Preserving all the wild berries and fruits that could be foraged from nature was a means of survival. A full larder well stocked for the harsh winter months ahead was essential. When the leaves of the maple trees began to turn to a varied array of yellow, orange and red, it signaled the time to harvest the autumn produce. Many jars of jams and jellies made from summer berries would already be on the cellar or cold storage shelves. Green pickles, ruby red chokecherry jelly and yellow squash would add to the rainbow of colours. The Middleville and District Museum has a few reference books on the library shelves that served as a guide for the proper preservation of the nature's harvest. From Grandma's Kitchen Middleville and District Museum Crabapple Jelly You will need: crabapples sugar (3/4 - 1 cup for each cup of juice) water (about 1 cup for 4 quarts of fruit) (5 cups = 1 quart) large pot or preserving kettle, jars, jelly bag or cheesecloth, vegetable masher, large bowl Wash fruit and remove the stems. Cook in a large pot with just enough water to keep the apples from burning. Heat to boiling and cook until the fruit is tender. Use a vegetable masher to crush the fruit. Dampen the jelly bag (or cheese cloth) and pour the apples and juice into the bag suspended over a large bowl. Let the juice drain into the bowl overnight. Measure the amount of juice collected in the bowl. Boil the juice for 10 minutes and skim off any foam collected on the surface. Add 3/4 - 1 cup of sugar for each cup of juice. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Boil an additional 3 - 10 minutes until the syrup mixture jells. The syrup has reached the jelling point when it drops off a spoon and breaks apart. Use a candy thermometer to check for a temperature range of 216 degrees F to 220 degrees F. Pour the jelly into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch at the top. Set aside to cool. Store in the refrigerator. Crabapples are among the fruit that have natural pectin and will jell without adding it. Preparing the jars: wash jars with soap and water. Scald in a water bath to sterilize by immersing (covering) jars in water in a deep pan and bringing the water to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes and let cool. Draining the juice: use a jelly bag or 1 square meter of cheesecloth folded into layers and suspend the bag or cloth over a bowl. Do not squeeze the bag during the draining process. Variation: Wash, stem and cut crabapples into quarters, removing the core. Cook in a pot with just enough water to keep from burning. Cook until apples are tender. Mash apples and serve warm. Baked Apples You will need: 6 medium cooking apples 1 cup orange juice or apple cider 1 cup rolled oats 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted 1 tablespoon flour 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/3 cup melted butter apple corer, baking dish with lid, pastry brush Slice 1/2 inch off the top of each apple and remove the core, stopping about 1/2 inch from the bottom of the apples. Brush with 1 tablespoon of orange juice or cider. In a bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, almonds, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir in melted butter until well mixed. Fill the apples with oat mixture. Place in baking dish. Pour remaining juice or cider over apples. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees F for about 50 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10 - 15 minutes. Variation: Core apples, as above. Combine 1/4 cup dried fruit, 3 tablespoons finely chopped nuts, 3 tablespoons honey and 1/2 teaspoon of spices (cinnamon, nutmeg) Spoon mixture into apples. Place apples in a slow cooker. Pour 1 cup apple cider over apples. Add a pinch of fresh ginger to slow cooker, if desired. Divide 1/4 tablespoon butter to top each apple. Cook on high for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. From: Better Homes and Gardens: 100 Best Apple Recipes 2020 Gooseberry Sauce This sauce can be used to top ice cream or biscuits. You will need: 5 cups gooseberries (washed and tailed) 3 1/2 cups white sugar 1 1/2 cups water Heat water and sugar in a pot, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add gooseberries and cook, stirring until mixture is clear. Store in a jar in the refrigerator. Grandma's Easy Cucumber Pickles You will need: 32 cups ripe cucumbers (peeled and seeded) 5 cups white sugar 6 cups white vinegar 3 ounces pickling spices tied in a bag large pot Cut cucumbers into chunks. Dissolve sugar in vinegar and bring to a boil. Add cucumbers and spices in their bag. Boil until clear, about 30 minutes. To make your own pickling spice: Mix together a desired combination of these spices: 2 tbsp mustard seed, 2 bay leaves, 2 tsp dill seed, 2 cinnamon sticks (broken in pieces), 1 tsp ground ginger, 2 tbsp allspice, 2 tsp black peppercorns, 2 whole cloves, 1 tbsp celery seed, 1/2 tbsp chili flakes Store in an air tight jar. To make a pickling spice bag: use cheesecloth and cord Tomato Jam Relish You will need: 12 ripe tomatoes 2 1/2 cups white sugar 2 cups white vinegar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon salt Peel tomatoes. Hint: pour boiling water over tomatoes to loose skins. Place tomatoes in a pot with sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about an hour, stirring as needed, to avoid burning. Add vinegar, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Boil until thickened to jam consistency. Store in jars in the refrigerator. Serve on meat or use as a relish. Chokecherry Jelly You will need: 3 cups chokecherries 3 cups white sugar 1/2 cup lemon juice water to cover cherries in pot 1 package fruit pectin 1 teaspoon butter (optional) pot with a lid (tall cooking kettle is best) masher, strainer, bowl jars with lids, canner for water bath Remove stems and wash chokecherries thoroughly. Put chokecherries in the pot and cover with water. Put a lid on the pot and bring to a boil. Then simmer until the fruit is softened (about half an hour). Remove from heat and gently mash the fruit. Put the fruit into a strainer over a bowl to catch the juice. Discard the pulp. Collect the juice and return it to the pot. Stir in the fruit pectin and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Watch carefully to avoid boiling over. Hint: Add a teaspoon of butter to prevent the juice boiling over the top so easily. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Boil juice mixture for about 15 minutes. Ladle the juice mixture into the jars leaving a half inch of space at the top. Put the lids on the jars and tighten slightly. Place the jars in a water bath just covering the tops by an inch. Simmer in the bath for about 5 minutes. Remove from water bath. Store jars in a cool, dark place. Check out all the recipes in Grandma's Kitchen on the Middleville and District Museum's website.
http://www.middlevillemuseum.org/grandmas-kitchen.html
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AuthorThis journal is written, researched, and maintained by the volunteers of the Middleville Museum. |