Yes I Can!
My counter was a bounty of tomatoes, peppers and plums. It was time.
I went to the basement to get the giant canning pot. I inventoried jars, lids, rings, vinegar and pectin. I made salsa and pickled pepeprs. I made jalapeno and plum jelly. I make beautiful layers of heirloom tomatoes and canned that sunshine to be tasted in winter chili.
Canning is hot and messy. My kids like the outcome and are fascinated with the process, but they stay out of the kitchen when I start running water. Canning involves a lot of water. The giant canning pot is filled first and I start it boiling while I prepare the jars to go in it. Blanching requires both hot water to loosen the skins and ice water to prevent the tomato or pepper from cooking. The jars, stored in the dusty basement, require washing and then sterilizing in boiling water. The jelly bubbles. The salsa simmers. And the kitchen fills with a steam that tastes like vinegar. I carefully monitor boiling water processing times and my counter tip fills with little jars - pop, pop, pop - as the air escapes and the seal sets. Bring on storage.
Eighteen years ago I bought tomato and pepper plants at the Walmart on a whim. Pregnant, I planted them in the yard of my apartment and watched them grow as my belly grew. That summer Eric and I found ourselves with an abundance of tomatoes and peppers and made salsa for the first time. I have a very distinct memory of nursing baby Anna while the scent of salsa filled our little apartment. When friends and family came to meet the baby that I grew, it amused me to also offer salsa that I grew.
I use the same recipes and instructions that I have used for eighteen years. Some years there is more abundance than other years. This year there was no local strawberry crop, which means no strawberry jelly. And this year I got gifted several pounds of jalapenos on top of the ones that I grew myself, so not only did I end up with twice as much jelly as usual, I made some pickled jalapenos as well.
Canning is a lot of work. Luckily my family appreciates my efforts and I hear frequently that the store jelly is not as good as my jelly. (Hopefully the plum jam will make up for the lack of strawberry jam this year.) I think that canning can be taught, but no one wants to learn it right now. I do think they will have fond memories of pickled vegetables and jellies and someday they may grow their own tomatoes and ask me for my salsa recipe. Yesterday I came home to see my eighteen year old having a snack of chips and salsa. "This is amazing, mom!" Aw.
I went to the basement to get the giant canning pot. I inventoried jars, lids, rings, vinegar and pectin. I made salsa and pickled pepeprs. I made jalapeno and plum jelly. I make beautiful layers of heirloom tomatoes and canned that sunshine to be tasted in winter chili.
Canning is hot and messy. My kids like the outcome and are fascinated with the process, but they stay out of the kitchen when I start running water. Canning involves a lot of water. The giant canning pot is filled first and I start it boiling while I prepare the jars to go in it. Blanching requires both hot water to loosen the skins and ice water to prevent the tomato or pepper from cooking. The jars, stored in the dusty basement, require washing and then sterilizing in boiling water. The jelly bubbles. The salsa simmers. And the kitchen fills with a steam that tastes like vinegar. I carefully monitor boiling water processing times and my counter tip fills with little jars - pop, pop, pop - as the air escapes and the seal sets. Bring on storage.
Eighteen years ago I bought tomato and pepper plants at the Walmart on a whim. Pregnant, I planted them in the yard of my apartment and watched them grow as my belly grew. That summer Eric and I found ourselves with an abundance of tomatoes and peppers and made salsa for the first time. I have a very distinct memory of nursing baby Anna while the scent of salsa filled our little apartment. When friends and family came to meet the baby that I grew, it amused me to also offer salsa that I grew.
I use the same recipes and instructions that I have used for eighteen years. Some years there is more abundance than other years. This year there was no local strawberry crop, which means no strawberry jelly. And this year I got gifted several pounds of jalapenos on top of the ones that I grew myself, so not only did I end up with twice as much jelly as usual, I made some pickled jalapenos as well.
Canning is a lot of work. Luckily my family appreciates my efforts and I hear frequently that the store jelly is not as good as my jelly. (Hopefully the plum jam will make up for the lack of strawberry jam this year.) I think that canning can be taught, but no one wants to learn it right now. I do think they will have fond memories of pickled vegetables and jellies and someday they may grow their own tomatoes and ask me for my salsa recipe. Yesterday I came home to see my eighteen year old having a snack of chips and salsa. "This is amazing, mom!" Aw.
posted by Lea at 9:14 AM
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