Now’s a good time to assemble canning needs
Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, April 5, 2005
I call it The Empty Shelf Syndrome. Something psychologists would label as an “approach-avoidance” conflict. The approach part begins in late spring when the pantry shelves are pathetically bare. You feel something must be done to correct the matter, but this is not a happy thought.
Which is where the avoidance part of the affliction comes in. You see, when they were still on the shelf, those shiny little jars represented hours of toil and sweat of times past. The operative word being “past” – you could put the memories behind you. But when you’re faced with the blackness of a dwindled pantry, you’re staring at the reality of all the toil and sweat to come.
So why don’t these tortured souls break the cycle and simply get out of this exhausting business of putting food by? Well, that’s the most interesting aspect of The Empty Shelf Syndrome. Despite the fact that food preserving is 20 billion times more exhausting than opening a store-bought can of pears, a dedicated food preserver wouldn’t dream of trading in her canning kettle for the commercially canned stuff.
Pretty silly, huh? But maybe food preservers have selective memories so they tend to remember only the good parts of their passion: the lusty pleasure of bringing a lug of tree-ripened peaches in from the field; the kaleidoscopic light-play of afternoon sun dancing among colorful jars cooling on the counter; the customized Christmas presents one can create from such delectable fare; and the contented smiles that can be coaxed from your sleepy children when they bite into morning toast slathered with your peerless red raspberry jam.
Getting ready
There’s plenty to do in preparation of the approaching onslaught of summer produce. Maybe this is your first season as a food preserver, or maybe you’ve decided you’re tired of just getting by and have decided to invest in a complete arsenal of the essentials. At any rate, here’s what an adequately stocked canning kitchen should have:
Canning jars: Made from tempered glass; preferably the wide-mouth or regular Mason-type home-canning jars, threaded, with self-sealing lids. Commercial pint- and quart-size mayonnaise or salad dressing jars may be used with new two-piece lids for canning acid foods in the boiling water bath method. However, you risk the chance of more seal failures and jar breakage because these jars have a narrow sealing surface and are tempered less than the jars specifically designed for home-canning. Mayonnaise-type jars are not recommended for use with foods to be processed in a pressure canner.
Self-sealing lids: They are made by several manufacturers and can be used interchangeably with any of your home-canning jars (i.e., Kerr-manufactured jars can be used with Ball-manufactured lids). The lids consist of a flat metal disk and a metal screw band. The disks are coated on the underside with a rubber sealing compound and cannot be reused. The metal screw bands, on the other hand, are reusable as long as they are not bent or rusted.
Boiling water canner: Made of aluminum or porcelain-covered steel. They have removable perforated racks and fitted lids. The canner must be deep enough so that at least 1 inch of briskly boiling water will cover the tops of jars during processing – without spilling out onto the stove. If you have an electric range, be sure and use a boiling-water canner with a flat bottom (some canners do not have flat bottoms).
Pressure canner: If you plan to can low-acid foods this season, you’ll need one. Models made before the 1970s were heavy-walled kettles with clamp-on or screw-on lids. They were fitted with a dial gauge, a vent port in the form of a petcock or counterweight and a safety fuse. Modern pressure canners are lightweight, thin-walled kettles; most have screw-on lids. Also, they have a jar rack, gasket, dial or weighted gauge, an automatic vent-cock lock, a steam vent that’s closed with a counterweight or weighted gauge, and a safety fuse.
Wide-mouthed canning funnel: Helps prevent spills and keeps jar rims clean. They are specially designed to fit inside the mouth of regular and wide-mouthed canning jars.
Jar tongs or lifters: Fit snugly around the necks of jars so you can lift them in and out of boiling water baths easily and safely.
Additional canning aids: Some of the items are already in your kitchen. However, in order to streamline the canning process, I’ve purchased separate ones so they can all be stored together with my canning supplies. They include: long-handled spoons, measuring cups and spoons, 1-minute interval timer, pot holders, rubber spatula, colander, sieve, ladles, vegetable peeler, thermometer, and melon baller or pear corer.
