PICKLES AND RELISHES.

In preparing pickles, avoid the use of metal vessels. If pickles are kept in them any length of time they will become poisonous. When it is necessary to boil vinegar, do it in a porcelain kettle, or in a stone jar on top of the stove. Always use the best vinegar. A small quantity of alum is an improvement to pickles, but too much is injurious. Keep them in either glass or hard stoneware.

Mrs. G. W. Rogers.Two hundred small sized cucumbers; three tablespoonsful of white mustard seed; three of black; three of celery seed; one handful of juniper berries, one handful of small green peppers; two pounds of sugar, and a few small unions. Let the cucumbers stand three days in salt water closely covered. Boil a little alum in a half gallon of vinegar, and pour over the cucumbers scalding hot; repeat three or four times. When ready to bottle, add one half pound of ground mustard, and one bottle of English chow-chow. Take the vinegar from the chow-chow and mix with it sufficient cold vinegar to cover well the pickles. Seal up in glass jars.

Mrs. T. A. Phillips.Wash your cucumbers well, and place them in stone jars. To every gallon of vinegar add one half teacupful of salt; one ounce of ginger root; one ounce of allspice; one ounce of cloves; one ounce of cinnamon; one ounce of black pepper. Boil the vinegar and spices together for three mornings and pour over the pickles hot; cover them closely. Will be ready for use in three days.

Mrs. James R. Wallace.Let the cucumbers lie in salt water forty-eight hours; put together two quarts of vinegar; some cinnamon; red peppers and horse radish, and let them boil hard for fifteen minutes; then throw in the pickles and put in enough vinegar to cover them. Let them scald, not boil; then set the kettle upon the stove and let the pickles remain in it (kept hot) until they are green; then pack them in jars and scald fresh vinegar, adding one pint of sugar to every gallon of vinegar, and pour over the pickles. Seal them tight.

Mrs. J. R. Young.Put the gherkins in brine for a week; if they are salty, soak one day; then take a kettle and line it with grape leaves; put the gherkins in and cover them with vinegar; put in a piece of alum the size of a hickory-nut; let them stand on the coolest part of the stove all day and keep warm but not boil. If the vinegar is salty, put on fresh. Put the spices, cloves, cinnamon, mace, allspice, and pepper in a separate vessel with vinegar and boil. Pour it over the gherkins and they are done.

Admiral Schenck.One gallon of best vinegar; three ounces of salt; one half pound of flour of mustard; two ounces of turmeric; three ounces of white ginger; one ounce of cloves; one of mace;  one of white and long peppers each; four ounces of chalots peeled; two ounces of garlic peeled; two ounces of cayenne pepper. The mustard and turmeric must be rubbed together with a little cold vinegar and stand until smooth; stir in the other ingredients just before it boils. As soon as it boils, remove it; let it cool and it is fit for use.

Mrs. R. P. Brown.Six gallons of best vinegar; six ounces of turmeric; six of white ginger; six of long peppers; one of mace; one of cloves; two of white mustard; one of white pepper; two of celery seed; two pounds of brown sugar; two handsful of garlic; oranges and lemons to taste. Into this pickle put any vegetable preferred, prepared as follows: Soak in cold brine for one week; after which expose them to the sun through the day; at night return them to the brine; then soak four days in vinegar and afterward put them into the pickle.
Onions should have boiling brine thrown over them and stand four or five days; then bleach as the others. Vegetables may be prepared as they come in season. This pickle will keep for years.

Mrs. H. Strong.Let the cucumbers lie in brine four or five days; then cut open one side, and scrape out the inner part. If the inside is very salty, let them lie in cold water until the next day; if not, two or three hours will answer.

STUFFING.

American mustard seed, cloves, black pepper, red pepper pods, small onions, celery seed, and horse-radish, chopped fine.

Miss Louie Phillips.One half pound of white mustard seed; one ounce of cloves; one of black pepper; two of celery seed; one cup of horse-radish, grated; one pod of garlic in each cucumber; four tablespoonsful of table mustard; eight of oil, and one of turmeric. Mix the mustard in cold water, and boil; when cold, stir in the oil and turmeric, and then mix with the other ingredients.
Onions, cabbage, and tomatoes may be chopped with the filling, if desired.

Take bright yellow cucumbers, firm but not soft; pare and cut them in strips, and, after removing the seeds, put them in a weak brine for twelve hours; pour off the brine, and scald them in alum water until clear; wash in cold water, and drain. To one gallon of vinegar, take three and one half pounds of sugar; one stick of cinnamon, nutmeg, and mace. Boil, and pour over the cucumbers; repeat two or three times.

Take one peck of medium sized cucumbers, and one half dozen onions; slice, and sprinkle with salt; let them lie three or four hours, then drain, and boil in vinegar for ten minutes, with the following spices: one half pound of yellow mustard seed; two tablespoonsful of cloves; one of mace; one of turmeric, and two of brown sugar. Pack in jars, and tie paper closely over them.

