Last week we had planned on a 3-4 day kayaking trip with friends in Victoria which didn’t happen (for us) because I wasn’t up to kayaking in the steady rain that greeted us Monday morning. Instead, Brian and I got back on the ferry and headed inland to Manning Park which we used as a base for a road trip/fruit-buying expedition to Keremeos as well as some hiking and canoeing. Arriving home on Thursday, we’ve spent a part of each of the last few days canning our haul which has (finally) come to its end and is ready for storing against the winter ahead. We’ve processed 40 pounds of tomatoes, 30 pounds of peaches and ten pounds of cherries – not to mention a pound of strawberries, 3 pounds of self-picked blackberries and a bunch of rhubarb from the backyard into the following:
- 6 jars of blackberry-rhubarb pie filling
- 4 jars of strawberry-rhubarb pie filling
- 22 500 ml jars of stewed tomatoes
- 4 large jars of tomato broth
- 2 jars of tomato sauce (frozen)
- 19 500 ml jars of sliced peaches (canned with sage, thyme or cinnamon)
- 3 250 ml jars of peach-rum sauce
- 7 250 ml jars of peach salsa
- 6 500 ml jars of cherries
- 6 250 ml jars of “spirited cherries” (with rum and vanilla vodka)
Which is somewhat insane given that I’ve still got fall apples to do (applesauce, apple chutney, apricot chutney)… we’re going to end up with a lot of food in the cupboards when its all done. I’m quite pleased about it really, Brian’s enthusiasm for learning to can (not to mention his willingness to do half the work) spurred me on to greater quantities and more diverse recipes than ever this year.
I’ll post a couple of recipes in the next few days, including my favourite apple chutney, for those of you so inclined to try. Canning really is very simple, and once you get the gear it’s a super cheap way to create yummy food for the whole year.
This blog is after my own heart! I am a canning freak as of this year. I just love doing it an eating the results. Your stash is gorgeous! I live not far from you east of Quilcene, not far from the Hood canal Bridge. Check out my blog sometime. I love it here, so very much. I’m having fun paging around your blog. Great job!! — Bonnie
Hi Bonnie! Glad to make the acquaintance….. From one canning freak to another. Funny enough I was at a union meeting last night and the conversation broke out about canning. Turns out there were a number of women there totally into it (young and old). This in the big city of Vancouver! I love the fact that this whole dialogue around food is really coming back into our communities and new people are trying all the old methods once again.
I would also note here that the most popular posts on this blog (the ones that have gotten the most comments historically) are both the one on ocean phosphorescence (turns out lots of people are fascinated by it) and the salal berry jam recipe. Which reminds me, I keep meaning to post some canning recipes here – in particular for my *favourite* apple chutney. Will have to get on that soon!
Will certainly blogroll you here and at my new canning blog. Your co-op garden looks amazing!
[...] Flores Island; the cancelled kayak journey which led instead to an impromtu interior run and 85 pounds of fruit to preserve for winter; the gardening/ landscape plans we have made and which are about to begin in [...]