The Practical Preserver ©

Stocking Up

2010-08-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

Summer is in full swing now, and while folks living at lower elevations have several weeks (if not a couple of months) of summer left, those of us who hang out in the mountains can already see signs of autumn. There's been a change in cloud patterns, it's getting cooler at night, and the grass has slowed its growth and where it's not irrigated, has turned brown.

I love the fall. It's my favorite season. I like the feeling of stocking up for the cold, snowy weather ahead. I especially feel this way when we've returned from the Boise trip and have stopped at Costco to load up the truck with Stuff.

Putting everything away in the freezer and the pantry occupies much of the next morning and I make note of what we've bought and how much, so I can keep the inventory list up to date.

Blueberries

Blueberries, one of my favorite foods, are now in good supply at Costco and I bought half a dozen boxes. They go right in the freezer without needing any preparation. When I want some, I reach in the plastic container, take out a handful, and pop them in the microwave to defrost. This means my morning cereal will never be without those wonderful, nutritious, blue berries.

Corn

Farmers Markets are full of delicious, homegrown corn now and the price is right. Stock up and when you've eaten your fill, put some by for the winter. Remember that you need to use a pressure canner for canning corn.

While you're at it, why not try some corn relish? You'll find a great recipe in The Complete Idiot's Guide to Preserving Food.

Happy Autumn!

Ice Cubes Go Modern

2010-07-16T15:57:00.000-07:00

There's a bounty of mint in the garden and aside from adding some to my apple jelly, I thought I'd share another way to use this wonderful herb. Ready? Ice Cubes. Yep. It couldn't be simpler. Select some attractive leaves and drop one or two into your ice cube tray. Fill with water and freeze. When the cubes are solid, pop them out and store them in plastic freezer bags in the freezer.

Jazz up your ice tea or your tonic water with these cubes. They'll not only keep your drink cold, they'll add some color and some nice flavor when they melt.

Can You Boil Water?

2010-04-20T14:24:00.000-07:00

Mad Science

Before you drag out your canning equipment for the new season, it's a good idea to review some basic information.

Can you boil water?

Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Sometimes. Actually, water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit at sea level. Here in the western Rocky Mountains, sea level is a long, long way down there. So we must make adjustments in our cooking, if we wish to obtain optimal results. Here, more than anywhere else, good cooking is an art that requires a light touch, a gentle hand, and hard-earned knowledge. So even if you live at a lower elevation, those camping trips to the mountains can result in raw boiled potatoes and tepid hot chocolate, if you don’t take steps to correct for the change in altitude.

Physics

The reason for this is simple physics: As elevation increases, the boiling point of water decreases. At 4,000 feet elevation, water boils at 204 degrees; at 8,000 feet, the boiling point is 197 degrees. The lowered boiling point is 1.9 degrees for each 1,000 feet increase in altitude. This means you must cook your food longer, once it begins to boil, to get it done. In baked goods, decreased pressure causes leavening gases to expand more and moisture to evaporate faster, and because high altitude areas are usually drier than lower elevations, flour may be drier and doughs may require more liquid to reach the proper consistency.

This is important for the home food preserver. If you are using the boiling water bath method, additional processing time is required. If processing time is 20 minutes or less, add 1 minute for every 1,000 feet of elevation above sea level. If processing time is over 20 minutes, add 2 minutes for every 1,000 feet of elevation. If using a pressure canner, the processing time will not change, but the pressure needs to increase 1 pound for every 2,000 feet of elevation.

To find your elevation, enter the name of your town or locality into this website: www.topozone.com/findplace. You can also put a pan of water on the stove to boil. Suspend a cooking thermometer in the water, being careful to keep the thermometer from touching the pan sides or bottom. Leave the thermometer in the water for a few minutes after the water starts to boil, to allow the thermometer to reach its maximum temperature.

Mountain Baking Mysteries

Do your cakes tend to fall? Do your brownies stick to the pan? Altitude, not attitude, is the culprit. Most recipes for baked products are geared for sea level bakers. Always grease your baking pans thoroughly, as cakes and breads tend to stick more when they are baked at high altitudes. Using a larger size pan can also help. Above 3,000 feet, decreased atmospheric pressure may cause a cake to rise too quickly, causing its cell structure to overexpand. You want to raise the oven temperature 25 degrees, so the product will bake faster and set the cell structure, so the cake will not fall. Many mixes that require adjustment for high altitudes have specific directions right on the package. Be sure to look for them.

Angel food and sponge cakes present special high altitude problems. The leavening gas for these cakes is largely air. If you beat too much air into the egg whites, the air cells overexpand and collapse, poor dears. Aim for a gentle peak that falls over gracefully, not one that’s stiff and dry. Using less sugar, more flour, and a higher baking temperature also helps strengthen the cell structure of foam-type cakes.

Pound cakes and other rich cakes benefit from reduced amounts of fat.

Yeast bread dough benefits from higher baking temperatures, more liquid, less yeast, and more and shorter rising periods. The dough rises more rapidly and can over-rise easily, so let dough rise for a shorter time. Because flour dries out more quickly, use the minimum amount called for in a recipe, or use 1/4 to 1/2 cup less than the total amount.

Fancy breads contain more sugar, which makes them brown too fast at high temperatures, so they should be baked at 375 degrees.

Boiled candy and cooked frostings (sugar mixtures) become concentrated more rapidly because of the faster evaporation of water. Watch them closely to prevent scorching. Reduce recipe temperature by 2°F for every 1000 feet of elevation.

Cookie recipes often can be improved by a slight increase in baking temperature, a slight decrease in baking powder or soda, fat, and sugar, and/or a slight increase in liquid ingredients and flour. These changes increase the strength of the batter and improve its ability to retain the steam long enough for a crust to form. Many cookie recipes contain a higher proportion of sugar and fat than necessary, even at low altitudes. For more nutritious cookies with fewer calories, up to one-fourth of the sugar called for often can be replaced with nonfat dry milk powder without loss in product quality.

Quick breads vary from muffin-like to cake-like in cell structure. The cell structure of biscuits and muffins or muffin-type quick breads is firm enough to withstand the increased internal pressure at high altitudes quite well without adjustment. However, a bitter or alkaline flavor may result from inadequate neutralization of baking soda or powder. In such cases, a slight decrease in the baking soda or baking powder usually improves results.

Quick breads with a cake-like texture are more delicately balanced and usually benefit from adjustments for altitude. Trouble signs include: a porous, sugary crust; a coarse, gummy, or oily texture; and a low volume in proportion to weight. Try a slight reduction in the proportion of leavening agents, sugar, and fat, and/or a slight increase in the proportion of flour, eggs, and liquid ingredients. Appropriate selection of pan size and baking temperature also are important.

Cooking is definitely an art, but it’s an art that benefits from knowing a bit about chemistry and physics, as well. The Rocky Mountain Cook knows, “It’s not done when the timer goes off. It’s done when it’s done.”

Sources:
www.gofallon.com http://www.bettycrocker.com/baking/basics/high_altitude_baking.aspx
http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/highalt.pdf

Strawberry Season

2010-04-06T09:08:00.000-07:00

Strawberries are cheerful, healthful, and fun to work with. Right now the season is just beginning and soon you'll come across some excellent buys. Farmers markets, the local grocery store, and the big warehouse food places will be bursting at the seams with strawberries. Don't let the season pass you by!

Freezing the Little Darlings

Freezing strawberries is a snap. Don't wash the berries first. Remove the caps and simply place the berries on cookie sheets with enough space between the berries so they don't touch. Pop the cookie sheet into the freezer until the berries are frozen solid. Then use a spatula to loosen them and put the frozen berries in gallon freezer bags and return them to the freezer. They'll keep for about a year, but of course you'll want to use them long before then.

Back in the Saddle

2010-03-30T12:03:00.000-07:00

Happy almost April to everyone!

I'm back after a several month hiatus dealing with some family health issues. It's good to be back in the preserving kitchen and sharing what I've learned about good food.

It's Asparagus time!

This is the first vegetable of the season and its season is incredibly short for those of us who can't get enough of fresh veggies. You'll find asparagus spears bundled with elastic bands at your local grocers or farmers markets and it's time to stock up. Choose tender, young stalks for the best flavor.

The Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board offers the following fun facts about asparagus:

Asparagus is a member of the Lily family.

Under ideal conditions, an asparagus spear can grow 10" in a 24-hour period.

Each crown will send spears up for about 6-7 weeks during the spring and early summer.

An asparagus planting is usually not harvested for the first 3 years after the crowns are planted allowing the crown to develop a strong fibrous root system.
A well cared for asparagus planting will generally produce for about 15 years without being replanted.

The larger the diameter, the better the quality!

Nutritional Info:

Asparagus is a nutrient-dense food which in high in Folic Acid and is a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamin.
Asparagus has No Fat, contains No Cholesterol and is low in Sodium.

While nothing can beat fresh, asparagus does freeze well and don't forget it makes an excellent addition to your favorite stir fry. That last line leads me to this week's topic: What's Your Favorite Stir Fry Recipe?

Send in your best one and you'll be entered in a drawing for a free copy of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Preserving Food!

Pickling Season

2009-11-02T06:45:00.000-08:00

In a Pickle

Pickling season is here and the house will soon be filled with the heady mix of vinegar, sugar, and spices. Pickling is the term used for preserving a food with acid and salt. Sometimes pickles are produced by letting them ferment in a salt water solution. During this fermentation period, lactic acid is produced. Sauerkraut and some dill and sweet pickles are produced by this method. A more common method of making pickles at home is the quick-pack method, where vinegar/water/salt brine is added to cucumbers or other vegetables or fruits.

Quick-process pickles can be cured in a salt solution for several hours or directly combined with boiling hot vinegar, spices, and seasonings. They are easy to prepare and have a tart flavor. Acetic acid in vinegar lowers the pH of pickled vegetables below 4.0 and acts as a preservative. The acidity of vinegar, therefore, must be five percent to ensure making a safe and standardized pickle recipe. Do not vary the amount of vinegar called for in the recipe.

Quick Tips

Fruits and vegetables should be fresh, tender, crisp, and free of blemishes.

1. Use cucumbers that are a recommended pickling variety. Do not expect good quality pickles if immature or “slicing” variety pickles are used.
2. Use unwaxed cucumbers. The pickling liquid cannot penetrate waxed cukes.
3. Prepare fruits and veggies within 24 hours of picking.
4. Wash fruits and veggies thoroughly in cold water. Remove all blossoms from cucumbers, as the blossoms may be a source of enzymes responsible for soft pickles.
5. Do not use any produce that shows even the slightest evidence of mold.
6. Either white granulated sugar or brown sugar may be used. Brown sugar will add color and flavor to the pickles.
7. Pure granulated salt, sold as “pickling” or “canning” salt should be used. Kosher salt may also be used. These salts do not contain anti-caking agents. Iodized salt contains iodine and anti-caking materials that may interfere with fermentation and make the brine cloudy.
8. Use cider or white vinegar of 5 percent acidity.

Watermelon Pickles
These are yummy and go well as a side dish. Give them a try.

8 cups prepared watermelon rind
one-half cup pickling salt
4 cups cold water
4 teaspoons whole cloves
4 cups sugar
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups water

Choose thick rind. Trim from it all dark skin and remains of pink; cut in one inch cubes. Dissolve salt in cold water, pour over rind cubes to cover (add more water if needed); let stand 5 to 6 hours. Drain, rinse well. Cover with fresh water and cook until barely tender-no more than 10 minutes (err on the side of crispness); drain. Combine sugar, vinegar, and water, add cloves tied in a cloth bag, and bring to boiling; reduce hear and simmer 5 minutes. Pour over rind cubes, let stand overnight. In the morning, bring all to boiling and cook until rind is translucent but not mushy-about 10 minutes. Remove spice bag, pack cubes in hot sterilized pint jars; add boiling syrup, leaving one half inch headroom; adjust lids and process in a boiling water bath for five minutes to ensure seal. Remove jars. Makes about 4 pints.
(Recipe taken from Ruth Hertzberg’s 1973 edition of Putting Food By- an oldie but goodie.)

Ranch Chores

2009-10-19T07:09:00.000-07:00

It's been a very hectic couple of weeks, but now it's time to come up for air. The cattle have all trucked off north to warmer grazing, and it was a very busy few days getting all the cows and calves sorted out and loaded up. We had two newborn calves, of course, that decided to be born the day before shipping so they had to be sent special delivery. The driver put all the babies in the front compartment and the moms and Brutus the Bull in the other compartments, so the little ones wouldn't get stepped on during the short drive north.

Newborn anythings are cute, with the possible exception of fledgling turkey vultures, although I must admit not having seen any of these recently. We do have turkeys, about 40 of them, and yesterday morning they were all roosting on the top rail of the south pasture fence. Rather an intimidating sight. Our neighbor used to feed them, but I'm not sure he does any longer. Tough pickings for them in the winter.

Then the rains came and that means the potatoes, carrots, beets, and turnips are still in the ground, although now they're in mud, which doesn't dig well. Hopefully things will dry out so we can dig before the mud freezes and snow falls.

With the early hard frost we lost most of the foliage, so up until now it's been a dull fall. The Tamaracks are beginning to turn, however, so there's color in the forest finally, even if it is a rather anemic shade of yellow. Some years it's spectacular and some years it's a bust. This year ranked about a 2 on the bust-o-meter.

Working on some low cholesterol recipes right now and hope to get them up before too long. Looking at some pumpkins with an eye towards souffle, pie, and pudding.

Autumn on the Ranch

2009-10-05T06:46:00.000-07:00

Autumn is my favorite time of year, and it's just about as busy as spring and summer on the ranch. We've had out first two snowstorms and there's a crest of white on the mountaintops, reminding me that I'd better hurry up and get the outside chores done before the snowline moves south.

In two weeks I'll be shipping four kids to the sale. For those of you unfamiliar with this blog, I'm talking about my South African Boer Goat kids. Then I'll be able to get their pen cleaned out and readied for winter. The breeder does have already had their pen cleaned out, thanks to husband and the tractor. They're on grain and hay now, having completed their organic weed management jobs in various spots around the ranch.

Also in two weeks, Baxter Buck comes for an extended date with the girls. This is the first year I haven't had my own buck, since Billy has gone on to Goat Heaven, but my fellow goat herder a few miles north is willing to share the wealth.

That's about it for today. Going to do some writing and get ready to meet my 50% deadline for the next Idiot's Guide.

Navajo Tacos

2009-09-25T06:23:00.000-07:00

It was well over thirty years ago that I attended my first Pow Wow in California. It was a joyous event with dancing and chanting and booths selling good food. That's where I was introduced to Navajo Tacos. The fillings were familiar - the standard fare for tacos, but it was the vehicle upon which these fillings were piled that was a new taste treat.

There was a small recipe booklet for sale there. Its mimeographed typed pages were stapled to a brown construction paper cover with a hand drawn design and hand-lettered words: "Native American Cookery" was the title. Inside the cover: "These Indian Recipes were donated by members of the Native American Community of East Contra Costa County California. Some of them are traditional recipes that have been handed down through generations, some have been up-dated to suit our modern facilities for preparing foods."

