After the panicked peach pitting party (don't you love alliterations?!), I've gotten the canning bug again. Thank goodness! The peak of the season is in full swing and will soon be waning.
And I've been a busy little bee. I was doing the buying for my produce co-op and the produce company had a great deal on local pickling cucumbers. So, I got together with 2 other ladies from church and we bought 2 bushels. Yes. 2 BUSHELS. That was really silly. I guess I really had no idea how BIG a bushel was! Haha! So, we had a ton of cucumbers. And cucumbers are delicate little things and must not be bumped about, be chilled (dry) and then canned right away. Something we learned: water + cucumbers = slime.
So I had my first ever canning bee yesterday. The three of us got together and from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm we canned as much as we could, which wasn't much with one electric stove. I came home and canned the rest of my pickles. I've got spears and chips, and today I'm planning on using the rest of my cukes for relish.
Let me tell you something. There is just something about seeing home-canned pickles in a jar that makes me so ticklishly happy. Maybe it's because they're not neon green. Maybe it's because with all the garlic and dill floating in the brine they look so fancy gourmet and upscale. Maybe it's because when you twirl the jar back and forth the spears look like octopus legs and the dill looks like seaweed and the garlic looks like little white fishes...
Don't believe me?!?
Seaweed.
Little white fish garlics swimming around the octopus legs.
Seriously, I am not crazy. Just imaginative!
A beautiful demure green, don't you think?
I added peppercorns to a few. :-) How many neon green jars have those?
None.
Beautiful pickles.
My pickle-loving son sure is happy!
2 comments:
Those pickles are BEAUTIFUL (and I am betting they taste scrumptious)!! And nowhere near neon green :) You are awesome.
Just wanted to let you know that you've inspired me--I am currently making a shopping list for our 72 kit. I have been checking your storm cellar tab and am so so grateful for your inspiration and ideas all in one place. Keep it coming (please)!!
Thanks Holly! I sure do love my pickles! :-)
That makes me so, so happy to know that I've inspired you! I know we still have a ways to go for being totally emergency prepared ourselves, but as long as you're on that path, the peace it brings is amazing! Good luck and if you have any questions or would like to see specific things under my Storm Cellar tab, please let me know!
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