The Cold-pack Method of Canning

Ingredients

• one teaspoon of salt to the quart
• one teaspoon of salt to each quart jar
• one teaspoon salt to each quart
• three cups of sugar to two cups of water
• one quart
• two cupfuls of solid butter make one pound
• two cupfuls of granulated sugar make one pound
• one-half cupfuls of powdered sugar make one pound
• one pint of milk
• one teaspoonful of extract to one-quart of custard
• one quart of flour
• one teaspoonful of soda to one cup of molasses
• one quart of milk
• one quart of soup stock
• one tablespoonful of salt to one-quart of soup stock
• one tablespoonful of each chopped vegetable to one quart of soup stock
• one teaspoonful of extract to one loaf of plain cake
• a teaspoon of salt to each quart
• seven centimeters long
• two clean cloths
• one half centimeter space at the top
• one level teaspoon of salt to each quart jar
• two centimeters above the jars
• two cups of water
• one gill
• eight heaping tablespoqnfuls make one cupful
• one pound
• two rounding
• one cup of molasses
• one scant measure of liquid to three full of flour
• three full of flour
• one scant measure of liquid to two full
• two full
• one scant measre of liqid to one full of flour
• one full of flour
• one salt spoonful of salt to one quart of milk
• one salt spoonful of white pepper to one quart of soup stock
• one loaf of plain cake
• one fifth pounds
• one liter
• one ganta
• three liters
• 25 gantas equal one eavto
• one part of cream to two parts of water
• two parts of water
• one jar at a time
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• salt

Directions

1. The cold-pack method is considered better than the hot-pack method and is being used in most domestic science schools and in the homes of progressive housekeepers in the United States. In the hot-pack method there is always danger that germs may be introduced on spoons, in jars or through exposure to the air. If such germs are introduced the result is spoilage through working. Such vegetables as corn, peas, and beans are very difficult to keep by the hot-pack method.

2. A home made outfit for cold-pack canning: —

3. A vessel to hold the jars or cans. This vessel should have a tight- fitting cover. Provide a false bottom of wood or a wire rack to allow a free circulation of water under the jars. The wood bottom may be of perforated boards or of strips of bamboo woven together. This cold-pack process consists mainly of subjecting the filled jars to the heat or steam of boiling water for a prescribed length of time. The process of removing the jars from the sterilizer may be made less difficult by using a jar lifter. A very convenient lifter may be made from a pan-cake turner. Bend the blade until it is at right angle to the handle. The upturned portion of the blade should be about seven centimeters long. To use, slip the upturned blade under the bottom of the jar and lift straight up.

4. Jars. — All types of jars that seal perfectly may be used. Glass jars may be used indefinitely, but new rubbers should be used each time. Be sure that no jar is defective.. Test jars, using the same methods that was used in the hot-pack method.

5. Blanching. — Blanching is important with vegetables and many fruits. It consists of plunging them into boiling water for a short time. Spinach and other greens should be blanched in steam. To do this place them in an ordinary steamer, or suspend them in a tightly closed vessel above boil- ing water.

6. Blanching should be followed by the cold dip or plunging into cold water after removal from the hot water. Blanching removes strong flavors and odors. It also causes shrinkage so that a larger quantity may be pack- ed in a jar. Cold dipping hardens the pulp and causes retention of original coloring. After blanching and cold dipping, the surface moisture should be removed by placing the vegetables or fruits between two clean cloths or by exposure to the sun.

7. _ THE MANIL A COOKBOOK 179

8. Directions for Cold-pack Method.

9. 1. Select sound vegetables and fruits. (If possible can them the same day they are picked.) Wash, clean and prepare them.

10. 2. Have ready o nthe stove a kettle of boiling water.

11. 2. Have ready on the stove a kettle of boiling water, dipping and blanching them in the boiling water.

12. 4. Put them into the boiling water. (See timetable for blanching.) After the water begins to boil begin to count the blanching time.

13. 5. The blanching time varies from two to twenty minutes. When the blanching is complete, remove the vegetables or fruit from the boiling water and plunge them a number of times into cold water to harden the pulp and check the flow of coloring matter. Do not let them stand in cold water.

14. 6. The jars should be thoroughly clean. It is not necessary to ster- ilize them in boiling water before filling them for the reason that in the cold-pack process both the inside of the jars and the contents are sterilized. Heat the jars slightly before filling them to avoid breakage.

15. 7. Pack the product into the jars leaving about one half centimeter space at the top.

16. 8. With vegetables, add one level teaspoon of salt to each quart jar and fill with boiling water. With fruits use syrups. (See syrup propor- tions for cold-pack method.)

