Canning Across America Rotating Header Image

preserving

How Much Is Too Much?

Photo by katart

Recently, I was reading a 50+ year-old British cookbook by Elizabeth David on food preservation. I had great fun imagining the accent of Ms. David, who wrote in such florid language.  No doubt, with her upper class pedigree and as a food preservationist, she spoke in pear-shaped tones.

Turning to her recipe for apricot jam, my long-since-deceased guide assured me that the secret to really flavorful apricot jam is in the kernel held within the pit.   Break open the pit, she instructed, and one will find a soft kernel full of flavor. Add a few of these to the pot of bubbling jam and, voilà!   A depth of flavor, reminiscent of almond blossoms will be imparted to the jam.   Who else but foodies, of this or any other century, can wax so poetic about the wonders of a fruit pit? But I digress.

Taking to heart the advice of my guide, I picked out what appeared to be the most beautiful apricot pits of the seven pounds I had already pitted for my jam.   Heading to the garage I went in search of a hammer or other blunt object.   I felt like Michelangelo releasing the sculpture from the marble.   I was transported by the fact my apricot kernels were just as anxious to be free, to feel the sunshine and breeze on their little faces.   Now, you must understand that my husband has a place for everything when it comes to his tools but I rarely know where those places are.   After a search of about 10 minutes, I found a yellow-handled heavyweight with the name Stanley emblazoned across its handle.   I would not have cared if it had been called Livingstone- -I needed to get on with it! Carrying the hammer to the back sidewalk, I crouched down to break open the apricot pits.  That is about the time my right knee locked up and started singing its own version of Swanee River: “Way down upon the back stoop sidewalk, that’s where I hurt!”   The pain was so sharp and so instant and I was sure I could not stand up and was just as was sure I could not lower my kneecap on the cement.   I was frozen somewhere between.

Bearing a strong resemblance to a stork, I decided to quickly whack the pits, grab the kernels, and hoist myself up.  This worked fine for the first two pits.  They each opened nicely to reveal a buttery yellow kernel just ready for a suicide mission in a pot of superheated boiling fruit.  However, when I hit the 3rd pit, it ricocheted off the sidewalk. The pit seemed to say, as it hit my aching knee and proceeded to gouge a hole in my skin, “I’m not going back to the BIG HOUSE!”  Needless to say, the cut hurt worse than the knee joint pain, so I sprang up immediately and hopped around cursing my English cooking guide in tones that were more thorn-shaped than pear.

I returned to the house and spent a few minutes wiping the blood that had gone south on my leg and plugging the hole from the pit with a wad of cotton and an adhesive strip.  Settling myself once more, I washed my hands and returned to jam making.  I placed two kernels in a little bag of culinary cheesecloth and boiled them with the jam. When it was done, I removed the kernels and tasted the jam.  True to her word, the jam had a lovely woodsy undertone.  Into the jars it went.  I was thrilled. . . for about a nanosecond.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remembered reading that some folks thought apricot pits or kernels were medicinal, especially in the treatment of cancer.   I headed to the computer and began to search the Web.   The more I read, the more alarmed I became.   My Internet search had informed me that stone fruits like apricots, cherries and peaches contain amygdalin, a cyanide derivative.   It is used very often as a favorite poison of murder mysteries.  Cyanide is colorless and tasteless, there is no antidote, and death takes place within minutes when ingested inmlarge doses.   Think of the capsule that spies chomp on when they are caught behind enemy lines.   Fortunately, my Internet search also assured me that there are a large number of apricot varieties the kernels of which are considered to be completely harmless.

I returned to sanity, if a foodie like me can ever be called sane when it comes to food.   I glanced up from my laptop and saw that a sunbeam had shone in the kitchen window and landed on the jam jars.   The color of the apricots was the color of the morning sun.   My yield of seven jars equaled about 48 ounces of jam and only two kernels in all of that.

That being said, the near loss of a knee cap notwithstanding, the improved flavor and brilliant color of my latest batch seemed to assure me that there really is such a thing as just enough cyanide.  I put my jam pot to soak in the sink and made myself a cup of English tea.  I spread a little cream cheese on toast and slathered it with apricot jam.   Ms. David lived to be 83, even using her secret ingredient.  I guess that makes me good for at least few more decades.

