Mother's Remedies by Thomas Jefferson Ritter (positive books to read txt) 📕

strong dilute about half. When these are opened in the winter, you will think you are eating fresh beets from the garden.

15. Pickled Cauliflower.—Choose good firm cauliflower, and full size. Cut away all the leaves and pare the stalks. Pull away the flowers in bunches. Steep in brine two days, then drain them, wipe dry and put in hot pickle.

[836 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

16. Pickled Cabbage.—The cabbage should be sliced and salted for two or three days, then placed before the fire for twenty-four hours, spread upon a dry cloth, after which they are put into a jar, and covered with spiced vinegar.

17. Cantelope Sweet Pickle.—Select melons not quite ripe, weighing about seven pounds in all, put them in a weak brine over night. Then boil in weak alum water until transparent. Take them out and place in a jar. Then take 1 quart cider vinegar, 2 ounces stick cinnamon, 1 ounce cloves, 3 pounds granulated sugar; let this boil, then add the cantelope, cooking it twenty minutes longer. Pour in a jar and close tight. Scald it over for two mornings.

18. Mother's Pickled Blackberries.—Take three quarts of blackberries, one quart of sugar, one quart vinegar. Put all together at the same time into your kettle and boil ten or fifteen minutes. No spices are required. After standing a few weeks they are very nice.

19. Pickled Brocoli.—Choose the whitest, closest and finest vegetables before they are quite ripe, pare off all green leaves and the outside of the stalks. Parboil them about five minutes in well-salted water. Then drain well and pull the branches in convenient sized pieces and put into a jar of pickle, prepared as follows: Heat vinegar to boiling point, add a little mace and whole red peppers, and pour hot over the brocoli.

20. Mixed Pickles.—One quart boiled beets, chopped fine, one quart raw cabbage chopped fine, two cups sugar, tablespoon of salt, one teaspoonful red pepper, one cup grated horse-radish. Cover with cold vinegar and keep from the air.

21. Mustard Pickles.—One quart small cucumbers, one quart large cucumbers, cut in pieces, one quart large tomatoes, two quarts small onions, three heads cauliflower, six red and six green peppers cut in strips. Put these in separate dishes and let stand over night. In the morning drain off and cook in separate dishes of clear water until nearly tender. Then put together and boil a short time in the following paste: One ounce pulverized tumeric seed, half pound ground mustard, two cups flour, seven cups sugar, one gallon vinegar. This is an excellent recipe.

22. Sweet Pickled Peaches.—Boil together four pounds sugar and one pint vinegar to twelve pounds of fruit. Add the fruit and let it come to a boil; the next day drain off the liquor and boil again; do this three times and your pickles are delicious; add cinnamon to the liquor and stick two or three cloves in each peach.

23. Sweet Pickled Prunes.—Soak four pounds prunes for two or three hours, then steam them ten or fifteen minutes. While the prunes are soaking, boil together for ten minutes two pounds sugar, one pint vinegar, one ounce each of cloves and cinnamon and one-fourth of an ounce of ginger. After the prunes have been strained, pour the hot vinegar over them and boil all together until the prunes are soft. These are delicious.

[CANNING, PICKLING AND PRESERVING 837]

24. Celery Sauce that Mother Used to Make.—Take fifteen large ripe tomatoes, two red peppers, two onions, two and one-half cups vinegar, two stalks (arrowroot) celery, eight tablespoons sugar, two spoons salt; chop all fine and boil one and one-half hours.

25. Spiced Tomatoes.—Take red and yellow pear-shaped tomatoes; prick two or three times with a fork, sprinkle with salt, let stand over night, pack in a glass jar and cover with vinegar, prepared as follows, for a half-gallon jar: 1 pint vinegar, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoonful ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoonful ground allspice, 1 teaspoonful pepper, 1 tablespoon sugar. Let this come to a boil and pour over the tomatoes; after they get cold tie strong paper over them.

