My neighbors keep giving me tomatoes. I really should learn to can. I have a few weeks left. I hereby commit to learning. Check back in a few weeks and I’ll tell you how it went.

But in the meantime, here’s Harriet’s recipe. See Harriet's full article on tomato canning here. –Deborah Kane

INSTRUCTIONS: GETTING THE TOMATOES IN THE JAR
From Harriet Fasenfest

AMOUNT What size of jar best matches your cooking style? Use pint jars if you cook for a small number of people. For larger quantities, use quart jars. Regardless, you need 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pounds of tomatoes for each quart you can. A bushel of tomatoes, should you rise to the occasion, weighs 53 to 55 pounds and supplies you with approximately 40 pints.

COOKING Choose ripe, firm tomatoes. Wash and submerge them in a pot of boiling water for 10 to 20 seconds to soften the skin. Drain and place in an ice water bath to cool. Peel, remove cores and seeds, and quarter. Cut in smaller pieces if desired.

Cover the bottom of a large saucepan or stockpot with about 1 inch of diced tomatoes. Simmer while using a potato masher to bring out their juices. Cook approximately 5 minutes to render all the juice before adding the rest of the tomatoes. The mixture should contain enough liquid to cover the tomatoes when placed in the jar, but still have enough structure to lend texture to sauces and stews.

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Posted by Laura Ford at 1:53 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

TOMATOES IN THE JAR
Written by Harriet Fasenfest
For Fall 2007

IF I COULD ACCOMPLISH one great thing in the world of food preservation, it would be to inspire the wide-scale practice of in-home tomato canning. I know this dream represents a selective calling but, simply stated, tomatoes and home canning are made for each other–both for the reasons I regularly offer on the merits of food preservation, and in consideration and respect of the tomato’s versatility and near-daunting abundance.

Even though local tomatoes make their first appearance at market in early July, it is only a nod to things to come. By August, tomatoes reach their destiny as the bountiful red lovelies of summer burst forth in full vigor and number. A week or two more, and tomatoes become second only to zucchini in the frenzy they produce.

Who has not faced the pleas of an overly ambitious backyard gardener who, in the deepest darkness of winter, misjudged the merits of 30 tomato plants? Who has not returned from the farm stand with more tomatoes than all the world’s bacon and lettuce could justify? Indeed, we have all peered at the priced-to-sell bushel of peak-season tomatoes and thought, if only for a second, “I should can those.”

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Posted by Laura Ford at 7:21 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

Written by Harriet Fasenfest
For Summer 2007

WALKING THROUGH THE BACKYARD IN SPRING fills me with giddy anticipation. Flowering strawberries stand tall and promise full glory in June. Every year I harvest the crop and every year it produces ever more strawberries. What started out as a sensible patch has grown into something a little less so, but then a certain degree of overzealousness is to blame.

In the early years of my marriage, I would do anything to please my stepson and strawberries seemed the way—they are his favorite fruit. Imagining an appreciative, curly-haired boy walking barefoot through patches of glistening strawberries, I planted large patches of three different varieties: Shuksans, Bentons, and Tristars. Though I still love my patches, I would advise any erstwhile backyard farmer of the following:

• A few strawberry plants go a long way; be patient lest you like to divide and conquer.
• Kids grow up. That curly-haired child is now a teenager with limited interest in the garden (evidently, weeding seems to diminish the joy for some.)
• Freezing excess berries for winter jam making is not only a solution, but a darn good one.

I recently made jam using frozen berries and it tasted just as wonderful as making it with fresh berries. And, as an added plus, it filled the kitchen with warmth and lovely fragrances. It’s a great help should you be short of time, but follow the guide for proper freezing methods. And whether using frozen or fresh berries, there are some jam making tips you should know to understand the science of jam and jelly making.

Continue reading " Edible Preservation - Strawberries Eternal " »

Posted by Laura Ford at 2:50 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

OLD-FASHIONED STRAWBERRY JAM
From Harriet Fasenfest, Preserve
Makes 3-4 half pints

We at Preserve do not necessarily recommend making jam this way unless you grew up with it and have come to like the “cooked down” caramelized flavor. The sugar content is a little higher, and it is the long cooking time that gels this mixture.