Editor’s note: using kernels from sweet apricots is considered safe in jam-making because they have negligible amounts of cyanide.  On the other hand, kernels from bitter apricots contain significant amounts of cyanide and should be approached with extreme caution.

CAA contributor Cynthia Dare O’Connor writes from Northeastern, Ohio.   She blogs at The Womens Boomer Humor Blog .   She learned to can from her mother’s southwestern Virginia relatives who “put up” everything from chicken soup to chow chow.   She also learned from her paternal aunts who, as Eastern European women, wanted not only fruits and vegetables in the jar but also wonderful jams and jellies for their exquisite Christmas and Easter pastries.   This summer, she is joining friends in starting a community Farmers Market where she will sell her wares.   Her husband is a graduate of the Ohio State Extension Master Gardener program, so she has lots of produce this summer for canning!

PrintFriendly
TwitterFriendFeedFacebookBlogger PostShare

Now is the Season for Making Marmalade

Photo by Chiot's Run

Photo by Chiot's Run

As part of my quest to eat seasonal foods, I preserve year round. In the middle of winter that means preserving citrus so that I have some to enjoy in the summer. Right now Meyer lemons are plentiful and next to salt preserving them, one of my favorite ways to preserve them is in a marmalade.

Lemons are one of those things that comfortably straddle the fence between sweet and savory. To make marmalade a more utilitarian pantry staple, I often choose to follow the more traditional marmalade directions which call for a longer cooking time and for not removing the pith. The resulting marmalade sets up like a good aspic with a darker, more caramelized flavor, and vaguely bitter end note. In my mind this makes for a more balanced and less cloying marmalade that can be used in all manner of dishes. Adding herbs like rosemary adds a final element of mystique to the flavor. Also, marmalade is quite versatile and is great served with white fish, as a last minute glaze for roast chicken, swirled into ice cream, or spread between the layers of any not-too-sweet cake.

Because citrus is a high-pectin class of fruits, marmalades are still made without adding pectin–the way all preserves were made before commercial pectin hit the scene. Other examples of high pectin fruits include crab apples, quince, certain seeded grapes, currants, and wild berries. Because they require longer boiling times and some knowledge of gel stages (the point at which your mixture has cooked long enough to create a gel), pectin-free fruit preserves and traditional long-boiling marmalades are the hallmarks of a veteran jammer. Once you’ve mastered those, you’ve made the grade.

The process for making traditional citrus marmalade involves thinly slicing the citrus and removing any center pith (the white membrane between the fruit and peel) and seeds, covering the fruit with water, and soaking it overnight. To remove more of the bitterness, cooks might change the soaking water and soak for an extra night. On cooking day, they would boil the fruit until soft (about one and half to two hours) then add sugar and simmer until the mixture hits gel stage (220 degrees F). This would take about 35 minutes depending on weather, elevation, water hardness and pot shape.

If you are curious why seemingly unrelated factors might influence the amount of time it takes to hit gel stage, I’ve provided an explanation in the article, Weather and How It Affects Hitting the Gel Stage.

ROSEMARY INFUSED MEYER LEMON MARMALADE

CAA Contributor Annette Cottrell lives in Seattle with her husband, two young boys, hairy dog, and backyard chickens. She has devoted the front and side yards of her quarter acre city lot to growing enough fruits and vegetables to feed her family year-round. She blogs at Sustainable Eats about thoughtful, sustainable eating and provides tools and resources to others who want to make the journey from supermarket to local, farm fresh food one step at a time. In her spare time she runs Pollywog Baby, a website full of practical solutions for infant reflux and colic.

PrintFriendly
TwitterFriendFeedFacebookBlogger PostShare

Eugenia Bone Talks Fall Preserving on Culinate, 10/21

“Well Preserved” author Eugenia Bone is a featured repeat guest on Kim O’Donnel’s weekly chat on Culinate, Wed., Oct. 21 (10a PT/1ET).

Photo from Cans Across America Flickr pool.

Photo from Cans Across America Flickr pool.

