Home › Vinegar, Pickles, and Pickling › Vinegar, Pickles, and Pickling: Catsup

Vinegar, Pickles, and Pickling: Catsup

Currant Catsup. -Pick over carefully 2 pounds of ripe red currants and place them in a preserving kettle with of a pound of granulated sugar. Cook until of the consistency of thick cream. Boil in a separate saucepan for not more than five minutes of a pint of vinegar, in which place a muslin bag containing tablespoonful of ground pepper, and any other spices desired. Pour the spiced vinegar into the currants and sugar and bottle for use.

Mushroom Catsup. - There is a prejudice against mushrooms due to the existence of certain poisonous species. Those who are not thoroughly conversant with the difference between the edible and poisonous varieties should buy mushrooms from a reliable dealer or buy the spawn and grow the mushrooms rather than attempt to gather the native varieties growing wild. As there is a possibility that poisonous mushrooms may be offered for sale by careless or ignorant persons, we give the following rules for distinguishing mushrooms from poisonous toadstools. The greatest caution should, however, be used where there is the slightest doubt, as no matter how good a rule may be, there can be no assurance that it will be understood or intelligently applied by an inexperienced person.

As a rule, the false mushrooms grow in tufts or clusters in woods or on the stumps of trees. They are likely to have a cap covered with warts or fragments of membrane growing on the upper surface, and to be heavy and irregular in shape.

They have a disagreeable taste, like alum, turn blue when cut, are moist on top and usually of a rose or orange color.

The true mushroom, on the other hand, has under parts or gills of a pinky red, changing to a liver color.

The flesh is pure white, and the stem is long, white, and round.

The best rule is to sprinkle a little salt on the spongy parts or gills of one of the mushrooms and let it stand for some minutes. Be sure to allow plenty of time. If it turns yellow the mushrooms are poisonous. If black, they are edible.

To make mushroom catsup pack 2 pounds of mushrooms in layers with 1 pound of salt in a saucepan, and let stand until the salt is fully dissolved.

Squeeze through cheese cloth and add to the juice 3 ounces of white pepper, ounce of cloves, or any other mixed spices desired Boil with gentle heat to the consistency desired. Strain and bottle for use. Add more salt to the shrooms from which the juice has stined, and if sufficient juice left in them to disit may be used to make quality of catsup.

S an Or a 1 to each pound of mushrooms pound of salt. Let them stand for four days stirring them occasionally. Pour them into a colander to drain and preserve the juice. Now add a little cold water to the mushrooms and let them boil half an hour or more over a slow fire.

Squeeze them through cheese cloth.

Now mix both liquors. Add any desired mixture of spices. Boil not over five minutes. Seal and bottle for use. a Or squeeze out the juice in a press and to each gallon of juice add 1 pound of salt, 1½ ounces of shallots, and any desired mixture of spices to the amount of four to six ounces all told. Boil for one hour or until of the desired consistency. Strain and bottle for use.

To preserve mushroom catsup in its full strength it is necessary to reboil it at intervals of a month or six weeks, adding fresh spices. By these means it can be kept good and fresh the year round. - To Preserve Mushrooms. Select small mushrooms, trim them and rub them clean with a soft flannel cloth.

Drop them immediately into cold water to preserve their color. Place them in a saucepan and to each quart of mushrooms add 3 ounces of butter, 2 teaspoonfuls of salt, 1 teaspoonful of Cayenne, 1/4 teaspoonful of mace, and cook until tender. Pour them into a colander to drain. When cold, pack them in glass jelly tumblers or fruit jars and pour clarified mutton suet or butter over them. Lay over this a thickness of cloth dipped in alcohol and tie over the top a layer of cotton batting.

Or trim and clean the mushrooms, peel off the skin and dry them in a slow oven. Tie up tightly in paper bags and hang up in a dry place.

They will resume their natural size when cooked.

Or season mushrooms with onion, cloves, pepper, mace, or otherwise to taste. Slice, and dry in a slow oven.

Rub to a powder and preserve in tightly stoppered jars or bottles.

Preserving Olives. After opening a bottle of olives, if the remainder are not required for immediate use, pour off the liquid and cover with olive oil. This will keep the olives good and fresh for several weeks.

Walnut Catsup.-Pick young green walnuts about the first week in July, as for pickled walnuts, and squeeze the juice out of them under a press.