Caramelized onion and garlic jam

Arg! I had almost completed this post and accidentally discarded it. I am extremely used to Google Docs saving my every word, so it feels a little hard to swallow that that just happened. Oh well. You know what’s not hard to swallow? This jam. It’s savoury and oniony, and will be just dreamy with a grilled cheese or, really, any kind of sandwich. (If you’re looking for something not quite so onion-forward but equally delicious, this onion-apple jam is also a winner.)

You’ll need:

• 4 heads garlic, whole

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

• 5 cups onions, finely diced

• 3 T butter

• 3/4 c cider vinegar

• 1/2 c lemon juice

• 1/4 c balsamic vinegar

• 1.5 tsp ground mustard

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

• 3 cups sugar [if you are using regular pectin, you could go up to 6 cups sugar, to taste]

• 1 pkg low/no sugar pectin (I used Bernardin brand)

Instructions for cooking and canning:

Just starting to brown, after 45 minutes or so.

So good.

1. Remove papery outer skin from garlic bulbs, but do not peel or separate cloves. Cut the tops off of the bulbs and brush with vegetable oil. Wrap the bulbs in foil and bake at 425 degrees for 35 minutes. Cool 15 minutes. [I forgot to wrap the garlic in foil and that was a mistake, resulting in some dried out and non-usable garlic. So don’t do that!]

2. In a Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot, gently gently gently sauté onions in butter for anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half, until lightly browned.

3. Squeeze softened garlic from its “husk” into the pot and stir in both vinegars, lemon juice, mustard, salt, pepper, ginger, and cloves.

4. Bring to a rolling boil and gradually add sugar, stirring constantly, boiling for three minutes.

5. Add pectin and boil for one minute more, stirring constantly.

6. Remove pot from heat and let stand for three minutes. [I also forgot this step, and it didn’t seem to matter. I know with berry jams this step is to help prevent separation, but I don’t think there’s enough liquid for the onions to really “float” anyway.]

7. Normally I would say skim off foam at this stage, but I didn’t get any foam to speak of.

8. Ladle hot mixture into clean jars, leaving 1 cm of head space. Bubble with a chopstick and wipe down the rims with a paper towel dipped in vinegar.

9. Place caps on, and screw rings fingertip tight. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Don’t start your timer until the water is boiling.

Elderberry syrup and dried elderberries

This summer my bestie pointed out that not only did we have an elderberry bush, but it was absolutely LOADED with berries. Who knew? Apparently elderberries are full of good-for-you things like vitamin C and antioxidants. Coolio. Since I have apparently entered my forager/gatherer era, I immediately decided to keep an eye on them and figure out when to do with them when ripe.

I had heard of elderberry jelly so that seemed like the place to start. Well, turns out that recent research shows that elderberries are low acid, so jellies and jams require an absolute crap-ton of sugar to be safe for preserving. See Elderberries: beautiful to look at, not for canning for more information. Teeth-rottingly sweet jelly is not my, uh, jam. So I looked at other options for preserving.

I decided to make a lightly sweet syrupy juice with some of them, which I froze in ice cube trays then saved in freezer bags for soothing coughs and colds in the winter. The rest of them I dehydrated for tea. I dehydrated strawberry tops this summer and mint leaves as well, so I’m building an interesting pantry of tea options.

Caramel apple coffee jam

I know, sounds strangely intriguing, right?? I saw the recipe from Ball (I would link it, but it seems to be no longer online) and had to try it out. It’s a very nice and easy-to-make breakfast jam. I used Pomona’s Universal Pectin, so my recipe below is adapted for that with the calcium water and so on.

You’ll need: 

• 6 cups peeled, diced apples

• 2 cups extra strong brewed coffee

• 2 tsp prepared calcium water

• 2 tsp pectin

• ½ teaspoon ground allspice

• 3 cups brown sugar

• 1 tsp salt

Directions for cooking and canning:

1. Bring apples and coffee to a boil in a large stainless pot, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until apples are soft.  Puree apples with an immersion blender or in a food processor. Return to heat.

2. Combine brown sugar and pectin in a bowl.  

3. Stir allspice and calcium water into the pureed apples. Over high heat, bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. 

4. Add pectin-and-sugar combo, stirring to dissolve. 

5. Return jam to a full rapid boil and boil hard for 1 minute stirring constantly. 

6. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary. (I didn’t really get any foam to speak of.) 

7. Ladle hot jam into a hot jar leaving 0.5 cm (¼ inch) headspace. "Bubble" each jar with a skewer or chopstick to release any trapped air. Wipe each rim with a clean paper towel dipped in vinegar. Place the snap lid down and screw the ring on finger tip tight.

8. Process jars 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Don't start your timer until the water is boiling.

9. Turn off heat, remove lid, let jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool 12–24 hours. Check lids for seal.  If they haven’t sealed (the lid still flexes) within 24 hours, put them in the fridge and use them first.

Homemade tomato ketchup

Busy week! Amid making a fresh supply of classic dill pickles, spicy tomato soup, and fan-favourite Lady Ashburn pickles on my vacation week, I wanted to try something new. And since I had a pile of tomatoes available to use, that something new would involve tomatoes. One of the kids suggested ketchup, so I went on the hunt for recipes.

The recipe below is based on that in the Bernardin Complete Book of Food Preserving (an excellent resource), with a couple of tweaks in terms of spices because of what I had on hand. Turned out so good!!

You’ll need: 

• 24 lbs tomatoes, cored and quartered (you don’t need to peel - woo hoo!)

• 3 cups onions, chopped

• 3 cups cider vinegar

• 3 T celery seeds

• 1.5 tsp mustard seed

• 3 cinnamon sticks

• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (I used 1 tsp Valentina hot sauce instead)

• 1 1/2 cups white sugar

• 1/4 cup pickling salt

Instructions for cooking and canning:

1. Pack spices (except the cayenne pepper) into a tea ball, tea bag or makeshift spice bag using cheesecloth. You’ll likely have to break up your cinnamon sticks or leave them whole outside of the bag.

2. In a nonreactive pot (e.g., stainless steel), bring vinegar and spice bag (and cinnamon if separate) to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat and let stand 25 minutes or so. Discard spices.

3. While your spiced vinegar is standing, combine tomatoes, onions, and cayenne (or, in my case, hot sauce) in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

4. Add spiced vinegar and continue to simmer until tomatoes and onions are soft and mixture is starting to thicken, 30 minutes or so.

5. Using a food mill or sieve, extract all the liquid into a bowl or another pot. The solids are now beautiful fuel for your compost or you could dehydrate for tomato powder.

