– recipe made with Carrot Pulp from juicing carrots – serve with caramel apple bottom OR with lemon sauce poured over top
1+1/2 cup flour 1 tsp baking soda 2 tsp ginger 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp allspice 1/4 tsp cloves 1/2 tsp nutmeg Sift all dry ingredients together and set aside.
* optional: ADD 2 CUPS CARROT PULP to flour mixture. Gently fold in to make sure all carrot gets coated in flour. Set aside.
* hint: I’ve made this ginger cake several times WITHOUT carrots. They’re kind of the afterthought (trying to use up extra carrot pulp), so don’t hesitate to go ahead without them. I find that they do moisten the cake so much though, that it sure is worth adding them. If you don’t have carrot pulp, then shred some carrots. If you don’t have carrots, make it anyway – without them. It’s still GREAT.
With beaters, whip: 1 cup butter add 1 cup sugar, beat in add 3/4 cup molasses (I use blackstrap, but if that is too strong for you use a regular molasses) add 4 eggs one at a time and beat in add 1/2 cup milk
add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and beat with mixture. If you feel its a little too thick, add another 1/2 cup milk. Bake in 350F oven, middle shelf, approximately 30-35 minutes. Start testing at 25 minutes. When cake centre springs back to the touch, it should be done. Serve warm or room temperature – doesn’t matter.
caramel apple carrot cake served upside down with vanilla yogurt
Caramel Apple variation: Butter 9×13 baking dish, Slice up 2-3 apples and arrange slices around bottom of pan. Sprinkle 1/2 cup+ brown sugar over top apples. Pour cake batter evenly over top apples. Serve on plate upside down so the apples are on top. Serve plain or with whipped cream or ice cream or vanilla yogurt (pictured).
Lemon Sauce variation: Butter 9×13 baking dish. Pour cake batter evenly. You’ll be adding the lemon sauce after its baked. Sauce: 1 cup white sugar mixed with 2 tsp cornstarch 1 scoop of butter about the size of an egg 1 cup water Heat over medium heat stirring frequently as it thickens slightly. When its a slightly thick and pourable texture add the juice of one lemon Remove from heat and stir well.
choose one of these two ways to serve lemon sauce. Life is full of tough decisions lol. 1. Cut cake and serve with some lemon sauce drizzled over top. 2. When cake is baked, poke holes with a fork all over the top, and drizzle the lemon sauce over, allowing it to soak in.
Regardless of which option you choose, you still have another choice. Plate suggestions: just a cake on a plate in all its moist gingery wonderfulness OR with whipped cream OR with vanilla ice cream.
Here’s to APPLES! In all their glory. Red, yellow, green and everything in between. Sweet, tart, big, small. Here’s to apples one and all.
People have long understood that apples were “good for you” even before nutrition was understood. We’ve all heard the aphorism “an apple a day keeps the doctor away“. It appeared in print in America in 1913, one of the first public appeals targeting parents especially, correlating good health with eating ‘nutritiously’.
It likely originated from a similar proverb that first appeared in a Welsh publication in 1866. Though a different rhyming format, the message is the same: “Eat an apple on going to bed and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.”
Apples are probably the most well known fruit in the world. They are nutritious and delicious and grown in most parts of the world – especially the northern hemisphere. They originated in Central Asia – east of the Caspian Sea, and by the 1500’s apple seeds had made it to Europe. When Europeans began transoceanic travel, apples were carried to the Americas and dispersed throughout the world.
Currently, there are literally thousands of different kinds of apples – in every variety, colour and flavour; they’re eaten fresh, cooked into savoury dishes, made into desserts and drank as juices, ciders, wines and teas, and are even a popular vinegar. They are free of fat, cholesterol and sodium, a great source of dietary fibre and vitamins, and help lower blood sugar levels, benefitting heart health. Much of the apple’s fiber is found in its peel, so don’t peel your apples unless you have to.
I discovered a few years back that in most cases the apples on our supermarket shelves can be up to a year old. Whaaaaat!!! Sometimes well over a year old. In fact, the apples you’re buying this week are likely from the previous years’ harvest, having been kept in cold storage since last season – allowing us to have “fresh” apples year round. At the is risk of being too critical, there really is no other way if we want to eat apples all year long. Where did we think they came from anyway?
We know that apples in North America generally ripen between August and October. When we buy an apple in May, we’ve gotta know that the earliest it could have been picked was last fall. But to keep the steady supply that we’re used to, it was likely picked even before then.
Its a sign of our times that we want to have everything ALL the time. Well, there’s a cost to the sense of entitlement we’ve gotten used to.
