The Laurel Health Cookery: A Collection of Practical Suggestions and Recipes for the Preparation of Non-Flesh Foods in Palatable and Attractive Ways

tender, put into jars and the reduced syrup poured over. Watermelon rind may be prepared the same. =To Dry Blueberries= For buns, puddings and cakes. 1 qt. berries ⅓-½ cup sugar 1 teaspn. water Mix, heat in preserving kettle until juice begins to exude. Spread on buttered plates, dry carefully, stirring often. I prize this recipe highly, as all will, I am sure, after trying it. Cherries, peaches and pears are better with sugar sprinkled over them before drying. Dried fruits make a pleasant change from canned ones, besides not requiring jars. Home-dried fruit far excels factory products. TO CAN VEGETABLES While vegetables require a little more care than fruit in canning, if they receive that care one will be rewarded with nice fresh canned vegetables, free from harmful preservatives, all through the winter. In the first place, vegetables must be fresh, especially corn and peas. Corn gathered early in the morning ought to be in the cans and on the fire before noon, and peas the same day. If one is alone with all the housework to do, it is better to put up a few jars at a time. Always use new rubbers on jars in canning vegetables. “Blanching”, in this connection, means a short boiling in a weak brine (¼ cup of salt to 3 qts. of water) and is used with vegetables to eliminate the acids which they contain. Place the vegetables in a wire basket or a cloth bag and dip into the boiling brine, then into cold water. Prepare nearly all vegetables as for the table, before blanching, (okra and corn are exceptions). After blanching, pack as close as possible in jars. Fill jars to overflowing with water with or without salt, according to special directions; fasten covers on tight (do not be afraid the jars will burst), and set into a kettle or boiler with a board containing holes or with several thicknesses of cloth or with thin tin rings underneath. Surround jars ¾ their depth with water, cover the vessel close so that the steam will be retained, bring to the boiling