Seville Orange Jelly

Lay the peel of six Seville oranges - it must be shred very fine - in a quart of water for twenty-four hours; strain out the peel, and boil the water with three pounds of sugar for twenty minutes; then add the juice of eighteen Seville oranges, or of as many as will make a pint of juice. Boil gently until the jelly will set, when pour it into small pots and keep closely covered. This jelly is excellent for invalids, and also for making a summer and slightly tonic drink.

Lemon jelly is made in exactly the same manner as orange jelly; but eight lemons, or rather more if small, will be required to the quart of water. In making both orange and lemon jelly the size and quality of the fruit must be considered; and if a strong flavour or bitter is objected to, less of the peel can be used.

Syrup Of Sweet Oranges

Cut the peel very thinly from a dozen fine sweet and two Seville oranges, as you pare throw the peel into a pint and a half of cold water. When all is done, boil the peel in this water for a quarter of an hour, strain it, and having returned the water to the kettle, put two pounds and a half of sugar. Let this boil gently for half an hour, removing the scum as it rises, squeeze and wash the oranges in water, making the whole quantity of juice thus produced not less than a pint and a half, strain and add this to the boiled sugar, let it boil gently for three-quarters of an hour, removing all scum. When done, the syrup should be as thick as honey. It is useful for making summer drinks, and as a sauce for creams and puddings.

Dried Mushrooms

Let the mushrooms be perfectly fresh, remove the stalks, lay them skin-side downwards on baking sheets, and put them into a hot oven, so that they may shrivel up quickly, but not get burned. They must not be left long in the oven at one time, but be put in every day until they resemble little pieces of leather. Store the mushrooms in tin boxes, taking care to keep them where they cannot be attacked by insects, and use for flavouring gravy, soups, etc. Soak the required quantity of mushroom in four times its bulk of water, let it stand for at least an hour before adding it to the gravy.

Should the mushrooms be large and juicy it may be necessary to scrape out the insides, which can be used to make mushroom juice in the same manner as ketchup.

How To Cure Hams

To each ten pounds of meat allow one pound of common salt, one ounce of saltpetre, two ounces of bay salt, one ounce of black pepper, quarter of a pound of coarse sugar, half a pound of treacle. Rub the salt well into the meat, taking care that it is well covered at the shank bone. Let the ham lie in the salt for a week, turning and rubbing it every day, but always leaving it in the pickle rind-side downwards. At the end of the week add the remainder of the ingredients to the pickle, the saltpetre and bay salt being pounded. Let the ham stay in the pickle a fortnight longer, then drain and hang it up to dry near the kitchen range, and in about a month's time put it in a paper bag, thoroughly secured so that flies cannot get at the meat. For those who approve of it half a clove of garlic to the ham pickle is an excellent addition.

This pickle will answer for curing tongues after it has been used for the hams, and also for chaps, or for pigs'-heads intended for making brawn.