If you want REALLY “Fresh” apples, plant an apple tree. If that’s not possible, get to know you’re neighbours – there are lots of backyard gardeners looking for people to share their apples. A few years before our own apple tree began producing, we had asked a neighbour down the alley if we could have some of theirs. At the time, they were putting them all to good use, but the time came that their health became an issue and they could no longer keep up. We connected, and we’re happy to pick the apples, leaving them a box for eating, and cleaning up the dead fall that attracts wasps. We can help each other out. If you don’t have such a neighbour, ask when you’re out on a walk and see an apple tree in need of attention. Or ask on Facebook if someone knows of someone who’d like their apples picked in return for sharing them. Or shop at Farmer’s Markets.
In central Alberta, some apples start ripening in August, and some don’t ripen till after Thanksgiving – with everything in between, so the harvests of homegrown apples are endless. Some apples are great for eating fresh, some are good baking apples, and still some are only good for making juice, but every edible apple has an important role to play in the gardener’s kitchen.
* Did you know?
Apples are actually BERRIES. Botanically, a berry is a fleshy fruit that develops from a single flower and contains two or more seeds. They are characterized by a soft, fleshy pulp and thin, outer skin – so with this definition, berries include bananas, grapes, tomatoes, pumpkins and watermelons. And interestingly, raspberries, black berries, strawberries and cherries – are not berries.
What to do with all those apples that are ready now, and needing to be taken care of?
Well for starters – Apple sauce . . . . . here are a whole lotta ideas of what you can do with fresh apples when they’re at their BEST.
Apple sauce is generally a purée made of apples. It can be made with peeled or unpeeled apples and can be spiced or sweetened. It is inexpensive and is widely popular in North America and some parts of Europe. Personally, I am not a fan of long cooked apple sauce that is pressed through a screen. I like the texture of apple pieces so I much prefer ‘fresh’ apple sauce, made on the spot with fresh apples softened over medium heat for less than 20 minutes. I am not opposed to canning it as a preservation method, but I want to see apple pieces.
Apple butter is a thick, smooth fruit spread made by slow cooking apples with sugar and spices till the apples caramelize, resulting in a concentrated, deeply flavoured preserve. Essentially it’s apple sauce taken to a whole new level. The name refers to its rich spreadable consistency – butter like, not because there’s any butter in it. It can be spread on toast like jam, used as a topping for pancakes, waffles and crepes – used as extra flavour when making muffins or cakes, or even served as a type of chutney with pork roast.
Your crock pot is the perfect way to make it; long a low is the key. Start with apples, add a little apple juice if desired, and sweeten to taste with brown sugar. We’re talking HOURS here, so adjust your thinking – expect it to take about 10 hours. Stir every once in a while to check consistency. Add the warming spices of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. My general rule of thumb is to use 1 part cinnamon : 1/2 part nutmeg : 1/4 part cloves. For instance: 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cloves. *hint: cloves are pretty strong so if you’re not used to them, start with less and go from there. That’s why many recipes call for a ‘pinch’ of cloves. If I was starting with a LOT of apples, I’d start with 1 Tbsp cinnamon, 1 + 1/2 tsp nutmeg and 3/4 tsp cloves. Remember, a little cloves goes a long ways and you cannot take it out if you change your mind, so best to start with less if you’re not accustomed to the strong taste, and adjust later as you decide. You’ll have to do your own taste testing and adjusting since only you know the quantity of apples you’re cooking down. You’re the boss.
You’ll enjoy the aroma in the house as much as you’ll enjoy the finished product. As the liquid evaporates, you can decide when enough is enough. You can take the extra step of pureeing it in the blender for an extra smooth texture, or not. You’re in charge. If you choose to puree it, you might want to continue to cook it down a little longer afterward. You’re looking for a glossy dark spreadable consistency.
*hint: if you’re planning to puree in the blender at the end, no need to peel the apples. Just remove the stem, core and any damage spots that offend you.
Make a little or make a lot. Store a jar in the fridge for several weeks, or can it in small jars for extended shelf life or to give as gifts. Apple butter is a strong spread, so use small jars: 1/2 pints (250 ml). 10 minutes in a hot water bath is sufficient. That’s 10 minutes AFTER the hot water bath returns to a rolling boil remember. Click HERE for instruction on hot water bath canning.
Apple pie is the quintessential North American dessert. It is symbolic as a representation of ‘home’ – “as American as apple pie” is an appropriate saying. Not surprisingly, it originated in the 14th century in England, immigrating to North America when the English did. It is generally double crusted (pastry both above and below), and the upper crust may be solid or latticed. The ingredients are pretty basic: apples, sugar and cinnamon, but there are a hundred variations. The best apple pie is always the way your gramma used to make it, whatever that means to you.