26. Ripe Cucumber Pickles.—Take twelve large cucumbers and remove the pulp. Cut them in strips about two inches wide and four inches long. Let these stand while you boil for a few minutes the following: 2 pounds sugar, 1 ounce cinnamon, 1/2 ounce cloves, 1 pint vinegar. Be sure and skim this while it is boiling, then put in the cucumbers, letting them cook until tender. Take the cucumbers out and let the liquor boil for fifteen minutes. Pour this over the cucumbers and cover tight.

27. Green Tomato Pickles.—Chop a peck of green tomatoes and stir in half a cupful of salt. Let these drain over night. Then add 3 green peppers, chopped, 1 teacup of grated horseradish, 2 quarts of vinegar, 1 teacupful of sugar. Let this all boil, stirring occasionally, gently, until the tomatoes are tender, then add a large spoonful of cinnamon and cloves. These are very good and easily kept.

28. Pickled Tomatoes.—Select tomatoes that are thoroughly ripe, and let them lie in strong salt and water for four days; then put them down in layers in jars, mixing with them small onions and pieces of horseradish; then pour on vinegar, cold, after having spiced it. Be sure and use plenty of spices, cover carefully and let stand for a month before using.

29. Green Tomato Sauce, for Meats or Fish.—Slice two gallons of green tomatoes without peeling; slice one dozen good sized onions; one quart of sugar, two quarts vinegar, two tablespoons each of salt, ground mustard, and ground black pepper, one tablespoonful of cloves and allspice. Mix all together and stew until tender, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Put up in small glass jars.

30. Chili Sauce.—One peck ripe tomatoes, one pint vinegar, one cup sugar, two red peppers, three sweet peppers, six large onions, one tablespoon each of cinnamon, pepper and salt. Chop the onions and peppers fine. Boil for two hours.

31. Tomato Relish.—One peck good ripe tomatoes, chop and drain, 3 large onions, a peppers, red or green, 3 heads celery, chopped fine, 3/4 cup salt, 2 pounds brown sugar, 2 oz. white mustard seed, 1 oz. cinnamon, a pints vinegar. After the tomatoes have drained thoroughly, mix in the balance of the recipe. Do not cook; keep in a jar. This relish cannot be beaten. Everyone will like it.

[838 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

32. Tomato Catsup No. 1.—Take one gallon ripe tomatoes, peel them, one teaspoon allspice, one tablespoon mustard, one red pepper; let all boil, then strain and to this add one tablespoon salt, one teaspoon ground pepper, one teacup vinegar, two pounds granulated sugar. Let all of this boil until reasonably thick, or as thick as desired.

33. Aunt Mary's Catsup.—One cup onions, one peck ripe tomatoes (chopped), one and one-half cups celery, one cup horseradish (grated), one cup sugar, half cup salt, one cup white mustard seed, two red peppers, one teaspoon each of black pepper, ground cloves, mace, cinnamon and celery seed, one quart vinegar. Drain tomatoes thoroughly, before adding spices. Keep this in stone jars and tie closely and it will keep nicely for a year or more.

34. Gooseberry Catsup.—To one pound of gooseberries, use three-fourths pound sugar and spices to taste. One pint of vinegar to ten pounds of the fruit. Boil two hours. This is delicious.

35. Spiced Vinegar for Pickles.—(This can be used generally for pickles.) 1 gallon of vinegar, 1 pound of sugar, 2 tablespoonfuls of allspice, 2 tablespoonfuls mustard seed, 2 tablespoonfuls celery seed, 2 tablespoonfuls salt, 1 tablespoonful of tumeric powder, 1 tablespoonful of black pepper, 1 tablespoonful mace, 2 nutmegs, grated, 3 onions, 1 handful grated horseradish. This can always be relied upon as good.

36. Tomato Catsup No. 2.—1 gallon tomatoes (strained), 6 tablespoons salt, three tablespoons black pepper, 1 tablespoon cloves, 2 tablespoons cinnamon, 2 tablespoons allspice, 10 pints vinegar, boil down to half. One peck tomatoes will make one gallon strained.

