Monday, May 10, 2010

Food: It's almost the season...

... for canning.  Heck, if you're like me and living in an area with an early-starting growth season, you may already have some green fruit or veggies ripening on the vine.  One of my neighbors starts plants indoors in January and he already has golf ball sized tomatoes.

This year I vowed to start my canning and preserving early... last year I got caught at the tail end of summer, scrounging for jars and lids on the internet because they had stopped selling them locally.  Try to guess how much shipping is on a flat of quart jars.  Shipping companies are cracking down on large, empty containers being shipped, so by the time you get them here the shipping costs more than the jars themselves.

Last year I did apple butter, carrots, and grape jelly.  The apple butter is completely gone.  I have one jar of carrots left and the grape jelly didn't set properly.... I underused the pectin.  This year I hope to do more.  But first, I have to shop for the jars and lids, and I'm determined to have enough for the entire season.

1 comment:

  1. Oddly enough, I was just complaining that our green market at Union Square has nothing but flowers and bread. No veggies yet. Hopefully soon!

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