Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 February 1912 — COOKING DRIED STUFF [ARTICLE]

COOKING DRIED STUFF

FIRELESS METHOD BEST FOR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. Home-Made Cooker 1* Easily Constructed and Answers All Practical Purposes—lmportant Points to Be Remembered. JThe fireless method is the best way to cook dried fruit and Vegetables. You need not buy a fireless cooker for the purpose unless you wish to. Make one yourself. Simply get a small dry goods or soap box or large pail. Line with asbestos paper and then stuff tightly all around the top, bottom and sides with layers of newspapers to the depth of three or four inches. What you must remember is that it must be absolutely air-tight. Another thing to remember is that your receptacle must be nearly full. If you cook a small quantity you must have a small receptacle, as the fruit is not as likely to cool off before thoroughly done, as it would if placed in a half filled pail. Wash your fruit thoroughly first, and to one pound of same add half pound of sugar; put water enough in to cover by about one inch. Boil seven minutes over a flame and then as quickly as possible place in your fireless cooker and allow to remain in there about eight hours. Place a cushion on top of the cooker and weight that down with something that is heavy. When taken out one will find the fruit will rival the best preserves in appearance .and flavor, in no respect suggesting that usually served or the insipid canned products. Each shriveled piece will swell to its original size, unbroken, distended with a juicy aromatic liquor, and charged with the flavors which characterize the fruit in Its prime state. Tapioca and eage are delicious with these fruit Juices in making tempting desserts. Dried vegetables, such as lima beans, peas, etc., should be treated in the same way and given about the same length of time to cook. Canned vegetables which have been bought in the stores are also much improved by this additional process. These fireless cookers are also excellent for doing home canning of vegetables and fruits. By canning them in this way the house is kept cool, fuel is saved and the housewife is free from the fear of water boiling away. Clean and prepare the same as for any canning process. Dip the jars In boHlng water, fill with vegetables or fruit, pour in cold water until it overflows the jar, dip the caps In boiling water, place them on the jars, but do not seal tightly; allow for expansion. Put a perforated rest in the bottom of your kettle, place the prepared jars on the rest, fill the kettle with cold water up to 4he necks of the jars. Place the cover on the kettle, put on the stove and boll 15 minutes. At the end of that time place at once into the cooker and cover tightly. Allow the jars to remain in the cooker from two to three hours, then remove and tighten the caps.