4 cups crushed strawberries
4 cups sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice

Put strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Bring slowly to a boil and allow the sugar to dissolve. Cook rapidly to the gelling point (this could take a while). As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking.

Remove from heat and ladle hot jam into jars leaving 1/4-inch head space. Cover with lids and rings and process for 10 minutes in a boiling water canner. If you are going to keep it in the fridge or freezer just let cool overnight before storing.

Posted by Laura Ford at 8:52 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

From Marjorie Braker, Preserve
Makes 1 1/2 cups

This quickly prepared jam calls for smaller amounts of fruit and sugar. Cooking it in a wide pan speeds up the gelling process, so no pectin is needed. The jam has a soft set, a bright color and a full fruit flavor. It is just right for spooning onto toast or muffins, but may not be stiff enough for a peanut butter sandwich.

1 lb fresh strawberries, cleaned and sliced thinly
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Note: Measuring fruit without a scale requires some guessing. A pint or small box of berries usually weighs about 3/4 pound and contains about 2 heaping cups of berries.

Chill a small bowl in the freezer or place the bowl in ice water to chill it.

In a 10 or 12-inch wide skillet, bring fruit, sugar, and lemon juice to boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly and skimming foam as necessary. Cook about 8-10 minutes, until mixture begins to look syrupy and thickens slightly.

Remove pan from heat.

Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of the hot fruit into the cold bowl and let it rest for 30 seconds. Tip bowl to one side; jam should be a soft gel that moves slightly. If mixture is thin and runs down side of bowl, the gel is too soft. Return skillet to heat and cook jam 1-2 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and repeat test.

Cool jam to room temperature before serving. Because a minimum of sugar is used, the jam needs to be refrigerated to prevent mold from forming. Refrigerate 2-3 weeks.

For longer storage, freeze or process hot jam in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes.

Posted by Laura Ford at 8:50 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

STRAWBERRY JAM WITH FROZEN BERRIES AND HOMEMADE PECTIN
From Harriet Fasenfest, Preserve

Makes 4 pints

Use berries that have been dry packed (frozen without syrup or sugar) and pre-measured. Try other varieties of berries as well, either alone or in combination.

3 cups frozen strawberries
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup water or fruit juice (optional)

In a large saucepan, bring ingredients to a slow simmer over very low heat to render juice from the berries (approx. 15 minutes). If you need moisture, add no more than 1/4 cup of liquid to start. Cover and cook slowly until thawed. Use a potato masher to break up the pieces once they are soft.

Remove lid and add 1/2 cup strong homemade apple pectin. (See recipe here.)

Bring ingredients to a boil and cook for approximately 20 minutes. You can skim off the foam while boiling, but it is not necessary. Stir mixture occasionally to prevent scorching on the bottom.

There are 3 techniques for testing the gel: a jelly thermometer, the spoon method, or the chilled plate method (See portlandpreserve.com.) This will become easier with time. If the jam does not gel, use it as syrup or boil again for continued cooking.

Ladle hot jam into jars leaving a quarter-inch head space. Cover with lids and rings, and process for 10 minutes in a boiling water canner or store (once cooled) in the fridge or freezer.

Posted by Laura Ford at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

STRAWBERRY-CURRANT JAM
From Harriet Fasenfest, Preserve

Makes 4 half pints

2 cups currants
1 cup water
1 qt strawberries (about 4 cups crushed)
3 cups sugar

Combine currants and water in a pot to make currant pulp. Cook 10 minutes to soften. Press mixture through a food mill or a sieve to remove the seeds.

Put strawberries, sugar, and currant pulp in a large saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Raise temperature and bring to a boil. Cook until thick, approximately 10 minutes. Stir occasionally midway through cooking to prevent scorching. Test for gel using one of the techniques listed on Preserve’s website: portlandpreserve.com.

Pour hot jam into clean jars leaving a quarter-inch head space. Cover with lids and rings and process for 10 minutes in a boiling water canner. If you are going to keep it in the fridge or freezer just let cool overnight before storing.

