Mother Earth News' guide to preserving

It's mid-September, and I'm overwhelmed - heck, paralyzed - by the knowledge that I should have a lot more preserved by now. Green beans have all but disappeared from the market and tomatoes are even starting to wain. I had a small breakdown when I came home from the market on Sunday with only 30 heads of garlic to store and none of the green beans and corn I had been hoping to freeze. The cost of equipment and my lack of expertise have left me with only one bag of green beans and some corn in the freezer. And even though I've registered for a beginner canning class offered by David of Classy Sassy Salsa in a week and a half, I have this terribly feeling that once I know how to do it, I won't have anything to can anyway!

In this state of crisis (completely unreasonable, I'm sure), you can perhaps understand why I nearly kissed the cashier today at Henry's on discovering that the latest Mother Earth News magazine (conveniently placed in the impulse rack) had an article to calm all my fears. In neat little tables, they have listed all the best veggies to place in cold storage, the best to dehydrate, the best to can using pressure, and the best to can using a water bath, when they're in season (there's lots more coming!), and how long they'll last once preserved.

I believe there may be hope after all.

The article is available on their website by following this link.

Local Food: Classy Sassy Salsa

Mmmm, salsa! Received my first order of Classy Sassy Salsa from David DiMartino a couple days ago. I ordered a jar of Dave's Chunky Style Salsa and a jar of the Sassy Habanero Salsa both made from the tomatoes in the DiMartino's garden in Spring Valley. The salsas passed the taste test with flying colors, although I liked the chunky style best. The habanero could be a bit spicier, but it had a good flavor just the same.

I've registered for David's canning class on September 22 at the Super Saturday Event sponsored by the Foothill Adults Center in El Cajon. Anyone want to join me?

Preserving: freezing purple green beans

It's preserving time! I have yet to pull together canning and dehydrating equipment, but freezing doesn't require any special tools. I purchased about 8 dollars worth of purple colored green beans from J.R. Organics at the Hillcrest Farmer's Market and we set to work immediately.

Rinsing the beans. Aren't they a gorgeous eggplant purple? I had no idea beans came in this color.

Brian trimming off the ends and cutting them into bite size pieces. Wow - look at those bright green innards!

The beans boiling for three minutes. I was very disappointed to find that my purple beans turned a normal green bean color once they were placed in the hot water. Oh well.

Draining after removing them from the boiling water.

Soaking in a bowl of icy cold water for three minutes (same time as they spent in boiling water).

Drained beans in a ziploc bag. I wish I had a vacuum sealer to pull out the rest of that air, but I worked with what I had. They won't last as long in the freezer packed like this but I'm more than pleased with our first attempt!