46 To Keep Pickles and Sweet Meats
Pickles should be kept in kegs or unglazed earthen jars. Sweetmeats keep best in glass jars, unglazed earthen jars do very well. If the jar is covered with a paper wet in spirits, the sweet meats are less liable to ferment. Both pickles and sweet meats, should be looked to occasionally to see that they are not fermenting, if so, the vinegar or syrup should be turned from them and scalded. If pickles grow soft, it is owing to the vinegar’s not being strong enough; to make it stronger, scald it and put in a paper wet with molasses, and a little alum.