This section is from the book "The People's Cook Book", by Jennie Taylor. See also: Larousse Gastronomique.
Select those of rough rind and quite ripe; take out the seeds, pare, and cut them in small square pieces, and cover with good elder vinegar; let them stand twenty-four hours, then pour off part of the vinegar; to every quart of the remainder, add three pounds of sugar, and put them upon the stove and simmer slowly until a fork will go through them easily, and they look clear; then add one ounce of ground cloves and one of cinnamon; cook them ten minutes longer, and set them away to cool; after they are quite cold, cover closely, and set them in a cool, dark closet.
Pare them and cover with vinegar, after cutting in pieces; pour off the vinegar, and to every pint put three-fourths of a pound of brown sugar, a little cloves, allspice, and mace; let it boil a few minutes; throw in the cantaloupe; take it out as soon as it looks clear; put in a jar, and pour the boiling mixture over them.
Take ripe cucumbers, pare them, and cut out the seeds, cut in strips, and soak in weak brine twenty-four hours; then put them in vinegar and water, and soak twenty-four hours; then put them in sweetened vinegar, the same as for any sweet pickles, and cook until tender; take to a quart of vinegar three pounds of coffee sugar, a tablespoonful of ground cinnamon tied in a cloth, also a few whole cloves, and boil all together.
Take the melons when not quite ripe; peel, remove the seed, and cut in shape; throw them into vinegar and water - equal proportions - and cook until tender; then drain and lay into a jar; then take vinegar enough to cover, allowing three pounds of sugar to a quart; add stick cinnamon to taste, and boil; pour over the melon boiling hot; strain off the vinegar the next day and boil again.
Take green plums before they begin to ripen, and pour over them, while boiling hot, a pickle made of vinegar, salt, and mustard seed; let them stand all night, and then drain off the vinegar, and boil again, and pour over the plums.
Collect a lot of ripe tomatoes, about one inch in diameter, skin and stew them in the usual manner; when done, lay them on dishes, flatten them slightly, and spread over them a light layer of pulverized white or brown sugar; expose them to a summer's sun, or place them in a drying-house; when as dry as fresh figs, pack in old fig or small boxes, with sugar between each layer; if properly managed, the difference cannot be detected from the veritable article.
Ten pounds of grapes, six pounds of sugar, two tablespoonfuls cinnamon, two of allspice, and small teaspoonful ground cloves; remove the pulps and boil, then rub through a sieve or colander to remove the seeds; boil the skins till tender, and then add to the pulp, together with the sugar; spices and vinegar to taste; boil until of the desired consistency.
Prepare the fruit as preferred, either pare and leave whole or quarter them; make a syrup in the proportion of three pints of sugar to one quart of vinegar, and while boiling hot put in the fruit, and cook until tender, but not broken; skim out the fruit carefully into a jar and pour the syrup over them; let them stand until the next day, and then lay them in a stone jar in layers, with whole cloves and stick cinnamon, and again pour over them the syrup, boiling hot; continue drawing off and boiling the syrup for four or five days, and then cover and set in a cool place. Apples can be pickled in the same manner.
Take nine pounds of gooseberries, nearly ripe, remove the stems, and put into a preserving kettle with four and a half pounds of sugar, and three cups of hot vinegar, and spices to taste; boil until thick.
One peck of green tomatoes, washed, and sliced very thin; sprinkle with salt, and allow them to drain twenty-four hours; in the morning press out all the water, and put into a preserving kettle in layers, with a mixture as follows: Six or seven onions cut in slices, quarter of a pound of mustard - mixed - quarter of a pound of mustard-seed, table-spoonful of cloves, nearly two tablespoonfuls black pepper, nearly two tablespoonfuls of allspice, and a tablespoonful of ginger; cover with vinegar, and boil very slowly until the tomatoes look clear.
Six pounds of currants, picked from the stems, three pounds of sugar, cup and a half of vinegar, three-quarters of an ounce of cinnamon, and spices to taste; boil slowly an hour.
 
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