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The Whitehouse Cookbook (1887) written by Mrs. F.L. Gillette

M >> Mrs. F.L. Gillette >> The Whitehouse Cookbook (1887)





CANNED STRAWBERRIES.

After the berries are picked over, let as many as can be put carefully
in the preserve kettle at once be placed on a platter. To each pound
of fruit add three-fourths of a pound of sugar; let them stand two or
three hours, till the juice is drawn from them; pour it into the
kettle and let it come to a boil and remove the scum which rises; then
put in the berries very carefully. As soon as they come thoroughly to
a boil put them in warm jars and seal while boiling hot.


TO CAN QUINCES.

Cut the quinces into thin slices like apples for pies. To one quart
jarful of quince, take a coffeesaucer and a half of sugar and a
coffeecupful of water; put the sugar and water on the fire, and when
boiling put in the quinces; have ready the jars with their fastenings,
stand the jars in a pan of boiling water on the stove, and when the
quince is clear and tender put rapidly into the jars, fruit and syrup
together. The jars must be filled so that the syrup overflows, and
fastened up tight as quickly as possible.


CANNED PINEAPPLE.

For six pounds of fruit, when cut and ready to can, make syrup with
two and a half pounds of sugar and nearly three pints of water; boil
syrup five minutes and skim or strain if necessary; then add the fruit
and let it boil up; have cans hot, fill and shut up as soon as
possible. Use the best white sugar. As the cans cool, keep tightening
them up. Cut the fruit half an inch thick.


CANNED FRUIT JUICES.

Canned fruit juices are an excellent substitute for brandy or wine in
all puddings and sauces, etc.

It is a good plan to can the pure juices of fruit in the summer time,
putting it by for this purpose.

Select clean ripe fruit, press out the juice and strain it through a
flannel cloth. To each pint of juice add one cupful of white
granulated sugar. Put it in a porcelain kettle, bring it to the
boiling point, and bottle while hot in small bottles. It must be
sealed very tight while it is _hot_. Will keep a long time, the same
as canned fruit.


CANNED TOMATOES.

Canning tomatoes is quite a simple process. A large or small quantity
may be done at a time, and they should be put in glass jars in
preference to those of tin, which are apt to injure the flavor. Very
ripe tomatoes are the best for the purpose. They are first put into a
large pan and covered with boiling water. This loosens the skin, which
is easily removed, and the tomatoes are then put into the preserving
kettle, set over a moderate fire without the addition of water or any
seasoning, and brought to a boil. After boiling slowly one-half hour,
they are put into the jars while boiling hot and sealed tightly. They
will keep two or three years in this way. The jars should be filled to
the brim to prevent air from getting in, and set in a cool, dark
closet.


TO CAN CORN.

Split the kernels lengthwise with a knife, then scrape with the back
of the knife, thus leaving the hulls upon the cob. Fill cans full of
cut corn, pressing it in very hard. To press the corn in the can, use
the small end of a potato masher, as this will enter the can easily.
It will take from ten to a dozen large ears of corn to fill a
one-quart can. When the cans are full, screw cover on with thumb and
first finger; this will be tight enough, then place a cloth in the
bottom of a wash boiler to prevent breakage. On this put a layer of
cans in any position you prefer, over the cans put a layer of cloth,
then a layer of cans. Fill the boiler in this manner, then cover the
cans well with cold water, place the boiler on the fire and _boil_
three hours without ceasing. On steady boiling depends much of your
success. After boiling three hours, lift the boiler from the fire, let
the water cool, then take the cans from the boiler and tighten, let
them remain until cold, then tighten again. Wrap each can in brown
paper to exclude the light and keep in a cool, dry cellar and be very
sure the rubber rings are not hardened by use. The rings should be
renewed every two years. I would advise the beginner to use new rings
entirely, for poor rings cause the loss of canned fruit and vegetables
in many cases. You will observe that in canning corn the cans are not
wrapped in a cloth nor heated; merely filled with the cut corn. The
corn in the can will shrink considerable in boiling, but on no account
open them after canning.


TO CAN PEAS.

Fill the can full of peas, shake the can so they can be filled well.
You cannot press the peas in the can as you did the corn, but by
shaking the cans they may be filled quite full. Pour into the cans
enough cold water to fill to overflowing, then screw the cover tight
as you can with your thumb and first finger and proceed exactly as in
canning corn.

String beans are cut as for cooking and canned in the same manner. No
seasoning of salt, pepper or sugar should be added.

_Mary Currier Parsons._


CANNED PLUMS.

