Freezing and canning in a
world of fast food and fancy restaurants.
I’ve been
“putting up” food for about fifty years.
It’s something I enjoy.
My mother
and prior generations did it because it was necessity in the winter. Plus, with a huge garden and fruit trees and
bushes we wouldn’t eat it all so “waste not want not” was to preserve.
Prior to
having freezers, women used water bath canners and pressure cookers. And some foods were pickled or dried.
I joked the
other day: I had made two pints of plum
conserve and it had only cost me $400 in electric and gas usage. An exaggeration for sure but no one preserves
food as a means to save much money.
Perhaps if you have a large family, everyone helps and you raise large
quantities of food – then maybe.
Young
families are starting to acknowledge the benefits of vegetable gardening and preserving
their own food. Organic foods, knowing
what is in the foods and flavor are important to them. In the process, they are realizing they need
to preserve the abundance.
The
different groups preparing for end times are stocking up their food banks with
preserved food. Some are using military
ration kits for long term storage but those that want good taste are putting up
their own. In the assumption there will
be no power grid, they can rather than freeze.
Most
community food banks don’t accept home prepared foods as a safety issue. Some will accept fresh fruits and vegetables
– call and ask if you’re interesting in donating.
I buy most
of my canning supplies locally because they have what I want at reasonable
prices. Lehman’s non electric catalog is where I go for things I can’t find
locally.
I have some
old cookbooks and family recipes. Old cookbooks, like the 1963 Farm Journal
“Freezing & Canning Cookbook” are gems.
The deal with prior generations is they canned EVERYTHING in a zillion
different ways. They did this so winter
meals wouldn’t become boring and as a way to use every single edible thing from
their gardens.
As a side
note: They also preserved all kinds meat
according to if they hunted and/or raised and butchered their own animals.
If you’ve
never tasted home canned produce, you may not realize it retains much of the
original fresh taste; far exceeding commercially produced foods. One thing I
like about home canned foods is how quick it is to make a meal because the long
prep time has already been completed.
Plum Conserve
5 cups Chopped & Pitted Plums (do not
peel)
3 cups Sugar
2 large Oranges – Zested and chopped orange pulp
(seeds removed)
1 cup Raisins (optional)
(Note: If you leave out raisins, add 1 cup more of
plums)
Combine all
ingredients in a large heavy saucepot except pecans. Bring slowly to a boil, stirring until sugar
dissolves. Cook rapidly (uncovered)
almost to gelling point (220 on your thermometer.) As mixture thickens, stir frequently to
prevent sticking. Ladle hot conserve into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch
headspace. Remove air bubbles. Adjust two piece caps. Process 15 minutes in a boiling water canner.
Makes 4 half pints.
I list this
recipe without all the little necessary canning instructions assuming you will
either know what to do or have someone help you through the first time.
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