I admit I haven't tried the recipe for Roasted Squirrel or Jack Rabbit, but several others have become family favorites and I'll share some of these with you from time to time. Today, however, it's time for tacos.

Navajo Fried Bread - Standard Recipe

4 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Enough milk or water to make of a biscuit dough consistency.

Sift together dry ingredients, add milk (or water) turn out on floured board and knead well as you would yeast bread. Take a piece of dough about the size of an egg and roll with rolling pin. It will be slightly thicker than pie crust. Fry in hot fat until golden brown. Serve hot.

Helpful Hints from the Practical Preserver

1. Use canola oil for frying to eliminate trans fats.
2. Keep the rolling pin floured to prevent dough sticking to it.
3. Use tongs to turn the fry bread while it's frying.
4. Drain fry bread on paper towels to absorb extra oil.

Navajo Taco

Place a large scoop of refried beans and some browned ground beef on top of a piece of Navajo Fried Bread. Now place some shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, onions and grated cheese on top. Makes a very hearty meal.

Helpful Hints from the Practical Preserver

1. Add diced chilies.
2. Add shredded cheddar cheese.
3. Add sliced black olives.
4. Dump on some sour cream, salsa, and guacamole.
5. Sprinkle with green and/or red taco sauce.
6. Top with fresh chopped cilantro.

You could probably create the tallest taco in the world, if you kept on going.

Speaking of Chilies

2009-09-23T06:58:00.001-07:00

Today's blog on chili peppers will probably have you craving some Tex-Mex food for supper. I accept full responsibility. In fact, on Friday I'll give you my favorite recipe for frybread for Navajo Tacos.

The chili pepper probably originated in the New World, and there is evidence that it was cultivated as far back as 6,000 years ago in Ecuador. Regardless of the origin, it spread rapidly throughout South and Central America, and whether humans harvested the seeds for sowing or birds did the deed, chilies were here to stay.

Birds are actually immune to the heat of hot chilies, and the seeds pass through their digestive system unharmed, I'm told. In fact, it's only mammals who experience the heat, and that's why you can lace your bird feeder with hot pepper seeds and discourage squirrels without bothering your feathered friends. But I digress.

Some Like It Hot

Peppers are members of the nightshade family of plants. This extended family includes tomatoes as well as potatoes, along with several other familiar greenies. So, you ask. "What makes a pepper hot?"

The answer is capsaicin - or to be precise, a group of chemicals called capsaicinoids. You know that some peppers are mild and sweet (Bells) and others have a mild bite (Anaheims). The heat of peppers has been measured on a scale developed back in 1912 by a man named Scoville. Peppers are ranked by Scoville Units.

Bell peppers rank 0 on the Scoville scale, while a pepper called "Naga Jolokia" has the dubious distinction of being the world's hottest pepper, with a Scoville ranking of over 1,000,000 Scoville Heat Units.

Antidotes

If your mouth is on fire, DO NOT drink water. Water just sloshes the capsaicin around your mouth. Eat a slice of bread, drink some milk, drink tomato juice, or eat a lemon. Yes. Lemon. Lemons are acid, while capsaicin is alkaline. They cancel each other out.

A Last Word on Seeds

The seeds aren't the hottest part of the pepper. That honor is reserved for the whitish membranes inside the pepper and since the seeds are closest to that membrane, they reap the benefits.

More on Friday, along with some spiffy recipes.

Home Again

2009-09-20T08:48:00.000-07:00

The last line from The Wizard of Oz keeps circulating in my tired brain - "There's no place like home." I've spent the last two and a half weeks helping a friend and it involved traveling to Tucson, where the monsoons have been disappointing and the temperatures have been hot. During this time I was blogless and Twitterless, and after the initial unsettled feelings about this, adjusted fairly well.

Social media is fun, but it can be addictive (as we all know) and it can become something of the Sword of Damocles, hanging over one's head. Duty and Obligation and a sense of letting people down, when you don't keep up the pace.

While in Tucson, we saw the film Julie and Julia. It was wonderful, and especially wonderful if you're a foodie. Julie blogs every day for a year, while she cooks her way through Julia's Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

I'll catch up this week and post more than you'd ever want to know about chili peppers, but for today, I'm going to hug my husband, pat the dog, do the laundry, and be grateful for all that I have because life is precious and brief and sometimes you need to go away for a few weeks to understand that. It's probably the reason for retreats.

It's good to be home. East or west, home is best.

On the Road Again

2009-09-08T10:30:00.000-07:00

Traveling this past week has brought me to a friend's home in Tucson. Tucson has three temperatures: hot, really hot, and so hot you can't live outside for more than half a minute. The natives or the naturalized Tucsonians tell me that "It's a dry heat" - as though somehow that makes it different from turning on the oven to broil. That's a dry heat too.

Plants here have adapted to their environment by storing water. I have a new respect for plants. If you can't migrate, you've got to make the best of things. Adapt or die, I believe is the Darwinian turn of phrase for this. Anyhow, small lizards scurry about in the mornings and the evenings, cactus wrens sing joyfully - or else they're calling for rescue - and billowing clouds form in the late afternoons.

These clouds bring the monsoon rains, and these are some spectacular rains. Torrents of rain plummet from the clouds, pelting the ground with big, fat drops. Pancake rain, someone called it. I went outside to cool off and was thoroughly drenched in one nano-second. It was worth it. Once the rain stopped, the heat resumed and I evaporated dry within minutes.

All this brings me to the topic of chili peppers, and that's the topic for the next post. When even the peppers give off heat waves, you know nature is simmering.

More next time.

The Humungous Horseradish

2009-08-31T06:36:00.000-07:00

Husband's family is of English descent, so they're partial to roast beef with Yorkshire pudding and a side of home made horseradish. I've made the Yorkshire pudding in times past, but since we've been trimming the fat from our diet, I've not made it in many years.

I have, however, become fond of fiery horseradish sauce and since the kinds offered in the grocery stores are rather bland, decided to take matters into my own hands and grow my own. This is the story of how plants go bad.

When we lived in California, the climate was moderate and the horseradish was well-behaved. Or at least it was the first two years of its existence. I had taken cuttings from the Ohio farm where my husband grew up and planted them in my vegetable garden. The old saying, "First year sleep, second year creep, third year leap" should have been my warning about what the future held in store.

The first year the cuttings remained close to the fence and I tended them lovingly. The second year they ventured out a bit farther into the garden, having gathered their bravery, along with their spreading roots. The third year, however, the rototiller did what nature couldn't. Each tiny piece of root caught by the tines of the tiller became a virtual hotbed of activity.

Horseradish sprung up everywhere. It lurked beneath the green beans. It flourished between the rows of the corn. It ran rampant through the radishes. In short, it had become a weed.

I never did get that vegetation back under control, and I suspect to this day, the descendants of that horseradish ancestor are roaming the Santa Cruz Mountains, staking a claim near the Forest of Nicene Marks.

Dilled Green Beans

2009-08-26T09:56:00.000-07:00

Once the beans start coming, they don't let up! Of course, you have to keep picking if you want an abundant harvest. Leave a couple of old beans on the plant and it sends the signal that the reproductive work is done, and so will be the harvest.

Sometime around the end of August, I'm sorely tempted to let it go, but then I think of those years when the harvest was sparse and I ran out. So, I forge ahead and pick in the mornings and can and freeze in the afternoons. Autumn will be here soon enough.

I promised the dilly green beans recipe last week, so without further ado, here it is. This one is a low-sodium recipe, for those of you wanting to cut back a bit on the salt. The recipe comes courtesy of Elaine Mir, from the Cooperative Extension Service, Spokane County, Washington.

Low-Sodium Dilled Green Beans

Yield: 7-9 pints

Ingredients:

Green beans, whole - about 4 quarts (that's 4 pounds)
Hot red peppers, crushed - 1/4 tsp. per pint jar
Mustard seed - 1/2 tsp. per pint jar
Dill seed - 1/2 tsp per pint jar
Garlic - 1 clove per pint jar
Vinegar - 5 cups (1 1/4 quarts)
Water - 5 cups (1 1/4 quarts)

Method:

Wash beans thoroughly; drain and cut into lengths to fill pint jars. Pack beans into clean, hot jars; add pepper, mustard seed, dill seed, and garlic.

Combine vinegar and water; heat to boiling. Pour boiling liquid over beans, leaving 1/2 inch head space.

Process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes (begin counting processing time after water returns to a boil). Remove from canner, using jar lifter, and place jars on a wire rack or folded towel to cool.

These beans are a nifty accompaniment to pork or lamb roast.

Book Signings

2009-08-19T17:03:00.002-07:00

Hello Blog World,

It's been a wonderful week so far and it's only Wednesday. Yesterday I had the pleasure of speaking with Michael Libbie of Rural Life Radio on Insight on Business. We had a wonderful conversation about Preserving Food and catching the business trends for marketing.

Tomorrow I'm off to Barnes and Noble in Boise (Milwaukee Street) from 7-9 P.M. for a book signing for The Complete Idiot's Guide to Preserving Food, and I'm really looking forward to this! If you're in the area, please stop by and say hello.

On Saturday, I'll be at Blue Grouse Books in McCall, Idaho, from 2-4 to sign books. It's great to be able to support the Independent Book Stores and they do a wonderful job of promoting.

I'm excited, needless to say, and promise to get that dilled bean recipe online by Friday.

Book Signings

2009-08-19T17:03:00.000-07:00

Hello Blog World,

It's been a wonderful week sofar and it's only Wednesday. Yesterday I had the pleasure of speaking with Michael Libbie of Rural Life Radio on Insight on Business. We had a wonderful conversation about Preserving Food and catching the business trends for marketing.

Tomorrow I'm off to Barnes and Noble in Boise (Milwaukee Street) from 7-9 P.M. for a book signing for The Complete Idiot's Guide to Preserving Food, and I'm really looking forward to this! If you're in the area, please stop by and say hello.

On Saturday, I'll be at Blue Grouse Books in McCall, Idaho, from 2-4 to sign books. It's great to be able to support the Independent Book Stores and they do a wonderful job of promoting.

I'm excited, needless to say, and promise to get that dilled bean recipe online by Friday.

Autumn is Around the Corner

2009-08-17T07:39:00.000-07:00

Some ramblings this morning, although if I get lucky, there may be a tie-in to preserving food. We shall see. It's been a very busy summer and I've been on the road and on the water quite a bit. That means pre-scheduling blogs and not replying to my favorite blogs while I'm gone. It's funny that I miss that - checking in on friends is part of my routine and that gets disrupted when I'm out of cell phone range.

The Pacific Northwest Writers Conference in Seattle was great fun, but tiring. It's an intense extended weekend of sessions, meetings with agents and editors, too much food, and re-connecting with old friends. After that it was on to Canada aboard Huckleberry, our trawler and two weeks cruising the Gulf Islands. Princess Louisa Inlet was our final destination and it was incredibly beautiful. Erle Stanley Gardner, the creator of Perry Mason, once said that a person could not look at the waterfalls there and the scenery and doubt the existence of God. I believe him. Low clouds obscure the mountaintops that seem to rise all the way to heaven.

Home now and catching up on chores. Weeds grew fantastically in the garden and the first night back we had a frost. Some damage but nothing killed, thank goodness. Yesterday I began harvesting green and purple beans. Today I will freeze the purples and begin canning the greens. Aha! I did find a tie-in! Still many more to pick.

Crookneck squash and cucumbers also coming on and a few cilantro plants as well. Now off to check my friends' blogs and see what they've been up to.

Wednesday I'll give you my recipe for dilled green beans.

More Corny Recipes

2009-08-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Here are two more old favorites from The Settlement Cook Book

Corn Pudding

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 can (16 ounces) corn, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 ½ teaspoons melted butter
2 cups hot milk

Method:

Beat eggs slightly, add rest of the ingredients and turn into a well-buttered baking dish. Set in a pan of hot water and bake in a moderate oven, 350 degrees F for about 1 hour until firm. Serve hot.

Baked Corn

This couldn’t be any easier.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Soak corn on the cob with the husks still on in cold water for ten minutes. Remove from water and place ears on middle rack in oven for ten to fifteen minutes. Remove husks and enjoy!

The Practical Preserver will be off duty Friday but will be back in the preserving kitchen on Monday.

Corny Recipes

2009-08-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

We talked about succotash a few posts ago. The traditional succotash is a mixture of corn and lima beans. There are other combinations, however, and it’s fun to experiment.

Here’s one recipe from the Settlement Cook Book that appeared in the 1965 edition. It’s still as good today as it was then.

Corn with Green PeppersIngredients:

3 cups corn kernels
3 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons cream
3 tablespoons green peppers, chopped fine
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Simmer corn with butter, cream, green pepper, and seasonings until liquid is almost absorbed.

Variation: Add ¼ teaspoon curry powder for an Indian accent.

Escalloped Corn

Ingredients:6 ears cooked corn or 12 ounces corn kernels

1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup milk
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup bread crumbs

Method:

Cut the kernels from the cooked corn or use the canned corn you’ve put up. Mix corn with salt, pepper, flour, sugar, and milk. Melt butter, mix with bread crumbs and cover bottom of small baking dish with ½ the crumbs. Add the corn mixture and top with the remaining crumbs. Bake in a moderate oven, 350 degrees F. for about 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Canning Corn

2009-08-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Canned corn has a crunchier texture than frozen corn, and some people prefer it. It's certainly a handy item to have on hand, and if you've got a corn slicer, you can save wear and tear on your hands.

Know Your Acidity!

Vegetables are low-acid foods. This means they have a pH value above 4.6, and that means they must be processed in the pressure canner. On Wednesday we went through the procedures for preparing corn to freeze, and preparing corn to can is the same.

What Happens Next

Use either raw or hot pack. For raw pack, fill jars loosely leaving 1 inch of headspace at the top. Then add boiling water to cover, leaving a final headspace of [1/2] inch.

For hot pack, add corn to boiling water and allow it to return to a boil. Pack into jars and add water to cover, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Wipe rims, adjust lids, and process in a pressure canner. Time is 55 minutes for pints and 85 minutes for quarts.

Creamed Corn

Creamed corn is quite dense and should only be processed in pint jars. Pack jars with kernels and milk, leaving 1 inch of headroom. Wipe rims, adjust lids, and process in a pressure canner. Time is 55 minutes for pints and 85 minutes for quarts.

On Friday, the Corny Recipes begin!

Freezing Corn

2009-08-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Frozen corn has more of that “fresh corn taste” than does canned, although canned has a delightful flavor and texture of its own – we’ll talk about this on Friday. If you grow your own corn you have the advantage of hauling it into the house as fresh as it can possibly be. Although you may consider doing the shucking portion outside, as it gets really messy and you’ll find strands of silk showing up in the strangest of places in the house if you do it inside.

The Whole Kernel
Wash the ears carefully to remove the silken stragglers. Blanching comes before cutting. Blanch for 4 minutes and then plunge the ears into cold water.
When the corn has cooled, use a sharp knife or corn slicer to cut the kernels from the ears. Don't scrape all the way to the cob. If you aim for about two thirds of the kernel, you'll get plenty.

