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by members over 60 years of age. This was in effect only about 10 years,
however. The fact that the aged were excluded is indicative of the care and
thought used in planning diets for both the sick and the aged.
A favorite beverage for haying was "switchel." This used four cups
of sugar or three cups of maple syrup, 2 cups of molasses, 2 teaspoons of
powdered ginger and 2 gallons of cold water to serve 30.
Their method of putting up jellies was, after cooking, to put at once
in sterilized glasses and let remain in the sun under a net for several days.
Then the jelly was covered with a paper dipped in brandy, and another paper
pasted over the top of the glasses.
In all of the various publications of the Shakers, however, there is
only one printed cookbook, called Sister May Whitcher's HOUSE-KEEPER.
From itwe get the recipe for the renowned Shaker applesauce:
"For one bushel of sweet apples, use 1 gallon of boiled cider.
Put cider into brass or tin boiler- Wash and drain apples,
put them into boiler, and cover tight. If boiler holds 1 bushel
of apples, 2 hours should be given for cooking. Care should
be taken that they do not cling to boiler or scorch. Cook very
slowly over a moderate but steady heat. Do not stir apples
while cooking, "
Tomatoes were introduced at New Lebanon in 1823. They later pre-
served hundreds of gallons for winter use.
They also pioneered in the commercial canning of vegetables, with
their usual high standard of quality.
Some of the terms found in early Shaker Household Journals are in-
teresting and, to us, quaint:
"search the sugar" referred to maple or brown sugar and
meant sieve out all lumps and make fine