To every pound of plums allow a quarter of a pound of sugar. Put the
sugar and plums alternately into the preserving kettle, first pricking
the plums to prevent their breaking. Let them stand on the back of the
stove for an hour or two, then put them over a moderate fire and allow
to come to a boil; skim and pour at once into jars, running a silver
spoon handle around the inside of the jar to break the air-bubbles;
cover and screw down the tops.


CANNED MINCE MEAT.

Mince meat for pies can be preserved for years if canned the same as
fruit while _hot_, and put into glass jars and sealed perfectly tight,
and set in a cool, dark place. One glass quart jar will hold enough to
make two ordinary-sized pies, and in this way "mince pies" can be had
in the middle of summer as well as in winter, and if the cans are
sealed properly, the meat will be just as fine when opened as when
first canned.


CANNED BOILED CIDER.

Boiled cider, in our grandmothers' time, was indispensable to the
making of a good "mince pie," adding the proper flavor and richness,
which cannot be substituted by any other ingredient, and a gill of
which being added to a rule of "fruit cake" makes it more moist, keeps
longer, and is far superior to fruit cake made without it. Boiled
cider is an article rarely found in the market, nowadays, but can be
made by any one, with but little trouble and expense, using _sweet_
cider, shortly after it is made, and before fermentation takes place.
Place five quarts of _sweet_ cider in a porcelain-lined kettle over
the fire, boil it slowly until reduced to one quart, carefully
watching it that it does not burn; turn into glass jars while hot and
seal tightly, the same as canned fruit. It is then ready to use any
time of the year.


CANNED PUMPKIN.

Pumpkins or squash canned are far more convenient for ready use than
those dried in the old-fashioned way.

Cut up pumpkin or squash into small pieces, first cutting off the
peel; stew them until tender, add no seasoning; then mash them very
fine with a potato masher. Have ready your cans, made hot, and then
fill them with the hot pumpkin or squash, seal tight; place in a
dark, cool closet.


PEACH BUTTER.

Pare ripe peaches and put them in a preserving kettle, with sufficient
water to boil them soft; then sift through a colander, removing the
stones. To each quart of peaches put one and one-half pounds of sugar,
and boil very slowly one hour. Stir often and do not let them burn.
Put in stone or glass jars, and keep in a cool place.


PEACHES DRIED WITH SUGAR.

Peel yellow peaches, cut them from the stone in one piece; allow two
pounds of sugar to six pounds of fruit; make a syrup of three-quarters
of a pound of sugar and a little water; put in the peaches, a few at a
time, and let them cook gently until quite clear. Take them up
carefully on a dish and set them in the sun to dry. Strew powdered
sugar over them on all sides, a little at a time; if any syrup is
left, remove to fresh dishes. When they are quite dry, lay them
lightly in a jar with a little sugar sifted between the layers.

[Illustration]




COLORING FOR FRUIT, ETC.


RED OR PINK COLORING.

Take two cents' worth of cochineal. Lay it on a flat plate and bruise
it with the blade of a knife. Put it into half a teacupful of alcohol.
Let it stand a quarter of an hour, and then filter it through fine
muslin. Always ready for immediate use. Cork the bottle tight.

Strawberry or cranberry juice makes a fine coloring for frosting,
sweet puddings and confectionery.


DEEP RED COLORING.

Take twenty grains of cochineal and fifteen grains of cream of tartar
finely powdered; add to them a piece of alum the size of a cherry
stone and boil them with a gill of soft water in an earthen vessel,
slowly, for half an hour. Then strain it through muslin, and keep it
tightly corked in a phial. If a little alcohol is added it will keep
any length of time.


YELLOW COLORING.

Take a little saffron, put it into an earthen vessel with a very small
quantity of cold, soft water, and let it steep till the color of the
infusion is a bright yellow. Then strain it, add half alcohol to it.
To color fruit yellow, boil the fruit with fresh lemon skins in water
to cover them until it is tender; then take it up, spread it on dishes
to cool and finish as may be directed.

To color icing, put the grated peel of a lemon or orange in a thin
muslin bag, squeezing a little juice through it, then mixing with the
sugar.


GREEN COLORING.

Take fresh spinach or beet leaves and pound them in a marble mortar.
If you want it for immediate use, take off the green froth as it
rises, and mix it with the article you intend to color. If you wish to
keep it a few days, take the juice when you have pressed out a
teacupful, and adding to it a piece of alum the size of a pea, give it
a boil in a saucepan. Or make the juice very strong and add a quart of
alcohol. Bottle it air-tight.


SUGAR GRAINS.

These are made by pounding white lump sugar in a mortar and shaking it
through sieves of different degrees of coarseness, thus accumulating
grains of different sizes. They are used in ornamenting cake.