In our house, we serve it with vanilla ice cream. Dan likes to eat it with a slice of sharp cheddar cheese melted on top, or better yet, a thin layer of sharp cheddar underneath the top crust. He also likes to cook one or two in the fall – in the smoker. For the smoked apple pie, we’ll often opt for a streusel toppling instead of a top crust.
Apple Crisp is apple pie the easier way – when you want a quick, but wonderful dessert. It’s pretty basic, hard to mess up, and like apple pie, the best apple crisp is what your gramma used to make. It’s the perfect dessert to make when you have a lotta apples on hand.
Filling: 6-10 nice sized fresh apples, peeled and chopped coarsely 2 Tbsp brown sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 2 tsp lemon juice Topping: 1/2 cup cold butter diced into small cubes 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup old fashioned oats 3/4 cup unbleached flour 1 tsp cinnamon Directions: Preheat oven to 350 F and grease an 8×8 baking dish 1. In the prepared baking dish, add apples, sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice. Stir to combine. 2. In mixing bowl, stir together topping ingredients except the butter. When all is thoroughly mixed add the butter and using a pastry cutter or two forks, or your hands, cut the butter into dry ingredients. When the butter is consistently about the size of peas, you’re done. Spread evenly on top of the apples, and gently pat it down. *hint: in our house, we make about 4 x this amount and refrigerate the remainder in a wide mouth jar. Dan likes to use it during the week – for a lotta things. 3. Bake about 45 minutes till golden brown and bubbly. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Plan to serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Apple Crisp, Pear Crisp, Plum Crisp, Raspberry / Blueberry or Blackberry Crisp / Peach Crisp / Apricot Crisp / Rhubarb Crisp . . . . . you name the fruit – and you can probably make a great Crisp out of it.
Fruit CRISP / Fruit CRUMBLE / Fruit COBBLER – what are they? and what is the difference?
Crisp and Crumble are pretty much the same thing – except for the OATS. Crisp has oats in the streusel topping, Crumble does not. Every thing else is the same. Fruit Cobbler is similar, but the topping is a batter, like a sweet, richer biscuit dough. It is spooned over top the fruit mixture and it can be loose, allowing the fruit to bubble through, or it can be a complete cover. All are delicious and interchangeable depending on personal preference. Dan prefers Crisp, but sometimes its too much sugar for me, and I prefer a cobbler.
Apple pie cake So many different recipes for using apples in cake. I first tasted this cake pictured at a funeral in the fall. The woman who made it kindly passed the recipe on to me, and its become a favourite in our house. She called it apple pie cake because there’s a bottom and top layer with filling in the middle. Its a good name.
1 Tbsp cinnamon 1/3 cup brown sugar + 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup white sugar 1/2 cup butter softened 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 2 cups unbleached flour (can substitute half for whole wheat flour) 1 Tbsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup milk 2 large apples peeled and diced (or some dried apples cut with scissors) 1 Tbsp melted butter Directions: preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare a loaf pan by greasing or flouring or use parchment paper. 1. Combine cinnamon and 1/3 cup brown sugar and set aside 2. Using mixer, cream butter with remaining brown sugar and white sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix till smooth. 3. Sift flour, salt and baking powder together. Add to egg mixture alternately with milk, mixing with a spoon only till all is moistened. Batter will be quite stiff. 4. Spoon half the batter into the greased and floured loaf pan and spread it evenly. 5. Spread half the chopped apples over top the bottom layer of batter, then sprinkle half the cinnamon brown sugar mixture over top the apples. 6. Stir remaining apples gently into remaining batter. 7. Spoon apple batter over top the apple layer in the loaf pan. till completely covered. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar mixture over top. 8. Bake 40 minutes, then drizzle melted butter over the top, and continue baking another 10 minutes or so. Test by pressing centre of cake with your finger. When it bounces back, insert a toothpick to see if it comes out clean. 11. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan 15 minutes. Gently loosen edges with spatula and then gently slide out.
Apple Muffins a recipe taken from my well used and well loved recipe book FLAVORS OF HOME by my friend Patti Shenfield (a few slight adaptations to my preference) 4 cups peeled and diced apples 1 cup sugar 2 eggs lightly beaten 1/2 cup butter melted 2 tsp vanilla 2 cup unbleached flour (or substitute half for whole wheat flour) 2 tsp baking soda 2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp salt optional: 1 cup walnut pieces Directions: preheat oven to 350 F 1. In large mixing bowl stir together apples and sugar 2. In another bowl stir together eggs, melted butter and vanilla. Pour into apple-sugar mixture and combine . 3. In another bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Add to apple-egg mixture and stir gently till moistened. Stir in nuts if using. Spoon batter into 18 greased muffin tins. Top with the following streusel topping if desired. Bake 15-20 minutes till bounces back from touch and toothpick comes out clean. Streusel Topping: Combine 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup chopped nuts, 3/4 tsp cinnamon Sprinkle over top each muffin before baking.
