This section is from the "The Ideal Cook Book" book, by Annie R. Gregory. Also see Amazon: The Ideal Cook Book.
Take the beets when thoroughly cold, slice them across. Make a liquid of half vinegar and half water with a little salt and pepper and a tablespoonful of sugar and put the beets in this. This is only for present use, as if they stand too long they turn white. You can make a bag of spices and boil with them, also a few whole cloves.
Mrs. A. R. Gates.
Pare one pound of cling peaches; to them add two-thirds of a pound of sugar and some whole spice and let stand over night; then heat gradu- ally until the fruit is soft. Skim out the fruit and let the syrup boil down until quite thick; then add the peaches and vinegar, cloves, mace and cinnamon. Mrs. M. H. Skinner.
In peeling small peaches with a knife too much of the peach is wasted; take instead a wire basket, fill it with peaches and dip it into boiling water, for a moment, then into cold water for a moment and empty; continue in the same way for all. This toughens the skin and enables you to strip it off, saving much in labor and also the waste of peach. Why not, as well as tomatoes? L. B.
Make a syrup of two cupfuls of vinegar and four cupfuls of sugar. Add a few small pieces of whole cinnamon and a few cloves. Pare, core and quarter sweet apples; drop them in the syrup and let cook till tender. Put in a jar and pour the syrup over. They are ready to eat as soon as cold and will keep for any length of time if sealed in jars.
Emily B.
Boil together for ten minutes one pint of cider vinegar, one and three-fourths pounds of granulated sugar. Tie in a small piece of cloth one-half dozen whole cloves, one dozen whole allspice and a few pieces of cinnamon. Put with the vinegar and boil. Select seckel pears and pare; then put into the vinegar. Boil gently until the pears look clear, then drain off the vinegar, put the pears into jars, reheat the vinegar and pour over. Seal, if desired for winter use. Mrs. N. K. B.
Pare the cantaloupes, remove the seeds and cut in strips. To seven pounds of fruit allow one-half as much of sugar and one pint of vinegar. Boil sugar and vinegar together, adding a few sticks of cinnamon and a few cloves; boil the strips of cantaloupe in the syrup until they look clear - several hours are required. Seal in jars. Mrs. D. Z. B.
Leave on the stem but remove the blossom. To five pounds of fruit add one-half as much sugar, one pint of vinegar, one-half ounce of stick cinnamon and a few cloves. Steam the crab-apples until tender. Boil the syrup ten minutes. Skim. Throw the crab-apples in and let boil five minutes. Can immediately. C. C. S.
Select small onions of equal size, perfectly sound; peel and scald in salt water till they are tender, drain and put into glass jars; heat to boiling point sufficient vinegar to cover them, scalding with it mixed whole cloves and mace; pour it over the onions, distributing the spices among the jars; seal the jars air-tight after pouring the vinegar over the onions.
Mrs. Harold Judd.
Cut equal quantities of young onions, sour apples and fresh cucumbers into thin slices. With these fill an unglazened earthen jar which will hold a quart. Shake in with the vegetables a dessert-spoonful of salt and a teaspoonful of cayenne pepper. Pour in four tablespoonfuls of sherry and four tablespoonfuls of soy, as much vinegar as the jar will hold, and cover closely until wanted. If it is wished to make this pickle in the autumn or winter finely-minced celery may be substituted for the cucumbers. The pickle can be used the day it is made.
Mrs. Fanny Martin.
To one gallon of water add a quart of vinegar and one cupful of salt.
E. J. I.
Boil the beans in salted water and when nearly done lay them in a colander to drain. Then make a liquid by boiling a pound of sugar to a quart of vinegar with spices in a bag. Then pour this over the beans.
Mrs. Jane Rollins.
Take hard yellow cucumbers, pare, scrap well, cut in shapes to suit your fancy; let remain in vinegar and salt over night; drain and boil in vinegar with small pieces of alum; put in jar. To a dozen cucumbers allow two ounces of allspice, same of mustard, one ounce of black pepper, some small onions, three whole red peppers; boil these in vinegar enough to fill the jars; pour all over the cucumbers; can be used one day after making. Mrs. Wilber.
Gather the cauliflowers on a fine day, selecting the whitest and firmest. After separating them into bunches scald them thoroughly in hot salt and water but do not let them boil as that would discolor them; keep them covered while cooling; place them in a colander and after sprinkling lightly with salt drain them twenty-four hours; to twenty heads give a pickle composed of two ounces of mustard, four ounces of coriander seed, two ounces of ginger, one ounce each of nutmeg and mace, four quarts of vinegar; let these ingredients be slowly boiled together. Having the cauliflower drained, put in glass jars and cover closely, after filling with the liquor. Mrs. Thomas Jordan.
Cook in proportion one-quarter of beets to three-quarters of cabbage. Cook beets until done and chop them, but chop the cabbage raw and bring it to a good scald. Use pepper, salt and sugar, about one-half cupful of the latter. Scald vinegar and cover the pickles with this. Pack tightly in jars, and cover. If spices are used put them in a bag and scald in the vinegar. Mrs. Lily Gregory.
 
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