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You’ve tilled the ground, tended the seeds, managed the weeds, watered as best you can and now it’s time to harvest the fruits of your labor.
It’s been a tough growing season here in the county, but hopefully you’ve been able to enjoy some delicious fresh fruits and vegetables over the past month or so. Alas, summer is waning and now it’s time to consider how you might go about capturing some of those summertime flavors for later this year when it’s cold and rainy and the taste of ripe tomatoes or sweet peaches is just what you crave.
There are probably millions of recipes out there to help you with this opportunity — ranging from “oh my gosh, it’s complicated” to “really, can it be that simple”. I’m talking about canning, which actually is jarring (the glass kind), and the choice of complicated or simple is yours, but let me suggest time be your guide.
Some pickle recipes are quick and easy, as simple as adding a brine to your your cukes and onions and letting that age in your refrigerator for a few days before enjoying them.
For fruit jams you can also find refrigerator recipes. This type of canning is for those of you who don’t intend to store these yummies on a shelf as they need to be consumed relatively soon after they have been made. But if you’re willing to put in the time to process your jars, if done correctly you’ll be able to enjoy your bounty not only as soon as it has cooled but even months later.
If you are fortunate enough to have grown your own fruits and vegetables, I’m envious. Luckily for us however, our Green Garden County offers ample stands of beautiful fruits and vegetables, and for this purpose you can also use the less than perfect specimens.
So, why not give canning a try? You might really enjoy the process, and you know you’ll love the result.