Mrs. Judge Sherman.One peck of green tomatoes, sliced thin; sprinkle with salt, and let them stand one night; slice twelve onions; put with the tomatoes, and boil in vinegar for two hours, with the following spices: four ounces of white mustard seed; four of ground mustard; one half ounce of turmeric; one ounce of cloves; one of allspice; one of ginger; one of pepper; one of cinnamon; one fourth of a teacupful of salt; and one half pound of brown sugar.

One half peck of green tomatoes; one dozen of white onions; slice thin, and sprinkle with salt; let stand over night; drain in a cullender; then put them into a porcelain kettle; cover with vinegar and water, equal parts; boil slowly one hour; then drain one half hour. Take one and one half gallons of vinegar, and three pounds of brown sugar; boil and skim; then add one half teacupful of French mustard; one ounce each of ground cloves, allspice, cinnamon, black pepper, and turmeric. Mix to a smooth paste with water, and stir into the vinegar while boiling. Use stone jars; put in a layer of pickles, and then a cup of the mixture. They are ready for immediate use.

Take red tomatoes, not very ripe, puncture slightly with a fork, and cover them with strong brine; let them remain six or eight days; then soak them twenty-four hours in vinegar and water; drain off, and, for every gallon your vessel holds, take six ounces of ground mustard; four of ginger; two of celery seed; one of cloves, and one dozen white onions, sliced. Mix the spices all together; put a layer in the bottom of the jar; then onions and tomatoes, and so on, alternately, until the jar is full. Fill up with strong vinegar.

Mrs. A. C. C.Take pear-shaped tomatoes,yellow and red mixed; wash them off, and put in narrow mouthed vessels, so that they can be made air tight; to a quart of tomatoes, take a teaspoonful of salt, some ginger root, cinnamon, mace, and small red peppers mixed in among them; make the jars full, and fill up with vinegar. Set in a cool, dark place. In three or four weeks they will be ready for use.

Scald and peel full grown green tomatoes; drop them into strong ginger tea, and scald well. For every two pounds of tomatoes, take a pound of sugar and a pint of vinegar; make a syrup of this, and drop in the fruit; let them cook until perfectly clear; add mace, cinnamon, and white ginger. Cover well with the syrup and tie up closely.

Mrs. E. F. Stoddard.Take white walnuts fresh and tender; put them in salt and water for three days; then put in the sun until they turn black. Take half a pound of mustard seed; two ounces of pepper; one half ounce of cloves; one half ounce of mace; one half ounce of nutmeg, and a good stock of horse-radish, boiled in one gallon of vinegar. Cover the walnuts close, and let them remain three or four weeks.
Pour off the liquid for catsup, if desired, and bottle it, covering the walnuts again with cold vinegar.

Take small white onions, and peel them; lay them in salt water for two days; change the water once; then drain them in a cloth, and put them in bottles; boil mace, pepper, and vinegar together; let it cool, and pour over the pickles.

Mrs. L. G. Evans.Put white onions on the stove in warm milk; when they commence to boil take them out and rub the outside skin off with a coarse towel; then put them in jars and sprinkle them lightly with salt; add a very little mace; about six sticks of cinnamon as long as your finger; a little horse-radish, and plenty of red pepper pods. Cover them well with vinegar.

Mrs. J. F. Edgar.Take green tomatoes chopped very fine; sprinkle well with salt; let stand twenty-four hours; drain off and put in a  stone jar. Take about half the quantity of cucumbers, and the same of cabbage; after they are chopped, put into jars separately, and cover with cold vinegar. Take about one quarter as much white onions chopped; salt and pour boiling water on them; let stand a few hours; drain off and cover with vinegar as above. Let all remain several days in a cool place; then press very dry and mix together; add some yellow and black mustard seed, celery seed, and a bountiful supply of grated horse-radish, with a few green peppers, chopped fine. Then take the best vinegar and about four pounds of brown sugar to each gallon. Boil it in part of the vinegar; scum well, and pour over the whole. Add as much cold vinegar as is required.

Two dozen large cucumbers sliced; three quarters of a peck of green tomatoes sliced; twelve large peppers (red and green) sliced; one fourth peck of small white onions peeled; one pint of small red peppers. Sprinkle one and one half pints of salt over them and let stand all night. In the morning drain them well; then add one ounce of mace; one ounce of white mustard seed; one half ounce of cloves; one ounce of celery seed; one ounce of turmeric; three tablespoonsful of ground mustard; one large piece of horse-radish cut up; cover all with vinegar and boil half an hour, or until tender.

Mrs. Roger Stemble.Two heads of cabbage; four dozen cucumbers; one dozen green peppers; one of white onions; chop all but the onions; sprinkle with salt; let them stand one hour; drain well; then cover with cold vinegar and let stand twenty-four hours; chop the onions; pour hot water over them; squeeze it out and mix all together. To one gallon of the mixture add one half pound of sugar; one pint of mustard seed; a little mace and cloves. Boil the spices in the vinegar and pour over hot.