6. Return liquid to your cooking pot. At this point for me, it looked like tomato-coloured water. I was not optimistic. Be patient. Add sugar and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

7. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until volume is reduced by at least half and it is almost the consistency of store-bought ketchup. The recipe says this will be about 45 minutes. I simmered it for probably 2 hours or so because I was doing other things and in no rush.

8. Start heating your water bath, and thoroughly wash and rinse your jars. If you are working in a vigorously air conditioned room, put your jars in the water bath as it heats up and keep them in there until you are ready to fill.

9. Once the ketchup is thickened to your liking, quickly ladle the hot ketchup into warm jars, using a wide mouth funnel. Leave about a 1/2 inch (1 cm) of headspace.

10. "Bubble" each jar with a skewer or chopstick to release any trapped air. Wipe each rim with a clean paper towel, dampened with vinegar. Place a snap lid down and screw the ring on finger tip tight. 

11. Put the jars into your water bath canner. Make sure there is at least an inch of water above the top of your jars. Put the lid on and return to the boil for 15 minutes. Don’t start your timer until you have a jolly boil.

12. Enjoy!

So far, I’ve savoured this ketchup on hamburgers and KD. It is really very good. I did not know if the labour would be worth it, but I’m thinking yes. The real test will be if we’re heartbroken and pining for tomato season when we finish the last jar.

Coleslaw, canned

I was immediately intrigued by this recipe. My family all enjoys coleslaw, and it’s a refreshing, reasonably nutritious cold dish that also appeals to my thrifty side. But what it isn’t is super-quick or convenient except when you make it from a package mix, and even then it’s much tastier when you have time to let it sit. The idea of a shelf-stable, ready whenever option is certainly appealing.

I tried to cut down the sugar, but when Dave tasted the brine, his face practically turned inside out his lips puckered so hard. This recipe is where I ended up. You might want to add a little more sweetness or you might be okay with less. And with subjective sizing like medium and large, no doubt your proportions will end up a little different every time. Let me know what works for you.

You’ll need:

For the slaw

• 1 medium head cabbage

• 1 large carrot

• 1 bell pepper (I used red cause that’s what I had)

• 1 small onion

• 1 tsp. salt

• 4 pint size mason jars, lids, and rings

For the dressing

• 1 cup cider vinegar

• ¼ cup water

• 1.5 cups sugar

• 1 tsp celery seeds

• 1 tsp mustard seeds

Directions:

1. Shred and combine vegetables. I used our food processor (first time for me), and it worked like magic. If you are doing it by hand, a larger shred would be fine.

2. Add the salt and toss well. Let stand for at least 1 hour.

3. Bring dressing ingredients to a boil and boil, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let stand to cool room temperature. (I’d suggest doubling the dressing recipe to make sure you have enough. You can save what you don’t use [see note], but it’s a pain if you find yourself needing more mid-way through the process!)

4. Drain liquid from vegetables. Rinse thoroughly and drain well again. If you like it salty, you could stop there. For me, I rinsed and drained three times.

5. Add vegetables to cooled dressing; mix well.

6. Spoon into pint jars, lightly packing.

7. "Bubble" each jar with a skewer or chopstick to release any trapped air, adding more dressing as needed to cover the slaw, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe each rim with a clean paper towel dipped in vinegar. Place the snap lid down and screw the ring on fingertip tight.

8. Put the jars into your water bath canner. Make sure there is at least an inch of water above the top of your jars. Put the canner lid on and return to the boil for 15 minutes. Don't start your timer until the water is boiling.

9. Remove jars from the canner or let them sit in the canner until everything calms down.

10. Make sure all the jars are sealed before you put them away. Any that still haven’t sealed within 24 hours go in the fridge.

11. Wait at least a week to let the flavours all mellow together before enjoying. Eat at room temperature or chilled, as is or drained with added mayonnaise.

You can double or triple this recipe to your heart’s content. When you make extra dressing and you’re not sure if you need all of it, keep some of it aside and just use if necessary, storing the remainder in the fridge. If you mix all the dressing in with the vegetables, you’ll have to put any extra in a mason jar and water bath process it to preserve it.

Super-easy chive blossom vinegar

When I grow up, I want to be one of those capable people who know how to take care of themselves and others. Who make the most of what they have at hand. Who just have the knack of turning a sow’s ear into a silk purse. Although maybe not actually that last one. You know what I mean though, right?

I find myself often looking at things I’ve taken for granted and asking, what more could I do with this? And here we come to the chive blossoms. I’ve always loved chives. As a little kid, I would happily pick and graze away at fresh chives straight out of the garden. This year, I looked at the beautiful blossoms and thought, hmmmm… Turns out there are several uses for them, and flavoured vinegar sounded like a great place to start.

You’ll need:

• Chive blossoms (I had a quart size jar full)

• White vinegar (I used somewhere between 3 and 4 cups worth)

• Mason jars and lids for infusing (I had a quart jar and two pints)

• Pretty glass jars and lids for storage, if you wish (dollar store, yo!)

Instructions:

1. Put your blossoms in a colander and rinse them well with cold water. Pick through them gently to make sure you have no debris or bugs.

2. Loosely pack the blossoms into your mason jars until each jar is about half full of blossoms.

3. Pour vinegar over the blossoms to completely immerse them. Give them a stir.

4. Cover the jars tightly and put them away in a cool, dark cupboard for 2 weeks or so.

5. Strain your vinegar using a couple layers of cheesecloth or a very fine mesh strainer. I strained all mine into a single big measuring cup, so my finished bottles would have a consistent appearance and flavour.

6. Pour into your storage bottles and marvel at their beauty!

Just poured

One week

Two weeks

Rhubarb orange jelly

I said I wanted to try something different with rhubarb this year and, behold, I went and did it! I haven’t made a lot of jellies, so that was a nice switch-up too. And the colour, divine. This jelly is a lovely sweet-tart. The original recipe suggests it for breakfast or as an accompaniment to chicken or pork. In our house, it’ll no doubt be friends with toast.

You’ll need:

• 10 cups chopped rhubarb (about 3 lbs)

• 1 orange (plus i used a few bonus clementines)

• 1 and a 1/2 cup water

• 1 pkg light fruit pectin crystals (I use Certo Light in the blue box)

• 3 and 1/2 cups white sugar

• 5 or 6 250 ml mason jars with rings and lids

Making the juice

1. Wash the orange, peel and all. To make it extra juicy, press down on the orange and roll it around on your cutting board. Halve and squeeze juice from orange into large stainless steel pot.

2. Cut the now mushed-up orange into wedges and add to pot. Add rhubarb and water.

3. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

4. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until rhubarb is tender, about 10 minutes. With potato masher, mash any chunks.

