Before, During and After

     It's a busy time of year, here in the kitchen.  It always is at this time:  all this food starts flooding the gates and I, for one, am unable to consume it all, and don't want to waste it either.  What's a frugal girl to do?  Preserve it!
     It basically started with the tomatoes.  In truth, I was a bit surprised, as they looked at little skimpy after we returned from vacation, and I thought that it might be a thin harvest this year.  I also made the mistake of planting the tomatoes too close together, resulting in a cramped tee-pee, thus difficult to visualize any items on the interior.
     Despite all of that, I have had something of a bumper crop.  I have been eating them nearly daily, bringing salads to social events.  Still the cup spilleth over.  So I have canned tomato sauce, marinara sauce, stewed tomatoes, and tomato soup.  The stewed tomatoes were an experiment last year which turned into a rousing success.
     Most of my canning is what I would call small batch.  I process 10-15 lbs at a time.   I don't do those marathon sessions that my mother used to do.  On the other hand, I am feeding a smaller family.  It works for my brain as well:  I can spend a few hours preserving the item at hand, and not feel like I was slaving over the stove all day.
     One of the interesting items that I have discovered this season is a new food mill.   Being a victim of doing just the way my mother and grandmother did it, it never occurred to me that there were different models out there.  I have always used a Foley food mill to strain/puree.  When my friend Katie moved, she gave me a different version, as she had two.  I was doubtful, it couldn't possibly beat my sturdy Foley!   But in the spirit of scientific discovery I gave it a try, and will probably ditch the old model.  This item is both easier to stabilize, utilize and clean.  What's not to love?

Tomato Sauce

     I have process potful after potful of tomatoes, and now grapes.  Next up is applesauce, as soon as I can find a source.
     The grapes are an odd one.  My friends Al and Laura have several grape vines.  We don't know the variety, but they produce the most lovely perfumed grapes each fall.  I experimented last fall with making juice and found it useful, less for drinking than for making granita this summer.
     Additionally, Al and Laura are more than happy to have someone to harvest what is a bit overwhelming.  Lucky me.  So I picked probably 25 lbs yesterday, and put them through the mill, literally.

The ones that were spared

Add to the pot with water

Put through the mill, removing skins and seeds.  Then reboil and reduce slightly

25 pounds makes 7 quarts!

      I keep thinking I need to try pickling like my friend Bess, or making sauerkraut, but haven't worked myself up to either yet.  But in the meanwhile, I have a freezer that is filling, and a shelving unit with lovely jewel-toned jars.  Works for me.