17. 9. With glass jars use new rubbers. Fit on the rubber and put the lid in place. If the jar has a screw top do not screw up as tight as pos- sible, but use only the thumb and little finger in tightening it. This makes it possible for steam generated within to escape and prevent breakage. If a glass top jar is used, snap the top bail only, leaving the lower bail loose during sterilization. Tin cans should be completely sealed.

18. 10. Place the filled and capped jars on the rack in the sterilizer. Enough water should be in the sterilizer to come at least two centimeters above the jars, and the water in boiling out should never be allowed to drop to the level of these tops. Begin to count processing time when the water begins to boil.

19. 11. Consult the table for the sterilizing period. At the end of this period remove the jars from the sterilizer. Fasten covers on tightly at once, turn the jars upside down to test for leakage, leave in this position until cold then store in a cool, dry, dark place. Be sure that no draft is allowed to blow on the jars while cooling, as it may cause breakage.

20. 180 THE FIREL ESS COOKER

21. Vegetable Canning in Cold-pack.

22. Vegetable Greens.- — Spinach, all other leaves used for greens, and cabbage should be carefully sorted, and trimmed, the old leaves and coarse stems removed, and the greens then blanched in steam from fifteen to twenty minutes. After blanching, they should be plunged into cold water. They are then packed tight in cans. Add hot water to fill up the crevices and sterilize two hours.

23. Boot or Tuber Vegetables. — This class includes carrots, turnips, rad- ishes, beets, and sweet potatoes. After being thoroughly washed and scrub- bed, they should be scalded long enough to loosen the skin. Plunge them immediately into cold water for a moment then scrape or pare off the skin. They may be packed in the jars whole or cut into cubes. Fill the jars with boiling water, adding one teaspoon of salt to the quart. Screw on the tops lightly and sterilize for ninety minutes. Remove from the sterilizing kettle, fasten covers tightly, cool, and store.

24. Tomatoes. — Scald the tomatoes enough to loosen the skin. Then plunge them into cold water, core and skin them and pack them whole. Do not put any hot water in the jars, but add one teaspoon of salt to each quart jar. Loosely seal and sterilize thirty minutes. Tighten covers, invert jars to cool and test, store.

25. Corn off the cob. — After blanching, slice the corn from the cob with a thin sharp knife. Pack the sliced com in jars, add a teaspoon of salt to each quart, fill with hot water and sterilize for three hours.

26. Squash. — Cut squash into small pieces, blanch for ten minutes, dip into cold water, pack in jars, fill each jar with boiling water and add one teaspoon salt to each quart. Sterilize for ninety minutes.

27. Pod Vegetables. — Such vegetables as lima beans, string beans, peas, and okra should be blanched in boiling water from two to five minutes, plunged into cold water and packed. Fill jars with boiling water, adding a teaspoon of salt to each quart. Sterilize two hours. Remove from kettle, screw on tops securely, invert jars to cool and test, then store.

28. Fruit-canning in cold-pack.

29. Fruits may also be canned by this method. Not all fruits are blanched. Sugar syrups are poured over the fruits instead of hot water. Different grades of syrups are mentioned in the directions. In making these syrups use three cups of sugar to two cups of water, the various densities being gained by shorter or longer boiling.

30. Thin syrup is sugar and water boUed so that all the sugar is dissolved but the syrup is not sticky.

31. Medim thin syrup is that which has begun to thicken and is sticky when cooled on a spoon.

32. THE MANILA COOK BOOK 181

33. Fruit-canning Directions for the Cold-pack Method. Soft Fruits. These are fruits such as ripe mangoes, pineapples, lanzones, and Benguet strawberries. Pare, peel, seed or stem as the case requires and pack them immediately in jars. Then fill with boiling thin syrup and screw covers on lightly. Sterilize sixteen minutes, remove from the sterilizing kettle, tighten covers, invert jars, to cool and test for leakage, wrap in paper and store in a cool, dry, dark place.

34. Note. — Remove the outside skin of lanzones, separate the fruit into sections, remove all membrane and seeds.

35. Hard fruits, santols, Chinese pears, and other hard fruits should be blanched for two minutes. Plunge them quickly into cold water, core, pit or remove skins as necessary and put them up quartered or sliced. Fill the cans with boiling medium thin syrup. Put on tops and sterilize twenty minutes, remove, tighten covers, invert to cool and test, wrap in paper and store.

