ARTICLE
Preserving the Harvest
P
reserving the delicious colours and flavours of summer usually means getting busy in the kitchen.
For some, preserving food is simply a matter of getting it ready for the freezer. Whether it’s freezing fruits, veggies, or preparing a nice hearty soup; it’s there for you when you need a boost of summer goodness.
fall fairs since 1994 and she can’t remember how many times she’s won. Twenty-five or thirty she believes, the latest being for her tomato soup. [Recipe on page 7.] Once you get canning, there’s no end to what you can preserve. Fruits, jams and jelly, pickles, pickled asparagus, beans, and onions, the ever popular relishes and salsas and even fish. The list is as endless as your imagination.
Others prefer to dehydrate their food. Fruits like raspberry, strawberry and blackberry take some time to dehydrate; however, the burst of flavour you get when you add them to your morning cereal is well worth the time. Other fruits like apples can be thinly sliced and made into apple chips. Dehydrated veggies make great soups. Then there is the fine art of canning. Martha Jenkins of Peachland has been preserving food since she learned the craft from her mother over 50 years ago. “I have jars from over 50 years ago too,” she proclaims. Although she swears they are for decoration, not for use. The techniques for canning are pretty much the same today as they were half a century ago, with the exception of better lids. For those just starting out she recommends a basic canner, jars and lids. She also cautions to start out small and only try two or three things the first year. “The trick, “she explains from her cozy kitchen, “is to have clean jars and make sure you boil them for a minimum of 15 minutes. People are too rushed today and they take them out too soon. Then the jars don’t seal. Also only use good firm, fresh produce without blemishes.” When asked about sugar, Martha hesitates. “I will sometimes add sugar but not always as the recipes always ask for way more than you need,” she says. “I have a diabetic daughter, so for her I just add boiling water to cover the fruit and seal it right away. It tastes great.” When Martha gets into canning mode she gives herself an entire day. “You have to be prepared for the whole process,” she says. “You can’t stop and have a coffee. Once you start you keep at it.” Martha knows of what she speaks and she usually has two canners going at a time. She’s been entering her preserves into
PHOTO BY: Darcy Nybo
FALL/WINTER 2010 • Field to PLATE magazine
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