5. Wet and wring out jelly bag or several layers of cheese cloth. Suspend jelly bag on frame or layer cheese cloth in colander over a large measuring cup or bowl. Fill with rhubarb mixture.

6. Let drip – no squeezing allowed! – until you get about 4 cups (1 L)of juice. It will likely take at least 2 hours. Try as I might, I only ended up with 3 and 1/2 cups of juice. I guess my rhubarb wasn’t super juicy. So I squeezed in 3 more clementines and topped up with a splash of water.

Making the jelly

1. Wash your jars in hot soapy water.

2. Start heating your water bath. If your water is hard, you can add a splash of white vinegar to help prevent water stains.

3. Mix pectin crystals with 1/4 cup of the sugar.

4. Put the juice in a large stainless steel pot. Stir the pectin mixture into the juice.

5. Bring juice to a full rolling boil over high heat and stir in remaining sugar.

6. Return to full rolling boil. Boil hard, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

7. Remove from heat and skim off any foam.

8. Put the lids in a saucepan of water and bring to a simmer. Keep them in the hot water until you are ready to use them. Lid manufacturers say this is no longer necessary, but I still do it.

9. Fill each jar, leaving 1/4-inch (5 mm) headspace. If you are working in an air conditioned or otherwise chilly kitchen, it’s a good idea to heat your jars before filling so they aren’t shocked by the heat of the jelly.

10. "Bubble" each jar with a skewer or chopstick to release any trapped air. Wipe each rim with a clean paper towel dipped in vinegar. Place the snap lid down and screw the ring on fingertip tight.

11. Put the jars into your water bath canner. Make sure there is at least an inch of water above the top of your jars. Put the canner lid on and return to the boil for 10 minutes. Don't start your timer until the water is boiling.

12. Remove jars from the canner or let them sit in the canner until everything calms down.

13. Make sure all the jars are sealed before you put them away. Any that still haven’t sealed within 24 hours go in the fridge.

Mine all sealed beautifully. Love them pops! I am hoping the jelly continues to firm up a bit over the next few days as it’s a tad runny. I’m told jelly can take up to 2 weeks to completely set, so fingers crossed!

Source: http://www.canadianliving.com/food/recipe/rhubarb-orange-jelly

Agenda 2021: Plans for planning for canning and jamming

Well, hello there! I usually have an ongoing mental list of to dos for just about everything in my life, including canning. This year, I thought I’d share what’s on my mental radar for the pantry provisions.

• Dandelion Jelly - Starting off strong here. My timer just chimed to let me know the batch of dandelion jelly in the canner has finished its boil. Woo hoo! CHECK, that’s done.

• Rhubarb something or another. Hmmm, not sure what. I still love rhubarb chutney, but I still have some from the last time I made it. Same for canned rhubarb pie filling. Might have to explore. I planted rhubarb last year and it’s coming up beautifully so I’ll have some to use.

• Raspberry jam. Still the best jam ever. I need to hit the farmer’s market at the exact right time to get perfect local berries. It proved illusive last year, but the blackberries were an excellent substitute.

• Candied jalapenos. Yes, the ones I made last year taste like more. These might be a good Christmas gift for coworkers maybe…

• Stewed tomatoes. Every year, vast quantities are required. These get turned into everything over the winter. I used to make sauce with meat and without, but the last couple of years I’ve stuck with plain tomatoes because they are so versatile.

• Tomato soup. Need to make more this year than last. So good, so healthy and makes for such a quick and easy lunch.

• Peach preserves. I didn’t make any last year and heard how sad that was several times over the winter. So, sounds good for 2021.

• Apple-onion jam. I get asked for this creation more than almost anything else. It’s a great one in terms of flexibility because good quality local apples and onions are available for much of the year. So much easier than others (I’m looking at you, raspberries.)

I’m noticing all these are water bath recipes. Maybe I need to make more of an effort to bond with the pressure canner… I’ll noodle on* that and see what happens.

* Just a saying. You can’t can noodles! That’s a rule.

Stranger things: Spicy cinnamon tomato soup edition

I know, so weird. But trust me, so tasty. With a soothing spicy cinnamon note to its tomatoey goodness, It’s basically an adaptation of this recipe from Milk Street (sorry, subscription required), with reference to this recipe from Healthy Canning to ensure it’s safe in terms of acidity and all that. The Milk Street recipe also involves toasted pasta and feta cheese added at the end and yum, but save that touch for when you’re reheating.

Also, I’m fully aware that I swing wildly between metric and imperial measurements. It’s a product of Canadian grade school in the 80s. We learned metric from teachers who were waaay more comfortable with imperial, resulting in a generation of kids who go both ways. Don’t judge. It’s just one of the reasons we travel well. 

You will need: 

• 1 bell pepper (medium)

• 1 onion (medium)

• 4 T onion powder

• 4 cinnamon sticks (weird, I know)

• 1 whole habanero pepper

• 2 tablespoons oil

• 14 lb tomatoes (quartered)

• 4 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

• 1 tablespoon salt 

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• Citric acid (or bottled lemon juice)

• 6 quart/litre size or 12 pint/500 mL size mason jars

• Equivalent quantity of snap lids and rings

Instructions for cooking and canning:

1. Wash your Mason jars in hot soapy water and rinse well. Since your soup in jars will be boiling in the water bath for (a lot) longer than 10  minutes, you don't need to pre-sterilize.

2. Wash, stem, seed and chop the bell pepper. I pretty much pulverized it with my little choppy that I so love. (Leave the habanero aside for now.)

3. Do the same for the onion. 

4. Wash and chop the tomatoes into quarters, removing the core. The peel can stay on and seeds in. Set aside.

5. Heat the oil in a very large pot. Add the onion and pepper, sauté for a few minutes until the onion starts to turn a bit translucent (assuming you can tell; mine was almost liquefied so I guessed. 

6. Add the tomatoes.

7. Stir, stir, stir. 

8. Cover pot, and gradually bring to a boil on medium heat.  This may take 30 to 40 minutes. Stir often to prevent bottom scorching.

9. Once the tomatoes start to release their liquids, add the cinnamon sticks and onion powder. Stir, stir, stir. 

10. Wash the habanero and puncture some holes in it with a knife. Leaving it whole, drop it in the pot. (You will remove it when you remove the cinnamon sticks.)

11. Once the mixture starts boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and continue to simmer, covered, for another 30 to 40 minutes or until tomatoes have all broken down and mixture has begun to thicken a bit.

12. Fish out the cinnamon sticks and the whole habanero, squeezing it with tongs or against the side of the pot to ensure it releases its spicy goodness. 

