Page:The Virginia Housewife or, Methodical Cook, Mary Randolph, 1836.djvu/164

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THE VIRGINIA HOUSEWIFE.

CURRANT JELLY.

Pick full ripe currants from the stem, and put them in a stone pot; then set it in an iron pot of water—take care that no water gets in: when the currants have yielded their juice, pour them into a jelly bag—let it run as long as it will without pressing, which must be reserved for the best jelly; you may then squeeze the bag to make inferior kind. To each pint of this juice, put one pound of loaf sugar powdered—boil it fifteen or twenty minutes—skim it clean, and put it in glasses; expose them daily to the sun to prevent fermentation.


QUINCE JELLY.

Prepare the quinces as before directed, take off the stems and blossoms, wash them clean, and cut them in slices without paring; fill the pan, and pour in water to cover them—stew them gently, putting in a little water occasionally till they are soft; then pour them into a jelly bag; let all the liquor run through without pressing it, which must be set aside for the best jelly; to each pint of this, put a pound of loaf sugar pounded, and boil it to a jelly. The bag may be squeezed for an inferior, but a very nice jelly.


QUINCE MARMALADE.

Boil the quinces in water until soft, let them cool, and rub all the pulp through a sieve: put two pounds of it to one of sugar, pound a little cochineal, sift it through fine muslin, and mix it with the quince to give a colour; pick out the seeds, tie them in a muslin bag, and boil them with the marmalade: when it is a thick jelly, take out the seeds, and put it in pots.