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To Dry Damsons or any other plubs to look as blew as from th^e tree
Take the best & fairest Damsons, you can get weigh them then wipe them cleane
& slit them in the seames & take outt the stones; to 2 pounds of plumbs take a
pound and halfe of loafe suger; take as much water as will make it
sirrup; then boyl it & scum it clean; let it stand till it is almost cold
then put in your plumbs with the slitts down; put them over a gentle fire till
they be pretty hott; then take them of the fire & lett them stand till they be
cold, then put them on the fire as before & make them hott but let them stew in
sirrup leasurely so do them twice or thrice the first day; then lett them stand
till the next day; then heat them as before. once or twice till you see
they are very tender; then let them stand in the sirrup till the next day
then take them out & put them in pewter dishes on white plates with the slitts
doune then cover them close with plates or other dishes; put them in ^a war^m
oven but before it be nott too hot then every day shift them the
sirrup is dryed from; the sirrup which you scalded your plumbs in you
may put more of the same plumbs or mussel plumbs into it as
many as you think first will make it pretty thick pulp with some
more suger let it boyl quickly then keepe it stirring then it do not
burn; when you see the polumbs tender straine it through a haire cive
& when it is cold put itt into your oven to dry, & when it is as dry as your plum^bs
are put it into your plumbs with a little knife, & fill the plumbs
so full as to have the skins smooth & the slitts close & so put them in
your dish with the slitts doune; & put them in a warme oven till the next
day or 2 after then fill them as before; but close the slitts as close as
you can thus do till your plumbs are full & dry; then close them very
close and let them stand for a day or 2; then wash them in a warm water by
one at a time, dry them in a fine cloth & put them in a dish as before,
when they are all done cover them close; put them in a warm oven for 3 dayes & they will be a very good blew: do not uncover them
in the time. if you can help it; the sirrup & plumbs must be
boyled as soon as the other are out to dry; put the pulp then in
white plates or else it will not dry fast enough;