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zxcvbob zxcvbob is offline
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Default Ancient recipes.

Ross@home wrote:
> I've been going through some of my old cook books and getting a real
> kick out of some of the stuff I've read. I have posted a few snippets
> over in rec.food.cooking, now here's something for RFP.
> It's from "The Complete Practical Confectioner", Copywrited by J.
> Thompson Gill in 1890.
> The recipe for Apple Butter:
> Take 9 gallons of cider; boil down to three gallons; add to the
> boiling cider about 3 gallons of apples that have been pared and
> quartered; boil rapidly for about 2 hours without ceasing, to prevent
> the apples from sinking. By this time they are well reduced and will
> begin to sink. Thus far no stirring has been done, but must be
> commenced as soon as the apples begin to sink, or they will scorch;
> sweeten and spice to taste; stir without ceasing until it is reduced
> to a thick smooth pulp, which will take about half an hour. Apple
> butter made in this way has been kept perfectly good over two years
> without sealing, and is a better article than that made in the usual
> way.
> Peaches and other fruits may be treated in a similar manner.
>
> I don't think I'll bother.
>
> Ross.



Sounds about like making ketchup. You start with a bushel of fresh
garden-ripe tomatoes, add vinegar and a bunch of expensive sugar and
spices, then hours later (after messing up *everything* in the
kitchen) you eventually end up with 2 1/2 pints of ketchup that is
almost as good as the stuff you buy at the store for 88¢ per quart.
:-) And theirs has a better color.

Every gardener should do this once.

Bob