Damson Cheese
INGREDIENTS, 1½ pint of damsons to each pot. -Damsons to every lb. of fruit pulp allow 1/24 lb. of loaf sugar. AVERAGE COST, 10d. per small pot.
Pick the stalks from the damsons, and put them into a preserving-pan; simmer them over the fire until they are soft, occasionally stirring them; then beat them through a coarse sieve, and put the pulp and juice into the preserving-pan, with sugar in the above proportion, having previously carefully weighed them. Stir the sugar well in, and simmer the damsons slowly for 2 hours. Skim well, then boil the preserve quickly for 1/2 hour, or until it looks firm and hard in the spoon; put it quickly into shallow pots, or very tiny earthenware moulds, and when cold, cover it, with oiled papers, and the jars with tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg. A few of the stones may be cracked, and the kernels boiled with the damsons, which very much improves the flavour of the cheese.
TIME.-1 hour to boil the damsons without the sugar; 2 hours to simmer them slowly, 1/2 hour quickly.
SEASONABLE. Make this in September or October.
DAMSON JAM.
