Preserved Pears

Pears for preserving should be firm and rather sour; if they are small they should be preserved whole; if medium-sized, cut them in halves; if large, in quarters. Peel them with a silver knife, dropping each pear in a basin of cold water as soon as peeled to keep the color nice. When the pears are all peeled and, if necessary, cut, weigh them, allowing an equal weight of sugar; put the fruit in a saucepan on the stove with enough cold water to cover it completely and let it boil gently until soft enough to yield slightly to gentle pressure with the fingers. While the pears are boiling put the sugar in a preserving-pan; to each pound of sugar add two breakfast cupfuls of cold water, and to every five or six pounds of the juice the thinly-pared rind of two lemons and two ounces of green ginger root scraped and scalded; boil the syrup, taking off the scum as it rises. When the fruit is tender put it in the preserving-pan with the syrup and boil till the pears look clear, then remove from the fire and let the preserve cool in the syrup and then put in jars, fastening so as to be air-tight.

Preserved Pineapple

Select thoroughly-ripe pineapples, peel and cut them into slices. Weigh them, and allow three-quarters of a pound of crushed loaf sugar to each pound of the fruit and place them in a preserving-pan in layers, with sugar between each layer, leaving them over night. On the following morning put the pan over rather a slow fire, and when the pineapples are very hot, but not soft, remove them, drain each slice and lay on a dish. Continue boiling the syrup until thickly reduced. Pack the slices in glass jars, pour in a half wineglassful of rum and enough of the syrup to fill them and let them get quite cold, after which put in each jar a round of white paper dipped in brandy, cover with parchment and tie securely. Keep in a dry place until wanted

Preserved Plums

Procure some full-grown, quite ripe plums, prick and place them in a saucepan of cold water over the fire; take off immediately when the water is on the point of boiling, drain, put them into clarified sugar, boil thoroughly and allow them to settle and boil once more. If they shrink, and do not take the sugar, prick them again without taking them from the syrup and boil again; skim the syrup and remove the pan from the fire, allowing it to stand over night. The following day add to the fruit and syrup in the pan some sugar boiled to the blow degree and boil them once more, place in the stove and let them stand there all night. The following day drain the plums from the syrup, sprinkle them with a little powdered sugar, and dry in the stove.

Preserved Prunes

Wash well two or three pounds of prunes, and place them in a saucepan with enough water to cover them, adding the grated rind of a lemon; set the pan over a slow fire and cook gently until the fruit is quite tender, then remove, and pass through a sieve. To each pound of the pulp, use three-quarters of a pound of sugar; place the sugar in a preserving-pan with a little water, and, when it is melted, add the pulp. Boil it for fifteen minutes longer, skimming frequently. Keep the preserves in jars or pots until used.