FRUIT COCKTAIL (CANNED)

Assemble these utensils:

3 4-quart saucepans

5 2-quart utility bowls

2 paring knives fork

Set of measuring cups

Set of measuring spoons

2 colanders

Kitchen scale

Wooden spoon

14 12-ounce bottles

Big kettle with rack

Water bath sterilizer

Thermometer

Timer

Assemble these supplies:

1 rare ripe hard papaya (2 1/2 kilos)

1 medium fresh watermelon (4 kilos)

6 medium size sinkamas

2 cups pineapple tidbits

1 small honey dew (11/2 kilos)

Citric acid

Almond extract

Steps in preparation:

1. Pare and cube papaya 1/2 inch cube. Wash and boil sinkamas until they are easily pricked with a fork. Pare and cube.

2. Scoop out honeydew and water-melon balls. 3. Measure cut fruits separately to determine sugar, water, and citric acid to use. Cook fruits separately using the following general proportions for each pint of cubed fruits: 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup sugar ..1/4 teaspoon citric acid 3 to 5 drops almond extract (for honeydew, sinkamas, and papaya)

4. Combine fruit with the above ingredients except almond extract and bring to a boil. Keep gently boiling for 10-15 minutes. Add almond extract last (measuring carefully). Do this with all the fruits used. For good results, keep fruits in their syrup overnight.

5. Drain sinkamas from its syrup and combine in equal amount with papaya. Add pineapple tidbit, as much or half as much of honeydew melon balls and one fourth as much as red watermelon balls as pine-apple.

6. Combine fruits and pack in clean sterilized jars. Honeydew melon syrup is the one to be used for the syrup of the combined fruits. (If the honeydew melon syrup is not enough, you can prepare another syrup recipe.)

7. Heat the syrup and pour directly to the jars. Remove air bubbles by inserting a knife or by jarring or agitating the jars.

8. Process in boiling water bath for 15-20 minutes.

Yield: 14 12-ounce bottles.

Useful tips for cooking, storing, and serving:

1. Because of texture breakdown, do not attempt to cook a large quantity of papaya at a time when only a home type stove is used. On the other hand, sinkamas takes time to cook to the softness of pear. It has to be pressure cooked sometimes but overcooking it is to be avoided as it can turn brown.

2. Serve fruit cocktail for desserts anytime of the day with custard dressing like frozen fruit cocktail.