SUGAR GRAINS, COLORED.

Stir a little coloring--as the essence of spinach, or prepared
cochineal, or liquid carmine, or indigo, rouge, saffron, etc.,--into
the sugar grains made as above, until each grain is stained, then
spread them on a baking-sheet and dry them in a warm place. They are
used in ornamenting cake.


CARAMEL OR BURNT SUGAR.

Put one cupful of sugar and two teaspoonfuls of water in a saucepan on
the fire; stir constantly until it is quite a dark color, then add a
half cupful of water and a pinch of salt; let it boil a few minutes
and when cold, bottle.

For coloring soups, sauces or gravies.


TO CLARIFY JELLY.

The white of egg is, perhaps, the best substance that can be employed
in clarifying jelly, as well as some other fluids, for the reason that
when albumen (and the white of egg is nearly pure albumen) is put into
a liquid that is muddy, from substances suspended in it, on boiling
coagulates in a flocculent manner, and, entangling with the
impurities, rises with them to the surface as a scum, or sinks to the
bottom, according to their weight.




CONFECTIONERY


In the making of confections the best _granulated_ or _loaf_ sugar
should be used. (Beware of glucose mixed with sugar.) Sugar is boiled
more or less, according to the kind of candy to be made, and it is
necessary to understand the proper degree of sugar boiling to operate
it successfully.

Occasionally sugar made into candies, "creams" or syrups, will need
clarifying. The process is as follows: Beat up well the white of an
egg with a cupful of cold water and pour it into a very clean iron or
thick new tin saucepan, and put into the pan four cupfuls of sugar,
mixed with a cupful of warm water. Put on the stove and heat
_moderately_ until the scum rises. Remove the pan, and skim off the
top, then place on the fire again until the scum rises again. Then
remove as before, and so continue until no scum rises.

This recipe is good for brown or yellowish sugar; for soft, white
sugars, half the white of an egg will do, and for refined or loaf
sugar a quarter will do.

The quantities of sugar and water are the same in all cases. Loaf
sugar will generally do for all candy-making without further
clarification. Brown or yellow sugars are used for caramels,
dark-colored cocoanut, taffy, and pulled molasses candies generally.

Havana is the cheapest grade of white sugar and a shade or two lighter
than the brown.

Confectioners' A is superior in color and grain to the Havana. It is a
centrifugal sugar--that is, it is not re-boiled to procure its white
color, but is moistened with water and then put into rapidly-revolving
cylinders. The uncrystalized syrup or molasses is whirled out of it,
and the sugar comes out with a dry, white grain.

ICING OR POWDERED SUGARS.--This is powdered loaf sugar. Icing can only
be made with powdered sugar which is produced by grinding or crushing
loaf sugar nearly as fine as flour.

GRANULATED SUGAR--This is a coarse-grained sugar, generally very
clean and sparkling, and fit for use as a colored sugar in
crystallized goods, and other superior uses.

This same syrup answers for most candies and should be boiled to such
a degree, that when a fork or splinter is dipped into it the liquid
will run off and form a thick drop on the end, and long silk-like
threads hang from it when exposed to the air. The syrup never to be
stirred while hot, or else it will grain, but if intended for soft,
French candies, should be removed, and, when nearly cold, stirred to a
cream. For hard, brittle candies, the syrup should be boiled until,
when a little is dropped in _cold_ water, it will crack and break when
biting it.

The hands should be buttered when handling it, or it will stick to
them.

The top of the inside of the dish that the sugar or molasses is to be
cooked in should be buttered a few inches around the inside; it
prevents the syrup from rising and swelling any higher than where it
reaches the buttered edge.

For common crack candies, the sugar can be kept from graining by
adding a teaspoonful of vinegar or cream of tartar.

Colorings for candies should be harmless, and those used for fruit and
confectionery, on page 444, will be most suitable.

Essences and extracts should be bought at the druggist's, not the poor
kind usually sold at the grocer's.


FRENCH CREAM CANDY.

Put four cupfuls of white sugar and one cupful of water into a bright
tin pan on the range and let it boil without stirring for ten minutes.
If it looks somewhat thick, test it by letting some drop from the
spoon, and if it threads, remove the pan to the table. Take out a
small spoonful, and rub it against the side of a cake bowl; if it
becomes creamy, and will roll into a ball between the fingers, pour
the whole into the bowl. When cool enough to bear your finger in it,
take it in your lap, stir or beat it with a large spoon, or
pudding-stick. It will soon begin to look like cream, and then grow
stiffer until you find it necessary to take your hands and work it
like bread dough. If it is not boiled enough to cream, set it back
upon the range and let it remain one or two minutes, or as long as is
necessary, taking care not to cook it too much. Add the flavoring as
soon as it begins to cool. This is the foundation of all French
creams. It can be made into rolls, and sliced off, or packed in plates
and cut into small cubes, or made into any shape imitating French
candies. A pretty form is made by coloring some of the cream pink,
taking a piece about as large as a hazel nut, and crowding an almond
meat half way into one side, till it looks like a bursting kernel. In
working, should the cream get too cold, warm it.