Mrs. W. B.Trim and quarter six heads of good cabbage; boil in vinegar and water until a broom splint can be passed through them. Prepare a paste of one half pint of best sweet oil; one pound of white mustard; one half pound of black mustard; one quart of chopped horse-radish; one ounce of celery seed; one ounce of turmeric; one teacupful of brown sugar. Put down one layer of cabbage; then cover with the above mixture, and alternate in this way, covering each layer with good vinegar.

Mrs. John Rench.Take small nutmegs, not quite ripe; pare and quarter them; cover with vinegar and let stand twenty four hours. Then measure out one quart of the vinegar, and to each remaining quart add two pints of brown sugar; then add the quart of vinegar that has been measured out; put the vinegar and sugar on to boil a few minutes. Tie the spices, cloves, cinnamon and mace in a bag and put in a jar with the nutmegs and pour the vinegar over them. Boil this vinegar once a day for three successive days The third time drop in the nutmegs and let them boil fifteen minutes; then put them in stone jars, and in three weeks they will be ready for use.

Mrs. T. A. Phillips.Pare off the green of the water melon rinds; cut in squares, and cover with weak alum water, poured on hot; let it stand twenty-four hours; then soak in rain water until well cleansed of the alum; put in a kettle; cover with pure water, and boil until tender; then press the water out with a napkin. Make a syrup of equal quantities of vinegar and sugar; add one stick of cinnamon, and race ginger. Put the fruit in and cook till clear; then take it out and cook the syrup a little more.

Mrs. Theodosia Dubois.Seven pounds of plums; three of sugar; one ounce of cinnamon; one of cloves, and one quart of vinegar. Put in a jar a layer of plums and a layer of spice; boil the sugar and vinegar, and pour it over the plums three days in succession, and the fourth day boil spices and all together. They will keep for years.

Mrs. Admiral Schenck.Seven pounds of fruit; four pounds of sugar; one quart of vinegar. Spices should be tied in a thin cloth, and boiled in the syrup, which should be poured boiling hot, for three successive days, on the grapes. After that they may be put away for use.

Mrs. G. W. R.Two pounds of cherries; one pound of sugar; one half pint of vinegar; pour on boiling seven mornings in succession; the last time, if amber cherries, put them in and boil a few minutes; add cinnamon.

Mrs. Dr. Craighead.To seven pounds of fruit take one quart of vinegar and three of sugar; one half teacupful of broken cinnamon, and a few cloves. Seed one half the cherries and stew them rich.

Eight pounds of apples, pared; four pounds of sugar; one quart of vinegar; one ounce of stick cinnamon, and one half ounce of cloves. Boil the sugar, vinegar and spices together;  put in the apples when boiling, and let them remain until tender. Take them out and put in a jar; boil down the syrup until thick, and pour it over.

Mrs. J. L. Brenner.Three pounds of ripe currants; two pounds of sugar; one tablespoonful of cinnamon; nearly one half tablespoonful of allspice; one half tablespoonful of cloves, and nearly one half pint of vinegar. Boil all one half hour. Put into close glass jars.

Mrs. W. A. B.Pare and halve one peck peaches, and place in a stone jar; boil three pints of vinegar and three pounds of sugar; skim, and pour over the fruit; repeat three times, every other day; the third time, add, while boiling, one half ounce of cloves; one ounce of cinnamon, and one quarter ounce of mace unground.

Miss B. Pease.One quart of vinegar, and four pounds of sugar; boil, and skim; peel seven pounds of fruit; put in and boil until a little soft; take them out; heat the syrup three times, and pour over hot; the last time, boil it down. If not as sweet as desired, a little more sugar may be added.

Mrs. Wm. Craighead.To twelve pounds of peaches take six pounds of sugar and one pint of vinegar; add spice to taste.

Put half a bushel of crab apples in a kettle with vinegar enough to cover them, and cook until tender; then take them out of the vinegar and put them in jars. Measure the vinegar and add a pint more than will cover the fruit, and to each pint add one and one half pints of brown sugar; one handful of stick cinnamon; three tablespoonsful of cloves, and two of mace. Tie the spices in a bag and boil in the vinegar half an hour; then put the fruit in the jars and cover with the vinegar.

E. A. E.Take three pounds of pears; peel them and cut out the ends, leaving the stems in; put them into a preserving kettle, with one quart of water, and boil until a fork will go through them easily; then lay them out on a dish; add to the juice one and one half pounds of sugar; one pint of vinegar; some stick cinnamon, whole cloves, and race ginger. Boil all five minutes, and skim; put in the pears and boil them until the syrup thickens; then take them out in a jar, and, after the syrup has boiled a little longer, pour it over them. If, after standing a few days, the syrup should become thin, take it off and boil again.

Take green nasturtions fresh from the vines; put them in salt and water for one day; then drain in a napkin. Put them in glass jars and cover with strong vinegar; keep the bottles closely corked. Are equal to capers, with roast lamb.

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