We’ll talk the ups, downs, ins and outs of safely putting up food and what we’ve been canning this fall. (Don’t forget to ask her about canning fresh tuna!)

Can’t make the live hour? Submit your question early.

PrintFriendly
TwitterFriendFeedFacebookBlogger PostShare

Recipe Spotlight: Spicy Pear and Dried Cherry Chutney from Greg Atkinson

Greg_7442[2]_00Looking for a nice fall recipe? Writer, chef, and cookbook author Greg Atkinson has shared one of his favorite chutney recipes with us. Check it out!

Spicy Pear and Dried Cherry Chutney

CAA Contributor Greg Atkinson, Author and Organic Recipe Consultant, Tilth Producers of Washington. Greg is an author and blogger at West Coast Cooking and has served as executive chef at Seattle’s venerable Canlis restaurant. His latest book is West Coast Cooking. He also develops menu items for Organic to Go, a burgeoning chain of take-out restaurants and is an organic recipe consultant for Tilth Producers of Washington, a membership organization of over 500 Washington growers, which fosters and promotes ecologically sound, sustainable agriculture in the interests of environmental preservation, human health and social equity.

PrintFriendly
TwitterFriendFeedFacebookBlogger PostShare

Canning Across America in GOOD

Canning Across America was the subject of an article on Good.is today. As you may know, Good.is is “a collaboration of individuals, businesses, and nonprofits pushing the world forward.” Check it out!

PrintFriendly
TwitterFriendFeedFacebookBlogger PostShare

Dispatch from Dallas: A Can-A-Rama Event

group canning2

A group of twelve convened Saturday afternoon, August 29th, to undertake an ambitious canning adventure. The group was comprised mostly of Slow Food Dallas members–some had home canning experience, others none. All shared a love of good food. Three recipes had been chosen based on the recommendations of the group. We would make Peaches in Brandy, Watermelon Rind Pickles, and Chow Chow (actually Piccalilli, Carmen’s Great-Grandmother’s recipe).

Two of the recipes, the Watermelon Pickles and the Chow Chow, required some advance prep work followed by a resting period. Otherwise all the prep and production work for the three recipes would be completed on-site that afternoon by those participating.

wtermelon pickles2We started the day with a 25 pound case of peaches, a 25 pound case of green tomatoes, eight dozen jars, at least 15 pounds of sugar, and countless other spices and ingredients. We devised a strategy based on prep and process time and determined it was best to start with our peaches recipe. Once the peaches were in jars and ready to start processing in the hot water bath, we moved on to the watermelon pickles. As soon as those were ready to go into jars we ramped up the chow chow processing. In just four hours time we had everything processed with only the clean-up remaining.

peaches2 One of the most amazing and unplanned aspects of the afternoon related to our utilization of leftovers. Our team of twelve showed great dexterity and creativity when it came to our by-products and overages. It was an impressive display of imagination and resourcefulness with a goal of nothing going to waste. The remaining simple syrup from the peaches went on to become Gloria’s mojitos and Jim’s hummingbird food. The leftover peach slices went home with several people in extra mason jars–mine became a delicious peach and lavender tart. The water the peaches had been boiled in (to loosen their skins) was so beautiful no one wanted to throw it out, so it became a tea infused with a rich peach essence. The watermelon meat was divided and shared. Some of the remaining green tomatoes went on to be served for dinner as fried green tomatoes. And, the last bit of them were cooked up on Sunday in an additional batch of chow chow using a different recipe. The peach pits and skins were the only waste we generated and that went into Jim’s compost to live another day as food for his garden.

We had agreed to share all the costs and then divide the output. When all the receipts had been totaled we had spent $206. For the modest sum of $17/per person, we each netted 3 half-pints of Peaches, a pint Chow-Chow, and a pint of Watermelon Pickles. We had extras of a few things, plus the remaining peach slices, so everyone helped themselves to a leftover of their choice as a bonus.

Midway through the afternoon, we created a small, unplanned feast to fortify our energy. Kathryn makes fig jam, using figs from her own tree, and brought a jar of it to share. She also brought a baguette.  Jim located a wonderful hunk of cheddar cheese in his fridge. We had loads of tasty watermelon. The snack helped propel us towards our big finale.

