It was hot, steamy, lasted nine hours and yes you DO get sore!!! My friend, Morgan Jarema, held my hand through my rite of passage and all the while we were tipping our aprons to our colonial sisters who HAD to do this without a Wolf Range, fancy kitchen implements, The Ball Blue Book, iTunes…oh yeah and running water. It makes you really grateful for all of that stuff and the washing machine that cleans up all of the super dirty tea towels at the end of the day. Sisters, you rock!
The Stats:
1 Bushel or 53 Lbs of Organic Tomatoes
2 Large White Onions
2 Heads of Celery
9AM-6PM (One hour lunch at Osta’s…aren’t we roughin’ it?)
14 Finished Quarts of Stewed Tomatoes
4 Quarts that didn’t seal properly, must be used immediately
8 Quarts Tomato juice in freezer that can be used as soup stock, rice water, etc…
4 Sore Feet
Uncountable dirty towels
1 Red Squirrel in basement (Has nothing to do with the canning but made the day that much more interesting.)
Picking up organic tomatoes from Trillium Haven Farm.
Farmer Michael is laughing because I just old him that I have to peel ALL of the tomatoes.
He said “A Bushel is not one crate but two!” Yeah…ha ha ha
Their heirlooms are gorgeous!
9 AM
Washing & blanching.
I’m very serious about my peeling, seeding, coring, composting and squeezing of juice all over Morgan and her nice clothes that she placed across the room so they would not get dirty.
Morgan is getting back at me because I ruined her white shirt.
*Note: My white apron stayed white all day. Little did she know, I practiced my juicing technique before she arrived…away from me.
The colors are so vibrant!
Boiling tomatoes, celery and onion, then filling each jar.
Adding only 1 tsp. salt and 2 tsp. vinegar.
Such simple ingredients!
Morgan showing off with her fancy canning dodadery as she places
jars into the boiling, 9 quart water bath canner.
Kitchen had a heavenly glow as each jar is carefully removed from the super-duper special wire ring thingie inside the water bath canner.
6 PM
I needed a cigarette but since I don’t and have never smoked, a cup of green tea would have to suffice.
An homage to our colonial sisters. My canning virginity is gone forever and my rite of passage is complete. Thank you Morgan, and sorry again about your shirt! What’s next?
PS: We caught the squirrel too.
alissa
Oh yum! Your heirlooms from Trillium look so delicious. I buy from them @ the market but have never been out to their farm. I posted about canning a few weeks ago on my blog. It took us all day and our feet were sore too!