Creamed Corn

For creamed corn, cut from the cob at about the one half mark on the kernel and then use a kitchen knife to scrape the milk and the rest of the kernel pieces from the cob.

The Whole Enchilada
For corn on the cob, blanching times are 7 minutes for small ears, 9 minutes for medium ears, and 11 minutes for large ears. Cool the corn quickly and thoroughly, and you'll help prevent it from having a "cobby" taste.
Then pack the corn in labeled and dated moisture/vapor-resistant freezer bags or containers and freeze.

Getting Corny

2009-08-02T19:41:00.000-07:00

I love corn. It's the ultimate sign that summer is upon us and the livin' is easy. Finding good corn on the cob becomes the goal of the quest. You've had corn from the supermarket that's been a tad on the tough side. Still, you plunge ahead, hoping to get that perfect ear of corn. I have two words for you: Farmers Markets.

You'd have to be orbiting Alpha Centauri to have escaped the phenomenon of these incredible places to find delicious, tender, ripe, succulent, and whatever good adjective comes to mind, foods.

Want to find the best corn on the cob? These are the places to check out. The corn is picked often - sometimes three times a day, so you know it's fresh. Why is this important? Glad you asked.

Corn begins to convert sugar to starch the moment it's picked. That's some serious chemistry going on. It means that you need to get it from the plant to your tummy as soon as you can, if you're going to enjoy it at its sweetest.

Buy it fresh, keep it cool, and eat and process it as quickly as possible to retain all the goodness it contains. On Wednesday we'll talk about canning corn and on Friday we'll cover freezing tips for this golden delight.

Mixing It Up

2009-07-29T13:40:00.000-07:00

You know vegetables are good for you, so what's better for you than one veggie? Yep, you guessed it - 2 or more. What's even better is that you can freeze your own mixed vegetables and make up your own favorite medleys.

Once Upon a Time, some creative cook wondered what would happen if corn and lima beans spent some quality time together. And you know what happened next. Succotash was born and became everyone's first mixed vegetable.

After that, another inventive person mixed up some peas and carrots and that became as common as succotash. A trend was born. The game was afoot!

Don't stop there, however. There's a wealth of lonely veggies out there in the world just waiting for a matchmaker to come along and pair them up with another kindred soul. In fact, the trend today is the create a medley - three or more veggies all happily sharing the same freezer bag.

You can spend a tidy sum of money on mixed veggies at the grocery store and you might be disappointed with what you get. Usually the cheapest vegetable is the one that takes more than its fair share of the bag. Carrots are notorious for this shameful behavior. That means in a bag of frozen peas, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots (you guessed it) you're probably going to get more carrots than any of the other contenders.

So, what to do? Simple. Make up your own combinations. What vegetables do you like? How will you use them? These questions will guide your choices.

I do quite a bit of stir fry, so I like broccoli, cauliflower, red and green bell pepper strips, sugar snap peas, and mushrooms for one combo.

Another favorite includes water chestnuts, red and green bell pepper strips, onion slices, celery, and bok choi.

Dinner and A Mixed Vegetable

Marc Matsumoto who tweets as norecipes and who, in his spare time, co-hosts Dinner and a Movie checked in with mushrooms, corn and fava beans as his choice.

Go for the crunch, not for the mush

Follow the normal procedures for freezing vegetables. This means blanching and quick cooling (peppers don't need blanching).

Whirlwind Week

2009-07-27T05:28:00.000-07:00

Good Morning Blogworld,

It's been a terrific week and a busy one, as well. I had the opportunity to talk with both Lorie Hutson, staff writer for The Spokesman Review in Spokane, Washington, and Debbie Arrington, of the Sacramento Bee, in Sacramento, California.

Lorie was working on an article for the food section of the paper about preserving food for folks with specific dietary needs. Our discussion centered on reduced-sugar jams and jellies and preserves made with sugar substitutes. The folks at Team Equal have been especially helpful in this regard. So, if you or someone in your family is diabetic, this is a great way to still indulge your sweet tooth and have some strawberry jam or other fruit spread on your morning English muffin or toast. Go to www.equal.com for some specific recipes.

The other topic we discussed was salt. You don't need to add salt when you're canning vegetables. It's not a preserving agent, but is there strictly for flavor. So, feel free to omit!

Debbie and I got into tomatoes! My favorites for canning are San Marzano and Roma. These are the meatier types and hold up well under processing. Their thicker cell walls give you a nice, firm product.

For your liquid, use tomato juice, instead of boiling water to fill the jars. This is where other varieties, such as Early Girl, Big Boy, and their juicy cousins come in handy. There's nothing in the rule book that says you can't mix and match varieties in the same batch.

Wednesday's topic is mixed veggies!

Report on the Expo

2009-07-20T06:59:00.000-07:00

This weekend I attended the 2nd annual Idaho Green Expo at the Boise Centre on the Grove. It was a huge affair, much bigger than I had anticipated and I definitely needed the road map I was given as I entered by the main doors.

It was an event for the whole family and there were many families attending. One wing of the convention center had been dedicated to children and children's activities and it was fun to watch them involved in scientific pursuits as well as some neat games.

Green was the color of the day and was evident in the tee-shirts being sported by event officials. Reduce, reuse, and recycle - the three Rs of the green movement were the themes of many of the booth attendees.

Kudos to the folks who were truly working to promote sustainability and local action.

Major Honors go to:

*Representatives from the University of Idaho Extension Service
*Boise State University and Sustainable "U" - walk-through exhibits to show how your home, office, and garden can go green
*Boise Urban Garden School (BUGS)
*Treasure Valley Clean Cities Coalition (alternative fuels)

The Dubious Commitment Honors go to:

*Furniture stores using the Expo as an advertising venue
*Businesses slapping the green label on any product they wanted to sell

The Don't Get Me Started Award goes to an organization intent on putting a wolf in every back yard.

And the You're Kidding, Right? Honors:

*Handing out carrots to the kids as they entered probably wasn't the most brilliant marketing ploy.

*The woman who tucked her purchases into a plastic bag.

Last but Not Least

Finally, special thanks to Laura at Rediscovered Books. The exhibit featured tons of useful titles. From growing your food to preserving that food (grin from me here) to anything and everything you need to know about truly going green, Rediscovered Books had it.

A great time!

Lavender's Blue, Lavender's Green

2009-07-17T08:10:00.000-07:00

Lavender's blue, dilly dilly, lavender's green,
When I am king, dilly, dilly, you shall be queen.
Who told you so, dilly, dilly, who told you so?
'Twas my own heart, dilly, dilly, that told me so.

Call up your men, dilly, dilly, set them to work
Some with a rake, dilly, dilly, some with a fork.
Some to make hay, dilly, dilly, some to thresh corn.
While you and I, dilly, dilly, keep ourselves warm.

The home food preserver's kitchen is currently fragrant with the delicate scent of lavender. That's my take on it, although husband has been lifting sprigs from the counters, moving them from place to place and muttering while he looks for whatever it is he's having trouble finding.

I guess it's a matter of point of view and perspective.
I see the possibilities, he sees a mess.
I see lavender sugar, lavender sachets, and lavender roasts. He sees a mess.

Working with food is not necessarily a neat occupation. I have fond memories of Julia Child's television kitchen and her happy clutter. Today, however, it's time to clear some space and deal with the lavender before it takes root.

Consider the Possibilities

What to do with lavender? There are so many options. Lavender is a member of the mint family, so that should give you some ideas for using it as a seasoning. Go easy, however. Less is more, when you're working with this flower.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Cakes and cookies and other baked goods

Add 1 Tbsp. crushed lavender buds to your favorite cake or cookie recipe. Chocolate and lavender go quite well together.

Lavender Jelly (makes 8 4-oz. jars)This is Master Gardener Madeline Wajda's recipe.

2 1/4 cups apple juice
1 cup fresh lavender flowers (1/2 C dried)
3 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. butter
3 oz. liquid pectin

Combine apple juice and lavender flowers. Bring to boiling, turn off heat, steep 15 minutes, strain. Add butter to 2 C juice infusion and make jelly, following directions on pectin package (http://www.emmitsburg.net/gardens/articles/adams/2003/culinary_uses_for_lavender.htm).

Lavender Sugar
This is nice to add to frostings, whipped cream, and other desserts. Combine 2 Tbsp. crushed lavender buds and 1 cup sugar. Mix well and store in airtight container.

Lavender Roast
Coat a beef or lamb roast with a layer of crushed lavender buds before placing in the oven.

This picture of a lovely roast ready for the oven comes to us courtesy of Frieda Babbley.

You can find her at http://hubpages.com/hub/Lavender-and-Roast-Beef-Food-and-Recipes. Thanks, Frieda!

What are your favorite culinary uses for lavender?

Idaho Green Expo

2009-07-15T07:11:00.000-07:00

It's Easy Being Green

Looking for something to do this weekend? Come to the Idaho Green Expo in downtown Boise. The Expo's being held at the Boise Centre on the Grove this Saturday and Sunday and there's plenty to see and do. Directions available on the website.

Book Signing

Check out the event at http://www.idahogreenexpo.org. I'll be there at the Rediscovered Books booth, signing copies of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Preserving Food.

Excerpt from the Expo's Webpage

Here's some info from the Expo's webpage:

"Green” gardens and landscapes? Naturally! Beautiful, well-maintained lawns, landscapes and gardens are good for our cities and neighborhoods, our property values, our children, and our mental health. But those benefits don't have to come at a cost to our environmental health! Greening the garden is about creating healthy, regionally appropriate landscapes and gardens that use less water, rely on fewer pesticides, and provide beneficial habitat for a rich biodiversity of plant, animal, and microbial life! University of Idaho Extension, the University of Idaho Master Gardeners and the Boise Urban Garden School (BUGS) have teamed up to demonstrate reducing, re-using and recycling, garden style, through our interactive Greening Your Garden exhibit at the Idaho Green Expo.

This garden will connect you to principles and practices of xeriscaping, Idaho native plants, organic gardening, backyard poultry, edible landscaping, pollinator protection and more. You can also learn about safe home food preservation techniques for your garden's bounty from the University of Idaho Extension Food Safety Advisors. We'll also show you ways to reduce reliance on chemicals for fertility and pest control, and teach you all about composting: the ultimate in garden recycling! Stop and rest awhile in our beautiful, inspirational garden space, where green really is "green".

Hope to see you there!

Russian Roulette

2009-07-13T06:28:00.000-07:00

It's great to see so many new folks learning how to preserve food. In these tough economic times, we're definitely seeing an increase in the number of people who want to feed their family for less. Freezing, canning, pickling, drying, and root cellaring can help you achieve this.

Caveat emptor

However, as with any new venture, there are some rules and regs to follow. Why, you ask? Well, when you're dealing with your family's health and safety, it's important to do things right. Sometimes you can do things wrong and nothing bad happens. Other times, you might not be so lucky. It just doesn't pay to take chances. Do the job right every time and you'll be fine.

Fun with Math

On Friday I gave you sort of a math problem. If you loved word problems as a kid, you probably went right to work, ferreting out clues. If you hated word problems, you're my kind of person. I found them intriguing, sort of like ancient Egyptian curses on pharaohs' tombs. So, without further discussion, here's the scenario again and the explanation.

The Scenario: "I created and canned my own salsa recipe. I used onions and peppers and squash. I added tomatoes and fresh lemon juice and even some vinegar. I used the open kettle method to finish it up. I poured it into jars and put on the lids.

The Problem

This salsa sounds delightful. It's an interesting mix of good foods and would be delicious freshly made and served. Leftovers should be refrigerated and used within a reasonable amount of time. However, if you've made enough to feed the 101st Airborne Division, freeze the rest. This is a safe and easy way to ensure it's going to remain healthful. Because......

The Solution

The operative word here that should have set your danger antennae up and alert is canned.

Vegetables are low-acid foods. This means they must be processed in a pressure canner or have enough acid added to them to ensure they will not grow some nasty, nasty organisms when the food is sealed in canning jars. What's the danger here?

We don't have any way of knowing the amounts of anything that's gone into this recipe. It's a hit or miss affair and while it may taste wonderful fresh out of the cooking pot, there's a definite danger waiting in the wings. How acid is it? We don't know. Is this salsa safe to eat? Maybe. Maybe not. Want to take a chance? You're flirting with....

BOTULISM

When you heat food and then put it into jars and seal those jars, you have created an anaerobic environment. This means an environment without air. Botulism finds this homey and comfortable and sets to work making itself to home.

The problem with botulism toxin is that it's colorless, odorless, and tasteless. However, it can kill you.

Insurance Policy

Follow tested and approved recipes when you're planning on canning. You can get the Extension Service Bulletin "Salsa Recipes for Canning" by calling your local office. The number is in the phone book.

Experiment to your heart's content when you're serving fresh foods. Follow the recipes to the letter of the law when you're canning. Sterilize your jars and measure ingredients exactly. I've been told some people have played Russian Roulette many times. True, but others only play it once.

On Wednesday, more on open kettle canning and why you shouldn't do this.

Check out the Fact of the Week in the right hand column for an additional safety measure.

Everyone Likes a Quiz - Test Your Knowledge

2009-07-10T07:16:00.000-07:00

Dear Blog Readers,

It's time to test your knowledge about food safety and home food preservation. I'm going to give you a scenario and then solicit your feedback. I'll post the answers to this little quiz on Monday. But for now, here are the directions:

1. Read the problem.
2. Find the errors.
3. Propose your solutions.

Ready? Here you go.

The Scenario: "I created and canned my own salsa recipe. I used onions and peppers and squash. I added tomatoes and fresh lemon juice and even some vinegar. I used the open kettle method to finish it up. I poured it into jars and put on the lids.

That's it. That's the scenario. You, the jury, have the evidence. Please render your verdicts.

Teach Your Children Well

2009-07-08T07:56:00.000-07:00

On Monday I was working at the Council Quilt Guild Annual Quilt Show. It's being held at Council Elementary School in Council, Idaho. (In case you didn't catch the location - it's Council. ). From 11:00 to 1:00 each day during the summer, a free lunch is served to needy children at the school. So two different events were going on at the same time.

I went out to my car to grab my knitting - I know, I know, but the quilt in progress was too big to haul down there - and heard some boys screaming "Starling! Starling! Kill the starling!"

They were chasing and running and then converging upon a nest that had been built high above the entry door of the school. I stopped and in my best retired teacher voice inquired, "What the heck are you doing?"

"It's a starling! They're bad!" one of the about 10 year old boys informed me, eyeing the nest with 5 babies perched on the rim.

Seizing the teachable moment, I explained, "Those are swallows. They eat mosquitoes. Do you like mosquito bites?"

"I thought they ate worms," the young ringleader replied.

"No," I repeated. Mosquitoes. And each of those baby swallows, when it grows up, will eat nearly 3,000 mosquitoes a day. " I finished up this mini-lecture with, "Leave them alone."

At this point, a young mother walked up to see what was going on. She said nothing. I waited until the gang of four had wheeled off in search of other trouble to get into and then smiled at her. She looked confused. She most likely didn't know the difference herself. More disturbingly, she probably didn't care.