The following recipes are designed to use up the stray samplings of this and remaining on your pantry shelves.
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This decadent and oh-so-traditional British contribution to the world of desserts is a marvelous way to use last season’s jams and fruits. There are countless trifle variations. This is the way my family has always made it.
English Trifle
6egg yolks (or 3 whole eggs)
1/3cup sugar
1 1/2teaspoons vanilla
1/2teaspoon salt (scant)
21/4cups milk
28-inch sponge cake rounds
1 1/2cups raspberry, (or other flavor) jam
1/2cup dry sherry (approximately, see note below)
2cups fresh or canned crushed pineapple (or apricots, peaches, or frozen berries, thawed)
1cup heavy cream, whipped with sugar to taste
In top of a double boiler, combine eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt; blend well. Add milk and cook over simmering (not boiling) water, stirring constantly, until custard is thick enough to coat the spoon (about 8 minutes); remove from heat. If custard should start to curdle during the cooking process, remove from heat and beat vigorously.
With a serrated knife, slice the sponge cake rounds in half, horizontally. Spread the bottom half of each round with 3/4 cup of the jam, then replace the top halves. Cut each jam-and-cake round into 1-inch cubes.
Place half the cubes of cake in the bottom of a large, attractive glass bowl (preferably a clear one, so you can see the beautiful layers of cake, custard and fruit). Drizzle with about 1/4 cup of the sherry, then a layering of pineapple or other fruit. Spoon half the warm custard on top, smoothing it out so that it seeps down through the fruit and into the cake. Repeat all layers again, beginning with the cake and ending with the custard. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. When ready to serve, add a layer of whipped cream, swirling it attractively. Garnish with fresh strawberries or cherries. Makes eight servings.
Note on sherry: Sherry or brandy really is what helps make this dessert as delicious as it is. At our gatherings, the little folk, or those not crazy about a heavy dose of alcohol, are served more from the top layers, since it’s a well-known fact that most of the alcohol seeps through to the bottom layer. If you are going to use apricots, then consider substituting part of the sherry with almond-flavored liqueur. For a completely alcohol-free trifle, consider pineapple juice.
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The following recipe incorporates last season’s applesauce with this season’s rhubarb.
Rhubarb and applesauce cake
1 1/2cups brown sugar
1/2cup butter or margarine, softened
1egg
1cup buttermilk
1teaspoon vanilla
2cups all purpose flour
1teaspoon baking soda
1/2teaspoon salt
1teaspoon vanilla
1cup applesauce
1 1/2cups chopped rhubarb
In large bowl, with electric mixer, combine sugar, butter, egg, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; blend into buttermilk mixture. Fold in apple sauce and rhubarb and pour batter into greased 9-inch-square baking pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 1 hour, or until done in center when tested with cake tester. Serve warm or cool, with whipped cream or ice cream.
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If you have canned pears left in your pantry, here’s a delicious breakfast muffin idea.
Country pear muffins
31/2cups flour
2/3cup sugar
4teaspoons baking powder
1teaspoon baking soda
1teaspoon ground cinnamon
1teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2teaspoon salt
1teaspoon grated lemon peel
2eggs
1 1/2cups buttermilk
1/2cup vegetable oil
2 cups finely chopped pear
Sesame seed topping (recipe follows)
In large bowl blend together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and lemon peel. In smaller bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, and oil. Stir the egg mixture into the dry ingredients, blending just until moistened. Fold in pears.
Spoon batter into greased muffin tins and sprinkle with sesame seed topping. Bake in 400 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 24 muffins.
Sesame seed topping: Mix together 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg.
“Oregon Sampler: Resorts &Recipes” by Assistance League of Corvallis.
Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis, Ore., food writer, cookbook author and artist. Readers can contact her by e-mail, at janrd@proaxis.com.