Apples in Salads 1. Toss diced apples with mixed greens, toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, and a simple vinaigrette for a crisp and refreshing salad that’s perfect for any day.
2. A Waldorf salad is a fruit and nut salad generally made of celery, fresh apples, walnuts, and grapes, dressed in mayonnaise, and traditionally served on a bed of lettuce as an appetizer or a light meal. The apples, celery, and grapes can all be green, which harmonizes the color palette of the dish. Or brighten it up with beautiful red apples and red grapes.
3. Adding sliced or chopped apples to a coleslaw is wonderful! This one to the left is fresh cabbage and kale chopped, with chopped apples kept white with lime juice. The vinaigrette dressing was apple cider vinegar sweetened with a little honey and some light oil. I threw in some freeze dried cranberries for colour.
Apples for Breakfast
Apple Pancakes Chopped unpeeled apples tossed into pancake batter. Top with a big dollop of fresh apple sauce.
Apple Waffles Shredded apples in waffle batter, topped with fresh apple sauce.
– Apple Dumplings – Apple Fritters – Apple Cheesecake – Apple Jelly – Apple Turnovers – Apple Strudel – there are literally thousands of recipes for using fresh apples. Look around you, ask others what their favourite apple recipes are. Make this an APPLE AUTUMN.
But what about preserving the Excess?
What about those apples we cannot use IN the season? Typical ways to preserve are: freezing, canning, dehydrating and freeze drying. Many freeze in 4 cup amounts to use in apple pies later. Many make apple sauce to freeze or can.
When I had all five kids at home, I canned and dehydrated in a big way. But my needs are different these days. Nowadays I do most preserving in small batches – so much easier. I generally don’t freeze, but I’m not adverse to canning apples. If I do – I would more likely can them in pint jars: sliced with a light lemon syrup, and I would serve them for breakfast or on top of yogurt.
My preferred ways of preserving apples at this point in my life though, are juicing and dehydrating.
Apple Juice
I have a steam juicer that I wouldn’t want to be without. I use it every summer starting when the apples come on. Let’s face it, not all apples are great eating apples. We inherited some very old apple trees when we bought the house we currently live in. Years ago, the apple trees that grew in Edmonton didn’t even have names. They had numbers. The apples weren’t wonderful but its all we had at the time, and they were good for juicing. They started dripping from the tree mid August attracting the wasps. Annoying. Another tree in our yard – was ready to pick the end of August, so as a family activity on our around Labour Day, we picked what amounted to a few hundred pounds most years. We used them all for making juice. Click HERE for Late Summer Days Should Smell of Hot Apple Juice.
Some apples are not beautiful and not great to eat fresh – that’s okay. Juice them! Throw in the last of your cherries for something special.
Pure apple juice.
Apple Cider Vinegar You can make apple cider vinegar by covering apple scraps with water. Or you can simply make it with the juice or freshly pressed apple cider you already made. After a couple of weeks, the apple juice (or cider) you didn’t process (can), will begin to naturally ferment. This is not a bad thing. It just starts to get ‘fizzy’, which I love. Enjoy it. But don’t expect it to stay in that state forever, its on a ‘natural’ journey. The fizzy juice will get fizzier and fizzier, until it seems to have peaked, and then it ‘breaks’. Not so fizzy anymore, not so delicious. That’s okay. Its just preparing to turn into vinegar. Pour it into a clean glass jar, cover it with a breathable lid secured with an elastic band of the jar ring, and set it on the back of your counter where you won’t forget about it. Make a note of your ‘start date’.
Every day or two you will stir it to keep it aerated. This video below is EXCELLENT instruction on how to make your own apple cider vinegar using juice or apple scraps. I highly recommend it.
Dehydrating apple slices and apple leather.
dehydrated apple rings, peeled, cored and sliced. Some cinnamon sugar coated ones are hiding here and there for a special treat.
apple leather, rhubarb leather, raspberry, cherry, plum, peach . . . . Easy to do, great to have on hand
I really hope you’ll find some inspiration here to make the most of the apples you find this year. It’s one of those wonderful foods that WANT to grow in northern Alberta – it only makes sense to me that we find every way we can to benefit from them.
Beautiful. Sweet or tart. Crisp and crunchy. Nutritious and Delicious. Juicy and refreshing. Firm. Fresh. Fragrant. Easy to grow in Alberta. Great and easy snack food. Easy to incorporate into everyday meals and recipes. How does a food get better than that? I want to hear all about the ways you use fresh apples at your house.
