Thu 23 Jul 2009 9:29 pm
Hoping to make jam or pickles or other preserves, but not sure how? This year, we’re making it easy: Join Cans Across America, an event culminating Aug. 29-30 with home canning across the country. The project was dreamed up by Seattle’s own Kim O’Donnel, most recently of The Washington Post, who explains here how “with the use of internet technology, we are resurrecting a dying art that our grandmothers mastered.”
I went to an organizing meeting today, and if just half the events in the works come through, it’ll be an exciting chance for people to learn the basics of canning and get going on their own.
For a little inspiration, I have a guest post here on the Canvolution blog today about the Shuksan strawberries we picked in the Skagit Valley in June. Follow the blog for stories, recipes, and events from others — or join in yourself! I’ve been impressed already how just mentioning the project gets so many people on board. (Besides, why miss the priceless opportunity for puns? Can we do it? We sure Can!)
Cute baby.
Have been canning for at least 35 years, my Grandmother taught me much about canning and preserving in her Eastern Washington kitchen in the 70’s. Her canning costume was often a short sleeved white blouse baggy white duck (as she referred to the material) trousers and good supportive shoes. I prefer jeans, halter and bare feet. She has been gone for years but I think of her every summer when I head to the pantry to find the canners (one is hers, blue and white speckled enamel and the other a more recent version, a much used aluminum from the old ten cent store in Kirkland, when we had a ten cent store) rings and all of the other canning things.
I am a big believer in a pantry of both savory and sweet homemade products. I use them all year and they add much to our table for both family and entertaining. No matter what, I always and absolutely do; peach or mango chutney, zucchini relish (an amazing concoction with Walla Walla’s’ carrots and red peppers) apple sauce and butter and an assortment of jams. Our favorites right now are apricot amaretto and pear with ginger and vanilla bean seeds.
Four dear friends gather and we can, at least a couple of times each year, love the laughter and conversation through the steam and sound of chopping and pouring…
These are some of my favorite gatherings.
On winter and fall days, there are great summer memories of these friends, joy and laughter in every jar.
At the end of the season, delightful to see the jars on the silver pantry shelves, all the deep rich colors and different shapes lined up and waiting to add an inimitable homemade aspect to our table.
The best grilled cheese: good white cheddar or Cougar gold on artisan sour dough with peach chutney, fabulous quick supper with salad and pinot!
krista
Krista,
ooh, Cougar Gold, thanks for the taste-memory!
I’ve taught myself to can these last few years from a combination of memories of my mother and good books. I raise a little of my own food but mostly go to U-pick farms here in Whatcom County. Right now in my pantry I have: 12 pints (far too much) rhubarb sauce, 6 pints raspberry jam, 2 pints strawberry jam, 2 pints wild blackberry jam, 7 pints dilly beans, 4 quarts beets, 4 quarts dill pickles, and 4 bread and butter pickles, and 2 pints hot pickled okra. I’ve discovered we don’t actually use much jam, but it makes good christmas presents.