13. Now you need to strain your soup. I use a food mill with fairly large holes that removes the tomato skins and most of the seeds. I’m happy to have some seeds remain in the soup, but you do you. This is why I chop/pulverise the onion and bell pepper as well: so it will pass through the food mill and remain in the soup. 

14. Return the strained tomato mixture to the large pot.

15. Add the tomato paste, sugar, salt and pepper.

16. Taste. Add more sugar, salt, pepper or onion powder to your preference. Don’t add more vegetables though cause you could mess with food safety.

17. Bring back to a simmer and let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

18. While your soup is simmering, start heating your water bath. If your water is hard, you can add a splash of white vinegar to help prevent water stains.

19. Put the lids in a saucepan of water and bring to a simmer. Keep them in the hot water until you are ready to use them. (Some lid manufacturers say this is no longer necessary, but I still do it.)

20. Add citric acid to each mason jar: ¼ tsp per pint/500 ml or ½ tsp per quart/litre. *

21. Ladle hot soup into your clean mason jars leaving about 1.5 cm (½ inch)  headspace. If you are working in an air conditioned or otherwise chilly kitchen, it’s a good idea to heat your jars before filling so they aren’t shocked by the heat of the soup.

22. I don’t know that you really have to bubble a smooth soup like this, but I still do.  Wipe each rim with a clean paper towel dipped in vinegar. Place the snap lid down and screw the ring on fingertip tight.

23. Put the jars into your water bath canner. Make sure there is at least an inch of water above the top of your jars. Put the canner lid on and return to the boil for 40 minutes. Don't start your timer until the water is boiling.

24. Remove jars from the canner or let them sit in the canner until everything calms down.

25. Make sure all the jars are sealed before you put them away. Any that still haven’t sealed within 24 hours go in the fridge.

*If you prefer or you can’t track down citric acid, you can use lemon juice instead. Add 1 T lemon juice per pint or 2 T lemon juice per quart. 

12 delicious lunches stashed away for the cold days. Makes me so happy!

Tomatillo salsa

I was at the St. Jacobs Farmers Market just once this summer, which breaks my heart a little. Fortunately, my one visit was in late August when the best of Southern Ontario’s fields overflows every stall. In addition to blackberries, tomatoes and a few other odds and ends, my eyes lit on a gorgeous basket of tomatillos. I’ve tried to grow them (unsuccessfully), but never canned with them before. So exciting!

I sorted through several recipes before selecting this one. I was intrigued by the use of oregano rather than cilantro. It makes a very good salsa, although I would cut down on the amount of oregano the next time. It’s such a distinct flavour that I would prefer to be a bit more subtle.

You will need:

• 10 cups chopped tomatillos (you can use green tomatoes instead if you prefer)

• 3 cups seeded, chopped long green chiles

• 1 cup seeded, finely chopped jalapeño peppers

• 8 cups chopped onions

• 2 cups bottled lemon or lime juice (I used lime)

• 12 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 2 T ground cumin (optional, I included it)

• 5 T dried oregano leaves (optional, I included it)

• 2 T salt

• 2 t black pepper

• 10 pint-sized mason jars (or ~20 half-pints)

• Equivalent number of snap lids and rings

Directions for cooking and canning:

1. As always, wash your Mason jars in hot soapy water. Rinse well. Since your salsa jars will be boiling in the water bath for 15 minutes, you don't need to pre-sterilize.

2. Remove the dry outer husks from tomatillos. Wash tomatillos thoroughly. Delightfully, they do not need to be peeled or seeded.

3. Speaking of peeling, your long green chile peppers are rather nicer with the tough peel removed. I split them open, blistered them in the oven at 400 degrees for several minutes, then sealed them hot into a plastic bag until they cooled. In theory, the peels should slip off easily at that point. In reality, it wasn’t quite so elegant but I got the job done. The seeds were easy to remove at least.

4. Wearing gloves, halve your jalapenos and remove the stem. You can leave the seeds in.

5. Finely chop all the peppers, onions and garlic. (My 3-cup mini chopper proved itself a champ once again. The minced garlic was a thin of beauty!)

6. Combine all the ingredients into a large sauce pan, and stir frequently over high heat until it comes to a boil. At that point, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. While your salsa is simmering, start heating your water bath. If your water is hard, you can add a splash of white vinegar to help prevent water stains.

8. Put the lids in a saucepan of water and bring to a simmer. Keep them in the hot water until you are ready to use them. (Some lid manufacturers say this is no longer necessary, but I still do it.)

9. Ladle hot salsa into your clean mason jars leaving about 1.5 cm headspace. If you are working in an air conditioned or otherwise chilly kitchen, it’s a good idea to heat your jars before filling so they aren’t shocked by the heat of the salsa. (A quick swim in your water bath will warm them right up.)

10. "Bubble" each jar with a skewer or chopstick to release any trapped air. Wipe each rim with a clean paper towel dipped in vinegar. Place the snap lid down and screw the ring on fingertip tight.

11. Put the jars into your water bath canner. Make sure there is at least an inch of water above the top of your jars. Put the canner lid on and return to the boil for 15 minutes. Don't start your timer until the water is boiling.

12. Remove jars from the canner or let them sit in the canner until everything calms down.

13. Make sure all the jars are sealed before you put them away. Any that still haven’t sealed within 24 hours go in the fridge.

Blackberry jam

You’ll need:

• 10 cups fresh blackberries

• 5 cups white sugar

• 9 half-pint (250 mL) mason jars

• 9 snap lids and rings

Directions for cooking and canning:

1. Wash your Mason jars in hot soapy water. Rinse well. Since your jam will be boiling in the water bath for 10 minutes, you don't need to pre-sterilize.

2. Place sugar in an ovenproof pan or bowl and heat it in the oven at 250°F (120°C) for about 15 minutes. It should feel hot to the touch. Be careful not to leave it in too long or the sugar will begin to melt around the edges of the bowl and will eventually caramelize.  (I first tried this step with raspberry jam, and wow - it makes a difference. Guessing because the jam doesn’t take long to come up to the boil so it preserves more of that berry flavour goodness.)

3. While your sugar is heating, start heating your water bath. Add a splash of white vinegar for hard water.

4. Gently but thoroughly rinse your blackberries just before you are ready to use them.  You might want to mash them a bit, especially if they are on the large side.

5. Place berries in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Bring to a full boil over high heat, stirring often. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

6. Add warm sugar (use oven mitts!), and bring back to a boil, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.

7. Test if the jam is ready to gel:

   ·      Use a candy thermometer, and when it hits 220ºF (105ºC), the jam is set, or

   ·      Put a plate in the fridge to chill. When the jam looks as though it's almost set, take a teaspoonful and put it onto the cold plate. Push the outer edge of the jam puddle into the centre with your index finger. If the jam wrinkles even a little, it will set.

