What Are You Preserving, and How Are You Doing It? (2016–)

[Anna N]

I was given some rhubarb a few days ago. I was really, really tempted to follow  @David Ross' example and make a rhubarb crumble/crisp.  But when I am given an ingredient I often want to enjoy it by trying something new.  This will supposedly reach the peak of perfection in about a month's time.  It is quite interesting but I think I should've cooked it a little longer as it seems a bit too loose to me.   I can do that at any point of course so I think I will just watch and wait for now.

 

[JohnT]

@HungryChris, your pickled/marinated mushroom - are they refrigerator storage or are they shelf stable? I am presuming that your latest batch is the same recipe as posted a couple pages back. I have noticed our mushrooms have dropped in price lately and have been thinking of pickling some. My problem is that they need to be shelf stable as my refrigerator space is severely limited.

[ninagluck]

If I can get hold of some, I collect the young ends of firs or spruce in may to produce something. today, just simple fir salt which has to dry out now

[cakewalk]

1 hour ago, ninagluck said:

If I can get hold of some, I collect the young ends of firs or spruce in may to produce something. today, just simple fir salt which has to dry out now

That is something totally new to me. How do you make it? What do you do with it? (It's a lovely color!)

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, ninagluck said:

get hold of some, I collect the young ends of firs or spruce in may to produce something. today, just simple fir salt which has to dry out now

 Can you show us just what it is you are collecting before you do anything with it, please? 

[ninagluck]

oh, @Anna N, it's too late, but I use this bright green ends with no wooden stems. I use the salt for flavouring game. I also cooked some syrup, which complements any game dish like here

[ninagluck]

ratio is abt 250 g salt and between 80-100 g young needles

[Anna N]

Thank you.  I am sure I will never remember to look for them at the right time of the year.  I know I have seen pine syrup for sale here in fact I think I was with @Kerry Beal and she may have purchased it.  It might be up at the townhouse in Manitoulin where I will find it at the end of June. If I remember. 

[ninagluck]

@Anna N, I will remind you! ;-)

[Anna N]

5 minutes ago, ninagluck said:

@Anna N, I will remind you! ;-)

Like so?

Click

[ninagluck]

well, I don't think that my salt or sugar or syrup has any medical effect ;-)

[Anna N]

13 minutes ago, ninagluck said:

well, I don't think that my salt or sugar or syrup has any medical effect ;-)

No. No. I just meant did the photograph of the pine needles resemble what you collect?  

[FauxPas]

I keep meaning to do something with spruce tips! I've seen some suggestions for preserving them:

 

Quote

You can dry spruce tips, freeze them in re-sealable baggies (in my house we vacuum-pack them in 2-cup (475 mL) portions); you can pickle them, candy them, turn them into oils, vinegars, jellies and syrups, and use them as a herb in everything from focaccia to pan-cooked grouse.

 

Also, Susan Musgrave in her book Taste of Haida Gwaii, uses spruce tips for salads, a pasta dish, with roasted potatoes. Can't remember what else and I don't have my copy of the book here with me. I think @Kerry Beal was going to check that book out. 

 

I thought they might be nice in a vodka martini, giving the drink a bit of an herbal flavour. A gin martini already has enough botanicals, but maybe would work there also. 

 

[HungryChris]

On ‎5‎/‎5‎/‎2017 at 0:47 PM, JohnT said:

@HungryChris, your pickled/marinated mushroom - are they refrigerator storage or are they shelf stable? I am presuming that your latest batch is the same recipe as posted a couple pages back. I have noticed our mushrooms have dropped in price lately and have been thinking of pickling some. My problem is that they need to be shelf stable as my refrigerator space is severely limited.

@JohnT, Sorry I missed this for a while. They are refrigerator storage. Every so often, Aldi has mushrooms on sale for 79 cents for a half a pound pkg and I make 2 quarts at a clip. I like them on their own and as a side or in a salad. They keep very well in the fridge.

