Pioneer Preserving Recipes (Continued)

Next up, like I promised, is the "Pennsylvania Dutch: of Stolid Country" .  Much of these originating from the Palatinate in Germany (South Rhineland).  Don't forget to set your table with "Seven Sweets and Seven Sours"!

Apricot Wine

1 pound dried apricots
4 quarts warm water
1/2 cake yeast
6 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cup seedless raisins
2 lemons, sliced thin
2 oranges, sliced thin
1 Tablespoon ginger

Wash apricots in several waters.
Dry and cut into halves.
Place into a large crock.
Pour warm water over them, reserving 1/2 cup to soften yeast.
Stir in the sugars, fruit, and ginger.
Add softened yeast.
Mix well.
Cover and let stand 30 days, stirring every other day..
Strain and bottle.

Mead
A drink almost as old as history.  The name derives from the ancient word for "honey."  This recipe dates from about 1818.

40 pounds honey  (15 quarts)
10 gallons water
7 1/2 ounces hops or 15 yeast cakes
1 quart brandy or sack (wine)

Add honey to water and boil 45 minutes.
Add hops and boil 30 minutes longer.
If yeast is used, cool honey and water to lukewarm and crumble yeast into it.
Let stand overnight.
Add brandy or sack.
Pour into cask.
Cover with an over sized lid and let stand until fermentation is complete.
Then cover tightly and seal.
Let stand one year before bottling.

Raspberry Vinegar

4 pounds raspberries
2 cups vinegar
sugar
brandy (optional)

Mash berries.
Add vinegar.
Let stand 4 days, stirring daily.
Strain.
To each cup of liquid add 1 cup of sugar.
Bring to a boil and cook 20 minutes.
Strain.
Add 1 glass of brandy per quart.
Bottle.

Dill Pickles

10 quarts water
2 cups salt
1 quart vinegar
4 Tablespoons pepper
1 1/2 peck cucumbers
5 stalks dill

Make a brine with first 4 ingredients.
Bring to a boil.
Fill crock with cucumbers, placing dill between layers.
Add hot brine.
A slice of onion or garlic may be added to the boiling liquid.
Cover crock and let stand several days before using.
Preserved in jars, this makes about 3 gallons.

seckle pear

Pickled Seckle Pears

14 pounds Seckle pears
1 teaspoon stick cinnamon, broken into pieces
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 quart cider vinegar
6 pounds sugar

Any good preserving pear may be used.
Peel pears, slice and remove core (or pickle whole).
Ties spices in cheesecloth.
Add to vinegar and sugar.
Bring to a boil.
Add pears.
Cook until tender.
Remove them with a spoon.
Fill sterilized jars.
Boil syrup until thick.
Pour over pears.
Seal.
Makes about 6 quarts.

Tomato Mincemeat

8 quarts green tomatoes
2 lemons
4 pounds brown sugar
2 pounds seeded raisins
1 Tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons cloves
1 teaspoon allspice
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon mace
1 cup vinegar

Scald and peel tomatoes.
Put through food chopper with the lemons.
Add sugar, raisins, salt, spices, and vinegar.
Cook over low heat about 45 minutes.
Pour into sterilized jars and seal.
Makes about 6 quarts.

Senfgurken
(Ripe cucumber pickle)
12 large ripe cucumbers
1/2 cup salt
4 1/2 cups water
6 cups sugar
1 quart vinegar
2 Tablespoons mustard seeds
1 Tablespoon whole cloves
1 stick cinnamon

Wash cucumbers.
Peel and cut into halves lengthwise, removing seeds.
Let stand 12 hours or overnight in brine of the salt and water.
Drain.
Bring sugar, vinegar and spices (tied in cheesecloth) to a boil.
Add cucumbers.
Boil until cucumbers begin to look transparent, but are still crisp.
Fill sterilized jars and seal.
Makes 3 quarts.

Mustard Pickles

2 heads cauliflower
2 quarts small white onions
1/2 dozen green peppers
2 quarts green tomatoes
1 cup salt
1 cup flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 pound dry mustard
2 Tablespoons celery seed
1/2 ounce turmeric
3 quarts white vinegar


Separate cauliflower into florets.
Peel onions and slice.
Remove seeds from peppers, and slice fine.
Slice tomatoes.
Combine all ingredients above.
Cover with salt and let stand overnight.
Drain, rinse thoroughly with boiling water until all vegetables are scalded.
Blend flour, sugar and spices.
Heat vinegar and pour slowly over the mixture, stirring.
Cook over low heat until thickened.
Combine with hot vegetables.
Fill sterilized jars and seal.
Makes 12 pints.

Pickled Red Cabbage

4 quarts thinly sliced red cabbage
4 teaspoons salt
2 quarts weak vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon mace
1/2 teaspoon mace
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Shred cabbage fine.
Sprinkle generously with salt.
Let stand in a cool place 30 hours.
Drain.
Place in the sun for several hours.
Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients.
Boil for 7 minutes.
Pour over cabbage.
Fill stone jars.
Cover and store in a cool place.
Makes about 4 quarts.

