PRESERVE FOOD, PRESERVE ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH (may require some work)

YES, I CAN!

Preserving and pickling fruits and vegetables is a lost art in the modern day world of Welch’s and Smuckers jellies, and Vlosick pickles. We grab the name brands off the shelf at the grocer in the name of convenience. Our lives of relative ease have distanced us from the earth and the process of growing and keeping our own food.

Once considered to be an important survival skill for the family and the nation, preserving is making a comeback. In my kitchen anyhow. What better way to get together with friends than to do so, over food and generations of knowledge on how to keep from dying. No botulism for me! Last years preserving fiasco cost me dozens of tomatoes and hours of time. Today's the day I triumph over inanimate objects and properly preserve something.  I and my neighbour, are getting together with her aunt who has been doing this for decades now. She'll school me in the art of keeping something edible.

Our mentor and Dr. Beccy's aunt.

Before the convenience of refrigeration and during wartime, preserving food was a common practice. It’s a process that dates back to the late 1700s in France. And during World War II, propaganda posters encouraged families to plant victory gardens and preserve the resulting produce. It was intended to reduce reliance on limited food supplies and allowed canning companies to concentrate on feeding soldiers. You may argue that our food is bountiful, a veritable smorgasbord, well you'd be wrong - if only I had added "quality" to that sentence, previous to calling you out.  A bounty of quality food we have not.  Do you truly know where that cucumber came from and what was sprayed on it and then how far it had to travel to then be processed into a pickle? If you do, then you good sir or madame, are a smarty pants because I sure don't.

Check out this monster!

Truth is, preserving is an affordable, healthy and eco-friendly way to store and then enjoy food. Whether it’s a solo project because everyone else bailed on you, stating it was, "too much work" or a family bonding thing ie, slavery; learning how to make preserves can reduce your food budget and improve your diet. It also means that you’ll be reusing the containers that you preserve in year after year, rather than adding more and more single-serving containers to the wilds of the world. And, believe it or not, food that you put work into gives you better satisfaction than something that you just picked up off of the store shelves.

Early AM making some sauce with
Dr.Beccy.  She seems happy.

The appeal to most isn't out of necessity as it once was.  Now it's about helping the environment and eating healthier. I say, why not consume more of what we grow and not let it go to waste? Why not know what you're eating?  Why not put some effort into it and really enjoy the fruits of your labours? It’s also a great way to eat wholesome, fresh foods that taste great and are good for you. Plus, look how much fun she's having.  You too could partake in such shenanigans.

Before botulism;)

I'll let you know how it goes. If in a few months I'm struck down by botulism you'll know I did something terribly wrong.  I'll start in easy with a simple tomato sauce which is what I did last year and it wound up having mould.  This will be a great opportunity to learn a healthy and fun activity the whole family can enjoy. Next, I think I'll try tackling pickles and jams as they are especially tasty.


Here's a great step by step guide for canning tomato sauce