MaryIsobel

I hope all is well. Just wanted to say that the one and only time that we needed medical care in Mexico - I was impressed beyond words with the response and secondly, the very reasonable cost. Also, that is way above and beyond any hospital meal I have seen/partaken of in Canada!

I have serious schnitzel envy! The one restaurant within a reasonable drive from here (and everything is a drive from here!) that makes real, veal schnitzel and sides is always my first choice for our anniversary dinner. Yours looks every bit as good if not better!

I'm intrigued. My Scot great gran said (phonetically) Ware no chap, ware thrufty. As I child I had no idea what she was saying, but once I was literate, it became apparent. Warms my heart just to say it.

Happy Anniversary Ann and Moe! I am making lazy cabbage rolls AKA cabbage roll casserole in an effort to use a neighbour's gift of a gigantic cabbage as well as some of the 10 bs. of ground beef that my husband impulsively bought "because it was on sale!" I have asked before for him to please check with me before making large purchases of meat - but this "was on sale!"

Often, clean out the fridge soups are the best! When my husband says, "make that vegetable soup again" I have to say "I can't, it was a one time thing!"

Thank you - I'd be honoured to have you as a guest, should you every find yourself near Vancuver, B.C. As I'm sure you realized immediately, this is a bastardization of Choucroute Garnie, which we first had in Alsace on our honeymoon, 32 years ago. I think it was a highlight of a month in Europe for my husband. The addition of a whole head of cabbage makes it go further I guess!

I'm making Michael Symon's "Pap's Pork and Sauerkraut" tonight, but since it is a very unphotogenic albeit delicious dish, decided to take the picture at this stage. The sausage and smoked pork won't be added for another 30 minutes. Due to my not wanting to go out, I'm making a couple of substitions; cajun spice & a bit of cayenne instead of red pepper flakes(since someone didn't add red pepper flakes to the list when they used the last) home smoked pork chops rather than a 1/2 rack bone-in smoked pork loin and a little less meat altogether than the recipe calls for. It is one of my husband's favurite dishes. Excuse the grungy dutch oven - it is well used and I do have a nicer, newer one to use when we have company. We'll have it with local corn, which we are eating at every opportunity while it is available.

Wow - around here "heirloom" tomatoes at the market are around 6.99/lb. Certainly way beyond an average familie's budget. Good on you for sharing your bounty!

The exact year is definitely questionable. I was born in 1960 and it has been around as long as I can remember, but possibly not 60 years. But thanks to the helpful advice here, it will be around for a while yet.

Thanks all. Just might be able to save this old beauty from the landfill - which was my hope.

I wondered about that and now that we have a source, that will be easily done. Thanks so much - you are a wealth of information.

Having just bought a small (cooking for two) air fryer, I am beginning to experiment. Before the following fish, I had only cooked some store-bought jalapeno poppers and eggrolls when we had an impromptu gathering for which I had little time to prepare. Despite the fact that my daughter's boyfriend blistered his lip badly from digging in too soon, both appies turned out very well. (Not blaming the burned lip on the air fryer!) Since we have a plethora of cod, I decided to try fish sticks just for fun. they turned out really well. Just the normal flour, egg, seasoned panko treatment. 8 minutes on each side at 400 degrees.

this is what I am going to attempt tonight. Happy to hear that they turned out tender and juicy. I was looking for thicker chops, but the only ones I could find were about 3/4".

Thank you so much! I don't know why I couldn't find that myself. You've helped me to save and continue to use what must surely qualify as a family heirloom!

Here are photos of the lid. The number I found on the pot is 017CQA16H 0375

My inherited Presto pressure canner is at least 60 years old and badly in need of a new sealing ring and also the little rubber ring (technically speaking) that goes around the pressure reslease valve. I have tried searching by model number and gasket size (13") I'm not having any luck. It is cast aluminum and solid as the day it was manufactured, so getting rid of it due to the need of a couple of parts seems ridiculous. Any ideas? Granted, I am not the best internet searcher...

We love gumbo and I make it much more frequently since discovering the oven roux method. Yours looks amazing and has given me a craving.

A little Fruit Fresh or citric acid will help prevent browning.

That looks absolutely amazing!

So anxious to give this a try - supposed to be high 30's for the next few days here, but once it cools down, it's first on my list!

I'm on the west coast of BC, Canada, about 300 feet above sea level. These are the instructions I use. I know you are a well seasoned "preserver." I just can't stress enough that a pressure canner must be used - I just get scared thinking that someone will try to water bath. Not you though - just a disclaimer! I don't use olive oil or peppercorns, just fish and salt. Skin on is fine, it all blends in once canned, but my husband is a master filleter/skinner, but I don't worry about bones. Add the salmon pieces to half-pint jars. If you are using skin-on salmon, make sure to put the skin side towards the outside. Then, top with canning salt, 2 peppercorns per jar, and oil if using. Do not add water, the fish will release its own liquid. Next, wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp towel. Then, top with a lid and seal it finger-tight. Place the liner on the bottom of the pressure cooker, and add a few inches of water. Add the jars to the pressure canner and process for 110 minutes at 10 PSI, or according to your pressure cooker’s instructions. Turn off heat, and allow the pressure indicator to drop down naturally. Open the lid, remove the jars and allow to cool to room temp.

I pressure can it with nothing other than a half teaspoon of salt per 4 oz jar (this is about the same amount as you would get in a purchased can of salmon) - the fish gives off enough liquid/oil. It must be pressure canned - as with all meat or meat containing products. Some leave the skin on, I don't. Bones are fine and turn soft and calcium rich once canned. Friend of mine cans the skin and scraps for dog food. My husband and I have a deal - he catches and cleans, I process. It is leaps and bounds above commercially canned salmon. My late friend had a connection for fresh caught tuna and we would get together and can that as well. Absolutely no comparison to what I grew up knowing as canned tuna.

Well now I am anxious to try stromboli again - little to warm right now but soon. I wish I had "known" you when we were in Costa Rica last year, it would have been fun to connect!

I know many will consider my dissing of salmon as sacrilege, but after years of having abundant sockeye and coho, thanks to a fishing-for-fun husband, I have finally accepted that I don't really like salmon any way other than cold smoked. Now that, I love. I just don't think it is one of the best fish out there and even when barely cooked to a safe temperture, I still find it dry and "fishy." Halibut, ling cod, sablefish - I could eat several times a week. I have made a salmon/corn chowder when corn is fresh and abundant and we like that. Now salmon goes in the smoker, either traditionally smoked or cold smoked. And horror of horrors, I have been known to can both sockeye and coho, as we do enjoy a salmon sandwich now and again and my 94 year old dad thinks that a plate of sliced garden tomatoes topped with a can of sockeye is a meal straight from heaven so I am happy to oblige. I will probably have my coastal BC residency revoked after this post...