Pepper Relish

16 sweet red peppers
16 sweet green peppers
10 small onions
boiling water
1 quart sour vinegar
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons salt

Finely chop first three ingredients.
Pour boiling water over them, let stand 5 minutes.
Drain.
Cover again with boiling water, let stand 10 minutes.
Pour into a muslin bag and drain overnight.
Add remaining ingredients.
Boil 20 minutes.
While hot, pour into sterilized jars and seal.
Makes about 3 pints.

Lotwerick
(Moselem Springs apple butter)

4 quarts apples
2 quarts water
1 1/2 quarts cider
1 1/2 pounds sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cloves

Wash apples and slice into small bits.
Cover with water and boil soft.
Press through a sieve to remove skins and seeds.
Bring cider to a boil.
Add apple pulp and sugar.
Cook until thickened, stirring.
Add spices, cook 20 minutes longer.
Fill 3 sterilized quart jars and seal.

Ginger Tomato Preserves

6 pounds green tomatoes
2 pounds red tomatoes
5 pounds granulated sugar
1 teaspoon whole cloves
3 pieces ginger root
3 lemons, sliced


Scald tomatoes.
Peel and cut into quarters.
Add remaining ingredients.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and cook slowly until thick.
Fill 8 sterilized pint jars and seal.

Lebanon County Rhubarb Jam

2 1/2 pounds rhubarb'1 1/2 pounds sugar
1/2 cup water
2 oranges (rind and juice)

Wash rhubarb and cut into small pieces.
Add sugar and cold water.
Grate rind of oranges and add to rhubarb.
Add orange juice and cook for 30 minutes, stirring.
Fill sterilized jars and seal.
Makes about 2 pints.




Now we're travelling way down to "Creole, Sophisticated Cuisine."  New Orleans Creole recipes are influenced by the French and Spanish, using native ingredients.

Brandied Peaches

4 pounds peaches
cloves
4 pounds sugar
3 1/2 cups water
1 egg white
1 pint white brandy

Pare peaches. 
Insert 2 cloves into each whole peach.
Make a syrup of the sugar and water.
Add egg white, beaten to a froth.
Skim.
Add fruit, one layer at a time.
Boil 5 minutes.
Pack into sterilized jars.
Boil syrup about 10 minutes, until thickened.
Remove from heat.
Add brandy.
Pour over fruit.
Seal immediately.
Age improves flavor.
Makes 5 pints.

Tutti Frutti
Served over vanilla ice cream this is an epicurean delight.

1 cup brandy
7 cups sugar
1 cup ripe strawberries
1 cup raspberries
1 cup diced fresh apricots
1 cup diced fresh peaches
1 cup pitted cherries
1 cup diced fresh pineapple
1 cup diced fresh plums

Pour brandy into a stone jar.
Add 1 cup sugar and 1 cup ripe strawberries.
Stir thoroughly.
Add fruits when each is in season, with 1 cup sugar for each cup of fruit.
No more brandy is indicated.
Be sure to stir at each addition.
This may also be used as a preserve.
Makes 5 pints.

Bar-Le-Duc
This is delicious served with cream cheese and crackers.

2 quarts currants
4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water

Wash currants and pick from stems.
Combine sugar and water.
Boil 8 minutes.
Add currants.
Cook 15 minutes.
Pour into sterilized glasses and seal.
Makes 3 pints.

Conserve Fleurs D'Oranges et de Roses
(Orange Flower and Rose Preserves)

2 Tablespoons powdered orange petals
1/2 cup boiling water
3 cups sugar
8 Tablespoons rose water

Steep the petals in distilled water for 10 minutes.
Add sugar.
Simmer over moderate heat.
Add rose water.
Continue cooking until very thick.
Makes 6 ounces.





Red Pepper, by Sarah Lynch


Red Pepper Jam

20 sweet peppers
2 teaspoons salt
6 cups granulated sugar
1 quart cider vinegar

Wash peppers.
Cut in half and remove seeds.
Chop fine.
Sprinkle with salt.
Let stand 5 hours.
Drain.
Place into kettle.
Add sugar and vinegar.
Simmer to consistency of jam.
Pour into sterilized jars and seal.
Makes about 2 pints.

Conserve de Violettes
(Violet Preserves) 
I'm reading that they have a mild sweet-tart flavor, akin to new peas.  Sounds lovely!

2 ounces freshly gathered violet petals
1/2 cup boiling water
3 cups sugar

Steep violet petals in distilled water for 10 minutes.
Pound violet petals into a paste.
Add sugar.
Cook until thick.
Pour into sterilized jar and seal.
Makes 6 ounces.



Next We'll travel back up to Michigan where we find "Uncle Henry's Pickled Cherries," then over and down to the Mississippi Valley and Dandelion Flower Wine.  I look forward to hearing about some of your old-time recipe stories!