36. Sliced oranges. — Divide into natural sections or slice with a knife. Do not blanch. Pack jars closely and fill with boiling thin syrup. Sterilze the partially sealed jar ten minutes. Remove, tighten covers, invert to cool and test, wrap in paper and store.

37. Some Precautions. Care must be used in sealing. Mold is apt to develop if the sealing is defective. It is unsafe to keep jars in a damp place where the rubbers may decompose. Another thing to guard against is improper or inade- quate blanching and cold dipping. Care should be taken to follow the instruction on this point.

38. Careless packing should be avoided. Vegetables and fruits should be packed closely in jars and after this has been done, the jars should be fiUed with hot salted water in the case of vegetables and syrup in the case of fruit. If the packing is not carefully done shrinkage may take place during sterilization.

39. In canning green vegetables like spinach, it is important that the mineral salts and volatile oils should not be lost. Tor this reason the greens should never be blanched in hot water. The blanching must be in steam.

40. It is important that vegetables and fruits should not be allowed to remain too long in the sterilizer. If sterilization is allowed to continue too long the product will shrink. Watch the time and follow the schedule as given in the table.

41. ADDITIONAL RECIPES

42. SUGGESTIONS

43. Tour heaping tablespoonfuls make one gill. Eight heaping tablespoqnfuls make one cupful. Tour cupfuls of flour make one quart or pound. Two cupfuls of solid butter make one pound. Two cupfuls of granulated sugar make one pound. Two and one-half cupfuls of powdered sugar make one pound. One pint of milk or water equals a pound. One teaspoonful of extract to one-quart of custard. Two rounding or four even teaspoonfuls of baking powder to one quart of flour.

44. One teaspoonful of soda to one cup of molasses. One scant measure of liquid to three full of flour for bread. One scant measure of liquid to two full for muffins. One scant measre of liqid to one full of flour for batter. One salt spoonful of salt to one quart of milk for custard. One salt spoonful of white pepper to one quart of soup stock. One tablespoonful of salt to one-quart of soup stock. One tablespoonful of each chopped vegetable to one quart of soup stock. One teaspoonful of extract to one loaf of plain cake. The metric system of weights and measures is used in the Philippines. Our kilogram equals two and one fifth pounds.

45. One liter, dry measure, is a little less than a quart; liquid measure a little more.

46. One ganta (rice etc.) equals three liters. 25 gantas equal one eavto.

47. Never pierce meats while cooking if you would have the best flavor.

48. Where the word milk is used in the recipes, remember that it means the evaporated cream diluted to the consistency of milk — one part of cream to two parts of water.

49. Lemons may be kept for a long time, indefinitely, in fact, by keeping them under glass. If laid on a flat surface and covered with a goblet they will neither mold nor dry up. It is said that they can be preserved in this way even for six months.

50. Cocoanut milk may be obtained by grating the eocoanut and squeezing the pulp. After thoroguhly squeezing add water, and squeeze again. After all the juice seems to have been extracted, strain and use as milk. This is very good for custards and all forms of dessert, for which milk is desired. Must be used immediately after being prepared as it sours very quickly.

51. To remove mildew rub common yellow soap on the damaged spot and stiff starch on that. Rub it in well and lay out in the sun.

52. SUGGESTIONS

53. Ink and iron mold may be taken out by wetting the spots in milk, then covering them with common salt. It should be done before the garment is washed. Another way to take out ink is to dip the spot in melted tallow.

54. Scorch from a hot iron can be taken out by laying the garment in the sun.

55. A little lump of camphor kept in the plate chest or silver drawer will prevent the contents from tarnishing. Lump camphor, placed in closed book cases, will prevent molding of books : placed under cover of sewing machine or typewriter will prevent rusting.

56. Many people in the Philippines consider it unsafe to eat lettuce and cabbage raw. Some always scald all vegetables and fruit bought in open market before using.

57. One of the things to be avoided with canned beans, peas and com is the development of what is known as "flat sour" The canned goods may show no signs of spoiling and yet be found on opening to be in this condition. It may be avoided by making use of vegetables that have not been gathered more than five or six hours. Blanch, cold-dip, and pack one jar at a time, placing each jar in the sterilizer as it is packed. Do not overlook this precaution in canning vegetables.

58. Time table for Blanching and Sterilizing.

59. Vegetables.

60. Vegetables Greens

61. Sweet potatoes . .

62. Lima Beans

63. String Beans ....

64. Squash in cubes .

65. Fruits. Ripe Mangoes . . .

66. Strawberries ....

67. Chinese Pears . . . Oranges (sliced) .

68. Blanching.

69. Sterilizing.

70. To loosen skin

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