Canning Across America and Ball had sent a canner and accessories which I had designated as a door prize. Everyone put their name in a bowl and at the end of the day we drew the winner’s name– and Kate won.

All and all, it was a great experience. There we were shoulder to shoulder, all pitching in, enjoying an afternoon of community, good cheer and fellowship with one another.

Later, as I was reflecting back on the day I thought what a natural, primal thing it is to do–cooking with others. Since the dawn of time, cooks have been gathering, tending their fires, and feeding their people.

CAA Contributor Kelly Ingram is a sales executive, writer, and a passionate champion for good food, gardening and canning. She comes from a long line of home gardeners with many early memories assisting her family’s canning projects. She has taken that expertise into her own kitchen and over the past several years has been perfecting her signature product – Dill Pickles. She is the Program Director for Slow Food Dallas in Dallas, TX.

PrintFriendly
TwitterFriendFeedFacebookBlogger PostShare

Jammin’ With Kathy Casey

KCportrait289x273There is no better way in my mind to preserve the abundance of summer than by making homemade jams and preserves. It has always been the perfect way to make the summer fruits bring us joy all year long — whether on warm homemade bread smeared alongside crunchy peanut butter for a gooey PB+J sandwich, spooned over vanilla ice cream, or dolloped in the middle of thumbprint cookies. Just think … this winter, when it’s blustery cold or drizzling rain outside, you’ll have sunny thoughts of picking your brilliant berries from the backyard, or the fragrance of bubbling jam will waft back under your nose, filling your head with summery reflections as you take your first bite of morning jam spread, crisp sourdough toast!

One of the favorite rituals of summer at my house is the “scum sandwich.” Yes, you read it right. “Scum” is the foamy stuff that simmers atop the jam and gets skimmed off. Fluffy and hot, there’s nothing better scooped up on some bread. The fascination is kind of like licking the cake batter off the beaters.

Probably the most loved jam is plain and simple strawberry–fun to make after a day at one of the U-pick fields. When back at home, the kids are great stem pluckers. For a charming twist to strawberry jam I’ve done a version with lemon zest and poppy seeds, giving it a fun texture and flavor zip–but I also love it with a touch of lavender added too!

Another jam I like to make is Peach Pineapple Ginger. It is especially good with the minced fresh ginger cooked in to give it a unique zing. This is pretty wonderful daubed on a morning oat nut scone, or you can even use it as a glaze on grilled pork chops by adding a dash of vinegar to it before you slather it on.

Have you ever tried a savory tomato jam? It’s fantastic! I’ve included my recipe for Tomato Basil Jam which is inspired from the tomato jam that a nun showed me how to make when I was a teen. See–a lot of this “new” cuisine isn’t really all that new in the first place. This savory/sweet spread is excellent with roasted meats or with a stinky blue or creamy blue cheese like gorgonzola or cambozola spread on crostini.

Dark Cherry Almond Conserve is just the thing to extend our season of beautiful local Bing cherries (yes you can use frozen)  Big, lush ruby orbs with toasted almonds and a pinch of allspice. Wow, can you imagine a spoon of this over some Ben + Jerry’s Cherry Garcia Ice Cream in mid-January? Yeaaaaah!

And last but not least I did whip up a recipe for no-peel Spiced Nectarine Jam. Made with a bit of brown sugar, cinnamon and allspice, this is great on morning toast or bagels. You can even toss it with a few fresh, sliced peaches, nectarines or cherries, add a dash of dark rum and serve over vanilla ice cream for a quickie dessert. Note: This method does not use the traditional method of canning but more the commercial process of making jam.

So … all this is why in the middle of a blasting hot, 85-degree summer day you’ll find me stirring a bubbling pot of fruit. This winter it’ll be apparent it’s worth every bead of sweat.

STRAWBERRY LEMON POPPYSEED JAM

PEACH PINEAPPLE GINGER JAM

SAVORY TOMATO BASIL JAM

DARK CHERRY ALMOND CONSERVE

SPICED NECTARINE JAM

Also check out Kathy’s Jam Making Tips on our Resource Page.