The point here, and it's a long way around the barn, is that ignorance is the big problem and it manifests in many different guises. We can't just assume that people know what we know. Children need to be taught right from wrong, good from evil, good decisions from ones that will bring them painful consequences, and sometimes - the simple difference between a starling and a swallow. A brief aside here - starlings also have their place in the greater scheme of things.

The Arrogance of Ignorance is a far more serious problem than the fuel crisis or the crippled economy. Some people are certain of what they know, even when what they know is actually incorrect. So, what's the connection to food preservation?

You'll encounter many well-intentioned people who will all too willingly give you advice on how to put up your food, using shortcuts their great-aunt Tillie or their hairdresser gave them. They'll treat these orts of info as gospel. Be careful. Always check with a reliable source before setting out on a shortcut that seems too good to be true. The Extension Service is always available for you, to give you the right answers. You'll find their number in your phone book.

With the right information you'll learn to distinguish a starling from a swallow, dill from hemlock, and morels from their poisonous cousins. And you'll be able to pass on this knowledge to others.

The Great Spinach Harvest

2009-07-06T07:09:00.000-07:00

Blatant Self-Promotion (BSP)

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Preserving Food comes out tomorrow!! Yea and Yippee! I am so excited I could can a cucumber. (Actually, that's a very bad idea, but you understand.)

On With the Main Event

People seem to have a love-hate relationship with this vegetable. Often, it's the result of having it crammed down your little gullet when you were a child or having had the miserable experience of eating canned spinach. Feeding that gray, glutinous glob of stuff to your family should be a criminal offense.

Fresh, young spinach is tasty, and spinach you've put up yourself and frozen is as good as fresh, if you do it right!

True Grit

I plant a mix of spinach varieties. I like the different textures that the three main types of spinach give. There are Savoy, Semi-Savoy, and Smooth (also known as flat-leafed).

The crinklier the spinach leaf, the more sand or grit that gets trapped there. You definitely want all that sand out before you freeze this veggie. This means rinsing the leaves in several changes of cool water.

Swirl the leaves around, a few handfuls at a time. If you overcrowd the sink, you're going to make slow, slow progress. Once the water is completely free of grit, set the leaves aside and move on to the next few handfuls.

If you're using the leaves in a salad, a salad spinner is a nifty way to get rid of excess moisture. If you're going to freeze the leaves, you're ready to move on to the next step: Blanching.

Blanche DuBois or A Spinach Car Named Desire

Blanching time for young, tender leaves is 2 minutes. Place the leaves in rapidly boiling water, using a wooden spoon to make sure they get thoroughly submerged. Replace the lid. Begin timing when the water returns to a full boil.

Remove the spinach from the pot and plunge immediately into cold water. This stops the cooking process. When the leaves are cool (and it takes about as long to cool as it does to blanch), drain thoroughly in a colander.

I like soft freezer bags better than the stiffer ones with zippy closures. I can mold the bag to the food I'm freezing and squeeze out the excess air and moisture.

Recipe Suggestion

Add a pint of thawed, chopped spinach to the middle layer of your favorite lasagna recipe. It adds color, flavor, and texture and makes a family favorite even better!

Hodge Podge Friday

2009-07-03T10:29:00.000-07:00

Tying up the week here with some odds and ends. The Great Spinach Harvest begins tomorrow and I'm looking forward to stocking the freezer with fresh greens. Spinach is my first real putting-up food of the season, and if the weather co-operates it won't bolt before I get a good supply in.

Husband likes his spinach with a splash of vinegar, but I'm partial to a gob of butter. As one of my friends says, "Anything that's a vehicle for butter is a good food."

Carrot Carnage

This morning I finally got around to thinning two rows of carrots. Two very long rows. While my knees are sounding like castanets and I'm currently walking like Quasimodo, it feels good to have this chore done. This is definitely my least favorite garden chore. Ripping out perfectly nice little plants goes against the grain, and carrots aren't good candidates for transplanting. I do lay them alongside the living to help shade the soil, so that works.

Cherry Pie

Finishing up with the cherries now, and as promised, here's my recipe for a great cherry pie. You can wrap it and freeze it and it'll keep fine for about a year - but why wait? Don't keep your food in the freezer until The End of Time. Have a plan to rotate the stock so that you eat your frozen food while it's in the prime.

First, Ramona's No-Fail Pie Crust

Ingredients:

1 cup Crisco
2 cups flour
1 Tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. ice water

Method:

Mix flour and salt thoroughly and cut in Crisco.Add ice water- 1 tbsp. at a time - and continue mixing. Roll out dough and shape into pie pan. You can bake it at 400 degrees F. for 8-10 minutes and then freeze OR you can leave it unbaked and fill it with -

Cherry Pie Filling

Ingredients:

1 quart pie cherries (tart cherries)
1 1/2 - 2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch or flour
1/4 tsp. almond extract

Method:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a large mixing bowl then dump the lot into an 8 inch pie pan. Cover with a perky lattice crust. Bake 20 minutes then reduce heat to 375 degrees for an additional 10-15 minutes or until crust is nicely browned and cherry mixture is bubbly. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Garden Warriors and Warrioresses

2009-07-01T06:31:00.000-07:00

Okay, I made up that last word in the title, but the English language is alive and constantly evolving. Just doing my part to keep the trend going. There's no other way to praise the sturdy cultivators of the soil who responded to the Twitter question: "What's Your Least Favorite Garden Chore?'" Not even the dubious virtual Wilted Dandelion Award deterred these salts of the earth, so without further ado, here are the winners in the various categories:

Most Exotic Gardening Adventure Award goes to witchy woman who tweets as kitwitch. "Oh, oh! The worst chore in the garden is picking Japanese beetles off of plants one by one!!!!!" Obviously the five exclamation points worked in her favor to impress the judge.

Weirdest Rural Problem Award goes to Jessamyn Tuttle who creatively tweets as jessamyntuttle. "Removing live mice from the compost heap definitely tops the list." The mind boggles at the concept. Nice work, Jessamyn.

Most Complicated Gardening Problem Award goes to Galen Kindley. He tweets as GalenKindley (Do you know Jessamyn Tuttle?) "Pulling barbed weeds through gravel where you have to dig through the rocks, grab the stem with barbs, squeeze, and pull." You're a man on a mission, Galen.

The Chameleon Award is bestowed to Elizabeth S Craig (I sense a Twitter trend here, as she tweets as ElizabethSCraig. "Pulling weeds! Or maybe, determining which are weeds and which are supposed to be there." (Note from The Practical Preserver: Why do you always recognize a potential weed as actually a good plant after you've hoicked it out of the ground? Why the mind-body disconnect???)

The Hoe and Cultivator Award (Also known as the Got Tines? Award) will be shared between Lisa Bedford who tweets as TheSurvivalMom: "How could the least fave NOT be pulling weeds?? LOL" and Yvonne Cunnington who tweets as CountryGardener: "Have to say weeding, cuz like housework, it's never really done." Even now, the little suckers are breaking through the soil and plotting their evil deeds.

CountryGardner has ribboned in two events here, and if you count watering, she's a triple threat: "Watering: I hate hose wrangling. Much cursing done." She also will share the Crimped Hose, Trampled Plants, Potty Mouth, and Valium Award with my Facebook buddy Margaret Julia Rothauge: "My pet peeve is dragging around hoses and having them kink up, I mean I lose it!"

The Practical Preserver comments: I tend to resemble an Indian snake charmer, with coils of hose wrapped around my neck and shoulders, as I try to keep the hoses off the plants while dragging them from spigot to spigot. (the hoses, not the plants)

The Garden Humanitarian and Angst Award has been won by Tweeters dorisandjilly: "Definitely pulling out diseased plants. Cut off in the prime of their youth!" and Julia Scott who cleverly tweets as bargainbabe: "My least favorite garden chore is dealing with bugs. Getting rid of them w/out killing the plants is grrrrrrr."

The Horses Sweat, Men Perspire, and Women Glow (also known as the Dig We Must Award) goes to Claire Brown across The Pond. She tweets as Plantpassion: "Digging when it's hot is my least favourite garden chore."

And last, but definitely not least, one must tidy up after the day's work. So The Have You Seen My Rake, Hoe, Cultivator, Trowel, or Whatever Award goes to Chris McLaughlin tweeting as Suburban_Farmer: "Cleaning my garden tools!"

Thanks to all who contributed. This was fun. We're out of space, so the cherry pie post will post on Friday.

Cherries: To Pit or Not To Pit

2009-06-29T16:59:00.000-07:00

It's cherry season and if you have any doubts, take a drive along some country roads. You'll find handmade signs proclaiming CHERRIES! Cherries! (as we did on our drive to Boise yesterday. If you want to get even closer to Mother Nature, you'll find some Pick Your Own orchards are just the place to check out. We found one of those, as well.

So, what to do with all those yummy cherries? After you've munched away and had your fill, it's time to put some up to keep you happy until next summer. Here are my top five favorite ways to work with cherries:

1. Pit them and load them onto cookie sheets to place in the freezer. When they're hard as little red rocks, pour them into coffee cans, snap on the lid and store in the freezer.
2. Cherry jam. This is so good it should be sinful.
3. Freeze them in light sugar syrup.
4. Can them in light sugar syrup.
5. Chop them up and mix them into homemade vanilla ice cream.

You don't have to pit cherries before you freeze them, but it sure makes life easier. Some folks say they don't hold their shape as well if you pit them, but I really, really hate working with pits.

Invest in a cherry pitter. Go in on a timeshare if you need to, but grab this piece of preserving equipment when you see one. It's available at most hardware stores that carry canning equipment. I bought mine about 25 years ago and it's still going strong.

Whether you've got sweet or tart cherries, take advantage of their short season and lay in a good supply. First choice is pit and freeze whole. Then you've got them at hand and can scoop or measure out as many as you need when a recipe calls for them.

How do you use cherries? Leave a comment and share your expertise.

Wednesday: The world's best cherry pie recipe.

Wednesday: The best ever recipe for Cherry Pie (and you can freeze it!)

The Bookshelf- Wrapping It Up

2009-06-26T06:42:00.000-07:00

Today we'll conclude this mini-series on essential books for the home food preserver's bookshelf.

Mary Ann Newcomer, who tweets as Idahogardener, reports one of her faves is the Victory Garden cookbook. I found a publication date of 1982 for this one.

Amazon's description follows:

The book grew out of a public television series called The Victory Garden, which was essentially a how-to program aimed at home gardeners, with a recipe segment thrown in. As the show's popularity grew, so did viewer demand for more recipes; eventually, Victory Garden cook Marian Morash decided that a cookbook was in order, resulting in The Victory Garden Cookbook. The book is a wonderful hybrid encyclopedia of information for both gardeners who cook and cooks who like to garden; Morash's first goal was to so entice readers with the pleasures of eating home-grown vegetables that they, too, would take up gardening--or at least shop for the freshest ingredients instead of settling for canned or frozen goods. The book, first published in 1982, has been a huge success ever since.

Organized alphabetically, The Victory Garden Cookbook includes all the vegetables Morash grows in her own garden; in addition to information about planting, growing, and harvesting the fruits of your labor, Morash gives advice about storing vegetables, converts yields into measurements (i.e., a half-pound of small Brussels sprouts equals 28-30 sprouts, while a half-pound of medium sprouts equals 12-14) and offers tips to gardenless cooks for finding the best produce. Whether you're an avid gardener, a gardener wannabe, or simply a person who loves a good vegetable dish, The Victory Garden Cookbook is guaranteed to become one of your best-loved and most-used cookbooks.

The Idaho Gardener says her copy is in tatters, but she still cooks from it. Another is the oldie, Fancy Pantry by Helen Witty

Publisher's Weekly says:

A pantry, in Witty's view, expands a cook's horizons by allowing for storage of homemade fare that is relatively free of additives and preservatives and made at far below the cost of specialty foods at gourmet groceries. That many modern homes have no pantry, or the space to build one, should be no deterrent; the author (Mrs. Witty's Monster Cookies, etc.) suggests conversion of any cool closet, a few spare shelves, a niche in a stairwell, or a kitchen corner where a lazy-susan arrangement could be installed. Once the pantry is at hand, cooks can turn their attention to the "putting up" of Witty's own delicacies (over 250 recipes are offered here). Gradually, "pantrying" can result in shelves stocked with potted meats, pates, pickles, catsups, mustards, relishes, sauces and such kickshaws as chestnuts in Cointreau syrup; almond, orange and ginger rusks; peanut noodles, sugared and spiced nuts, and fruited cordials. Illustrations not seen by PW. 57,000 first printing; first serial to Family Circle; BOMC/Cooking & Crafts Club main selection; author tour. (Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Check out Mary Ann's blog at http://www.idahogardener.com/

Karen K Acevedo continues her recommendations with three goodies:

Serving Up the Harvest: Celebrating the Goodness of Fresh Vegetables by Andrea Chesman

Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers: Fresh Ideas for the Weeknight Tableby the Moosewood Collective. This is a collection of vegetarian recipes.

New Vegetarian: Bold and Beautiful Recipes for Every Occasion by Celia Brooks Brown.

That's it for this week. Hope you all have fun in the garden and in the kitchen. If you're looking to preserve some of your surplus, please check out The Complete Idiot's Guide to Preserving Food! It's coming out in 11 days and available for order now.

The Bookshelf

2009-06-24T07:14:00.000-07:00

Today we continue on with a few more recommendations for the home food preserver's bookshelf. For the gardeners among you, Liz Bredo, who tweets as MDPCMLizB, recommends Pruning Simplified by Lewis Hill. This is an oldie, first published in 1979 with two more printings after that. The latest edition I could find is 1986.

Andrea Schulle (tweets as andreaschulle) loves Empty Bottle Moments: Cooking with Clive by Houston chef Clive Berkman.

Amazon's description of Clive and his book: "Award-Winner in the Cookbook/Food category of the 2009 National Indie Excellence Awards. Winner of the 2009 New York Book Festival's award in the Cookbook category

"In his career as a world class chef and restauranteur, Clive Berkman has learned much more than how to prepare mouthwatering five course meals. He finds that what he remembers most after a meal are the empty bottles, reminders of the power food has to strengthen bonds and create memories that last long after the table is cleared.

"In Empty Bottle Moments, Berkman encourages at home chefs to experiment with recipes as he recounts some of his most memorable dishes. The book also includes a compendium of Berkman's handy, foolproof cooking tips. His passion for the culinary arts--and for spending quality time with others--brings each recipe to life.

Clive Berkman, a native of Johannesburg, South Africa, grew up with a love of good food as he watched his mother teach cooking classes in their home. He was trained as a chef at Cassio College in London and became chef, manager, and part owner of one of the finest restaurants in Houston."

One more entry for today is courtesy of Melissa Wood, who tweets under the sobriquet "malicious88" She says "Right now, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison is my favorite."

Friday we'll continue with some great additions for your library.

The Bookshelf

2009-06-22T06:54:00.000-07:00

Gardening, cooking, and home food preserving are natural parts of healthy living. Today’s blog takes a look at some favorite books in these three areas. Some of these suggestions come from my own bookshelf, some from my friends at Twitter (you’ll recognize their distinctive Tweet names), and some from e-mail friends. This week's blogs will bring their favorites to you.