8. Put the snap lids in hot water to soften. It doesn't have to be boiling.

9. Assuming your jam is gel-ready, stir and (if necessary) skim foam for a few minutes until it’s clear on the surface. Mine foamed up quite a lot, then the foam dissolves right back into the jam. I didn’t end up skimming any, to the disappointment of my children.

10. Quickly ladle hot jam into hot jars, using a wide mouth funnel. Leave 0.5 cm headspace.

11. "Bubble" each jar with a skewer or chopstick to release any trapped air. Wipe each rim with a clean paper towel dipped in vinegar. Place the snap lid down and screw the ring on finger tip tight.

12. Put the jars into your water bath canner. Make sure there is at least an inch of water above the top of your jars. Put the canner lid on and return to the boil for 10 minutes. Don't start your timer until the water is boiling.

13. Remove jars from the canner or let them sit in the canner until everything calms down.

14. Make sure all the jars are sealed before you put them away. Any that still haven’t popped to seal by the next day go in the fridge.

Delicious cucumber relish

I’ve never made relish before. I was daunted by all the chopping and chopping and chopping. We do have a food processor, but it’s a bit of an ordeal for me to operate it. It’s fussy and prefers Dave. True story. But my mom gave me a 3-cup food chopper for my birthday last fall, and it gave me the courage to search out some relish recipes and give ‘er a go. Turned out great!

You’ll need:

• 10 cups pickling or English cucumbers, peels on, finely chopped (approximately 3 1/2 to 4 pounds)

• 4 cups red bell pepper, finely chopped (about 4 large peppers)

• 3 cups green bell pepper, finely chopped (about 2 to 3 large peppers)

• 1 cup celery, finely chopped (about 4 large ribs)

• 1 cup peeled onion, finely chopped (about 2 medium onions or 1 honking big one)

• 1/2 cup pickling salt

• 3 1/2 cups white vinegar

• 2 1/3 cups granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup mustard seeds (seriously! not a typo)

• 2 tablespoons celery seeds

• 12 or 13 1/2 pint (250 ml) jars

• Equivalent number of snap lids and rings

Instructions for cooking and canning:

1. Wash your Mason jars in hot soapy water. Rinse well. Since your relish jars will be boiling in the water bath for 10 minutes, you don't need to pre-sterilize but they’ve got to start out clean.

2. Put the chopped vegetables in a large bowl or stainless steel pot. Add the pickling salt (I only had table salt, so used that instead), stir to blend, cover, and let stand at room temperature for at least 4 hours.

3. After 4 hours, move the vegetables to a large colander to drain, and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Using your hands, squeeze out excess liquids. (I had to do this step in stages of small batches with a metal strainer because my large colander has holes that are too big and some of my precious, finely chopped vegetables would have shot straight down the drain.)

4. Start heating your water bath. If you are working in a cold kitchen with AC blasting, put your jars into the water bath to heat up as well. You don’t want boiling relish going into chilled jars.

5. In a large stainless steel pot (well rinsed if it’s the one that held the salted veg), combine the vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, and celery seeds. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

6. Add the well-drained vegetables and stir to blend. Bring back to a full boil.

7. Then, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

8. Put the lids in a saucepan of water and bring to a simmer. Keep them in the hot water until you are ready to use them. (Some lid manufacturers say this is no longer necessary, but I still do it.)

9. Quickly ladle relish into warm jars, using a wide mouth funnel. Leave about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) headspace.

10. "Bubble" each jar with a skewer or chopstick to release any trapped air. Wipe each rim with a clean paper towel dipped in vinegar. Place the snap lid down and screw the ring on fingertip tight.

11. Put the jars into your water bath canner. Make sure there is at least an inch of water above the top of your jars. Put the canner lid on and return to the boil for 10 minutes. Don't start your timer until the water is boiling.

12. Remove jars from the canner or let them sit in the canner until everything calms down.

13. Make sure all the jars are sealed before you put them away. Any that still haven’t sealed within 24 hours go in the fridge.

Candied jalapenos

Amongst the American canners I know, candied jalapenos (aka “Cowboy Candy”) are a must have. I had never made them before, but when I picked up a gorgeous basket of red jalapenos and wanted to try something different, they jumped to mind right away. They’re great chopped up and mixed into a dip or as a sandwich topping or just on their own. Plus, they’re beautiful!

You’ll need:

• 2 lbs stemmed and sliced jalapeno peppers (about 40 peppers; 7 cups)

• 1 lb thinly sliced onions (about 2.5–3 onions; 3.5 cups)

• 2 c. cider vinegar  

• 6 c. sugar 

• 1/2 tsp turmeric   

• 1/2 tsp celery seeds

• 2 tbsp mustard seeds

• 3 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp cayenne

• 5 1/2 pint jars 

• 5 snap lids and rings                                                                                                                                       

Instructions for cooking and canning:

1. Wash your Mason jars in hot soapy water. Rinse well. Since the jars will be boiling in the water bath for 10 minutes, you don't need to pre-sterilize.

2. In a large pot, add vinegar, sugar, and spices.  

3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer the syrup for 5 minutes.

4. Add peppers and onions, and simmer for 5 more minutes.

5. Pack the peppers and onions into pint or half-pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

6. Bring syrup to a hard, rolling boil and boil hard for 6 minutes.  

7. Ladle hot syrup over peppers leaving 1/2 inch headspace. 

8. "Bubble" each jar with a skewer or chopstick to release any trapped air. Add syrup if necessary to maintain correct headspace. 

9. Wipe each rim with a clean paper towel dipped in vinegar. Place the snap lid down and screw the ring on fingertip tight.

10. Put the jars into your water bath canner. Make sure there is at least an inch of water above the top of your jars. Put the canner lid on and return to the boil for 10 minutes. Don't start your timer until the water is boiling.

11. Remove jars from the canner or let them sit in the canner until everything calms down.

12. Make sure all the jars are sealed before you put them away. Any that still haven’t popped to seal by the next day go in the fridge.

Christmas tea jelly

Perfect for gifting – at least I most sincerely hope so. I’m making the ever-popular Rioja wine jelly for some friends this Christmas, and I wanted an equally special option for those who avoid alcohol. When I tried the Stash Christmas Eve tea at my book club (yes, I finally joined a book club!), I fell in love with it right away. So here we go!

