To preserve the large green plumbs.
FIRST dip the stalks and leaves in boiling vinegar, when they are dry have your syrup ready, and first give them a scald, and very carefully with a pin take off the skin; boil your sugar to a candy height, and dip in your plumbs, hang then by the stalk to dry, and they will look finely transparent, and by hanging that way to dry, will have a clear drop at the top. You must take great care to clear your sugar nicely.
A nice way to preserve peaches.
PUT your peaches in boiling water, just give them a scald; but don't let them boil, take them out and put them in cold water, then dry them in a sieve, and put them in long wide mouthed bottles: to half a dozen peaches take a quarter of a pound of sugar, clarify it, pour it over your peaches, and fill the bottles with brandy. Stop them close, and keep them in a close place.
A second way to preserve peaches.
MAKE your syrup as above, and when it is clear just dip in your peaches, and take them out again, lay them on a dish to cool, then put them into large wide-mouthed bottles, and when the syrup is cold pour it over them; let them stand till cold, and fill up the bottle with the best French brandy. Observe that you leave room enough for the peaches to be well covered with brandy, and cover the glass close with a bladder and leather, and tie them close down.
To make quince cakes.
YOU must let a pint of the syrup of quinces with a quart or two of raspberries be bioled and clarified over a clear gentle fire, taking care that it be well skimmed from time to time; then add a pound and a half of sugar, cause as much more to be brought to candy height, and poured in hot. Let the whole be continually stirred about till it is almost cold, then spread it on plates, and cut it out into cakes.
