SAUCES AND DRESSINGS-PICKLES. 189
one tablespoonful of wliole cloves, the same of whole allspice. Let it come to a boil, and pour it hot o ver the fruit ; repeat this two or three days in succession; then seal hot in glass jars if you wish to keep it for a long time
The fruit, not the liquor, is to be eaten, and used the same as any pickle. Some confound this with " Spiced Fruit," which is not treated the same, one being a pickle, the other a spiced preserve boiled down thick.
Damsons and plums should be pricked with a needle, and peaches washed with a weak lye, and then rubbed with a coarse cloth to re- move the fur.
PEAR PICKLE.
SELECT small, sound ones, remove the blossom end, stick them with a fork, allow to each quart of pears one pint of cider vinegar and one cup of sugar, put in a teaspoonful allspice, cinnamon and cloves to boil with the vinegar; then add the pears and boil, and seal in jars.
SPICED CURRANTS.
SEVEN pounds of fruit, four pounds of sugar, one pint of good cider vinegar, one tablespoonful of ground cinnamon, one teaspoon- ful of cloves. Put into a kettle and boil until the fruit is soft ; then skim out the fruit, putting it on dishes until the syrup is boiled down thick. Turn the fruit back into the syrup again, so as to heat it all through; then seal it hot in glass jars, and set it in a cool, dark place.
Any tart fruit may be put up in this way, and is considered a very good embellishment for cold meats.
SPICED PLUMS.
SEVEN pounds of plums, one pint of cider vinegar, four pounds of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of broken cinnamon bark, half as much of whole cloves and the same of broken nutmeg ; place these in a muslin bag and simmer them in a little vinegar and water for half an hour ; then add it all to the vinegar and sugar, and bring to a boil ; add the plums and boil carefully until they are cooked tender. Before cook- ing the plums they should be pierced with a darning needle several times ; this will prevent the skins bursting while cooking.
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