It is a surprisingly common myth that once you ‘preserve’ a food, it has an indefinite shelf life. Absolutely FALSE. Pay attention to shelf life and plan to USE the food you store as it will not be good forever. 1
All storage methods have limits that are shorter than we are tempted to assume. Be reasonable. Nothing STOPS food spoilage, but certain methods of preserving slow it down considerably. It’s food! Its not indestructible. Nutrition is optimum the fresher it is of course, and at the beginning of storing, best used within a certain time frame.
Generally this is what you can expect:
Canned food – commercially canned or home bottled food has a recommended shelf life of 18 months to 2 years. Two years is the time frame I try to work within. Nutritional value is approximately 40% of whatever that food was the hour it went into the bottle. That nutritional value decreases as it ages, so yes, we may all know someone who has bottled peaches from 2018 on their shelf, but the nutritional value is so poor . . . . Just EAT the doggone thing or give it to the chickens! Get it over with! What are you waiting for?
Frozen fruits and vegetables if prepared properly have a recommended shelf life of 4 months to a year. For me, I use a year as my benchmark. Nutritional value is approximately 60% of whatever the food was the hour it went into the freezer. The key is to have it in the freezer as close to harvest time as possible. Don’t forget about it in there.
Dehydrated foods have a Potential Shelf Life of – 1 year for fruits, 6 months for vegetables, 1-2 months for meat (6 months if vacuum sealed. I say potential because there are so many factors to consider when dehydrating at home. Like for instance: Did you use a dehydrator? an oven? or did you air dry? How long between picking time and the dehydrator? Did you remove all the moisture? Are you certain? What temperature did you dry it at? How are you storing it? Best practise is to store in coolish room temperatures (no less than 40 F / 5 C and no higher than 70 F / 20 C), out of direct light. Nutritional value can be up to 80% with a key factor being prompt processing (from field to dehydrator).
Freeze dried food has an extraordinary shelf life of up to 25 years if done properly. Freeze drying is a gentler process preserving and protecting the food value. Nutritional value could be over 90%.
I strongly emphasize HOME GROWN when selecting what food to preserve for a few very good reasons.
* When I say ‘home grown’, of course I mean locally grown by either me or someone I know, or perhaps a farmer’s market vendor – so that we can know HOW it was grown and WHEN it was picked. Produce begins to deteriorate in-the-hour it is harvested. Most produce: all stone fruit like peaches, plums, apricots, mangoes, and all seed fruits like apples and pears, we buy from the grocery store are picked before it is fully ripe, and at least a week before we buy it. This is done to assist in the transportation of the produce to distant locations, but it inhibits full nutritional content right outta the gate. Some of the phytonutrients in those plants will never fully develop if they are harvested too early.
Since nutritional value begins to deteriorate immediately, keeping produce for a week or more before we eat it, ensures significant loss of nutrients. So for example, when we buy a case of “fresh” peaches from the grocery store to bottle or freeze or even freeze dry (don’t dehydrate them), and we wait a few more days after we get them home to ripen, we are guaranteed to loose much in the way of nutrition. In many cases – more than HALF before you even cut into your first ripe peach.
DEHYDRATORS:
There are many different types of Food Dehydrators. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but to make it worthwhile – pay attention to a few details.
Purchased or homemade? New or used? When we started dehydrating in the late 1970’s there really weren’t a whole lotta options available for purchase. It was pretty much ‘homemade’ or nothing.
Oven My first experience dehydrating was in our kitchen oven. I set it to as low a temperature as I could, and used a serving utensil to keep it slightly ajar, allowing the air to circulate. I made fruit leather, using a recipe from an old book I borrowed from the library. This was a good introduction, but awkward and impossible to know exactly what temperature I was dealing with. It took a long time and was easy to lose track of time and over do it.
Homemade Conversion My next experience was to borrow a home made dehydrator from our good friends Daryl and Carol Currie from church. They had converted a small fridge, adding multiple shelves. It was heated with an in-car heater and fan. and worked very well. We loved it.
When I was in my first year of marriage, I came across this adage that spoke to me and shaped my thinking. The saying which gained popularity during the depression and wartime years, encourages resourcefulness. To me it is the motto of a self reliant lifestyle.
Screen to sun dry We experimented with an open screen system to dry in the sun. Dan built me a bottom screen and a top screen to protect the fruit from insects. Epic fail. First of all, the screens didn’t prevent the flies from landing close enough to the fruit to contaminate it, and second of all, the weather was not always helpful. We do not have the hot dry summers up here to make that idea practical. Back to borrowing Currie’s fridge dehydrator again.
