Me Things

Things I'm doing lately that bring me joy and make me feel fulfilled:

Experimenting in the kitchen (muffins, refried beans, improv dinners).
Chopping veggies for salsa after every one is asleep.
Canning the salsa and fresh tomatoes, storing away yummy summer food for wintertime family nourishment.
Reading for pleasure.
Back to bellydance class.

Ahhh. Feels good to be doing 'me' things again.

Drowning in apricots

About 1.5 weeks ago we picked apricots. Lots of apricots. The friends of a friend of ours had a tree full of apricots and didn't want them to go to waste. I inquired about picking, and they happily invited us over to "take as much as we wanted."

We brought home six boxes worth of apricots.

This is where those who have processed and canned fruits ask "what in the world possessed you to take so many? What can any one family do with SIX BOXES of apricots?"

That is a very good question.

We made 31.5 pints worth of apricot goo - like applesauce, but with apricots. Doodle loves it, J likes it, and we could use it to feed a small army if necessary. No scurvy in the long winter months for this family!

We also made two dehydrator-loads worth of apricot-applesauce fruit leather, which will hopefully last our frugivorous child at least partway through the winter. *fingers crossed* Oh, and we gave ~3lbs to a friend to give to another friend to make into Apricot Hefeweisen and jam.

Yes, ridiculous amounts of apricot product. I know. Want to see what the process looked like?

Half of our sink was commandeered for the apricot cleansing.

Then the cooking of the goo. Lots of goo.

My view of the pitting process, 31 weeks pregnant. Added bonus: it was dang hot in our house, so I rarely had my shirt pulled down over my belly. Good for not overheating. Bad for avoiding the occasional squirt of apricot juice in the bellybutton. Blech!

Of course I can!

I am so excited that winter is drawing near. No, not because of the skiing (though it might be nice to try this year). I'm excited because canning season is almost done. I am SO DONE with canning.

Last year we got into canning. We preserved some tomatoes, some apricots, and a bunch of pickles. I kind of felt compelled to do it, wanting to provide sustenance for my family in those long winter months ahead (ignoring the modern conveniences of grocery stores and international shipping of produce). This year I just went crazy. I figured last year we did well, this year why not can more? And why not try some new things? That, my friends, is where I made my mistake.

Want some advice when it comes to canning? Here goes:

1) Warnings about hot pepper preparation are to be heeded. Otherwise your hands will feel like they're on fire for at least a full day, if not longer. Pain is amplified if you run your hands under hot water, scratch your nose, or bite your fingernails.

2) If everyone you talk to seems surprised that you'd want to can corn rather than freeze it, ask yourself why that might be. It's probably because canning is a lot more work, and the end product doesn't taste that great. PLUS canned corn in the store, even organic, is really pretty cheap.

3) Ditto on the green beans. Do you know how long it takes to pick, wash, chop, pack, and process green beans? For.bloody.ever. Don't do it.

4) Learned last year: if your family isn't all that excited about some bit of produce (say, plums) that is in abundance and free, don't go all out canning it. They won't be any more excited once it's been processed and sat in the basement all winter. Anybody want some canned plums?

Now, for personal edification, here is the list of our canning results this year. I haven't counted up how many jars we have yet, but the shelves in the basement are filling.

• Chopped tomatoes
  
• Pureed tomatoes
• Tomato juice
• Salsa
• Pickles (dill)
• Relish
• Corn
• Green beans
• Apricots
• Peaches
• Peach juice
• Applesauce

Ah, winter. I'll be able enjoy my weekends, not worrying about getting up early to go to the farmer's market. No stressing about the boxes of produce in the kitchen that will all turn to mush if I don't process them *NOW*. And I'll have yummy, fresh-tasting tomato sauces in those cold winter months. Hmm, maybe it was worth it...

Post-hoc wisdom

When the recipe for canning salsa advises you to "wear gloves when chopping jalapeño peppers to avoid burning," DO IT.

That is all.