To be successful in making this cream, several points are to be
remembered; when the boiled sugar is cool enough to beat, if it looks
rough and has turned to sugar, it is because it has been boiled _too
much_, or has been _stirred_. If, after it is beaten, it does not look
like lard or thick cream, and is sandy or sugary instead, it is
because you did not let it get cool enough before beating.

It is not boiled enough if it does not harden so as to work like
dough, and should not stick to the hands; in this case put it back
into the pan with an ounce of hot water, and cook over just enough, by
testing in water as above. After it is turned into the bowl to cool,
it should look clear as jelly. Practice and patience will make
perfect.


FRUIT CREAMS.

Add to "French Cream" raisins, currants, figs, a little citron,
chopped and mixed thoroughly through the cream while quite warm. Make
into bars or flat cakes.


WALNUT CREAMS.

Take a piece of "French Cream" the size of a walnut. Having cracked
some English walnuts, using care not to break the meats, place
one-half of each nut upon each side of the ball, pressing them into
the ball.

Walnut creams can be made by another method: First take a piece of
"French Cream," put it into a cup and setting the cup into a vessel of
boiling water, heating it until it turns like thick cream; drop the
walnut meats into it, one at a time, taking them out on the end of a
fork and placing on buttered paper; continue to dip them until all are
used, then go over again, giving them a second coat of candy. They
look nice colored pink and flavored with vanilla.


CHOCOLATE CREAMS.

Use "French Cream," and form it into small cone-shaped balls with the
fingers. Lay them upon paper to harden until all are formed. Melt one
cake of Baker's chocolate in an earthen dish or small basin; by
setting it in the oven it will soon melt; do not let it cook, but it
_must_ be kept _hot_.

Take the balls of cream, one at a time, on the tines of a fork, pour
the melted chocolate over them with a teaspoon and when well covered,
slip them from the fork upon oiled paper.


COCOANUT CREAMS.

Take two tablespoonfuls of grated cocoanut and half as much "French
candy;" work them both together with your hand till the cocoanut is
all well mixed in it. If you choose, you can add a drop of vanilla. If
too soft to work into balls, add confectioners' sugar to stiffen; make
into balls the size of hazelnuts and dip twice, as in the foregoing
recipes, flavoring the melted "French Cream" with vanilla.


VARIEGATED CREAMS.

Make the "French Cream" recipe, and divide into three parts, leaving
one part white, color one pink with cochineal syrup, and the third
part color brown with chocolate, which is done by just letting the
cream soften and stirring in a little finely grated chocolate. The
pink is colored by dropping on a few drops of cochineal syrup while
the cream is warm and beating it in. Take the white cream, make a flat
ball of it, and lay it upon a buttered dish, and pat it out flat until
about half an inch thick. If it does not work easily, dip the hand in
alcohol. Take the pink cream, work in the same way as the white and
lay it upon the white; then the chocolate in the same manner, and lay
upon the pink, pressing all together. Trim the edges off smooth,
leaving it in a nice, square cake, then cut into slices or small
cubes, as you prefer. It is necessary to work it all up as rapidly as
possible.


RASPBERRY CREAMS.

Stir enough confectioners' sugar into a teaspoonful of raspberry jam
to form a thick paste; roll it into balls between the palms of your
hands. Put a lump of "French Cream" into a teacup and set it into a
basin of boiling water, stirring it until it has melted; then drop a
few drops of cochineal coloring to make it a pale pink, or a few drops
of raspberry juice, being careful not to add enough to prevent its
hardening. Now dip these little balls into the sugar cream, giving
them two coats. Lay aside to harden.

Remember to _keep stirring_ the melted cream, or if not it will _turn
back to clear syrup_.


NUT CREAMS.

Chop almonds, hickory nuts, butternuts or English walnuts quite fine.
Make the '"French Cream," and before adding all the sugar, while the
cream is quite soft, stir into it the nuts, and then form into balls,
bars or squares. Several kinds of nuts may be mixed together.


MAPLE SUGAR CREAMS.

Grate fine maple sugar and mix, in quantity to suit the taste, with
"French Cream;" make any shape desired. Walnut creams are sometimes
made with maple sugar and are very fine.