You’ll need: 

• 8 herbal tea bags (I used Stash Christmas Eve Tea; pick your fav)

• 1 box Pomona’s Pectin
  4 teaspoons calcium water
  4 teaspoons Pomona’s Pectin powder

• Cinnamon stick, if desired

• ½ t peppermint extract, if desired

• 1/4 c lemon juice

• 2 c sugar (or a little less or a little more, to taste)

• 4 250ml (half-pint) jars, 125 ml jar

• 5 snap lids and rings 

Cooking and Canning:

1. Prepare calcium water. To do this, combine ½ teaspoon calcium powder (in the small packet in your box of Pomona’s pectin) with ½ cup water in a small, clear jar with a lid. Shake well. Extra calcium water should be stored in the refrigerator for future use.

2. Make 4 cups strong herbal tea using your preferred tea bags and any additional spices you choose. I used 8 tea bags for 5 cups of water and added a cinnamon stick and peppermint extract to complement the flavours of the tea. After coming to a boil and then simmering for maybe an hour or so, I was down to about 4.5 cups of tea. Next time, I might add another couple of teabags to make the flavour even stronger.  

3.  Wash jars, lids, and bands. Place jars in canner, fill canner 2/3 full with water (add a splash of white vinegar if your water is hard), and bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover, and keep jars in hot canner water until ready to use. 

4. Pour the tea into a large pot.  (I strained at this step to ensure it was clear.) Add 4 tsp calcium water and the lemon juice and mix well.

5. Measure sugar into a bowl. Thoroughly mix pectin powder into sugar. Set aside.

6. Bring tea mixture to a full boil. Add pectin-sugar mixture, stirring vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve the pectin while the jelly comes back up to a boil. Once the jelly returns to a full boil, remove it from the heat.

7. Fish your jars out of the hot water and put your lids in for at least two minutes. (They don’t need to boil.) 

8. Fill hot jars to ½ cm of top with jelly. Bubble each jar with a chopstick. Wipe rims clean with dampened paper towel. 

9. Screw on lids to fingertip tight. Put filled jars in waterbath, covered to at least 1 inch over their heads. Don’t start timer until the water is boiling. Boil 10 minutes. Remove from water. Let jars cool. 

10. Listen for pops. Any jars not sealed within 24 hours should be refrigerated. 

Peach Tomato Salsa

One of my besties brought me a jar of peach salsa from a farm stand earlier this summer, and it was delicious. It fired up my intention to make my own. I started with the basic list of ingredients from the jar label and some Google searches. The recipe below is what I pulled together and, yum, I did a good job of it.

You’ll need:

• 16 cups roma tomatoes, peeled and diced 

• 7 sweet red, yellow, and/or orange peppers (about 6 cups), diced 

• 5 yellow or white onions (about 6 cups), diced 

• 9ish jalapeños (about 2 cups), minced 

• 12ish cups peaches, peeled and diced

• 2 T cumin

• 2 T sugar

• 1 head garlic, minced

• 1 1/2 cup cider vinegar

• 2 tbsp. salt or more to taste

• Bunch of cilantro, chopped fine 

Instructions for cooking and canning:

1. Wash your Mason jars in hot soapy water. Rinse well. Since your salsa will be boiling in the water bath for more than 10 minutes, you don't need to pre-sterilize but cleanliness is a must.

2. Bring the diced tomatoes to a simmer and cook for an hour. (I’ve heard that some people leave the tomato peels on, but not me.) 

3. While the tomatoes are cooking, dice the peppers and onions and stir them into the pot, continuing to simmer.

4. Add the jalapeños, garlic, vinegar, and salt and continue simmering and occasionally until the salsa is reduced and thickened (time will vary depending on tomato variety’s water content). I added about two thirds of the peaches at this point as well.

5. Prepare your pint jars for canning. Bring your water bath to a boil. 

6. Put the snap lids in hot water to soften. It doesn't have to be boiling.

7. Add the rest of the diced peaches and cilantro to the salsa and stir well just before beginning the jar-filling process. 

8. Quickly ladle salsa into warm jars, using a wide mouth funnel. Leave about 1.5 cm headspace.

9. "Bubble" each jar with a skewer or chopstick to release any trapped air. Wipe each rim with a clean paper towel dipped in vinegar. Place the snap lid down and screw the ring on fingertip tight.

10. Put the jars into your water bath canner. Make sure there is at least an inch of water above the top of your jars. Put the canner lid on and return to the boil for 20 minutes. Don't start your timer until the water is boiling.

11. Remove jars from the canner or let them sit in the canner until everything calms down.

12. Make sure all the jars are sealed before you put them away. Any that still haven’t popped to seal by the next day go in the fridge.

Traditional New Brunswick Lady Ashburn Pickles

I’ve never made mustard pickles before of any sort, though I’ve tasted them lots of times. Making them myself just never appealed to me that much. Then I read about these, which are a regional specialty in New Brunswick. My husband, a New Brunswicker himself, had never heard of them either. Maybe they never made it to the mighty Miramichi? 

Anyhow, we were both intrigued, so I decided to try a small batch and see if we like them. The verdict - they’re delicious. Like, really, really good. Next year, I’ll fine-slice them, rather than rough chop, so they’ll be perfect for piling on hotdogs and hamburgers. 

Cucumbers and onions, post being weighted and draining over night.

You’ll need: 

• 7 med–large cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped 

• 4 cups of onions, finely chopped

• 1/4 cup salt

• 2 1/2 cups white vinegar

• 2 cups sugar

• 3 T flour*

• 1 tbsp dry mustard

• 1 tbsp turmeric

• 1 tsp mustard seed

• 1 tsp celery seed

• 4 pint jars 

• 4 snap lids and rings

Instructions for cooking and canning:

1. Alternate layers of cucumbers and onions in a large dish, sprinkling each layer with salt.

2. Place heavy plate on top and let sit for several hours or overnight.

3. Drain liquid from cucumber and onion mixture and rinse off salt.

4. Mix your dry ingredients together in a bowl.

5. Put rinsed cucumbers and onions into a large pot, and add vinegar and dry ingredients, stirring well.

6. At the same time, begin heating your water bath.

7. Cook pickle mixture over low heat for 45 minutes to one hour while stirring often.

8. Scoop a small amount of water from the canner into a small pot and put your snap lids in there to heat.

9. Make sure your sparkling clean mason jars are at least warm. If you are working in a vigorously air conditioned room (not me, I’m melting), you may want to heat them in the oven or give them a dip in the water bath to bring up their temp. Cold jar plus hot pickle is not a good match, I hear.

10. Quickly ladle the hot pickle mixture into warm jars, using a wide mouth funnel. Leave about an inch of headspace.

11. "Bubble" each jar with a skewer or chopstick to release any trapped air. Wipe each rim with a clean damp paper towel. Place a heated snap lid down and screw the ring on finger tip tight. 

12. Put the jars into your water bath canner. Make sure there is at least an inch of water above the top of your jars. Put the pot lid on and return to the boil for 10 minutes. 

