What I Use the "Fancy" Jars For

Everything I preserve is done in the jar best suited for it. I already tested a few batches of both pickled green beans and pickled asparagus and when I found extra tall jars I just KNEW what they had to be used for.

I'm particularly pleased with the results of the pickled asparagus. The biggest revelation with this batch was packing the spears in the jars with the tips pointing downward. In previous batches I found that the tips poke up to the top and donn't stay submerged in the brine. An interesting note about when I made these is that while they were cooling the vinegar caused a reaction and all of the petals turned a bright red.

Here are my 'lemon spiced bean pickles'; I used both green and yellow wax beans and there is lemon rind tucked in. I kept the pigeon-deterring spikes in the shot because I felt they reinforced the URBAN in Urban Preserver. I'm also proud to say that these were a huge success with children. Well, OK, one child.

I think the shape and size of a jar adds character to what's inside and ultimately what gives something that extra personal touch. Consider the Jar.

The Making of... The 2nd Installment

To balance out the 2 sweet items we started with I'm going to keep it fair by writing about 2 of the sour items.

Mixed Vegetable Mustard Pickles. I'd been reading about 'mustard pickles' and was intrigued by the use of flour. They also typically call for a fair amount of sugar. At first I wondered if they were another name for 'bread and butter pickles' but recipes for those had slight omissions. In doing my research I discovered that mustard pickles were actually the first form of chow-chow. I was determined to make something with cauliflower and consequently found that the flour-thickened, sweet-but-still-tangy syrup was delicious right off a spoon.

Dilled Baby Carrots. These puppies are simplicity at it's best. The most difficult part about making these was picking the most perfect heads of dill to pack into the jars.

A Corny Idea!

So I'm trimming my corn off the cob, just making my dinner. This isn't just any corn on the cob though, this is RED sweet corn. It's pretty special stuff. I only needed 1 tonight but bought 3 and didn't know how I was going to use the other 2. Then it dawned on me like the biggest idea ever. EVER. I'll make corn relish with RED corn. Won't that just be the CRAZIEST thing anyone has ever seen in the world of canning?

The Making of...

I decided that every recipe I've canned this summer deserves a little story behind it. I'm going to kick off the first installment with 2 items on the sweet side.

Bumbleberry Jam. The name says it all, right? Actually, the name is not much help, if you can get past pronouncing it. It's quite a pleasant mixture of blueberries, raspberries and strawberries. I was looking for a fail-proof "mixed berry" type recipe and this was it. I even managed to deceive my friend who does not [consciously] eat strawberries with it.

Peach Lavender Jam. Who knew? I have made this recipe twice now and it came out perfect both times. It's a lovely combination of flavors and aromas, casts a beautiful color and sounds luxurious every time you say it. I think this jam has the power to bring a person to eat an entire package (yes, 6) English muffins. Toasted. With butter. In one sitting.

Look Out, Martha!

It's rewarding when a plan comes together, especially when so freakin' adorably! I let the craft store dictate my path for the project of creating labels/tags for all these jars. So it turns out that a mason jar rubber stamp, blank gifts tags, my home printer and a knack for placing clip art makes a pretty cute hand-crafted tag.

It's Important to Rest

I'm taking a break from canning - for at least a week. I'm torn because there are so many things I want to accomplish but I also need a day off from the real job, in a kitchen, that doesn't require hours upon hours spent in my home kitchen. I want to move on to work on labels and other packaging but am forcing myself to take it easy on my next day off. I do have to wait for UPS after all.

I am down to only 12 empty jars and quite frankly, it makes me feel just ever-so-slightly nervous.

In My Element

Happy hot Saturday off! The farmer's market was wonderful this morning and my produce is all laid out. I had to run back out to get lemons and more vinegar and sugar but we're back on track. Here's what's on deck for today:

• Cucumber Sandwich Pickles
• Dilled Baby Carrots
• Mixed Berry-Currant Jam (includes red and black raspberries, black currants, white currants and blackberries)
• Peach Lavender Jam (round 2 by popular demand)