Preserving

My grandmother preserved the bounty of her garden. When she passed away in 1999, the obituary mentioned her famous pickled cucumbers. My father gave me that recipe and when I make pickles I think of her.

I have been pickling and canning fruits and vegetables from the garden for many years. In late July and through the fall you are sure to find me in a steam fill kitchen sterilizing jars and packing them with marinara, salsa, jams, jellies or pickles. Last year, I tried something new. Instead of of canning all my tomatoes, I froze some of them. So much less work and that same fresh taste when you want to make a marina on a cold January day.

The way I figure, I can spend more time outside working on tending plants and less time in a hot kitchen in the middle of the summer. Some might argue that you can't get the same taste, but I used to think the same thing. Then, I tried a frozen tomato that I took fresh from my garden and was amazed. Further, the onions and carrots you use to make your marinara store well, you just need to get some celery. The last ingredient is basil, which we use in the form of a spoonful of pesto which freezes well, too. Give freezing a try and I think you not only will save time and enjoy more of the summer, but have great tasting fruits and veggies when those cold winters blow into New England.