Cooking with Heirlooms: Seasonal Recipes with Heritage-Variety Vegetables and Fruits (Hobby Farm Press) by Karen Keb Acevedo and Carol Boker (Hardcover - Sep 2007).

Karen guest blogged about heirloom tomatoes at The Practical Preserver last week.
She tweets under the name SeasonalWisdom and you can follow her blog at http://www.seasonalwisdom.com/

Allison Vallin recommends More-with-Less by Doris Janzen Longacre. Its subhead reads "recipes and suggestions by Mennonites on how to eat better and consume less of the world's limited food resources."

Allison tweets as atastefulgarden and you can follow her blog at http://www.atastefulgarden.com/

Two recipe books I recommend are The Joy of Pickling, Revised Edition: 250 Flavor-Packed Recipes for Vegetables and More from Garden or Market and The Joy of Jams, Jellies, and Other Sweet Preserves: 200 Classic and Contemporary Recipes Showcasing the Fabulous Flavors of Fresh Fruits (Paperback - April 15, 2009)

Both books are by Linda Ziedrich and published by Harvard Common Press. A pleasant surprise - I found Costco was carrying them. Yea!

More discoveries Wednesday, as we continue stocking The Practical Preserver’s Bookshelf.

Six Tomatoes for Cooking and Preserving

2009-06-19T06:05:00.000-07:00

Guest blogging today at the Practical Preserver is Teresa O’Connor. While I put together our book list, Teresa (who tweets as SeasonalWisdom) has the reins. You're in for a treat, as she shares her knowledge of that garden staple - the tomato. Welcome Teresa! Here's what she has to say:

Six Tomatoes for Cooking and Preserving

If you’re craving delicious homemade tomato sauces, pastes, salsas or ketchups – not to mention sun dried tomatoes – look no further than the paste tomatoes.

Beefsteaks, grape and cherry tomato varieties taste delicious in salads and on sandwiches. But when it comes to cooking and preserving, the paste tomatoes are typically the ones to pick.

Paste tomatoes have meatier flesh, fewer seeds and less water than other types. As a result, these varieties create a thicker juice and require less time to cook down to a paste consistency.

Of the many delicious paste tomatoes available, here are six super ones to try:

‘Roma’ – When you say “sauce tomato,” this is what most people hear. The popular heirloom is ideal for cooking and processing. Compact bush plants are prolific producers of 3 inch long fruit that tends to ripen all at once. (Determinate; 78 days)

‘San Marzano’ – In Italy, this heirloom is considered the premier variety for canning, tomato paste or puree. Bright red pear-shaped fruit has little juice and heavy, flavorful walls. Crack resistant, 2 to 3 inch tomatoes grow in clusters on productive plants. (Indeterminate; 80 days)

‘Grandma Mary’s Paste’ – Besides having a terrific name, this old variety has delicious 3 inch red tomatoes, which are perfect for cooking or eating fresh. Plants are very prolific. (Indeterminate; 70 days)

‘Purple Russian’ – All season long, this tasty heirloom produces dark purple oval fruit, which has a meaty, rich flavor ideal for processing. Four inch plum-shaped tomatoes grow on disease resistant plants. (Indeterminate; 80 days)

‘ Principe Borghese’ – This old Italian variety is famous for sun dried tomatoes. Red grape-shaped fruit is dry with few seeds, making it well suited for sauces too. Fruit grows in heavy clusters. (Determinate; 75 days)

‘Jaune Flammee’ – This prolific French heirloom is actually a globe tomato, not a paste. But the golden-yellow fruits with contrasting red interiors make lovely and delicious sun dried tomatoes. (Indeterminate; 70 to 90 days)

Author’s Note: Teresa O’Connor was trained as a master gardener in California and Idaho. You can read more of her gardening, seasonal folklore and healthy living tips at her blog: www.seasonalwisdom.com.

Read the Fine Print

2009-06-17T18:44:00.000-07:00

Hello Blogworld. Just back from a week in Canada and this time I hope the phone bill won't break the bank. Last time I used my Verizon aircard with impunity (a word derived from the Latin meaning "without punishment") and got whammered. $400 was the extent of the damages on the phone bill for using the internet while outside the borders of the good old US of A. This time I observed radio silence as much as possible.

It's the fine print that will get you every time, and this applies to the phone bill and just about everything else in life, as well. Since I'm on this topic, might as well make the food connection.

When you're using a packaged mix, whether cake or cookie or brownie or whatever, be sure to read the directions carefully - that includes the fine print. For example, if you live at altitudes above 4,000 feet, you may be surprised to read that you need to add a tablespoon or more of flour to your batter, change the temperature setting, and be prepared to adjust the baking time. It's all in the fine print.

And one last note today - Received my advance copy of the Complete Idiot's Guide to Preserving Food. What a thrill! It's a labor of love and if you're so inclined to take a look at it and add it to your bookshelf, I would be honored.

Friday we'll tackle what's on your bookshelves. We'll look at the essential garden and food books you have recommended and make some recommendations for additions to supplement these excellent books.

It's Freezing

2009-06-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite chores is cleaning out the freezers in the barn on a really hot day. We have a chest freezer and an upright, and I try to keep vegetables and fruits in the upright and meats in the chest. Organizing the upright freezer is easy, since the shelves are adjustable and the bin at the bottom handles bags of frozen fruits that don’t stack well. The chest freezer is a different story, and I’ve tried a variety of ways to keep it organized. None have worked all that well, and I’m usually burrowing through the packages like a squirrel searching for a misplaced acorn. Lately I’ve relied on cardboard boxes: one each for pork, beef, chicken, lamb or goat (we raise South African Boer goats). That leaves the lift-out baskets for odds and ends, such as sausages.

Freezing is quick, convenient, easy, and preserves the nutritive quality of fresh foods more closely than any other food preservation method used today. Freezing requires less time and human energy, but more fuel energy than canning as a method of food preservation. Most of this cost occurs during storage, and your electric bill reflects the cost of running your freezer. Check your freezer’s temperature to be sure you are maintaining a constant storage temperature of 0 degrees or lower. Several factors influence the cost of maintaining your freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. These include: the temperature of the room where the freezer is located, frequency of door openings, size of the freezer, insulation of the freezer, amount of food in the freezer, turnover of food, and whether you have a chest or upright and conventional defrost or frost-free.

An upright freezer usually uses more electricity to maintain 0 degrees than does a chest type, and a freezer that is full generally uses less electricity to keep food frozen than one that is only half full.

Feezer burn is ugly and wasteful of good food. This problem is caused by improper packaging and temperature cycling. To prevent freezer burn, package your foods in moisture/vapor proof or moisture/vapor resistant materials that suit the kind, shape, size, and consistency of the food. Proper packaging is especially important in frost-free freezers that have a fan blowing over the food, drawing the moisture from the packages.

Remember to limit the amount of food frozen at one time to 2 to 3 pounds per cubic foot of freezer space. Unfrozen food should freeze within 24 hours. Overloading slows the rate of freezing, and foods that freeze slowly may lose quality or spoil.

Remember when you sort your own freezer, “First in, first out.”

Freezing Veggies

2009-06-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

You knew that was coming, didn’t you? The suspense is staggering, as is the garden, under the weight of the greenies. Harvesting spinach and peas has occupied much of my outdoor time this past week. What to do with the bounty? Many frozen veggies are as fresh tasting and as good nutritionally as fresh market produce. To obtain an excellent product:
• Use proper varieties
• Harvest at the right time, when vegetables are young and tender.
• Adequately blanch and cool
• Package correctly

The fresher the vegetables are when frozen, the more satisfactory the product will be.
Before you pop those veggies in the freezer, they must go through the blanching process.

Blanching
• Slows or stops the action of enzymes that can cause loss of flavor, color, texture, and nutrients.
• Cleans the surface of dirt and organisms.
• Wilts or softens veggies to make them easier to pack.
• With the exception of green peppers and onions, vegetables maintain better quality during freezer storage if they are blanched

Blanching time varies by vegetable and by size of food pieces. For one pound of veggies, use at least one gallon of boiling water. Put the veggies in a blanching basket, colander, sieve, or deep fryer basket and lower into the actively boiling water. Put the lid on the blancher or kettle, wait for the water to return to a boil, then start counting the blanching time. Times for specific vegetables are listed in Freezing Fruits and Vegetables PNF 214, available from your Extension Service Office.

Many veggies can be blanched in steam. This is slower, requiring 50% more time than water blanching. Put a small quantity of vegetable in a steamer basket and suspend over one inch of boiling water. A clam steamer makes an acceptable steamer basket. Cover the pan and steam the required time. Broccoli, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and winter squash are best blanched in steam.

Immediately after blanching, plunge your veggies into ice-cold water to stop the cooking process quickly. A dishpan or one side of a sanitized double kitchen sink works just fine. Then package in meal-size, airtight, moisture-proof containers, label, and store in the freezer. Happy Freezing!

Freezing Fruits

2009-06-10T07:00:00.000-07:00

Select fruit for freezing carefully. Immature or overripe fruit will produce a product of low quality. Start with the best and you’ll be happy with the results. Harvest fruits when they are ripe, but before they start to soften. All fruits to be frozen, with the exception of strawberries and blueberries, should be washed thoroughly in several changes of clean water, but don’t let fruit soak in a pan of standing water. This will make them mushy. Washing accomplishes several objectives:
• Decreases the number of microorganisms on the fruit;
• Removes surface dirt;
• Decreases pesticide residues (If possible, harvest or buy fruit that has not been sprayed or dusted with pesticides);
• Decreases possibilities of insects, eggs, and larvae;
• Increases the visibilities of bruises so they may be trimmed out.

Berries, cherries, and grapes are the most easily frozen fruits. Spread them on cookie sheets in single layers (this keeps them from sticking together) and pop in the freezer. When frozen, pack them in freezer bags and they’re ready for use. Be sure they are thoroughly dry before freezing them or they’ll stick together in an aggravating clump.

Last year we harvested blackberries that had grown alongside a dirt road and they needed some serious cleaning before they were fit for the freezer. We spread them on screens on the grass and set the hose nozzle on a gentle spray. It took a while, since we had to turn them over to give them a thorough shower. We air dried them and, for good measure, brought them inside and spread them on a layer of paper towels to absorb any remaining water. It was a bit of a pain. That’s why I love cranberries. Buy a few extra bags at holiday time and just toss them in the freezer, as is. They keep beautifully.

Any fruits can be frozen in syrup, in dry sugar, or left unsweetened, although the texture may be softer than that of fruit frozen with sugar. Fruits that will be served uncooked are often packed in syrup, made either from cane or beet sugar, corn syrup or honey. Allow about two-thirds cup of syrup for each pint of fruit; one and one-third cups for each quart of fruit. Dissolve the sugar in hot or cold water. If hot, cool before using. Light syrup uses four cups of water and two cups of sugar to yield five cups of syrup.

Fruits intended for use as pie fillings may be packed in sugar, using one cup of sugar for each two to three pounds of fruit. Sugar and fruit should be gently and thoroughly mixed until the sugar has dissolved in the juice.

Some fruits, such as peaches, apples, pears, and apricots, darken quickly when exposed to air and during freezing. They may also lose flavor when thawed. The cut surface of the fruit contains enzymes, which cause browning once exposed to air. Prepare small quantities at one time, if you are freezing a variety that darkens quickly. Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) prevents discoloration and also adds nutritive value. Crush six tablets of 500mg vitamin C in a gallon of water. Soak fruit in this solution for two minutes, drain, and then freeze. Lemon juice or orange juice is sometimes used for this purpose, but these juices are not as effective and can mask natural fruit flavors.

Fruits may be frozen in freezer bags, rigid waxed or plastic-lined cartons, or (my least favorite) glass canning jars with wide mouths. If you are using the glass jars, you’ll be freezing with syrup, so put a piece of crumbled waxed paper between the fruit and the lid to keep the fruit submerged in the liquid. This prevents the product from darkening and drying out. If using jars, remember to leave ample headspace for expansion during freezing.

Dieting with Potatoes

2009-06-08T13:05:00.000-07:00

The blog on potatoes created some interest and today's blog hopefully will give you some important information about the nutritional aspects of this common veggie. I often hear folks explain that while they're dieting, they give up potatoes. Now the truth can be told! Don't do it! It's not the potato that's to blame - it's the butter, sour cream, bacon, and cheese that come along for the ride. And yet the potato gets the blame. Poor tater.

A few years back I decided to shed some avoirdupois and signed up for Weight Watchers. I was successful in that mission and learned that the key to weight management is portion control. While I was on that journey, potatoes were an important component of my diet. Why? They're good for you.

Here's what the Washington State Potato Commission has to say on the subject. The following info comes directly from their website at http://www.potatoes.com/Nutrition.cfm

An average-sized potato contains iron, 45% of your daily requirement of vitamin C, and 620 mg of potassium - more than a banana.

Potatoes contain no fat or cholesterol, minimal sodium, and natural fiber in the skins. A six-ounce potato contains 2 grams of highly digestible protein, almost as much as half a glass of milk.

Concerned about calories? A medium potato has only 110 calories and NO FAT. So, if you're looking to lose some weight, don't cut out potatoes. They're a good food.

Fun with Potatoes

2009-06-05T05:53:00.000-07:00

Luther Burbank is the father of the Idaho potato, the Burbank Russet potato, to be precise. This is the tater that comes to mind when you think of this noble tuber. Burbank only had an elementary school education but he was passionate about science and is credited with an incredible assortment of contributions to horticulture. (He also developed the Shasta Daisy).

Burbank Russets are easily identified by their smooth brown jackets and creamy white flesh. They're excellent mashed, baked, fried, creamed, riced, diced.... You get the picture. As a vegetable, it's difficult to come up with anything quite as versatile.

Today the potato has taken on a rainbow assortment of hues. Yukon golds have rich, yellow flesh, and you can even find purple taters that have an interesting tint. Somehow, purple mashed potatoes don't seem all that appetizing, but there's no accounting for personal preference.

Pontiac reds have a deep red skin and white flesh and are preferred by many for their sweet, smooth consistency. They're often served with the skins on.

That brings us to one color that's not on the menu. Green. Just like its nightshade relative, the tomato plant, the potato has leaves high in alkaloid toxin. These can cause illness if ingested.

The potato tuber is the edible part of this plant. Potatoes exposed to sunlight will develop green patches on their skin, and sometimes this greening extends into the fleshy part of the tater. This green is chlorophyll and indicates that solanine is present. This has a bitter taste and is not good to eat.

If the green patch is small, simply lop it off and you can safely use the rest of the potato. However, if the green has turned the interior of the potato an off-white, greenish hue, discard the potato. It's not going to taste good or be good for you.

White, yellow, red, purple = Yes! Green = No!

Tomatoes and Other Poisonous Plants

2009-06-03T06:43:00.000-07:00

It's amazing, when you stop to think for a moment, how people have learned what's edible and what isn't. I suspect that back in our early history, we observed animals grazing and took a lesson from them. For the most part, animals will avoid toxic plants, unless there's nothing else available.