Posted by Laura Ford at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

Written by Harriet Fasenfest
For Spring 2007

THERE IS A PARABLE I like to tell related to the form versus function debate. That debate, not unlike the chicken or egg controversy, questions what comes first and how we often take on forms or behaviors that no longer serve a purpose. Not surprisingly, the parable finds its best audiences with architects and first-year philosophy majors. But as a Universalist-cum-food preserver, I offer it now as a lovely, if not tangential, segue to today’s discussion on pectin. It goes like this:

A little girl was watching her mother bake a ham and noticed that she cut off the end of the ham before putting it in the oven. The girl asked why. Her mother said, “Because my mother did it that way.” So the little girl went to her grandmother, and asked her why she cut off the end of the ham before putting it in the oven. And her grandmother said, “Because my mother did it that way.” Being blessed with a healthy and thriving matriarchal line, the little girl went to her great grandmother, and asked her why she cut off the end of the ham before putting it in the oven. And she said, “Oh, I don’t do that anymore. I only used to because my pan was too small.”

I love that story. It is a perfect example of our tendency to take on form and traditions even as they outlive functionality. In most cases the folly is benign and, like the ham, represents no more than a wasted stroke. Other times, like the proverbial unexamined life, the consequences are more severe. But then there is the middle ground, and in the case of pectin, the reliance on form versus function stands in for nothing more than a missed opportunity for creativity, serendipity, and jam making outside the box.

Continue reading " Edible Preservation - Pectin: A Study of Form and Function " »

Posted by Deborah Kane at 3:27 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

From Janie Hibler

Makes 3 half pints

Cardamom is an ancient spice with an exotic flavor that binds the fruitiness of the strawberries and the tangy sweet and sour taste of the rhubarb in this jam recipe.

3 cups fresh strawberries, rinsed and drained, or 3 cups frozen strawberries, thawed with juice
8 oz (2 cups chopped, not peeled) rhubarb
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp unsalted butter

Have washed and hot 3 half pint jars. Prepare lids according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Combine the fruit, sugar and cardamom in a heavy, non-reactive skillet. Use a potato masher to thoroughly crush the fruit. Let set at room temperature for 1–2 hours, stirring occasionally to help the sugar dissolve.

Add the butter and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often to prevent burning. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30–40 minutes, until the jam thickens. (Test by dropping a teaspoon of jam onto a cold plate. Put into the freezer for a few minutes. If it’s thick, it’s done.)

Ladle the jam through a wide-mouth funnel into jars. Attach the lids and process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes.

Posted by Deborah Kane at 10:57 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

HOMEMADE PECTIN STOCK
From Harriet Fasenfest, Co-owner, Preserve

1. Put 3-4 pounds chopped apples in a non-reactive pan. Add enough water to barely cover apples and bring to a boil. Lower temperature immediately and let simmer until soft, approximately 20-30 minutes.

2. Pour apples and liquid through a fine sieve into a second pot. Without stirring, let this liquid drain overnight.

3. Bring liquid to a boil and cook until it has reduced to half its original volume.

4. Test pectin content (see instructions below) and continue to cook if necessary.

5. Once liquid pectin reaches the desired strength, store it in the fridge or freezer.

Testing the Pectin Level
I admit to loving this part. To determine the amount of pectin in your liquid, put 1 teaspoon of the liquid on a plate and add 2 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol to the mix. Swirl the mixture around until clots start to form. It will amaze you, but it will happen: You will know the strength of the pectin by the size of the clots.

You want a fairly large viscous clot to indicate strong pectin. Weak pectin will show up as several small, scattered clumps. If that is the case, bring the liquid back to a boil and reduce further. And toss out the test batch-you don't want to return that to the pot. Once the pectin reaches the desired strength, refrigerate, freeze, or can it until you make jam. It will keep in the fridge for up to one week.

Using Homemade Pectin
As a general guide, 2/3 cup of liquid pectin is enough to set 4 cups of low-pectin prepared fruit or fruit juice. Here again, you have room for whimsy. If you use strawberries (low in pectin) alone, use the full amount of liquid pectin. If you throw in a few currants (high in pectin) with the strawberries, use less liquid pectin. If you use half currants and half strawberries, you might not need any liquid pectin at all.

In the end, willingness to learn by trial and error and to love whatever the outcome is what will win the day.

Posted by Deborah Kane at 11:55 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )