Once the veg/fruit starts coming, you can´t really keep up with it. The question is how you preserve it for later. A dehydrator and fruit press are on the list of capital investments still to be made.
The cucumbers were numerous. I gave several to the neighbors/family and used them in gazpacho and salads. Mostly, I made pickles. I tried bread and butter pickles, refridgerator dills and lacto-fermented dills. Unfortunately, the cukes went from white to yellow in the blink of an eye, and yellow cukes tend to be bitter. So even pickled, I can taste that bitterness. Still, I´m amazed that the salt brine will make pickles in a week or less. I´ve got a big jar in the fridge, and wonder how long until they go soft.
I used the many, many zucchini/courgettes in tortillas, pisto, zucchini bread, lasagna, veggie puree for Breo and froze some shredded. I have my doubts.
This year tried roasting the tomatoes instead of boiling for hours in on the stove. I did put a glug of olive oil in the first coupe of batches, which means they´ll be kept in the fridge, as I´ve read water bath canning isn´t recommended with things containing oil. A canner is on the list, too.
And I made ketchup, which is A.MAZ.ING. Light years away from what you buy in the store. In fact, it may be a little heavy on the cloves, as I was guestimating the weight of the tomatoes and using the recipe here. I´ve got 3 more little pots in the freezer. When those run out, I´ll make more using canned store tomatoes and see if there´s much of a difference.
No jams this year, since I still have several jars from last year. Wondering just what to do with the apples, since the neighbor kindly gifted me with another few pounds. Maybe pie filling. Got the bag of hedge mix in the freezer waiting for inspiration.
Hi, Coco!
ReplyDeleteThat IS the question: How to preserve this stuff that one has miraculously (and I mean no less) grown? I have trouble with pickles, and didn't try this year. Next year! I haven't tried making homemade ketchup yet, as I am the only one that eats ketchup; still it's amazing how often the family will eat a homegrown/homemade product when they won't eat the commercially made one. Next year!
We did can gallons of summer squash soup, tomato soup, and passata/pasta sauce. And jalapenos and banana peppers. I have just realized this is the first year I haven't dried any tomatoes, but we have lots from last year. Am winding up the drying of seeds for next year's plantings. Ooh - it was our first good year for figs, too.
All in all, a very good year.
Pam
Hi Pam,
ReplyDeleteI still have a jar of figs from last year, since I´m the only one who eats them, too. Sounds like you´re well set up for the winter. Yum!