Homemade from scratch Dan built me a very big dehydrator out of plywood – the size of a small freezer. I was dehydrating for a family of growing kids, and to be able to do a fairly large amount of fruit at a time was important, so I needed something that would suit our purposes. Dan and our friend Kevin Lamont worked together and made one for us and one for Lamonts. Following the example of our friends the Curries, Dan and Kevin used in-car heaters as a heat source. They worked Great and we used ours for years! I could dry about 40 pounds of apples at a time, and as I recall – it would take approximately 24 hours (rotating shelves during that time).
At length, when my need for quantity reduced, we passed it on to someone else and looked for a counter top one to replace it.
I was given an older “Nesco GARDEN MASTER” by a friend who was moving away and downsizing. I loved it, and used it for years, but eventually it started to wear out. It sounded like it was having motor problems, and I couldn’t risk having it quit mid season, so we purchased a new model. Interestingly, the newer one was exactly the same – I guess when it already checks all the boxes, there’s not much to improve on. A nice perk was that all the older racks still fit so we gained quite a big capacity.
* Our son adopted our older one and refurbished it to run smoothly again, so now we both have one. The added bonus of that is that we can each borrow extra trays if we are dehydrating a bigger batch.
Purchased There are many types of dehydrators for sale these days: big and small, reasonably priced for the most part – so do a little research and read the reviews.
It is easy to find used (I call them ‘experienced’) dehydrators for good prices – from people who just didn’t end up using them as much as they thought they would. You can pick one up for a real good price on the secondhand market.
Unless you’re a single person and expect to use your dehydrator mostly for fun – avoid a real small size. Some dehydrators are so small they’re almost a waste of time in my opinion.
The shape of your dehydrator (round, square or rectangle) is completely a matter of personal choice, but there are a few features I recommend looking for: * being easy to clean is critical * a fairly large capacity, and the ability to do a little or a lot at a time * a thermostat to allow temperature control – a very important feature in my opinion * being able to add more shelves (racks) to increase your capacity from time to time * being able to purchase replacement pieces if needed * easy to clean plastic removable screens for fruit pieces, and easy clean plastic sheets suitable for fruit leather. tip: If your dehydrator doesn’t have screens or sheets, parchment paper is a good alternative.
Can you use your air fryer to dehydrate? Apparently you can, but your capacity is very small. You’ll be drying one sliced apple at a time, so what’s the point? And you’re still looking at several hours. When I dehydrate, I’m not doing it for fun – I’m looking for practicality and a quality product. Be cautious about keeping your heat down. I’ve had people tell me they dehydrate at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s cooking, not dehydrating – and heat sensitive vitamins will be destroyed.
In the end – my recommendation is to buy a good dehydrator. Whether it is new or experienced doesn’t matter, but investing in one will give you a lot of continual flexibility to be able to take advantage of freshly harvested produce that comes your way.
DEHYDRATING: Why and How
Dehydrated foods can be a nutritious option, but the extent of the nutrient retention varies. While some nutrients are well-preserved, others like water-soluble vitamins like Vitamin C and some B vitamins, will be lost during the drying process. The extent of loss will depend on a few factors – see below.
If you’re going to be serious about dehydrating, get yourself a dehydrator. It doesn’t have to be expensive, in fact I recommend buying an ‘experienced’ one from market place or a thrift store. You can get some pretty nice dehydrators for decent prices when you buy them second hand. I highly recommend getting one that has temperature control and that fits on your counter.
Nutrient Retention in Dehydrated Foods:
Vitamins: Vitamins C and some of the B complex (B1 & B9) are heat-sensitive and can be degraded with heat. To preserve these nutrients, use as little heat as you reasonably can. If you have a food dehydrator with a thermometer on it (my high recommendation), you can deliberately keep your temperature lower: 115 F to 125 F (46-52 C).
Temperature: For delicate citrus fruits and strawberries, keep the temperature range on the lower end / 115F – 125 F. For more hardy fruits like apples, some recommend doing the first hour at about 140 F to remove initial surface moisture, then reducing it to the lower range for the remainder of the drying time.
Minerals: Minerals are generally well-preserved during dehydration.
Fiber: Dietary fiber content remains largely unaffected by the drying process.
Calories: The calorie content of dehydrated food is going to stay the same, but on a weight-for-weight basis may seem higher because the water is removed.
Macronutrients: Macronutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are largely retained during dehydration.
Factors Affecting Nutrient Loss:
Drying Method: Dehydrating in a dehydrator at a low-temperature, retains more nutrients than air drying or oven drying. Temperature: Lower drying temperatures help preserve nutrients. Storage: Proper storage (like cool temperature and in the dark) helps maintain the quality and nutritional value of dehydrated foods.
Benefits of Dehydrated Foods:
Longer Shelf Life: Dehydration extends the shelf life of foods, reducing spoilage and waste.
Concentrated Nutrition: Dehydrated foods are more nutrient-dense by weight, making them a good option for backpacking or situations where weight is a concern.
