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Strawberries, Preserved Whole

Take perfectly sound ripe strawberries which have been gathered in dry weather; pick and weigh them. Put them in layers on a large dish, and sprinkle finely-powdered sugar between the layers-a pound of sugar will be required for every pound of fruit. Let them stand all night. Next day put the whole gently into a clean preserving-pan. Let it boil; shake the pan to keep the strawberries from burning, and pass a spoon round the edges; but be careful not to crush the fruit. Remove the scum as it rises, and boil the fruit gently for a quarter of an hour. Drain the juice from the berries, and boil it separately for half an hour. If liked, a pint of red currant juice boiled to syrup with half a pound of sugar may be added for each pound of strawberries, and this will greatly improve the flavour of the preparation. Pour the boiling juice upon the fruit, put both again into the pan, and boil the mixture for a quarter of an hour, or till the juice will set when a little is put upon a plate. Put the preserved fruit into jars, cover in the usual way, and store in a cool place. Strawberries preserved thus are very good served in glasses, mixed with cream. Probable cost, 4d. to 8d. per pound.