Saturday, June 18, 2011

Canning begins

Last year I started canning and freezing in earnest.  We had so many fruits and veggies that I wanted to save them for winter.  I didn't want to spend stupid money on produce in January when I could easily can and freeze during the summer.  There is also nothing like eating fruit and veggies in season...even when it isn't in season.

I had never made jams before.  I was afraid, honestly.  Today we bought two flats of strawberries.  We froze many so that we may use them during the year.  We wanted to try making jam.  We also had some rhubarb.  Two jams - strawberry rhubarb and strawberry.

I am using the canning Bible - Ball Canning puts out a great book.  I read that I am to follow the directions exactly.  That scared me enough.

Strawberry rhubarb worked out well.  It set up just fine.  Strawberry is sauce, not jam.  Turns out I didn't follow the directions exactly.  I sorta mixed the two.  Bad, bad idea.  Now I know.  I won't do that again.

I still have enough sauce and jam for many.  I will be sharing it with my family and friends.  Both seem delicious.  We shall see.

Canning isn't particularly difficult, but it is time consuming.  My husband claims to hate it but he won't leave me alone in the kitchen to do it by myself.  I am not sure if he thinks I will blow the kitchen up or will make a huge mess or will just f.... everything up so badly that nothing is edible.  I have the recipes the skills.  You really just have to know how to boil water.  And have an entire afternoon to devote to the cause.

We do work well together.  It was fun to make jams and make a huge mess doing so!  Cleaning up, not so fun.  I can't wait to make others now.  I am already getting requests.

Wait until peach season!
Strawberry Rhubarb jam and Strawberry syrup

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