Today we took a bike ride over to the green market in Union Square and picked up a few pounds of tomatilloes, peppers, tomatoes, and pears. I toted them home in my bicycle basket, eager to begin an afternoon of canning. First I prepared a tomatillo sauce, and then scooped it into 1/2 pint jars, screwed on the lids, and boiled them in water to seal the lids tightly.
For the first time canner, Eugenia Bone's Well-Preserved is all that you need to quell fears about bacteria and food spoilage. Her book is thoughtfully organized by method of canning and includes recipes that you can throw together once you've done all of the "hard work." Who knew that foods with a pH less than 4.6 could be easily water-bath canned while other vegetables with a pH of 4.6 or more must be pressure-canned? Her book even has detailed instructions on how to smoke, cure, and pickle—I am going to have a lot of fun putting up small batches of the seasonal harvest this year.
[1-2. c. lynn]
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