1. Mash the currants without heating, having removed them from the stems; strain through a flannel bag; measure by pints, and place over the fire, in preserving kettle; let it boil fifteen minutes, carefully skimming; then for every pint of juice add a pound of heated sugar, and boil ten minutes longer, put in glasses or bowls, and seal.

2. This recipe has three advantages: First, it never fails, as the old plan is sure to do five times out of eight; secondly, it requires but half the usual quantity of sugar, and so retains the grateful acidity and peculiar flavor of the fruit; thirdly, it is by far less troublesome than the usual method. Weigh the currants without taking the trouble to remove the stems; do not wash them, but carefully remove leaves and whatever may adhere to them; to each pound of fruit allow half the weight of granulated or pure loaf sugar; put a few currants into a porcelain-lined kettle, and press them with a potato-masher, or anything convenient, in order to secure sufficient liquid to prevent burning, then add the remainder of the fruit, and boil freely for twenty minutes; stirring occasionally to prevent burning; take out and strain carefully through a tbree-cornered bag of strong close texture, putting the liquid into either earthen or wooden vessels - never in tin, as the action of the acid on tin materially affects both color and flavor; when strained, return the liquid to the kettle, without the trouble of measuring, and let it boil thoroughly for a moment or so, and then add the sugar; the moment the sugar is entirely dissolved, the jelly is done, and must be immediately dished, or placed in glasses; it will jelly upon the side of the cup as it is taken up. leaving no doubt as to the result. Gather the fruit early, as soon as fully ripe, since the pulp softens, and the juice is less rich if allowed to remain long after ripening. In our climate, the first week in July is usually considered the time to make currant jelly. Never gather currants or other soft or small seed fruit immediately after a rain for preserving purposes, as they are greatly impoverished by the moisture absorbed. In preserving all fruits of this class, if they are boiled until tender or transparent in a small quantity of water, and the sugar is added afterward, the hardness of the seeds, so objectionable in small fruits, will thus be avoided. A delicious jam may be made of blackberries, currants, and raspberries, or with currants with a few raspberries to flavor, by observing the above suggestion, and adding sugar, pound for pound, and boiling about twenty minutes.

Currant Jelly Without Cooking

Press the juice from the currants, and strain it; to every pint put a pound of fine white sugar; mix them together until the sugar is dissolved; then put it in jars; seal them, and expose to a hot sun for two or three days.