Читать книгу A Little Preserving Book for a Little Girl - Waterman Amy Harlow (Lane) - Страница 2

Mother told Adelaide to wash the oranges and lemons thoroughly and to wipe them dry, then, using the little sharp knife, cut the fruit into quarters, lengthwise. This made it easy to remove the seeds and cut out the thick parts of each center or core. For this Adelaide used a small, smooth board (in fact, it was the cover of a five-pound butter box) upon which to cut the fruit, and she sliced each quarter, peel and all, very, very thinly across (not lengthwise this time), then put them into a bowl until all were ready.

Adelaide was surprised to find that it took quite a long while to get these few prepared, and was glad she had not attempted too many.

Next, she measured the fruit, using the glass measuring cup, and poured the fruit into mother's four quart aluminum saucepan. In a separate pan Adelaide measured as many cups of sugar as she had had of fruit. Then to each cup of fruit Adelaide added two cups of boiling water, covered the saucepan, and let it stand for twenty-four hours.

This completed her work for that day, except for the clearing away of the things with which she had finished.

The next morning Adelaide removed the cover from the saucepan containing the fruit and put the saucepan on the stove. While the fruit was coming to the boiling point, Adelaide brought a number of tumblers from the preserve closet. These she washed thoroughly and stood in a large pan in which had been placed a wire rack. Then, being covered with cold water, they were put on the stove to be sterilized, or, in other words, boiled. This was to kill all germs and to prevent the spoiling of the fruit when put away.

When the fruit began to boil, mother told Adelaide to look at the clock, and then let it boil for one hour (not too hard), or until the peel of the oranges and lemons was very tender. In the meantime, the sugar had been placed at the back of the range to heat through, and as soon as the fruit had boiled sufficiently, the sugar was added gradually. The marmalade was then allowed to boil until a little dropped on a cold saucer would begin to jell. After the sugar was added, Adelaide stirred the mixture every few minutes with a long-handled wooden spoon.

You could not always tell just how long it would take for the marmalade to jell, as oranges and lemons differ so, but mother said it was safer to allow an hour, and if it was cooked in less time you felt that so much time had been gained.

As soon as the marmalade was done, the saucepan was lifted to the back of the range. Adelaide then took a long-handled spoon and lifted the tumblers out of the boiling water on to a tray, and filled them at once with the marmalade. Mother happened to have a small glass cup, not a regular measuring cup but smaller, which proved the very thing with which to dip out the marmalade.

As Adelaide, her cheeks flushed and eyes shining, stood filling the tumblers with the golden marmalade, mother said, "Well, dear, was it worth the work (for it is a great deal of work, you see) and effort?"

"Oh mother, I'm so proud and happy now, that I've almost forgotten how hot and tired I felt while stirring the marmalade and waiting for it to jell," answered Adelaide.

Now that the marmalade was finished, it seemed easy work to clear the things away. Mother helped her stand the marmalade in the sun while it set, and then Adelaide ran away to play. Later, when it was cool, she took a clean cloth, dipped it in hot water, and wiped off the drops of jelly from the tops of the tumblers and outsides, then melted some paraffin and poured it over the top. By moving the tumblers gently from side to side the paraffin formed on the sides and excluded the air.

Last of all, she put on the little labels and carried all but one tumbler to the bench in the preserve closet, which mother had told her might be for her special use.

The next morning at breakfast Daddy was very much delighted to find a jar of marmalade before his plate, and he proceeded to help himself generously when the hot buttered toast was passed. He was so intent in his enjoyment of this that Adelaide and mother could smile at one another without being observed. When he had quite satisfied his appetite he announced:

"Well, mother, there is no question about it, you certainly do know how to make marmalade. I've never tasted better; I only hope Adelaide can make it as well when she grows up."

At that mother and Adelaide burst out laughing, while Daddy looked surprised and questioned, "What's the joke? There's nothing funny about that statement that I can see."

"Oh, no, Daddy, only, you see, I happened to make that marmalade myself and before I grew up," replied Adelaide.

Can't you just imagine how surprised and delighted Daddy was?

Mother said that many people liked the addition of grapefruit in their marmalade, so she let Adelaide try