Earthen crocks or porcelain-lined kettles, are the best in which to cook all kinds of fruit, preserves, jellies, marmalades, jams, etc. Water boiled in a new crock several times will harden the glaze. Put in cold and let it come to a boiling point gradually.

A compote of fruit is about half as rich as preserves.

Apples, if of the right flavor, are excellent with the use of sugar alone. Some apples are improved by mixing with apricots, or quinces. Care should be taken in cooking. Apple marmalade is improved by the addition of lemon juice. Ground cinnamon, nutmeg and the grated rind of a lemon are the usual flavors. Butter gives a rich flavor to hot apple sauce. Sugar should be cooked in with the boiling sauce and some added when cold. Cream may be served with boiled apples. Care should be taken to have the knife very bright with which apples are pared. Let the paring be done quickly as possible. Do this to avoid the blackening which takes place if the fruit is too long in contact with the steel blade.

By putting a little cooking soda in with rhubarb or gooseberries, while cooking, sugar will be saved.

Fruits, if over-ripe, must be cooked but little and taken from the fire the moment they are done; a trifle underdone is better than cooked too much. All green or unripe fruits are improved by starting them in cold water, and cooking or simmering slowly (without stirring), for a long time. The long, slow cooking makes the fruit taste sweeter and riper.

Potted Apples

Pare the apples. Core. Cut into quarters or eighths and put into a small jar in layers. Sprinkle sugar over each layer and add to each two or three bits of butter. Fill almost to the top. Add ½ cupful water to a half gallon jar. Tie the top down and bake in a slow oven two hours or more. This makes a delicious dessert served with sweetened cream, or without.

Jellied Apples

Arrange sliced apples in a pudding dish, as above, omitting the butter and water. Cover with a plate that slips inside the rim of the dish and fits down tightly upon the apples. Bake in a very moderate oven three to four hours. The sliced apples will be found covered and surrounded with a clear jelly. Turn over onto a dish, and if the apples were good, it will remain in form. Nice for dessert. Leave in the dish until perfectly cold before turning out. If prepared the day before it is wanted the result will be better. Serve with or without cream.

Apple Compote

Fill a jar with mellow apples. Pare and core them first. Squeeze in the juice of ½ lemon, and throw 1 cupfuls sugar over them. Cover closely. Tie down and keep in, moderate oven from four to five hours. Nice either hot or cold.

Spiced Apples

Take 2 dozen nice cooking apples, pare and core them, quarter and put in a porcelain kettle or an earthen crock. Add enough water to come half way up on the apples, as ½ pound sugar, ½ cupful vinegar and 1 tablespoonful ground cinnamon. Throw in 6 or 7 whole cloves, and a little grated nutmeg, if convenient, say ¼ of one. Cover and simmer over a slow fire until thoroughly tender.