To Preserve Quinces Recipe

Quinces, if very ripe, are best preserved in the following manner: Pare

and cut them in slices, an inch thick--take out the cores carefully, so

as to have the slices in the form of a ring. Allow a pound of nice white

sugar for each pound of the fruit--dissolve it in cold water, having a

quart of the latter to a pound of sugar, then put in the sliced quinces,

and let them soak in it ten or twelve hours. Put them in a preserving

kettle, and put it on a moderate fire--cover them over, and let the

quinces boil gently--there should be more than enough syrup to cover the

quinces. When a broom splinter will go through them easily, take them

from the fire, and turn them out. In the course of a week, turn the

syrup from them, and boil it down, so that there will be just enough to

cover the fruit. Quinces preserved in this manner retain their natural

flavor better than when preserved in any other manner, but they must be

very ripe to preserve in this way, otherwise they will not be tender.

When not very ripe, pare and cut them either in rings or quarters, take

out the cores, and boil the quinces in fair water, till they begin to

grow tender--take them up, and strain the water in which they are

boiled--put in either brown or white sugar--add a little cold water.

When lukewarm, put in the whites of eggs, and clarify it--let it cool,

then put in the quinces, and boil them slowly for half an hour. Keep

them covered over while boiling, if you wish to have them of a light

color. Turn them out into pots as soon as preserved, and set them away

in a cool place. Look at them in the course of a week, to see if they

have fermented--if so, turn the syrup from them, boil it, and turn it

back while hot. The parings and cores of the quinces can be used for

marmalade, with a few whole ones. Some people preserve the quinces with

the cores in, but the syrup will not look clear. The following is a

cheap method of preserving quinces, and answers very well for common

use: Pare, halve, and take out the cores of the quinces, and boil the

parings in new cider till soft. Strain the cider, and for five pounds of

quinces put in a pound of brown sugar, a quart of molasses, the beaten

white of an egg--clarify it, then put in the quinces. There should be

rather more than enough cider to cover the quinces, as it wastes a good

deal while the quinces are boiling. The peel of an orange, cut in small

pieces, and boiled with them, gives the quinces a fine flavor.