, or until clear.  This is a delicious jam.