Variety: Dehydration allows for year-round access to a wider variety of fruits and vegetables.
Mixing batches? Sometimes you may have two or more types of food that need the dehydrator at the same time. Can you mix them? ie: a few shelves of kale and a few shelves of fruit leather? Be careful. Consider the flavour and aroma of the foods your thinking of putting together.
Apples for instance have a pretty delicate flavour profile, tarragon is pretty strong. Keep those things in mind as you make the decision to combine in the dehydrator – albeit on different shelves. I have mixed in the past but usually with similar things: apples and fruit leather, cherries and fruit leather, cherries and apples, tomatoes and basil or oregano, kale and most herbs. Garlic or onion with anything else? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Don’t even do those in the house. And make sure you wash your shelves afterward. With garlic you might even want to use parchment paper which you can discard afterward.
What types of herbs, fruits and vegetables grown in the prairie provinces of Alberta are best candidates for dehydrating?
HERBS
All garden culinary herbs except dill weed (the green ferny parts), chives and cilantro are suitable for drying. With these herbs, the flavour is lost and the texture is not very good. I opt to freeze them as the flavour, colour and texture remain beautiful. I use them FROZEN, scraping out of a container with a fork and returning the container to the freezer immediately.
Basil – Oregano – Rosemary – Sage – Savory – Tarragon – Thyme (and any other leafy herb): wash, shake off water and drain well. Bigger leaves like basil I’ll remover from stem, smaller leaves like thyme and rosemary I’ll leave on the stem. Arrange in single layer on dehydrator rack. Once they’re dry, its a lot easier to strip off the stems. Do NOT leave any herbs unattended, as some will dry surprisingly quick. Oregano, tarragon and thyme for instance could be dry in a couple of hours, while basil may take double that time or even more. You know they’re dry enough when they’re crispy. Some leaves like basil will change colour – get a lot darker. Other leaves like oregano will stay the same colour. Be prepared for variety, they’re all gonna do what they do, and its all okay in the end.
Garlic: is different entirely, as it is not leafy, but succulent. Slice and arrange on rack in single layer, being prepared to redistribute by hand from time to time during the drying process. Best to find a protected outdoor area to set up your dehydrator as the smell will be very strong. When dry, store in slices, or grind into powder / granules.
FRUITS
* Experiment with length of time, always selecting a low temperature if you have a thermometer on your dehydrator. * Most of these ones listed you can expect to take over night at least – probably a good 12-18 hours. You’ll know they’re ready when they’re CRISP. Not a minute sooner. * Not all pieces will dry at the same rate. Rotate your racks throughout the process, and remove pieces that are dry sooner than the others. Place them in their storage jar, and continue to add others as they dry. If you stop too soon and pack them away while there’s still some moisture in them, they’ll mould and you’ll lose them all.
Should you peel your fruit? Depends on the fruit – and your preference, but I generally choose to peel apples. I find that the skin dries a little tough and the kids were eating around it.
Apples: my kids were raised on dried apples, dehydrated in a large dehydrator that Dan built. I could fit 40+ pounds of apples into it at one time. – Peel them, core them and slice into rounds 1/8 – 1/4 inch thick. If you prefer wedged slices to rounds, go ahead, you be you. – Add to a water-lemon juice solution to prevent them from browning. – When you’re ready, spread evenly in a single layer on your dehydrator racks and stack them. Cover with the lid and turn it on. Suggestion: set your dehydrator to 145°F (63°C) for about an hour to dry surface moisture, then reduce it to 135°F (57°C) for the remaining drying time. This two-step process helps prevent “case hardening,” where the outside dries too quickly and traps moisture inside. Expect 6 to 12 hours for the apples to dry completely. Don’t be surprised if it takes longer as there are other factors like humidity in the air that will affect the timing.
Testing: its a good practice to test every few hours, occasionally turning slices over as you see the need. Rotate racks.
Checking for dryness: Apples are dry when they are dry to touch, no moisture when pressed between your fingers. They can be crisp or pliable but ‘leathery’. Your choice.
Cooling and Storage: Always allow to cool completely before storing; a few minutes will suffice. Don’t let it sit for too long though, as it will absorb moisture from the air and lose it’s crispness. Store in an airtight container, preferably in a cool, dark place. I prefer glass jars.
Shelf life: You can be comfortable with storage of several months up to a year. After that, the quality will start to deteriorate.
Blueberries: I rarely have enough blueberries to dehydrate, but if you live in the north and you’ve got a favourite wild blueberry patch, then go for it! Poke a hole in each berry to break the skin – other wise they’ll take forever. Personally I wouldn’t leave these overnight. I’d want to keep a closer eye on them to prevent over drying. Use the steps for apples as a general guideline.
cherry raisins – I save the pits too to use in other projects.
