[ok,this picture does not do all of this golden fruit justice]
[too bad you don't have smell-a-vision]
A few years ago we canned some vegetables and we were converted to the idea that it was cheaper and easier and created less stress on our old bodies to go to the local market and buy the stuff already bottled and in cans. Last year however, we tried one last ditch effort - but stuck with peaches and peach jam -- only. It was a hit. The peaches were delightful and the jam well we couldn't get enough of. And it was a hit with our neighbors and coworkers who were recipients at Christmas (at least that's what they told us).
[We found a recipe for peach & raspberry jam... which we've already cracked open... one less to go into storage our to the neighbors, oh well]
So we took the time honored strategy if 3 dozen jars of jam is good, well then 8 dozen (1 1/2 bushels of peaches, which doesn't sound like a lot until it's all loaded into your car) would be totally fantastic.
That was however with little regard to how much standing, peeling, cutting, and cooking would be required... And of course, being on some euphoric high from last time, we decided that we could venture out and try some new bottling. And since we make a lot of pasta and use a mix of bottled and fresh tomatoes, we decided to bottle ours.
[our little garden runneth over ... especially the grape vine going over the trellis and the tomato plants almost 5 feet high - those stakes are 7 ft with a foot buried, and the squash plant -- single squash plant (in the second photo) sneaking out of it's 6x3 ft bed over to the herb bed, as it didn't have enough room]
So we're up to 26 quarts of tomatoes (with 4 more to go) and still a garden producing probably another month's worth, to mention the bottling of peaches and 8 bags peach filing in freezer for pies later this fall / winter.
[yeah, it doesn't look too good now, but when we're eating a peach tart in November or a peach pie in Dec or peach shakes in Jan... well you get the idea ... then you'll want to be our friends]
And then what would be crazy without more experimenting so we proceeded with pickled okra (that would be for Cole and Shawn) and regular pickles -- but somehow we settled down enough to just make about 6 bottles of each. But of course now my dad mentioned he has my grandmother's mustard pickles (which I recall as very delicious) so as soon as he finds them, we'll be switching back off peaches temporarily to make up the yellow concoction.
[here's the other scary thing ... pears and apples waiting for us in the yard]
So we're looking forward to putting our feet up, scrubbing out the peach and raspberry jam spatters off the stove top, and getting our skin back to a more routine color (and less red, tomato red, to be exact) much later this month.
And Cole, well he just sits back and thinks we're all nuts!
Happy Canning and think of us fondly as you're playing with your family!