37. Bottled Pickles.—Wash the pickles and pour boiling water over them, letting them stand for four hours; to every gallon of vinegar take 1 teacup of sugar, 1 teacup of salt, 1 teaspoonful of pulverized alum, one ounce of cinnamon bark, 1/4 of an ounce of whole cloves. Boil spice and vinegar and pour over the pickles. Seal while hot.

38. Sliced Cucumbers.—Peel and slice one gallon of cucumbers and soak them over night in weak salt water. Drain and put them in weak vinegar on the stove and let them get hot; drain and pack in glass jars. Then bring to a boil, one quart vinegar, a few slices of onions, sugar and spices to taste. Then pour this over the cucumbers, while hot, and seal.

39. Grandmother's Dill Pickles.—Fill a stone jar with alternate layers of grape leaves, fresh cucumbers, dill and salt. Cover with water and an inverted plate; place a brick on the plate to keep all under water. The cucumbers will be ready for use in about two weeks.

40. Mustard Pickles.—Wash the pickles and put in fruit jars, then cover with the following dressing, do not cook the pickles or dressing: 1 cup salt, 2 cups dark brown sugar, 1 cup Colman's mustard, 1 gallon vinegar, mix together and put over pickles.

[CANNING, PICKLING AND PRESERVING 839]

41. Green Tomato Pickles.—One bushel tomatoes, slice and put in salt water over night. The next morning put tomatoes in kettle after draining them, with five pounds of brown sugar, 1/4 cup cloves, ten cents worth cinnamon stick, two quarts vinegar. Boil until the tomatoes are tender.

42. Oyster Catsup.—Squeeze through a sieve 1 pint of oysters with the juice, then add 1 pint of sherry or white wine and salt to taste. Flavor with garlic, celery, etc., if desired. Add two or three ounces of mixed spices. Simmer fifteen or twenty minutes, strain and bottle when cold.

43. Pepper Catsup.—Select about twenty-five red bell peppers without removing the seeds. Add 1 pint of vinegar and boil until tender, stirring constantly. Rub it all through a sieve. Set aside the juice. Pour over the pulp another pint of vinegar with two tablespoonfuls brown sugar, 2 or 3 ounces mixed spices. Stir altogether and boil down one-half. Strain through cheese-cloth and bottle when cold.

44. Grape Catsup.—Select grapes that are ripe, but not soft. Pick them over carefully and add to five pounds of grapes, half as much sugar (by weight), 1 pint vinegar, two or three ounces of mixed spices, and salt to taste. Boil until it thickens. Bottle when cold.

45. Pickled Cherries.—Select firm and medium ripe cherries. Fill a wide-mouthed glass bottle or jar with them, then add two tablespoons of salt, and fill the jars with cold vinegar. Seal and let stand six or eight weeks before using. These are very good.

46. Sweet Mixed Pickles.—For sweet mixed pickles, scrape and wash half a dozen young carrots, and parboil in salted water for three or four minutes, then drain and set aside to cool; meanwhile cut into strips. Then take six green tomatoes, three large white onions, one large red pepper, (taking out the seeds) three sour apples, one small cupful of tender string beans, and finally the carrots treated in the same manner; place all these ingredients together in the preserving kettle in which they are to be cooked, adding salt and a very little paprika and allow them to stand for twelve hours. When ready to cook drain off the water that will have formed, adding sufficient vinegar to well moisten, one cupful of sugar, a tablespoon olive oil and two teaspoonfuls of celery seed tied in a piece of muslin, for about five minutes. Remove from the fire and mix in quickly half a teaspoonful ground English mustard blended with a little vinegar; seal immediately in small well-closed jars.

47. Corn Relish.—One dozen ears of corn, one large cabbage, one large red pepper, chop all these up fine together, mix thoroughly and add one pound of brown sugar and one quart of vinegar, salt to suit taste. Let this all come to a boil.

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48. Mustard Pickles.—One hundred small cucumbers (if you get the larger ones cut them in two), one-half peck of the tiny white onions, large head of cauliflower, one pound brown sugar, 1-1/2 cups flour, 1/2 pound mustard, five cents worth of tumeric powder, one