Pickles

Salt pickles down dry for ten days, soak in fresh water one day; pour off water, place in a porcelain kettle, cover with water and vinegar, and add a teaspoonful of pulverized alum; let stand on the back of the stove and simmer (not boil) all day; wash and put in a jar with cloves, allspice, pepper, and horseradish; boil fresh vinegar and pour over all; in two weeks they will be ready for use. These pickles are always fresh and crisp.

Pickled Grapes

Take ripe grapes, remove all imperfect and broken ones; divide the bunches, as they will pack more closely; put in an earthen jar a layer of grapes, and then one of green grape leaves. To four quarts of vinegar take two pints of white sugar, one ounce of stick cinnamon, one-half ounce each of cassia and whole cloves. Let the vinegar, spices and sugar all boil together a few minutes, and when quite cold, pour over the grapes. By pouring on the vinegar cold, you avoid cracking the grapes, and they retain their natural form and color, as long as they last.

Spiced Plums

Seven pounds of plums, three pounds of sugar, one ounce each of cinnamon and cloves, one quart of vinegar. Put in a jar a layer of plums and a layer of spice; boil the sugar and vinegar, and pour it over the plums three days in succession, and the fourth day boil spices and all together. They will keep for years.

Ripe Cucumber Pickles

Take bright yellow cucumbers, firm but not soft; pare and cut them in strips, and, after removing the seeds, put them in a weak brine for twelve hours; pour off the brine, and scald them in alum water until clear; wash in cold water and drain. To one gallon of vinegar, take three and one-half pounds of sugar, one stick of cinnamon, nutmeg, and mace. Boil, and pour over the cucumbers; repeat two or three times, then bottle.

Pickled Peaches

Seven pounds of white, good sized peaches, four pounds of white sugar, one pint of good vinegar. Pare the fruit and stick three cloves in each peach. Boil and skim the vinegar till clear. Put a few peaches at a time into the syrup, until the vinegar has penetrated them thoroughly - fifteen minutes, perhaps. Put the peaches into a large stone jar, boil the syrup until quite thick, and pour it over the peaches, hot; add four sticks of cinnamon to the boiled syrup, if agreeable. In about a week, pour off the syrup, and boil it down until there is only sufficient to cover the peaches well. You can seal them in glass jars if you prefer.

Piccalilli

Equal parts of cucumbers, onions and cabbage, chopped fine; sprinkle salt over them, and let them stand all night. Put the onions by themselves. In the morning, drain and wash the onions if you do not wish them to taste very strong. Prepare the vinegar the same as for pickled peaches. Mix all together and boil one hour, or until it looks clear.

Spiced Currants

Five pounds of ripe, red currants, three pounds of white sugar, one tablespoonful each of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves, one-half pint of good vinegar. Boil the currants, then put in the vinegar, sugar, and the rest of the ingredients. Then boil half an hour longer, and put into jars. You can spice plums, gooseberries, grapes and cherries in the same way.

Spiced Currants

Six pounds of fruit, three of raisins, three of sugar, one pint of vinegar, two tablespoonfuls allspice, two of cinnamon, and one of cloves.

Watermelon Rind Pickles

Peel the outter rind from ten pounds of the melon. Put the pieces, cut in such fashion as you may fancy, into the preserving kettle, well covered with water; then lay on dishes to drain and cool. Throw away the water, and make a pickle of one pint of very strong cider vinegar; add three pounds of sugar, one ounce each of stick cinnamon, cloves, and three pieces of ginger root. Boil to a thick syrup, then put in the rinds and boil till clear; put them in a jar, boil the syrup till it is as thick as honey, then pour over the rinds and let them stand a day or so, then again boil the syrup and rinds, and seal in glass jars, while hot.

French Pickles

One-half peck of green tomatoes, one dozen white onions, slice thin, and sprinkle with salt; let stand over night, drain in a colander, then put in a porcelain kettle; cover with vinegar and water equal parts, boil one hour, then drain. Take one and one-half gallons of vinegar, three pounds of sugar; boil and skim, then add one-half teacup of French mustard, one ounce each of ground cloves, allspice, cinnamon, black pepper, and turmeric. Mix to a smooth paste with water, and stir into the vinegar while boiling. Use stone jars; put in a layer of pickles, and then a cup of the mixture. They are ready for immediate use.