Moving On

Thanks to my dear sister-in-law, I got a quick Canning 101 lesson a couple of weeks ago and am so glad! Canning isn't the big bad wolf in my mind anymore. Granted, I'm not tackling the hard advanced type of veggies, but rather things I know we'll adore in the winter. Two things we can't get fresh in the winter that we love are peaches and tomatoes. Memories of my mother canning peaches until her fingers were orange are very vivid nearly 20 years later. Those jars were pieces of gold in our pantry. Nothing better in the middle of February, while under winter's curse, than popping open a sweet little reminder of summer.

My virgin experience of canning peaches went great. Thank God for wide-mouth jars! A $20 box of peaches filled a dozen large jars, so each jar costs about $1.70. I'm not counting the cost of the jars, because they're reuseable (except the lids). As a bonus, we have two peach trees in our backyard that will produce about a box worth as well. One tip I learned quickly is how much easier "canning" peaches are to process than other varieties bred for fresh eating. I had a handful of fresh to can and they weren't near as easy to peel and slice. They taste good too. I used a light syrup, so it won't be too sweet.

A couple days later I made an attempt at salsa. Got enough for a large jar and a pint jar. The large jar didn't seal, so I re-did it using two pints. All went well.

There are plenty of books and websites that share expert tips on canning, so I'll spare the details. All-in-all, I'm very pleased with my first attempt. Financially, it's definitely worth canning those items you really cherish. When it comes to beans, peas or other veggies, I'll skip it primarily because it does take some effort and wholesale cans at Costco are pretty cheap. But, for those recipes and fruits you love, it's a definite must! Also, if you're trying to lessen your environmental impact, canning allows you to re-use your materials, rather than throw them away. It's a time-treasued tool that still makes sense!