    Gorgeous! And tasty right away. I bet they’ll be even better in 6 weeks or so. 

*I know! Flour in pickles, is that safe? Apparently, it is indeed in small quantities in mustard pickle recipes. I learned something! 

I think a uniform slice will also make them a little less random looking. Way tasty though.

Rhubarb peach-berry jam

If I wanted to be cute (always!), I would have called this jam, “A Strawberry Ran Through It.” I had the rhubarb a-stewin’ and thought, what else can I add? There was a partially full freezer bag of some very lovely strawberries that had been in the freezer since last summer. Chucked them in. Well, that was nice but I didn’t have enough to make much of an impact. What else?  

Then my eyes lit on the basket of peaches. Do rhubarb and peaches even go together?  Sweet and tart. Juicy smooth and… stringy?  WHY NOT, said I. So that is pretty much how this recipe came to be. And turns out, these ingredients do go together quite nicely. 

You need:

• 16 c chopped rhubarb

• 3 c  peeled and chopped peaches, peels and pits reserved

• 1 ½ c strawberries

• 6 c white sugar

• 1 T vanilla extract

• muslin bag or cloth

• 16 ½ pint (250 ml) mason jars

• 16 snap lids and rings

Directions for cooking and canning:

1. Wash your Mason jars in hot soapy water. Rinse well. Since your jam will be boiling in the water bath for 10 minutes, you don't need to pre-sterilize.

2. Put your rhubarb in a large pot along with about ½ cup (125 ml) water and heat it gently on med-low heat, stirring occasionally.

3. As the rhubarb begins to cook and releases its moisture, you can turn up the heat a little without fear of scorching. I was doing other things around the main floor, popping over to the pot to stir every once in a while for at least 30 minutes.

4. Probably a good time to start your water bath heating. If you have hard water, add a splash of white vinegar to prevent scaling on your jars.

5. Add your strawberries (I didn’t even chop them, just threw them in frozen but that’s probably not the best idea) and your peaches. Stir, stir, stir.

6. Put your peach peels and pits into a muslin bag or a few layers of cheesecloth, and tie it tightly together. Into the pot it goes. Boil hard for 1 minute while stirring, navigating your spoon around the bag.

7. Using the knowledge gained from my amaaazing raspberry jam, I decided to heat the sugar. This time I used the microwave instead of the oven, heating the sugar in a large glass bowl in 30 second increments, stirring between, until it was hot to the touch. Then the sugar gets stirred in, about a third at a time, into the jam pot.

8. Bring back to the boil (don’t stop stirring!) for 5 minutes.

9. Add the vanilla extract and stir in well.

10. Test if the jam is ready to gel:
    ♦︎ Use a candy thermometer, and when it hits 220ºF (105ºC), the jam is set, or
    ♦︎ Put a plate in the fridge to chill. When the jam looks as though it's almost set, take a teaspoonful and put it onto the cold plate. Push the outer edge of the jam puddle into the centre with your index finger. If the jam wrinkles even a little, it will set.

11. Put the snap lids in hot water to soften. It doesn't have to be boiling.

12. Assuming your jam is gel-ready, remove the bag, and try to scrape the tasty jam that clinging to the outside of it back into the pot. Stir and skim foam from your jam for a few minutes until it’s clear on the surface.

13. Quickly ladle hot jam into hot jars, using a wide mouth funnel. Leave 0.5 cm headspace.

14. "Bubble" each jar with a skewer or chopstick to release any trapped air. Wipe each rim with a clean paper towel dipped in vinegar. Place the snap lid down and screw the ring on fingertip tight.

15. Put the jars into your water bath canner. Make sure there is at least an inch of water above the top of your jars. Put the canner lid on and return to the boil for 10 minutes. Don't start your timer until the water is boiling.

16. Remove jars from the canner or let them sit in the canner until everything calms down.

17. Make sure all the jars are sealed before you put them away. Any that still haven’t popped to seal by the next day go in the fridge.

If you make this recipe, or something similar, let me know what you think. I really don’t know if the whole muslin bag with peels etc makes a difference in adding to the pectin level or not. None of these ingredients are particularly high in pectin so I wanted to give as much of a boost as I could. And I wanted to use all the rhubarb I had in one big, glorious batch so I didn’t feel like fiddling with the multiple batches – and additional sugar – commercial pectin would require.

Simple, perfect raspberry jam

Essence of summer, intense raspberry flavour right here. I honestly am blown away by how excellent this jam is – and just two ingredients, raspberries and sugar. The raspberries I bought at the St. Jacobs Market from a reasonably local farm were still on the canes mere hours before purchase, and their quality truly could not have been better.

 The source recipe I consulted called for equal parts berries and sugar, but I knew that would be way too sweet. I used about 2/3 cups of sugar per cup of berries, and even then I could have used a smidge less for my taste. However, my family all have a slightly sweeter sweet tooth than me, and they assure me this proportion was ideal.

You’ll need:

• 12 cups fresh raspberries

• 8 cups white sugar

• 13 half-pint (250 mL) mason jars

• 13 snap lids and rings

Directions for cooking and canning:

1. Wash your Mason jars in hot soapy water. Rinse well. Since your jam will be boiling in the water bath for 10 minutes, you don't need to pre-sterilize.

2. Here’s a weird step I just learned about, but it seems very effective: Place sugar in an ovenproof pan or bowl and heat it in the oven at 250°F (120°C) for about 15 minutes. It should feel hot to the touch. Be careful not to leave it in too long or the sugar will begin to melt around the edges of the bowl and will eventually caramelize.  (Why this step? If you add cold sugar to jam, it will take longer to return to the boil and will taste less fresh. If this jam is anything to go by, it really does make a difference!)

3. While your sugar is heating, start heating your water bath. Add a splash of white vinegar for hard water.

4. Gently but thoroughly rinse your raspberries just before you are ready to use them. 

5. Place berries in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Bring to a full boil over high heat, stirring often (really no need to mash; stirring will do the job nicely). Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

6. Add warm sugar (use oven mitts!), and bring back to a boil, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.

7. Test if the jam is ready to gel:

   ·      Use a candy thermometer, and when it hits 220ºF (105ºC), the jam is set, or

   ·      Put a plate in the fridge to chill. When the jam looks as though it's almost set, take a teaspoonful and put it onto the cold plate. Push the outer edge of the jam puddle into the centre with your index finger. If the jam wrinkles even a little, it will set.

8. Put the snap lids in hot water to soften. It doesn't have to be boiling.

9. Assuming your jam is gel-ready, stir and skim foam for a few minutes until it’s clear on the surface.

10. Quickly ladle hot jam into hot jars, using a wide mouth funnel. Leave 0.5 cm headspace.

11. "Bubble" each jar with a skewer or chopstick to release any trapped air. Wipe each rim with a clean paper towel dipped in vinegar. Place the snap lid down and screw the ring on finger tip tight.