In some instances, though, plants that don't harm animals can harm humans. In this case, it was probably a hit or miss affair. "Go ahead, Harry, just take a small bite and we'll all stand around for several hours or a couple of days if necessary to see if you croak."

A case of this is the nightshade family (Solanaceae). It's a big, big family and includes well over 2,500 plants. Rabbits, goats, pigs, and sheep graze on these plants and don't seem to be affected by them. However, dogs or cats aren't immune.

Some of these plants are very familiar (tomatoes and potatoes) and others may be a bit unfamiliar to you (jimson weed and deadly nightshade - also known as belladonna).

To make matters more interesting, certain parts of the plant are edible and nutritious. We eat the fruit of the tomato plant and the tubers of the potato plant. The leaves, however, contain an alkaloid substance that is toxic. You may notice that your hands or arms itch after you've been working around tomato plants. Best to wear gloves and long sleeves to prevent this irritation.

Friday, a bit more on this topic, and why green taters aren't good for you.

In a Pinch

2009-06-01T06:33:00.000-07:00

One of the most aggravating situations is finding you're out of a certain ingredient when you're already committed to the recipe. Sometimes, though, you've got a satisfactory substitution at hand. It just takes a little know-how. Today's blog will help you get that know-how.

Out of baking powder? Make your own with 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar plus 1/4 teaspoon baking soda.

Out of sour cream? Put 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a measuring cup and add evaporated milk to the one-cup line.

In the happy situation you're out of dried herbs and are blessed with an abundance of fresh, the general rule is one tablespoon of fresh chopped herbs is equivalent to a teaspoon of dried.

On the other hand, if you're out of fresh onion, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder is equivalent to 1 teaspoon of fresh, minced onion.

One teaspoon of garlic salt or 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder is equivalent to 1 clove of fresh garlic.

And finally, if you're making brownies or cookies and don't have unsweetened chocolate, you can substitute 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder with 1 tablespoon butter or margarine added to it.

Hope that helps you out. You may find you even prefer some of these substitutes to the original ingredients. After all, cooking is an art, as well as a science!

Waxing is Taboo

2009-05-28T15:48:00.000-07:00

Hope that got your attention. Actually I'm referring to using paraffin to seal your jams and jellies. It's been done forever, I know, and you may be thinking, "It was good enough for grandma, it's good enough for me." And you may very well be right. However, the Practical Preserver is all about safety, so hear me out and then make up your own mind. I promise not to sulk.

Back in the day, jams and jellies and other fruit spreads were generally stored in very cool conditions - an unheated back porch, the basement (or cellar if you grew up back East), or in some other dark, cool place. Today, homes are heated to the max. We've got coils embedded in our cement garage floors to keep our cars nice and toasty warm throughout the winter. Not too many of us even have a back porch, and if we do, it's probably not designed with food storage in mind. You most likely will be storing your preserves in the pantry right off the kitchen. Warm. Comfy. But not if you're a preserve. And especially if you're a preserve sealed with paraffin.

So much for the background. Molds and fungi grow beautifully in warm conditions. Once these spoilers get growing, they can penetrate all the way down to the bottom of the jar. Yes, I know that folks used to just scoop and scrape off the mold and use the preserve, but it's an iffy idea. You're preserving food to nurture your family, so feeding them mold or fungus isn't a spiffy idea.

One final convincer: Making preserves is a fun family activity, but heating paraffin so you can pour it on top of the jam or jelly is literally playing with fire. It can give you a nasty burn and can also catch on fire in the blink of an eye.

So, there you have it. Best practice is to use lids and rings and ensure a tight, safe seal.

Great Expectations

2009-05-27T17:22:00.000-07:00

I’ve spent the better part of two days trying to work through tech problems – first on my blogger site and then on the several list serves I’m a member of. Here is my story. I expect for some of you this will ring a bell.

We expect things to work. It’s not our fault. We’ve been conditioned to believe this. Technology is our friend. We email and we post and we expect everything to work as planned. Most of the time it does, but sometimes it doesn’t. In an earlier time, we made allowances for human error. Today, however, humans are an add-on. They’re not part of the regular interface. We deal with automation when problems surface and we lack the essential human connection that we need to validate that – at the most fundamental level – we’re not stupid.

This Brave New World that Huxley could never have conceptionalized exists on a daily basis for those of us trying to connect on the internet. What happens when you get an error message? First reaction: I screwed up. Second reaction: Now what?

Today, in an effort to simply reply to an email I uninstalled one virus system and installed another. I installed Firefox to bypass Internet Explorer (IE). Will this help? I truly don’t know. What I do know, however, is that I want to connect with my online compadres and it has become a hit or miss affair.

Tomorrow I’ll resume my food postings and have faith that they’re getting to the people who want to read them. In the meantime, it’s 5:00 and I am going to inhale a very large glass of vino.

Most Useful Utensil?

2009-05-24T16:38:00.000-07:00

Unpacking the camper after twelve days on the road, I'm amazed at how few utensils I really use or even need, for that matter. Of course you need forks, knives, and spoons for shoveling food into your mouth, but for cooking there are some standards I've found to be indispensable. Here's my list. I'd be happy to know how it compares with yours.

1. Wooden spoon
2. Stiff rubber spatula
3. Meat fork
4. Sharp knife
5. Spatula for flipping pancakes and turning hamburgers

Just as you can make green by combining yellow and blue, you can make the right tool for the task at hand by creatively using your basic utensils. Pining for your whisk? You can use a fork. Need an egg slicer? Use a small paring knife. And so forth. Getting back to nature can inspire you to look at your tools through fresh eyes.

Downsizing is the only way to go when you're at the mercy of restricted storage space. Plus, you get the virtuous feeling of having triumphed over adversity (of sorts).

Back home tomorrow and the thrice weekly blogs will continue. Check in Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to find out what the Practical Preserver is up to.

And one final thought. As you fire up the barbecue for your Memorial Day picnic, stop for a moment to remember the reason for this holiday.

"All gave some. Some gave all." God bless America and God bless our veterans.

Storing Food for the Best Results

2009-05-15T18:14:00.001-07:00

When I'm camping I happily shop for groceries, pack the camper, and ultimately unpack the camper. Finding room for all the food required for this odyssey brings out all my pack rat instincts.

Shopping while traveling is not the time to tempt fate. Buy fresh produce that is free from defects, bruises, and blemishes. Do not choose overripe produce—make sure fruits are firm with no soft spots or bruises. One bad specimen will spoil the rest. Select lettuce and other greens with firm leaves and no signs of wilt or decay. Wash everything thoroughly before you use it. The vegetable crisper in your fridge performs better if it is at least two-thirds full. If crisper is less full than this, veggies will keep better if you put them in plastic bags first.

Check the thermometer in the meat case to see that meats are held at temperatures of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Buy only clean, refrigerated eggs with no cracks and keep them refrigerated after purchase.

Avoid packaged food that is damaged or ripped. Insects can find their way into the smallest cracks and humidity is a real spoiler. Also avoid canned foods that are dented, rusted, or bulged. The few cents you might save on the clearance table is not worth the risk.

Check the pull date on perishable foods such as milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, eggs, and bread. Determining the freshness of bread can be tricky, if there is no date on the wrapper. I check the color of the twisty ties. The shelf stockers will put older items out front and the giveaway is the one lone blue tie in a field of red.

Bread keeps fresher longer at room temperature than in the fridge. In hot, humid weather, bread is better protected against mold by storing it in the fridge than in the breadbox. These items, that were once a kitchen staple, are now back on the market again. They never did work all that well, but collectors are snapping up the older ones and paying premium prices for them. Just goes to prove that if you hang on to something long enough, it will come around again.

Storing Food for the Best Results

2009-05-15T18:14:00.000-07:00

We’ve just returned from a camping trip through the southwest. I happily shopped for groceries, packed the camper, and ultimately unpacked the camper. Finding room for all the food required for this two-week odyssey brought out all my pack rat instincts.

Shopping while traveling is not the time to tempt fate. Buy fresh produce that is free from defects, bruises, and blemishes. Do not choose overripe produce—make sure fruits are firm with no soft spots or bruises. One bad specimen will spoil the rest. Select lettuce and other greens with firm leaves and no signs of wilt or decay. Wash everything thoroughly before you use it. The vegetable crisper in your fridge performs better if it is at least two-thirds full. If crisper is less full than this, veggies will keep better if you put them in plastic bags first.

Check the thermometer in the meat case to see that meats are held at temperatures of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Buy only clean, refrigerated eggs with no cracks and keep them refrigerated after purchase.

Avoid packaged food that is damaged or ripped. Insects can find their way into the smallest cracks and humidity is a real spoiler. Also avoid canned foods that are dented, rusted, or bulged. The few cents you might save on the clearance table is not worth the risk.

Check the pull date on perishable foods such as milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, eggs, and bread. Determining the freshness of bread can be tricky, if there is no date on the wrapper. I check the color of the twisty ties. The shelf stockers will put older items out front and the giveaway is the one lone blue tie in a field of red.

Bread keeps fresher longer at room temperature than in the fridge. In hot, humid weather, bread is better protected against mold by storing it in the fridge than in the breadbox. These items, that were once a kitchen staple, are now back on the market again. They never did work all that well, but collectors are snapping up the older ones and paying premium prices for them. Just goes to prove that if you hang on to something long enough, it will come around again.

On The Road

2009-05-13T19:49:00.000-07:00

I'm on the road for the next little bit and enjoying what our great country has to offer. It's good to get off the interstate and drive through the samll towns and rural areas that keep America alive. The dream is still alive, to use a few words from a country song. People are friendly and helpful. Kids still have lemonade stands and, as I was taught a long time ago, always buy a glass of lemonade from them.

It's all about hope and the future. We tend to get caught up in the problems, and there certainly are many problems to grab our attention. Today, however, I got a wave from a highway patrol officer who was down on all fours, trying to help a trucker get his rig moving again.

I asked directions when the road signs weren't really clear, and got the best route through town from an older woman who was carrying a poodle in one arm and a bag of groceries in the other.

Americans help each other. It's something we may have lost sight of but it's still there. Next time you're traveling the interstate, take the exit for a small town and spend a little bit of time there, and a few dollars of your hard-earned money. America truly is alive and well, just a stone's throw from the interstate. Talk to you all more on Friday.

Happy Trails.

War and Peas

2009-05-11T11:38:00.000-07:00

Judging by the number of Victory Gardens sprouting up around the country, we are a nation at war! It's the latest fad and a direct response to the prickly economic situation we're going through right now. There's a whole lot of good things to say about these gardens and newbie gardeners, and hopefully, they'll keep at it after better times return.

The first victory gardens grew during the dark days of World War II and the Extension Service was the guiding hand behind them. Fresh foods were tough to come by, if you lived in the city, and many items, including sugar and butter, were rationed. It was all to support the war effort. Growing your own garden gave you a chance to do something good for your family, do your part, and also teach your children some honest values.

After the peace, came prosperity, and with prosperity came complacence. Rural folks continued to garden, but many city folks turned to the new supermarkets that were coming onto the scene. Some urbanites continued to wield trowels and hoes and plant seeds, and these folks kept the dream alive.

Today, we've rediscovered our roots, so to speak. What was old is now new again, and even the White House has its victory garden. Let's hope these gardens continue, once good times return. Our connection to the earth is fundamental and is what sustains us. Working with the soil, nurturing and harvesting, give us a chance to reconnect with the rhythm of life.

Garden on, America!

The Exploding Turkey

2009-05-09T07:34:00.000-07:00

A fairly new bride, I was planning my first Thanksgiving Dinner. The in-laws would be there, and so would our close friends. I was looking forward to the gathering with a mixture of anticipation and deep anxiety. Everything needed to be perfect. But as with most aspects of life, perfection is a goal, not a reality.

A good rule to follow is not to try anything new when you’re having company. I knew this, but turkey certainly wasn’t new, nor were the potatoes, corn, cranberries, and stuffing. What was new, however, was the method of preparation.

Space-age technology had found its way into the kitchen labs and the result was a marvelous cooking bag. You placed the stuffed turkey into the bag, placed the bag into the roasting pan, and then popped the whole affair into the oven. What could be simpler? No mess! No clean-up!

“When all else fails, read the directions.” Heard that piece of advice before? It’s easy enough to ignore when you don’t think it applies to you. This kind of arrogance can get you into quite a pickle, to use a food metaphor. I was no exception.

The procedure seemed so simple I didn’t think that reading the directions could possibly enlighten me any further. And so I didn’t. “Pride goeth before a fall.” Or in this case, an explosion.

Somewhere between the appetizer course and the ritual of setting the table, a sonic boom roared through the tiny apartment. This was accompanied by smoke. Everyone ran to the kitchen (not a long run) and watched with anxious faces as I nailed the source of the explosion. The turkey was plastered to the oven door, roof, and sides. Pieces hung from the broiling element like Cajun Christmas ornaments.

I had neglected to punch the appropriate holes in the bag to let off the steam. When the pressure reached critical levels, the laws of physics prevailed. Equilibrium was restored. We silently turned back to the table, took up our plates, scraped the main course onto them and proceeded with dinner. Needless to say it became cemented into family lore and I still hear about it, every Thanksgiving. “Remember when Karen blew up her first turkey?” It’s been the stuff of legend for the past 37 years.

I had nowhere to go but up. And from then on, I read the directions, whether I thought I needed to or not.

The Voice of Experience

2009-05-08T06:48:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I mentioned rocky starts. None of us are born with any experience whatsoever. I was no exception.

If my mother owned a cookbook, she hid it away much as one would stash a pornographic bodice ripper so the children wouldn’t be corrupted. As a consequence, I led a childhood of blissful and unsullied innocence. Convenience foods were the stock and trade of family meals, right down to the frozen spaghetti dinners and Swanson staples. I didn’t know there was another way.

Sharing an apartment in graduate school with three other girls brought my ignorance into the open. We each cooked one night a week, and my pitiful contribution – every week – was pancakes. I could make these from scratch, sort of. At least that was my impression. It was one not shared by my roommates, however, and after three weeks I was re-assigned to washing dishes and the cooking was left to the others. I was inept. I was a cooking pariah.

That was the year I lost my innocence. When I discovered you could make lemon meringue pie without first opening a box of My-T-Fine powdered lemon pie filling mix and purchasing a ready-made pie crust at the grocery store, I began to suspect there was a whole world I wasn’t privy to.

My eyes had been opened. My curiosity had been awakened. I became a snoop. Some snoops check out the medicine chest when visiting friends and relatives. Not me. I scoped out the kitchen and there I found treasure.

I discovered that people actually wrote books about cooking food. Breads, casseroles, desserts, main courses – there was no end to the wonder! These books weren’t hidden away – they were out in the open, shamelessly peddling their wares.

I began to read cookbooks as if they were mystery novels, which, in a manner of speaking, they were. I looked for clues- these were the ingredients. I followed the plots – appetizer led to salad which led to main course which led to dessert. I studied the characters – Julia and James and a host of other cooks – people who actually made their living cooking!

