Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches

sweetmeat, and pressed down all round with the finger. This covering, if closely and nicely fitted, will be found to keep them perfectly well, and as it adheres so closely as to form a complete coat over the top, it is better for jellies or jams than writing-paper dipped in brandy, which is always somewhat shrivelled by the liquor with which it has been saturated. If you find that your sweetmeats have become dry and candied, you may liquefy them again by setting the jars in water and making it boil round them. In preserving fruit whole, it is best to put it first in a thin syrup. If boiled in a thick syrup at the beginning, the juice will be drawn out so as to shrink the fruit. It is better to boil it but a short time at once, and then to take it out and let it get cold, afterwards returning it to the syrup, than to keep it boiling; too long at a time, which will cause it to break and lose its shape. Preserving kettles should be rather broad than deep, for the fruit cannot be done equally if it is too much heaped. They should all have covers belonging to them, to put on after the scum has done rising that the flavour of the fruit may be kept in with the steam. A perforated skimmer pierced all through with holes is a very necessary utensil in making sweetmeats. The water used for melting the sugar should be very clear; spring or pump water is best, but if you are obliged to use river water, let it first be filtered. Any turbidness or impurity in the water will injure the clearness of the sweetmeats. If sweetmeats ferment in the jars, boil them over again with additional sugar. CLARIFIED SUGAR SYRUP. Take eight pounds of the best double-refined loaf-sugar, and break it up or powder it. Have ready the whites of two eggs, beaten to a strong froth. Stir the white of egg gradually into two quarts of very clear spring or pump water. Put