CAA Contributor Kathy Casey is a blend of her myriad passions: Her culinary “playground” and private event space, Kathy Casey Food Studios®; her stores and specialty product brand, Dish D’Lish®; her status as a respected national food and beverage consultant; and her cookbooks. You can find her at Kathy Casey.

PrintFriendly
TwitterFriendFeedFacebookBlogger PostShare

Seattle, WA Canning Classes Coming Up

Photo by Sur La Table

Photo by Sur La Table

This weekend will be a busy one with canning events and classes in Seattle!

On Saturday, September 12th, Seattle Tilth is hosting a Canning Class/Demonstration at the Seattle Tilth Harvest Festival at the Good Shepherd Center, 4649 Sunnyside Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103.  This one starts promptly at 10:35–doors close then, so don’t be late.  It is free and no preregistration is required.

Also on Saturday, September 12th, Families Preserve and Prosper, Sue Miller, and Briana Barrett will host a canning workshop for parents and children near the Woodland Park Zoo.  Time: 6-9pm Cost is $60 for adults and is free for kids

Also on Sunday, September 13th, City Fruit hosts a class with Master Preserver Shannon Bailey at 2:30, at the Greenwood Senior Center, 525 N. 85th St., Seattle, WA 98103.  The cost is $25.

For details and how to register for these and other events, check our Seattle September events page!

PrintFriendly
TwitterFriendFeedFacebookBlogger PostShare

Preserving Canning Wisdom: Kathi from Washington

[Editor's note: This one in a series of essays by winners of our "Preserving Canning Wisdom" giveaway.]

Photo by Lelonopo

Photo by Lelonopo

The best way to convey the arts of preservation are to live them. My kids have watched me can (and dry, freeze, pickle…) food since before they could talk. This is just the way it is. In our house, it’s not something amazing or weird or magical. We grow food in our yard and we don’t waste any of it. This is how I was raised and how my mother and grandmother were raised before me.

Now that my mom and grandmother are both gone, it’s more meaningful to me to “put by” (as my grandmother used to say). My oldest is old enough to handle a knife, so he gets more responsibility in the process. And, for now, my youngest’s main involvement is to eat the half-sour pickles that he loves so much. He has a pickle dance, that we make him do every day, to earn his pickle.

CAA Contributor Kathi Jenness lives in Renton, Washington. Read her blog at Rocky is a Sick Raccoon.

PrintFriendly
TwitterFriendFeedFacebookBlogger PostShare

Preserving Canning Wisdom: Patricia From California

[Editor's note: This one in a series of essays by winners of our "Preserving Canning Wisdom" giveaway.]

Photo by Chiot's Run

Photo by Chiot's Run

I first learned to can when I was about eight years old back in Texas. Four generations of women–my Great-Grandma, Grandma, Aunt Katie, Cousin Lisa, Mom, and I–would gather together in my Grandma’s kitchen to can the freshly picked bounty of Grandma’s garden.

Grandma lived in the country and she grew the most wonderful vegetables in her garden. I remember as a little girl wandering through row after row of corn, lettuce, okra, beans, tomatoes, onions, squash, carrots, potatoes, beets, and more. What fun it was to stop and pick a bean or a fresh tomato and eat it right off the vine!

I remember a particular day when we canned green beans, peaches, and tomatoes. My jobs included snapping the green beans and peeling and pitting the peaches. I also had the task of stirring the jam. Because I was so small, I stood on a stool in order to reach the stove so I could stir the jam. Grandma cautioned me not to let the mixture stick or the sugar would burn during the rolling boil. It was the best of days learning from all those great southern ladies.

Sadly, those first two generations have passed on–leaving my mother and me to teach my daughter this lost art. My daughter’s favorite thing to can (and eat) is strawberry jam. I so enjoy sharing this precious family tradition with my daughter so she will be able to teach the next generation.

It is so wonderful on a cold winter day to open a jar of home-canned vegetables or preserves. Opening a home-canned jar is like getting a double dose of joy: eating a wonderful treat and remembering the days of canning in the kitchen with family.

CAA Contributor Patricia Cogliandro cans in San Jose, California.

Related Posts with Thumbnails
PrintFriendly
TwitterFriendFeedFacebookBlogger PostShare