With a cookbook propped open by the typewriter, I typed recipes and filed them in folders. Eventually, I needed a filing cabinet to hold them. No longer a child, I was ready to enter the adult world. I was ready to prepare Thanksgiving Dinner – from scratch.

Tomorrow: How to Explode a Turkey

Respect

2009-05-06T18:02:00.000-07:00

I’ve been a student for most of my 62 years and a teacher for a significant portion of my adult life. Along the way, I’ve learned some important lessons. As I’ve worked with adults who want to learn about preserving food, I’ve seen reticence, skepticism, fear, and reluctance transformed by the power of knowledge and success.

Many students come to the table with little practical knowledge but a great deal of life experience. In a true teaching environment, both teacher and student learn. Lessons learned have merit for every venture we undertake as adults, and they also speak to the unique role of teacher and adult student.

The first rule a teacher needs to learn is “It’s not about me.” That’s a simple statement, but many teachers continue to wield the baton of authority and dominance and refuse to see their students for who they are – not children to be coerced but rather as adults with questions.

Our adult students are successful in many areas of their lives. They come to us wanting to learn more. Our task is to increase their knowledge and it’s an honor to teach them. We have knowledge in an area that is new to them, and our task is to bring them up to speed, while respecting them.

What are the key factors to teaching adults successfully?

1. Accept questions as legitimate and answer them. There are no foolish questions.
2. Understand that your terminology may be unfamiliar. Seek to explain it in ways your students can understand.
3. Beginning any new venture is unsettling. Understand this and have a plan for alleviating that anxiety rather than castigating it. Humor, not sarcasm, is very helpful. Share stories of your own early efforts that went down in flames. You will bond with your students and they will learn to trust you.
4. Have a plan. At the beginning, give a detailed outline of what you’re going to cover and when. Don’t be vague. Most adults can cope successfully with change - if they are given clear, specific guidelines.
5. Model what you teach. Instead of directing people to go look for something, show them yourself how it works. Use examples that are familiar to your students.
6. Be present. Be available. Be ready to demonstrate. If you’re too busy to answer questions, you’re too busy to teach.
7. Respect your students.
8. Understand that people learn in different ways. Some learn visually, some are auditory learners, and some need to work it out kinesthetically.

These guidelines have served me well over the course of many years. When a student is unsure, confused, or struggling, this is the teaching moment. Drop the mantle of authority and become a teacher. You’ll reap rewards beyond measure.

And for those who may scoff, I defer to the Teacher, Himself. He never belittled or played the power card. He taught simply and effectively, and His lessons shine down through the ages.

And for the Adult Student: Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If your teacher won’t answer them, find one who will. I hope those of you who use this site find benefit from it and ask questions if you need to. I promise to do my best to answer each and every one of them with respect.

Canning Jars - The Saga Continues

2009-05-06T07:18:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the basics you’ll need to know. If this piques your interest, you'll find much, more more in The Complete Idiot's Guide to Preserving Food. It's coming out July 7th and is available for preorder on Amazon. Click on the photo to the left to get to to the site. And now, on with the show!

Stocking up on canning jars is best done before the canning season starts. Once fruits and vegetables come into season, you may find that stores are selling out. So, rule number one is to lay in a supply early. For each jar of food you put up, you will also need a ring and a lid. We’ll discuss this tomorrow.

On the Jar Quest

Buy locally! The grocery store and the hardware store are reliable sources for canning jars and other food preserving equipment. You can also find them at Walmart and the other big chains. This is one item you won’t want to purchase online, as the shipping costs cancel out any savings you may find.

Yard sales or garage sales are other good sources for jars, and you can check out any thrift stores run by charitable organizations in your area.

New jars come in a box of 12 and each jar is packaged with its own ring and a lid. You can purchase additional rings and lids separately as you need them.

You can increase your supply when you purchase foods commercially processed in mason jars. Be on the lookout for the characteristic mason jar conformation and logo on the glass. Keep an eagle eye out when you’re shopping.

Different Sizes

Jars come in a variety of sizes, ranging from half-pints to gallons. For putting up fruits and vegetables, pints and quarts are what you’ll need. Fancy pickles and relishes intended as gift items do nicely in half-pint jars. Here’s a picture. I filled the jars with green food coloring to help them stand out.

You have a choice between wide mouth jars and regular mouth. Which ones you choose are simply a matter of personal preference. If your hands are dainty, regular mouth jars will work fine. My hands are big, and so I prefer working with wide mouth jars. I can get my hands in and move things around inside, if I need to.

If you’re canning fruit juices, however, regular mouth is perfect. Both regular and wide mouth jars hold the same amount of food.

Tomorrow: Learning as Adults

Franco-American Ingenuity

2009-05-05T06:53:00.000-07:00

Today and tomorrow we’ll be taking a look at another essential item in the home food preserver’s arsenal – canning jars. Today we’ll check out the history of the venerable mason jar. Tomorrow we’ll investigate the nuts and bolts of selecting the right jar for the use you have in mind.

In the Beginning

Nicholas Appert is revered as the Father of Canning. He was a French candy maker who responded to Napoleon’s call to devise a means of keeping food safe to eat for his armies on the move. Appert set to work and won the challenge. The army had their food and Appert had his place in history secured.

In 1858, a 26-year old tinsmith from New York City, John L. Mason, invented a machine that could cut threads into lids, which made it practical to manufacture a jar with a reusable, screw-on lid. He recorded his invention as "Mason’s Patent Nov. 30th. 1858” and the Mason jar became the foundation upon which the home canning industry was built, although manufacture really didn't take off until after the Civil War.

Jars as Collectibles

Many of us have inherited canning jars or purchased these treasures in old cardboard boxes at garage sales. Some of these jars are highly collectible, and learning about their history is fascinating. If this hobby interests you, you will need an eye for color.

A purple jar likely predates the First World War. At that time, manufacturers used manganese dioxide to clarify glass, but the element reacted with sunlight, turning the glass purple. During the First World War, the source of manganese dioxide was cut off by German blockades, so selenium became the permanent replacement. Selenium does not cause glass to react to sunlight as manganese does. Knowing this fact can help you date your jar.

Amber jars were designed to prevent canned fruit from turning brown in sunlight. Homemakers complained the contents were difficult to see, so this color was discontinued.

The Kerr Company tried to produce green jars for a customer who wanted that color to show off his olives to best advantage. They couldn’t get the color right. Instead of green, the glass kept coming out a cornflower blue. Blue made the olives a sickly shade of puce and the customer cancelled the order. However, collectors pounced on the jars.

If you've got some old jars, keep them as decorative accents to your kitchen. These jars may be valuable. They also have outlived their lifespan as far as holding up to the rigors of modern day canning practices. If you're interested in learning more, check out the fruit jar collectors group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fruitjars/.

Tomorrow: Getting down to business with modern day canning jars.

Funnel Fundamentals

2009-05-04T07:07:00.000-07:00

Moving food from the bowl or the cooking pot to the jar can be a messy affair. Drips and spills are inevitable, and having boiling hot food running down the jar while you’re trying to handle it isn’t fun. Sticky syrups are the worst. So, what do you do?

Enter the canning funnel. This remarkable adaptation of the traditional cooking funnel has a wider opening at the base and thanks to the marvels of scientific engineering, it fits beautifully in pint or quart jars. Here’s a picture of my green canning funnel. A few posts down the road you’ll get to see it in action.

Older canning funnels were made of aluminum with a little handle at the side. The handle heated up and was difficult to grasp. Newer ones are made from space-age plastics and have a handle a linebacker could hang onto.

You need a canning funnel to make the job easier and safer. Check the canning section of your local hardware store. I bought mine locally, and this is a good time to do that- Become a locavore!

Accessorizing Your Canner

2009-05-03T07:12:00.000-07:00

Safety is always Job #1 in home food preserving. Anything you can do to ensure your worksite is as safe as it can be, is good. From your experience in cooking, you know how important potholders are. They work by providing a level of insulation between your fingers and hot cookware. Canning, however, introduces another element: hot water. And we’re talking boiling hot.

When potholders get wet, they’re worse than not having anything at all. You may have had the unpleasant experience of grabbing a wet potholder to lift a lid on a hot pot and found that you dropped it fast. You may also have gotten a slight burn in the process.

You want a short stack of potholders by your stove, to be sure, and you want to be sure to replace them with dry ones as necessary. However, their use is limited. They’re designed to lift pot lids. To get those filled jars into the canner safely and to remove them safely once they’ve finished processing, you need a jar lifter.

A jar lifter is not a luxury. It’s a necessary item. It provides you with safe distance between the boiling hot water and the jars that have gone into and come out of it. Here’s a picture of one in action.

It works like a clamp, although one that opens and releases easily. Simply hold it in one hand and position the ends around the neck of the jar. It does exactly what the name implies. It lifts. It allows you carry the jar away from the canner and position it on a clean, dry surface where the jar will cool down.

You can find jar lifters at any store that sells canning supplies: hardware stores, the big discount chains (such as Walmart), and the larger grocery chains are some sources. You can also find them online.

Hint: when the canning season is over, store it inside the canner and you’ll not have to search madly for it next season.

Preservers: Meet the Equipment

2009-05-02T08:02:00.000-07:00

Today begins the first part of a series on supplies for the home food preserver. Some are essential, some are fun to have, and some are luxury items you'll consider, after you've been at it for a while. Stocking the pantry and your cupboards with nutritious home preserved foods is a joy and a labor of love. Having the right equipment for the job makes it fun!

Boiling Water Canner

Pots and pans are staples in the kitchen. You've got all shapes and sizes and you're comfortable using them. Whether you decide to freeze vegetables or make a mega-load of stew, soup, or chili, you'll find the boiling water canner an essential item. It's used for processing acid foods, such as fruit, quick pack picles and other acidified products, and for ensuring a seal on jams and jellies.

So, what does it look like? It's big. It's made of aluminum or porcelain-coverred steel. It has speckles - white on blue or black. It has a cover with a handle. You have a choice of sizes, but the one that's the most useful will hold 7 quart jars or 9 pint jars. These jars nestle in/on a rack which is either flat with perforations (to let the water circulate) or shaped like a basket with convenient handles for ease of lifting. The picture below shows what the inside looks like with the rack positioned on the rim.

Your bottom is important! Boiling water canners can have either flat or ridged bottoms. If you have an electric range, choose the flat bottom. If you have gas, you can use flat or ridged. Be sure the canner is no more than 4 inches wider in diameter than the unit you'll place it on.

Tomorrow: Accessorizing your boiling water canner

Altitude Adjustments

2009-05-01T06:36:00.000-07:00

Happy First of May Everyone!

For those of you happily immersed in the canning season, here's some information to help you determine processing times. There's some science involved. First, let's start with the basics.

Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Sometimes. Actually, water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit at sea level. Here in the western Rocky Mountains, sea level is a long, long way down there. So we must make adjustments in our cooking, if we wish to obtain optimal results. Here, more than anywhere else, good cooking is an art that requires a light touch, a gentle hand, and hard-earned knowledge. So even if you live at a lower elevation, those camping trips to the mountains can result in raw boiled potatoes and tepid hot chocolate, if you don’t take steps to correct for the change in altitude.

The reason for this is simple physics: As elevation increases, the boiling point of water decreases. At 4,000 feet elevation, water boils at 204 degrees; at 8,000 feet, the boiling point is 197 degrees. The lowered boiling point is 1.9 degrees for each 1,000 feet increase in altitude. This means you must cook your food longer, once it begins to boil, to get it done. In baked goods, decreased pressure causes leavening gases to expand more and moisture to evaporate faster, and because high altitude areas are usually drier than lower elevations, flour may be drier and doughs may require more liquid to reach the proper consistency.

This is important for the home food preserver. If you are using the boiling water bath method, additional processing time is required. If processing time is 20 minutes or less, add 1 minute for every 1,000 feet of elevation above sea level. If processing time is over 20 minutes, add 2 minutes for every 1,000 feet of elevation. If using a pressure canner, the processing time will not change, but the pressure needs to increase 1 pound for every 2,000 feet of elevation.

To find your elevation, enter the name of your town or locality into this website: www.topozone.com/findplace. You can also put a pan of water on the stove to boil. Suspend a cooking thermometer in the water, being careful to keep the thermometer from touching the pan sides or bottom. Leave the thermometer in the water for a few minutes after the water starts to boil, to allow the thermometer to reach its maximum temperature.

Mountain Baking Mysteries

Do your cakes tend to fall? Do your brownies stick to the pan? Altitude, not attitude, is the culprit. Most recipes for baked products are geared for sea level bakers. Always grease your baking pans thoroughly, as cakes and breads tend to stick more when they are baked at high altitudes. Using a larger size pan can also help. Above 3,000 feet, decreased atmospheric pressure may cause a cake to rise too quickly, causing its cell structure to overexpand. You want to raise the oven temperature 25 degrees, so the product will bake faster and set the cell structure, so the cake will not fall. Many mixes that require adjustment for high altitudes have specific directions right on the package. Be sure to look for them.

Angel food and sponge cakes present special high altitude problems. The leavening gas for these cakes is largely air. If you beat too much air into the egg whites, the air cells overexpand and collapse, poor dears. Aim for a gentle peak that falls over gracefully, not one that’s stiff and dry. Using less sugar, more flour, and a higher baking temperature also helps strengthen the cell structure of foam-type cakes.

Pound cakes and other rich cakes benefit from reduced amounts of fat.

Yeast bread dough benefits from higher baking temperatures, more liquid, less yeast, and more and shorter rising periods. The dough rises more rapidly and can over-rise easily, so let dough rise for a shorter time. Because flour dries out more quickly, use the minimum amount called for in a recipe, or use 1/4 to 1/2 cup less than the total amount.

Fancy breads contain more sugar, which makes them brown too fast at high temperatures, so they should be baked at 375 degrees.

Boiled candy and cooked frostings (sugar mixtures) become concentrated more rapidly because of the faster evaporation of water. Watch them closely to prevent scorching. Reduce recipe temperature by 2°F for every 1000 feet of elevation.

Cookie recipes often can be improved by a slight increase in baking temperature, a slight decrease in baking powder or soda, fat, and sugar, and/or a slight increase in liquid ingredients and flour. These changes increase the strength of the batter and improve its ability to retain the steam long enough for a crust to form. Many cookie recipes contain a higher proportion of sugar and fat than necessary, even at low altitudes. For more nutritious cookies with fewer calories, up to one-fourth of the sugar called for often can be replaced with nonfat dry milk powder without loss in product quality.

Quick breads vary from muffin-like to cake-like in cell structure. The cell structure of biscuits and muffins or muffin-type quick breads is firm enough to withstand the increased internal pressure at high altitudes quite well without adjustment. However, a bitter or alkaline flavor may result from inadequate neutralization of baking soda or powder. In such cases, a slight decrease in the baking soda or baking powder usually improves results.

Quick breads with a cake-like texture are more delicately balanced and usually benefit from adjustments for altitude. Trouble signs include: a porous, sugary crust; a coarse, gummy, or oily texture; and a low volume in proportion to weight. Try a slight reduction in the proportion of leavening agents, sugar, and fat, and/or a slight increase in the proportion of flour, eggs, and liquid ingredients. Appropriate selection of pan size and baking temperature also are important.

