FRUIT COOKERY. Though certain fruits, e.g., bread fruit, dates, figs, form the staple food of various tropical peoples, fruits are used by nations in the temperate zones mainly as an agreeable means of introducing liquid into the system : for their mixture of salts and vegetable acids, e.g., tartaric, malic, citric; for their slight laxative properties ; as an anti-scorbutic and as a valuable medium for supplying the body with vitamins. Fruits can be classified as small fruits, including currants, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, etc. ; apricots, plums, cherries, etc.; citrus fruits, i.e., oranges, tangerines, lemons, grapefruit, etc.; orchard fruits, apples, pears, etc. ; vine (grapes) ; and a few fruits which do not come into any of these categories, as for instance, pineapple, avocado, olive, etc. Fresh fruit is used as a first course and as dessert, and for fruitades.
Methods of Cooking.—There are innumerable ways of serv ing fruit, and owing to the great variety of fruits at the disposal of mankind it is possible to employ every known method of cookery in preparing fruit dishes (see PRESERVING AND BOTTLING; CONFECTIONERY; PASTRY).
Stewed Fruit.—A great number of fruits can be cooked by stew ing either by a waterless method or with the addition of a little water and sugar. By the waterless method the fruit is placed in a stone jar (with or without sugar according to taste) in a pan of boiling water. In this way, all the juices of the fruit are con served without loss of flavour. Where water is added this should be as little as possible with due consideration for the amount of water (generally about 8o%) already contained in the fruit. If desired to keep the fruit whole it is wiser to boil the sugar and water before adding the fruit. All fruit should be stewed slowly. Over-heating causes the pectin in fruit to jelly. Dried fruits should be soaked before stewing in order to restore the water.
Baked Fruits.—Apples may be cored, filled with sugar and cooked in a baking dish. A compote of fruit is baked fruit to which is added a sugar syrup.
Fried Fruit.—A number of fruits may be dipped in batter and fried in deep fat and served as fritters. In this case, the fruit, if large, is cut into suitable portions, or if small, is left whole in a sugar syrup for a short time before frying. Certain fruits may be sliced and pan-fried as a vegetable.
Fruit Salads.—These may be sweet or savoury and are made by mixing different fruits together with certain flavourings, e.g., liqueurs, essences, oil, vinegar, etc., to form a salad. When raw fruits are used they are usually soaked in a marinade of their own juices and the flavourings for some time before dishing.
Fruit Moulds.—When hot stewed fruit is thickened with a liaison of corn-flour, tapioca, sago, etc., or when mixed with jelly powders, gelatin, agar agar, etc., it can be turned out into a wet mould and allowed to cool and served as a blancmange. Dried fruits may be thickened with starch liaisons but it is best to use gelatin or jelly for setting soft small fruits, as this does not spoil the colour of the fruit.
Fruit Ices.—These differ from ice-creams in that they possess no cream or custard foundation and are made with a fruit syrup which may, in some cases, be thickened with gelatin to give a smooth appearance- (J. A. SI.)