12. Put the jars into your water bath canner. Make sure there is at least an inch of water above the top of your jars. Put the canner lid on and return to the boil for 10 minutes. Don't start your timer until the water is boiling.

13. Remove jars from the canner or let them sit in the canner until everything calms down.

14. Make sure all the jars are sealed before you put them away. Any that still haven’t popped to seal by the next day go in the fridge.

Glorious!!

Cherry jam

By late spring, the jam supply in our pantry had been decimated. Then, the strawberries were late because of all the rain. It was a panic I tell you. We were a hair’s breadth from store bought. (Nothing wrong with store bought, of course, but I’ve started to pride myself on not buying certain items like jam, salsa, pickles and it pains me when we have to.)*

Anyway, the strawberries finally came in, and I made a good batch of even-better strawberry jam and a pile of strawberry dessert cups, but the trauma remains. I’ve decided to make more types of breakfasty jam than I have in the past, so that we have a real stockpile. Hence, it only made sense to use for jam the remaining cherries that I had bought to make my conserve. Since it was my first go at cherry jam, it’s dead simple.

You’ll need:

• 7 cups sweet cherries, pitted

• 1 3/4 cup sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• package Light Certo pectin

• 8 half-pint mason jars

• 8 bands and lids

They look weirdly like olives in this pic, right?

Directions for cooking and canning:

1. Wash your Mason jars in hot soapy water. Rinse well. Since your jam will be boiling in the water bath for 10 minutes, you don't need to pre-sterilize.

2. Rough chop your pitted cherries roughly in halves or quarters.

3. Start heating your water bath now. Add a splash of white vinegar for hard water.

4. Combine your packet of pectin with 1/4 cup of the sugar in a small bowl and mix it together well. Might as well mix the cinnamon in here too.

5. Put your cherries and sugar/pectin/cinnamon mix in a large pot and bring to boil, stirring frequently.

6. Add remaining sugar, and bring back to a boil, stirring constantly, for one minute. Remove from heat.

7. Put the snap lids in hot water to soften. It doesn't have to be boiling.

8. Continue to stir your cherry mix frequently, skimming foam, for about 5 minutes.

9. Quickly ladle hot jam into hot jars, using a wide mouth funnel. Leave 0.5 cm headspace.

10. "Bubble" each jar with a skewer or chopstick to release any trapped air. Wipe each rim with a clean paper towel dipped in vinegar. Place the snap lid down and screw the ring on finger tip tight.

11. Put the jars into your water bath canner. Make sure there is at least an inch of water above the top of your jars. Put the canner lid on and return to the boil for 10 minutes. Don't start your timer until the water is boiling.

12. Remove jars from the canner or let them sit in the canner until everything calms down.

13. Make sure all the jars are sealed before you put them away. Any that aren’t sealed go in the fridge and get et first. Fortunately all of these popped beautifully.

*Nothing about this snobbery is a cost-saving measure. When you factor in the time it takes to make this stuff, I’m waaaaay underwater on comparative costs. But it’s satisfying! Plus I enjoy feeling competent and that I will know how to contribute useful skillz when the zombie apocalypse happens.

Cherry-cranberry-orange conserve with Grand Marnier (OMG yum!)

My besties and I have a girls’ weekend every year at my little corner. After 30+ years of friendship, you might think the three of us could run out of conversation – but you’d be oh so wrong. It’s a relaxing, bucket-filling, nourishing balm to our souls. Naturally, there is nourishment of the actual food type as well. Some of it even healthy! (Not really this recipe, mind you.)

This year, we tried an amazing conserve that I had picked up at one of the many, many road-side fruit markets in the Chatham-Kent area. We had it with cream cheese on crackers, and maybe a couple of spoonfuls straight from the jar. It would be amazing on vanilla ice cream as well. The below recipe is my attempt at replicating, and I did a pretty good job if I do say so myself.

You’ll need:

• 7 cups fresh cherries, pitted

• 2 cups frozen whole cranberries, thawed (I might use 1/2 cup less next time)

• 3 oranges

• 1 cup sugar (more if you are using tart/sour cherries)

• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

• 1/2 cup Grand Marnier

• 8 half-pint (250 ml) mason jars

• 8 lids and rings

Directions for cooking and canning:

1. Wash your jars in hot soapy water and rinse well. This step should not surprise you!

2. Measure your cherries and cranberries, and place in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. No need to chop! (If you are using pre-pitted cherries from a bucket like I did, you can include some of the juices from the bucket as well.

3. Peel your oranges. I sliced off the peel with a knife to get rid of all the pith and because they were very thick-skinned organic oranges. Squeeze each orange over the pot to release most of the juice. Chop the remainder of the now somewhat dry oranges, being sure to remove any stringy bits, and throw the chopped oranges in the pot as well. Stir, stir, stir.

4. Add sugar and continue to cook the mix gently, softening the cranberries and cherries. Taste for level of sweetness. You can add more sugar as you wish. I started with 1/2 cup which wasn’t enough to balance the tartness of the cranberries. If you are using sour cherries, you’ll almost certainly want more than what I used.

5. Stir in the spices and continue to cook until the cranberries and cherries are burstingly soft, and the conserve is thick.

6. Probably a good time to get your jars ready and start heating your water bath. I put a splash of white vinegar in the water bath when I’m canning in Waterloo to counteract our very hard water’s desire to scale.

7. Remove from heat and stir in the Grand Marnier. Taste for overall flavour profile and balance between sweet and savoury. If you add more sugar, be sure to cook for a little longer so it’s well-incorporated. If you cook it for quite a while longer, add another little splash of liqueur so it’s not all cooked out.

8. Put the snap lids in hot water for a couple of minutes to soften. It doesn't have to be boiling. I stick them in the water bath canner which I’ve had heating up for the last 20 minutes or so.

9. Ladle conserve into half-pint jars, leaving about 1/2 inch (1 cm) headspace. 

10. As usual, "bubble" each jar with a skewer or chopstick to release any trapped air. Wipe each rim with a clean damp paper towel, dampened with white vinegar to really cut through any stickiness on the rim. Place a heated snap lid down and screw the ring on fingertip tight.

11. Put the jars into your water bath canner. Make sure there is at least an inch of water above the top of your jars. Put the canner lid on and return to the boil for 10 minutes. Don't start your timer until the water is boiling.

12. After 10 minutes, rescue your jars from the bath – or don’t, just shut the heat off and let them rest for a bit – and listen for the glorious pops as the lids seal.