What to do with too much produce? Share with neighbors or a food bank, but the benefit of having a garden isn't just growing fresh food to eat in summer; we grow a garden to preserve for the winter, too.
Freezing berries does not require much prep. They can be laid out on a tray, then put in the freezer. Once they are frozen, you can make desserts or use them for jam. Recently, I discovered I had a gallon bag of strawberries from last summer and made some jam.
Herbs are easy to freeze; cilantro, parsley, and dill can be put in a container. While you are cooking, take a pinch and add it to your cooking.
Another way I like to preserve basil is to make pesto with basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and garlic processed to a paste. Then I freeze it in ice cube trays. Once solid, I store it in a freezer bag. Take a cube out when cooking and add it to a simmering sauce or soup.
Why would anyone want to go through the trouble you asked? There are several reasons reducing waste saves money and is a healthy alternative. As I mentioned in my last blog, it also carries on family traditions.
The biggest motivation for me is personal satisfaction. Also, it is the comfort of knowing that if there is bad weather, I have something on the shelf or in the freezer I can fall back on.
I have tomatoes for soups and stews, tomato sauce for spaghetti, and plenty of spiralized zucchini in the freezer to use instead of pasta.
I bought small pickling cucumbers this year, since ours didn't grow well. I enjoy finding produce at a local farmer’s market, especially for vegetables we didn't grow. By the way, the sweet corn has been amazing this year. I blanched the corn, put it in an ice bath, and cut it off the cob to freeze. I also have a wonderful recipe passed down from a friend who was a dairy farmer. Cut the corn off the cob, put it in a roasting pan, roast it with milk, butter, and salt, stirring every 15 minutes. Once it is done and cooled, freeze it in ziploc bags.
Canning and freezing summer produce means enjoying home-grown food in winter and planning meals when I'm busy creating. No, I have not worked much in my studio this summer. But once cooler weather settles in and I am working on art projects, I will have meal ideas in my pantry to take off the shelf.
One of my favorite canning cookbooks is entitled Summer In a Jar (making pickles, jams, and more), published in 1985, by Andrea Chesman. Andrea’s book is geared toward preserving in small amounts at a time. It is amazing how doing this fills up our pantry shelves.
Also, Andrea’s cookbook has taught me to make jam with apples, which are a natural source of pectin, reducing the need for excessive sugar.
There is nothing more satisfying than hearing the pop of the lids as they seal for preservation. Yes, it is worth the effort, and it helps to preserve a little bit of “summer in a jar”.
Do you have a favorite recipe for canning that you enjoy making? Please leave your comments below.
