We Be Jammin’
SEPTEMBER 20, 2007 - As the leaves consider turning golden, it's time for the last mad rush to preserve the bounty of the harvest season. Such a project is not the preserve (forgive the pun) of the Martha Stewart crowd. It doesn't require perfectionism or even much skill, just patience and time.
Canning is where you can save money eating organic, local food. Pick one fruit or vegetable and go for it - buy 25 pounds per adult or teen (to serve throughout the winter). You'll likely get a deal on that quantity if you're buying it from the farmer. And let the food guide you; it'll be cheapest when it's the peak of its season. Tomatoes are a nice thing to do right now, or pears or apples. Quinces and gooseberries, old-fashioned favorites, will be going strong a while yet; and in cooler climates you'll still find blueberries or blackberries.
Canning your own food is a good way to maintain peak nutrition. Unlike supermarket canned goods, you'll be using grade-A produce picked when it's ripe. "It's not just about the vitamins and minerals found inherently in fruits and vegetables, it also includes all of the phytochemicals and really powerful disease-fighting substances that need to be considered. And we do know that when a food doesn't get the chance to reach its peak of ripeness, the levels of these substances never get as high." says Cynthia Sass, a Tampa-based spokesperson for the American Dietetics Association. She recommends that people eat a rainbow of home-preserved foods for maximum winter health.
The best basic resources for canning and preserving are all-round cookbooks such as The Good Housekeeping Cookbook, Joy of Cooking, or Fanny Farmer. For online resources, I recommend: National Center for Home Food Preservation and Backwoods Home Magazine.
Following are some of the more common canning questions I've been asked that I'd like to share with you:
1. Is it safe? Anything naturally acidic (think fruits) can be safely home-canned. Adding sugar/honey, salt or vinegar all aid in the preserving process. Modern guides recommend that tomatoes not be processed without an expensive pressure canner, but that is the fault of the modern tomato; it's too sweet. Heritage varieties of red tomatoes can be safely canned. Enjoy the always sweet yellow and orange ones fresh only.
2. Can I can vegetables? Do not can vegetables, most notably beans (the number one botulism killer) without a pressure canner. But you can happily pickle anything from, say, cucumbers to beets (and beans too!).
3. How long do I need to sterilize my equipment? Your jars, lids and implements should be sterilized in boiling water for 15 minutes. If you use a wooden spoon, it should not be boiled. Put jars in warm water first and then crank the heat; they can crack if placed directly into boiling water.
4. Is it hard to skin fruit? Not if you get the right kind. Ask if the variety (whether peaches, pears, or tomatoes) is suitable for preserving. Otherwise peeling is murder!
5. Do I need pectin? No, you don't need packaged pectin (derived from fruit but processed with chemicals) to make jam. Most fruits contain natural pectin, notably apples, citrus fruits and currants. Cherries, figs, peaches, pears, pineapples and rhubarb have less - while strawberries and raspberries have very little. Using some less-ripe fruits boosts pectin content. Or try adding a cup of fruit with more pectin to balance weak ones. For example, use 7 cups raspberries to 1 cup red currants or 7 cups gooseberries to 1 cup black currants.
6. Do I have to use white sugar? Use 40 percent honey to the amount of sugar called for. I think it tastes much better.
To see recipes I like for making plum jam and canning tomatoes, visit The Daily Green. -ADS
