To Preserve Green Crab Apples

Wash the crab apples, which should be fully grown.

Cover the bottom and sides of a preserving kettle with vine leaves, and put the crab apples in, spreading a thick layer of vine leaves over them.

Fill the kettle with cold water, and hang it over a slow fire early in the morning; simmer the apples slowly, but do not allow them to boil.

When the apples are quite yellow, take them out, peel off the skin with a penknife, and extract the cores neatly.

Put the peeled apples back into the kettle with fresh vine leaves and fresh water, and hang them again over a slow fire to simmer, but not to boil.

When the apples have remained long enough in the second layer of vine leaves to become green, take them out, weigh them, and add a pound and a half of loaf sugar to each pound of crab apples.

After washing and wiping the kettle, put the apples into it with a thick layer of sugar between each layer of apples, and about half a pint of water for each pound and a half of sugar.

Add the juice and yellow peel of some lemons.

Boil the mixture gently until it is quite clear and tender throughout.

Skim the mixture well, and keep the kettle covered when you are not skimming.

When done, spread the apples on large dishes to cool, and then tie them up in glass jars with brandy papers.