Cooking is definitely an art, but it’s an art that benefits from knowing a bit about chemistry and physics, as well. The Rocky Mountain Cook knows, “It’s not done when the timer goes off. It’s done when it’s done.”

Sources:
www.gofallon.com http://www.bettycrocker.com/baking/basics/high_altitude_baking.aspx
http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/highalt.pdf

Blueberry Time

2009-04-27T05:56:00.000-07:00

It’s time to stock up on blueberries and put some by in your freezer for a handy supply throughout the year. They’re low in calories and sodium, contain no cholesterol, and are a source of fiber. In fact, they are a one-stop source for all kinds of health benefits. Fresh with yogurt, on cereal, in muffins, pies, or cobblers, you can’t go wrong with nature’s little powerhouse.

Health Benefits

Blueberries are a good source of Vitamins A, C, and E, folic acid, and fiber. They rank #1 in antioxidant behavior, neutralizing “free radicals” that are thought to be linked to the development of certain cancers. Blueberry juice contains a compound that prevents bacteria from anchoring themselves to the bladder, thereby helping to prevent urinary tract infections. A major constituent of the fiber in blueberries is pectin, known for its ability to lower blood cholesterol. Studies have indicated a relationship between bilberries, the European cousin of blueberries, and improved eyesight and reduced eye fatigue.

A Cautionary Note

Blueberries contain oxalates, naturally occurring substances found in plants, people, and animals. When oxalates become too concentrated in body fluids, they can crystallize and cause problems. Folks with kidney or gallbladder problems should avoid eating large amounts of blueberries. Oxalates may also interfere with absorption of calcium from the body, so if you want to increase your calcium levels, avoid eating blueberries with calcium-rich foods, or if taking calcium supplements, eat your blueberries 2-3 hours before or after taking those supplements. As always, with any health issues, consult your physician before changing your diet.

Selecting and Storing Blueberries

Choose blueberries that are firm and have a whitish bloom. If the container is plastic, examine the underside and shake the container. The berries should move freely; if they do not, they may be soft, damaged or moldy. Blueberries should be free from moisture, since the presence of water will cause the berries to decay. When purchasing frozen berries, shake the bag gently to ensure that the berries move freely and are not clumped together, which may suggest they have thawed and been refrozen.

Ripe blueberries should be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator, where they will keep for about a week, although they will be freshest if consumed within a few days. Don't wash berries until right before eating, as washing will remove the bloom that protects the fruit’s skin from degradation. Always check berries before storing and remove any damaged berries to prevent the spread of mold.

Before freezing blueberries, wash, drain and remove any damaged berries. Spread the berries out on a cookie sheet or baking pan, place in the freezer until frozen, then put the berries in a plastic bag for storage in the freezer. Berries should last up to a year in the freezer.
When using frozen berries in recipes that do not require cooking, thaw well and drain prior to using. For cooked recipes, use unthawed berries, since this will ensure maximum flavor. Extend the cooking time a few minutes to accommodate for the frozen berries. You may notice that berries used in baked products may take on a green color. This is a natural reaction of their anthocyanidin pigments and does not make the food item unsafe to eat.

Growing Blueberries

Blueberries are the fruits of a shrub that belong to the heath family, which includes the cranberry and bilberry as well as the azalea, mountain laurel and rhododendron. Blueberries grow in clusters and range in size from that of a small pea to a marble. They are deep in color, ranging from blue to maroon to purple-black, and feature a white-gray waxy "bloom" that covers the surface serving as a protective coat. The skin surrounds a semi-transparent flesh that encases tiny seeds. Blueberries are native to North America where they grow throughout the woods and mountainous regions in the United States and Canada. This fruit is rarely found growing in Europe and has only been recently introduced in Australia.

Blueberry bushes have very shallow root systems and are very sensitive to water fluctuations. They need at least 1 to 2 inches of water per week and require highly acidic soil conditions for best results. Blueberry plants begin to produce fruit in the third season; however, they do not become fully productive for about six years. Cultivated blueberries are typically mildly sweet, while those that grow wild have a more tart and tangy flavor.

There are approximately 30 different species of blueberries, suited to specific regions. The Highbush variety can be found throughout the Eastern seaboard from Maine to Florida, the Lowbush variety throughout the Northeast and Eastern Canada, and the Evergreen variety throughout states in the Pacific Northwest.

History of Blueberries

Blueberries played an important role North American Indian food culture, being an ingredient in pemmican, a traditional dish composed of fruit and dried meat. The wild varieties are tarter than the cultivated ones, and the colonists did not share in the enjoyment of blueberries until sugar became easier to obtain. Blueberry Grunt and Blueberry Slump then became traditional favorites for desserts. Blueberries were not cultivated until the beginning of the 20th century, becoming commercially available in 1916.

Recipe: Blueberry Grunt or Slump

Some say the dessert got its name from the “grunts” of satisfied eaters or the fact it didn’t hold its shape when dished up!

2 cups buttermilk baking mix
½ tsp dried lemon peel
¼ tsp nutmeg
2/3 cup milk
2 cups blueberries
1 cup water
½ cup sugar
Cream or ice cream (optional)

Method: Mix together baking mix, peel, and nutmeg. Add milk and mix with fork just until moistened. Put blueberries, water, and sugar in 10 inch skillet and cook just until mixture begins to bubble. Lower heat. Drop dough in 8 mounds on simmering blueberries and cook uncovered over low heat 10 minutes. Cover and cook 10 minutes longer. Serve dumplings with the blueberry sauce and cream. Makes 8 servings.

Sources:

ohioline.osu.edu
www.blueberry.org
www.whfoods.com

Green Beans

2009-04-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

There've been some questions about green beans recently, so here's the skinny.

Some varieties of beans are best put by in the freezer, while others handle the canning process quite nicely. Be sure to read the seed catalogue descriptions, when you are planning your garden, so you are not disappointed with the final product. Vesey and Burpee are good about that, and both companies carry varieties that do nicely with short seasons.

Canning does not improve the quality of the food put by. If beans are past their prime, they’re not going to get any better by dumping them in jars and pressure cooking them. You’ll have much better results, if you can beans that are slightly immature.

Because green beans are low-acid, they must be pressure canned to ensure safety. At our elevation (about 3,000 feet),that means 20 minutes for pints, 25 minutes for quarts at 12 pounds pressure. You do have choices, as to hot or cold pack and whether to salt or not, and that is nice. Salt is only added for taste, not to preserve. You may can beans whole (tip and tail them first) or cut into one inch pieces for convenient additions to soups and stews.

For hot pack, cover beans with boiling water. Boil 5 minutes. Pack loosely in canning jars; add salt, if desired. Cover with boiling cooking liquid. Leave one inch head space.
For cold pack, pack tightly in canning jars; add salt, if desired. Cover with boiling water.
Processing time is the same for both methods.

Remember to vent your canner properly to be sure your foods are safely processed. Air trapped in a pressure canner lowers the temperature inside the canner. To vent a pressure canner, allow steam to escape steadily from the petcock for ten minutes, then close the petcock or put the weighted gauge on the canner.

Food Safety -Finale

2009-04-16T07:38:00.000-07:00

Last week we covered important aspects of preventable foodborne illness, specifically botulism, which is caused by a toxin produced in food by the bacteria, Clostridium botulinum. Using approved recipes and approved procedures makes botulism nothing more than an interesting topic. This week we finish up. For those of you who think botulism only results from improperly home-canned food and have therefore decided to avoid Aunt Mabel’s green beans forever, read on! Her properly home-canned food might be the safest food around.

Botulism has occasionally been caused by foods that were not vacuum-sealed by caning. Smoked fish can develop anaerobic conditions under the skin and in the visceral cavity. Baked potatoes wrapped in foil and meat pies have also been the cause of botulism. A large pot of sautéed onions left in a warm place resulted in botulism cases from persons eating the onions. Garlic in oil also caused multiple cases of botulism at a Canadian restaurant. Pickled eggs left at room temperature developed botulism in the yolk, which had been pricked with a toothpick, before the acid pickling solution was able to equilibrate throughout the egg.

Each of the above instances was preventable. Repeat the mantra: “Wash, scrub, refrigerate or freeze.” To prevent botulism toxin from forming in non-canned foods, low-acid foods must be refrigerated after they are cooked. Long-term storage of smoked fish should be in the freezer. This is because type E Clostridium botulinum, which is found in fish, can produce toxin at refrigerator temperatures. Smoked fish can be safely stored in the fridge for up to two weeks.

For low acid foods that are pickled, vinegar must be added in sufficient quantity to lower the pH to below 4.6. The vinegar in pickling recipes must be at least 5 per cent acidity. Approved pickling recipes are provided by Extension offices or the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning.

Botulism symptoms include difficulty in swallowing, speech, and respiration and double vision. Respiratory failure may cause death. Before 1950, fatality rates from botulism were about 50 per cent, but with availability of antitoxin and modern respiratory support systems, the death rate has decreased to about 10 per cent. Still, if you are in that unlucky percentile, your death is 100 per cent guaranteed, and that is not good.

If you cannot get enough of this fascinating topic, additional information can be found in The Bad Bug Book, www.cfsan.fda.gov/~now/intro.html

Food Safety Issues

2009-04-10T13:10:00.000-07:00

Reading about the recalls of packaged salad mix and packaged spinach got me thinking about toxins that can cause illness, specifically E. coli and Clostridium botulinum, commonly referred to as botulism. We live in strange times, indeed, when women have botox injections to smooth out wrinkles. Yessir, nothing like pumping your face full of deadly poison to get that baby-smooth complexion.

What is botulism? Glad you asked.
Botulism is caused by a toxin that is produced in food by the bacteria, Clostridium botulinum, which is found in soil all over the world. The soil in the western United States is high in type A Clostridium botulinum, which is the most dangerous type to humans. Alaska and Washington have the highest rates of botulism occurring in soils.

This bacteria forms spores, which are very resistant to heat, chemicals, and physical stress. When the spores grow, they produce the deadly neurotoxin that causes botulism.
The frequency of botulism cases is rare, but each year several outbreaks occur. Often these are caused by improperly home-canned foods. Fish, green beans, corn, beets, spinach, asparagus, and chili peppers are the most common foods implicated in botulism cases. Recently a case involved home-prepared “pickled” eggs.

Several conditions are necessary for a botulism outbreak. First, the botulinum organism must be in the food. Second, the acidity level must be low. The organism cannot grow when the acid level is high. A pH level of 4.6 or less means conditions are not right for the growth of Clostridium botulinum. Most types of this organism grow best at warm temperatures; however, growth has been observed at temps as low as 38 degrees Fahrenheit and as high as 118 degrees Fahrenheit. The organisms cannot grow if air or free oxygen is available. Oxygen-free (anaerobic) conditions occur when food is canned.

Home food preservers understand the necessity for pressure canning foods that are low acid. That means processing these foods at higher temperatures than just boiling, if we are to destroy the extremely heat-resistant botulism spores. Just because your jar has sealed, doesn’t mean you have a safe product. Processing foods under pressure raises the temperature inside the canner to a level that does destroy these nasty spores. That temperature is 240 degrees Fahrenheit and can only be achieved by pressure canning, which can be thought of as simply “higher-temperature” canning. Properly home-canned food is safe. For an extra guarantee of safety, home-canned veggies, meat, and fish may be boiled for ten minutes at 1,000 feet altitude before eating. Boiling destroys the botulism toxin. Remember to add an additional minute boiling time for each additional 1,000 feet of elevation.

Next week we’ll finish up this delightful topic. A parting thought: mistakes most often occur at two times in our lives. The first time is when we are learning a skill, and the second is when we get sloppy, careless, and take shortcuts, because we have been doing something for a very long time. It’s good practice to review the rules and instructions before we begin anything. Better safe than sorry, to use an old and very true aphorism.

Time to Think Strawberries

2009-03-24T14:07:00.000-07:00

Strawberries are cheerful, healthful, and fun to work with. Right now the season is just beginning and soon you'll come across some excellent buys. Farmers markets, the local grocery store, and the big warehouse food places will be bursting at the seams with strawberries. Don't let the season pass you by!

Freezing strawberries is a snap. Don't wash the berries first. Remove the caps and simply place the berries on cookie sheets with enough space between the berries so they don't touch. Pop the cookie sheet into the freezer until the berries are frozen solid. Then use a spatula to loosen them and put the frozen berries in gallon freezer bags and return them to the freezer. They'll keep for about a year, but of course you'll want to use them long before then.

Wintering Over Potatoes

2009-03-13T14:10:00.000-07:00

If you grow your own potatoes, you know just how good home-grown can be. You have the choice of new potatoes, so tender and delicious that you can make a meal out of them or you have potatoes hardened off and ready to keep over the winter.

Finding the best place to store these potatoes can be a challenge. Not everyone has a root cellar, although they're fairly easy to set up and make a good project if you're at all handy. We use an old refrigerator. Seriously. Set the temperature at 40 degrees F. and load it up with potatoes. It's the perfect temperature for keeping them in superb condition for months.

Eventually they will eye up, but it won't happen until late spring and by them you've pretty much used them up. Give it a try. You'll be pleased!

Winter Preserving

2009-03-06T11:48:00.000-08:00

Don’t let the preserving kettle sit idle while you wait for spring! This is the time of year I get serious about making jelly and marmalade. You can too. Remember the fruit juices you froze last summer? It’s time to turn them into jellies.

Check your supplies.You’ll need sugar, lemon juice, and pectin. You’ll also need jelly jars, rings, and lids. Then rummage in the freezer until you find those containers of fruit juices you consigned to the depths last summer and place them in the fridge to thaw.

If you’ve been putting off making jelly because you think it’s an involved, time-consuming process, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how quickly the process goes. The longest part of anything is the “getting around to it.” So get your ingredients and equipment together today and make some jelly tomorrow.

Ever tried making marmalade? It’s one of the prettiest fruit spreads there is. Citrus is in season now and you can put up some marmalades that will give you the golden glow of summer at the breakfast table. These fruit spreads are great on morning toast and muffins and especially great for gifts!

Here’s a simple recipe from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Preserving Food (coming from Alpha Books on July 7 and available for preorder now at http://www.amazon.com/). This marmalade uses oranges and lemons.

Orange Marmalade

Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes plus time to reach the gel stage
Makes about 4 half-pints

Ingredients:

4 oranges
1 lemon
Water
Sugar

Method:

Wash fruit, cut in half, remove seeds and stem end. Slice the oranges and lemon thinly. Measure. Add 1 ½ cups water to each cup of fruit. Let stand 8 hours or overnight.

In the morning, cook mixture over until fruit is tender – about 30 minutes. Remove from heat.

Measure cooked fruit and liquid. Add 1 cup sugar to each cup of fruit and liquid. Return fruit, liquid, and sugar to cooking pot. Cook over high heat until mixture sheets from a metal spoon. You can also use a jelly thermometer to be sure the mixture has reached the gel stage.

Remove from heat, skim any foam from marmalade, ladle into clean, hot jars, wipe rims, seal, and process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes to ensure the seal.