STICK CANDY.

One pound of granulated sugar, one cupful of water, a quarter of a
cupful of vinegar, or half a teaspoonful of cream of tartar, one small
tablespoonful of glycerine. Flavor with vanilla, rose or lemon. Boil
all except the flavoring, without stirring, twenty minutes or half an
hour, or until crisp when dropped in water. Just before pouring upon
greased platters to cool, add half a teaspoonful of soda. After
pouring upon platters to cool, pour two teaspoonfuls of flavoring over
the top. When partly cool, pull it until very white. Draw it into
sticks the size you wish, and cut off with shears into sticks or
kiss-shaped drops. It may be colored if desired. (See page 444, for
coloring.)


CHOCOLATE CARAMELS.

One cupful of grated chocolate, two cupfuls of brown sugar, one cupful
of West India molasses, one cupful of milk or cream, butter the size
of an egg, boil until thick, _almost_ brittle, stirring constantly.
Turn it out on to buttered plates, and when it begins to stiffen, mark
it in small squares so that it will break easily when cold. Some like
it flavored with a tablespoonful of vanilla.


GRILLED ALMONDS.

These are a very delicious candy seldom met with out of France. They
are rather more trouble to make than other kinds, but well repay it
from their novel flavor. Blanch a cupful of almonds; dry them
thoroughly. Boil a cupful of sugar and a quarter of a cupful of water
till it "hairs," then throw in the almonds; let them fry, as it were,
in this syrup, stirring them occasionally; they will turn a faint
yellow brown before the sugar changes color; do not wait an instant
once this change of color begins, or they will lose flavor; remove
them from the fire, and stir them until the syrup has turned back to
sugar and clings irregularly to the nuts.

These are grilled almonds. You will find them delicious, as they are
to alternate at dinner with the salted almonds now so fashionable.


PEPPERMINT DROPS.

One cupful of sugar crushed fine, and just moistened with boiling
water, then boiled five minutes; then take from the fire and add cream
of tartar the size of a pea; mix well and add four or five drops of
oil of peppermint. Beat briskly until the mixture whitens, then drop
quickly upon white paper. Have the cream of tartar and oil of
peppermint measured while the sugar is boiling. If it sugars before it
is all dropped, add a little water and boil a minute or two.


CURRANT DROPS.

Use currant juice instead of water, to moisten a quantity of sugar.
Put it in a pan and heat, stirring constantly; be sure not to let it
boil; then mix a very little more sugar, let it warm with the rest a
moment, then, with a smooth stick, drop on paper.


LEMON DROPS.

Upon a coffeecupful of finely powdered sugar pour just enough lemon
juice to dissolve it, and boil it to the consistency of thick syrup,
and so that it appears brittle when dropped in cold water. Drop this
on buttered plates in drops; set away to cool and harden.


NUT MOLASSES CANDY.

When making molasses candy, add any kind of nuts you fancy; put them
in after the syrup has thickened and is ready to take from the fire;
pour out on buttered tins. Mark it off in squares before it gets too
cool. Peanuts should be fresh roasted and then tossed in a sieve, to
free them of their inner skins.


SUGAR NUT CANDY.

Three pounds of white sugar, half a pint of water, half a pint of
vinegar, a quarter of a pound of butter, one pound of hickory nut
kernels. Put the sugar, butter, vinegar and water together into a
thick saucepan. When it begins to thicken, add the nuts. To test it,
take up a very small quantity as quickly as possible directly from the
centre, taking care not to disturb it any more than is necessary. Drop
it into cold water, and remove from the fire the moment the little
particles are brittle. Pour into buttered plates. Use any nuts with
this recipe.


COCOANUT CANDY.

One cocoanut, one and one-half pounds of granulated sugar. Put sugar
and milk of cocoanut together, beat slowly until the sugar is melted,
then boil five minutes; add cocoanut (finely grated), boil ten minutes
longer, stir constantly to keep from burning. Pour on buttered plates;
cut in squares. Will take about two days to harden. Use prepared
cocoanut when other cannot be had.


BUTTER-SCOTCH.

Three cupfuls of white sugar, half a cupful of water, half a cupful of
vinegar, or half a teaspoonful of cream of tartar, a tablespoonful of
butter and eight drops of extract of lemon. Boil _without stirring_
till it will snap and break. Just before taking from the fire, add a
quarter of a teaspoonful of soda; pour into well-buttered biscuit
tins, a quarter of an inch thick. Mark off into inch squares when
partly cold.


EVERTON TAFFY, OR BUTTER-SCOTCH.