HC

[ninagluck]

this is how they look @Anna N

[Anna N]

3 minutes ago, ninagluck said:

this is how they look @Anna N

Wow. Thank you. Not at all what I imagined. 

[kayb]

I was craving mangoes the other day, so I bought a box of about a dozen or so at Sam's. Good, sweet mangoes. Then I had to do something with all of them after I satisfied the mango craving with them in yogurt for two breakfasts in a row.

 

I made mango kulfi -- semi-successful, but the recipe called for almond milk, and I think regular would've been better -- and three half-pints plus a little dab of mango chutney. My first try at mango chutney. Anxious to sample it. It's pretty, though.

[kayb]

Well, I have made a dent in the produce I was planning to "put up." Two gallons of blackberries are now 12 pints of blackberry jam. And I have a supply of pickled asparagus for a while, along with some marinated/pickled mushroom, recipe/method also courtesy of @HungryChris.

 

If I wanted to make it an all-Chris day, I guess I could fry some zucchini for dinner, but I'm jonesing for some yellow squash and onions to go with the green beans and new potatoes that have been simmering for a couple of hours. (I'm from the South. We cook our green beans to death. YMMV.) I may throw together some stewed tomatoes from Deep Run Roots, or not; I'm hoping for enough energy to at least use up the leftover mashed potatoes and make mashed potato pancakes.

 

 

Love these tall, skinny Weck canning jars with the glass lids and rubber rings. Anyone have any experience in water-bath or pressure canning with them? I'd be tempted to order some more for pickles, just because they're so pretty.

 

[Shelby]

44 minutes ago, kayb said:

Well, I have made a dent in the produce I was planning to "put up." Two gallons of blackberries are now 12 pints of blackberry jam. And I have a supply of pickled asparagus for a while, along with some marinated/pickled mushroom, recipe/method also courtesy of @HungryChris.

 

If I wanted to make it an all-Chris day, I guess I could fry some zucchini for dinner, but I'm jonesing for some yellow squash and onions to go with the green beans and new potatoes that have been simmering for a couple of hours. (I'm from the South. We cook our green beans to death. YMMV.) I may throw together some stewed tomatoes from Deep Run Roots, or not; I'm hoping for enough energy to at least use up the leftover mashed potatoes and make mashed potato pancakes.

 

 

Love these tall, skinny Weck canning jars with the glass lids and rubber rings. Anyone have any experience in water-bath or pressure canning with them? I'd be tempted to order some more for pickles, just because they're so pretty.

 

Kay!!!  NICE job!!!  

 

Beautiful jam and the asparagus....and the mushrooms.  Everything looks like it's out of a food magazine.  

 

I don't have any experience with those Weck jars, but I, too, would love to hear from someone that does.

 

And, amen sister.  Green beans are cooked the same way in my house. Period.

[curls]

I have used the Weck jars for water bath canning. They work fine and they make such pretty jars.

[kayb]

1 hour ago, curls said:

I have used the Weck jars for water bath canning. They work fine and they make such pretty jars.

 

How can you tell when they're sealed? Thinking seriously about ordering some.

 

[kayb]

The vegetables, although good, did not hit the spot tonight.

 

 

This, however, did. Both Child A and I agreed I did good on the jam. 

 

[curls]

17 hours ago, kayb said:

 

How can you tell when they're sealed? Thinking seriously about ordering some.

 

It is easy to tell if they are sealed. The "tab" on the rubber gasket will be pointing down & after the jars cool and you remove the metal clamps, the glass lid will be sealed to the rubber gasket. Enjoy your new Weck jars.  ;-)

[Anna N]

49 minutes ago, curls said:

It is easy to tell if they are sealed. The "tab" on the rubber gasket will be pointing down & after the jars cool and you remove the metal clamps, the glass lid will be sealed to the rubber gasket. Enjoy your new Weck jars.  ;-)

Wow!  Who knew? That's why I keep coming back to this forum every day. I have some Weck jars but I've only ever used them for storage. Thanks. 

[HungryChris]

Bloody Caesar garnished with pickled asparagus and pickled green tomato.

HC