PRESERVED LEMONS.

Take large fine ripe lemons, that have no blemishes. Choose those with
thin, smooth rinds. With a sharp, knife scoop a hole in the stalk end
of each, large enough to admit the handle of a tea-spoon. This hole is
to enable the syrup to penetrate the inside of the lemons. Put them
into a preserving kettle with clear water, and boil them gently till
you find them tender, keeping the kettle uncovered. Then take them oat,
drain, and cool them, and put them into a small tub. Prepare a thin
syrup of a pound of loaf-sugar to a quart of water. When you have
boiled and skimmed it, pour it over the lemons and cover them. Let them
stand in the syrup till next day. Then poor the syrup from the lemons,
and spread them on a large dish. Boil it a quarter of an hour, and pour
it over them again, having first returned them to the tub. Cover them,
and let them again stand till next day, when you must again boil the
syrup and pour it over them. Repeat this process every day till you
find that the lemons are quite clear, and that the syrup has penetrated
them thoroughly. If you find the syrup becoming too weak, add a little
more sugar to it. Finally, make a strong syrup in the proportion of
half a pint of water to a pound of sugar, adding a jill of raw
lemon-juice squeezed from fresh lemons, and allowing to every four
pounds of sugar the beaten white of an egg. Mix all well together in
the kettle. Boil and skim it, and when the scum ceases to rise, pour
the syrup boiling hot over the lemons; and covering them closely, let
them stand undisturbed for four days. Then look at them, and if you
find that they have not sucked in enough of the syrup to make the
inside very sweet, boil them gently in the syrup for a quarter of an
hour. When they are cold, put them up in glass jars.

You may green lemons by burying them in a kettle of vine leaves when
you give them the first boiling in the clear water.

Limes may be preserved by this receipt; also oranges.

To prepare fresh oranges for eating, peel and cut them in round slices
and remove the seeds. Strew powdered loaf-sugar over them. Cover them
and let them stand an hour before they are eaten.
