low tomatoes are preserved the same way, except
that they are scalded for peeling, and hardened by dropping in alum
water after their lime-water bath. The same process applied to
watermelon rind after it is freshened makes citron.

_Brandy Peaches and Pears_: These can be made without cooking. Choose
ripe, perfect fruit, pare, stick three cloves in each, weigh, take pound
for pound of sugar with one over for the jar. Pack down in a large jar,
putting spices between, and filling sugar into every crevice. Crowd in
every bit possible, then pour on enough whiskey to stand an inch above
the fruit. Let stand--in twenty-four hours more whiskey will be needed.
Fill up, sprinkle a few more whole cloves on top, also two small pods of
Cayenne pepper, and half a dozen pepper corns. Tie down and keep cool.
Fit for use in a fortnight, and of fine keeping quality. The same
treatment with vinegar in place of whiskey makes very good sweet pickle.

Another way, is to pack the fruit in sugar over night, drain off the
juice at morning, boil and skim it, and pour back upon the fruit. Repeat
twice--the third time put everything in the kettle, cook till a fork
will pierce the fruit, then pack in jars, adding spices to taste, and
one fourth as much whiskey as there is fruit and syrup. This likewise
can be turned into very rich sweet pickle, by using vinegar instead of
whiskey, putting it with the syrup at first boiling, sticking cloves in
the fruit, and adding spices to taste.

Throw stemmed and washed cherries, unpitted, into thick syrup made of
their weight in sugar with half a cup water to the pound. Let boil, set
in oven for half an hour, take up, add spices, and either brandy or
vinegar, in the proportion of one to three. Let stand uncovered to cool,
put in jars, cover with brandy paper, tie down and keep dark and cool.

_Tea: Coffee: Chocolate_: My tea-making is unorthodox, but people like
to drink the brew. Bring fresh water to a bubbling boil in a clean, wide
kettle, throw in the tea--a tablespoonful to the gallon of water, let
boil just one minute, then strain from the leaves into a pot that has
stood for five minutes full of freshly boiled water, and that is
instantly wrapped about with a thick napkin, so it shall not cool. Serve
in tall glasses with rum and lemon, or with sherry syrup, flavored with
lemon, add a Maraschino cherry or so, or a tiny bit of ginger-flavored
citron. This for the unorthodox. Those who are orthodox can ha