Sour cherries: One of my favourite ways to preserve cherries is to dehydrate them, and then use them like raisins. Pit them, cut in half and place on the dehydrator rack open side up in a single layer.
Pitting cherries is a messy job, so its the perfect one to take outside. Having the dehydrator plugged in outside as well, keeps the whole mess outside where its easier to clean up.
fruit leather
Pears: Personally, I do not enjoy the texture of dried pears, so I don’t do them.
Plums: I slice into quarters – Prunes! Beautiful. Refer to the instructions for apples as general guidelines. No need to soak in lemon water, and if the plums are especially big and plump, cut them into smaller pieces.
I only use plums that are easy to pit. If I cannot remove the pit by simply slicing the fruit, then its not suitable to dry. Best to eat those plums fresh, or use for plum jam or plum sauce.
Rhubarb: only in fruit leather, as by itself the texture leaves much to be desired. See footnote for more information on fruit leathers. 2 Rhubarb freezes well – I love to use it frozen in smoothies, and I even can it sometimes cold packed in pint jars to use later as a sauce or in oatmeal. 3
Strawberries: slice and dry. No need to treat with lemon water, they’re beautiful. Like the blueberries, I wouldn’t leave these unattended over night. I’d want to keep an eye on them to prevent over drying. Strawberries will also make beautiful fruit leather alone or added to rhubarb. 4
All of these fruits are perfect for eating right out of the jar, or rehydrating. Use in porridge, or to bake with: muffins, cakes, crumbles etc. Stewed prunes over top of oatmeal. Refreshed dried cherries in muffins. Stewed apples and blueberries. Rehydrated apples and cherries in a nice ‘crisp’ or cobbler. Strawberry sauce to go over top ice cream.
Remember a dried plum is now a prune. It will never be a plum again – even if you rehydrate it. It is a PRUNE, just like a dried grape will always be a RAISIN. Rehydrating will never make them what they once were.
VEGETABLES
– carrots – corn – green beans – peas – onions – peppers – kale – spinach – tomatoes – zucchini – I store all these vegetables in labelled glass jars in a dark pantry cupboard. Most of them will only be useful in soups later.
* Most of these ones listed you can expect to take over night at least – probably a good 12 hours. But as with fruits, experiment with length of time, always selecting a low temperature if you have a thermometer on your dehydrator. * Not all pieces will dry at the same rate. Rotate your racks throughout the process, and remove pieces that are dry sooner than the others. Place them in their storage jar, and continue to add others as they dry.
Carrots: chop into small pieces and dehydrate to use in soups over the winter. Use in small amounts as they’ll be pretty strong flavoured, and expect them to take at least 20 minutes to rehydrate in brothy soup. I like to make carrot juice in the fall when I have lots of carrots, and when I do I often use the leftover pulp in carrot muffins or carrot cake. Sometimes however, I have an excess of carrot pulp that I cannot use right away. In that case, I’ll dehydrate it and store in a jar to use for carrot muffins over the winter.
carrot juice and whole wheat carrot muffins – the perfect late summer breakfast
Corn: shuck cooked corn as if you were going to freeze it. Break the pieces up quite small and dehydrate. Rehydrate in soups.
Green peas and beans, sweet peppers: blanch as if you were going to freeze them. Dehydrate on racks and rehydrate in soups.
Hot peppers: If they’re small I dehydrate them whole, and use them whole later without rehydrating them. I will throw them into the food processor whole, like for spinach dip, or to add to a sauce or soup. *tip: Peppers have a protective skin that should be punctured or split before dehydrating. You can still leave the peppers whole, but splitting the outer layer with a sharp knife before putting in the dehydrator will drastically reduce the time it takes. Sometimes if the peppers are small, I string them with thread and hang them in my kitchen to dry. It seems that simple puncturing of the needle helps.
Kale: Remove the tough stem, wash and chop coarsely. Lay on racks – no need to worry about single layers, I stack it quite deep. It dehydrates surprisingly (don’t ask how many hours – I never pay attention to that enough to write it down) quickly. I never blanch (or steam) it first.
Onions: chop into small pieces, or slice into 2-3 inch pieces and rinse in cold water. Rinsing removes some of the strong pungent sulfur flavour that is released when the onion is cut – I highly recommend it. Arrange on rack in single layer, being prepared to redistribute by hand from time to time during the drying process. Best to find a protected outdoor area to set up your dehydrator as the smell will be very strong.
Spinach and other leafy greens that are more delicate than kale: I suggest lightly steaming first (then plunging into COLD water to stop the cooking process). Drain well then coarsely chop and lay loosely on the dehydrator rack. Personally, I prefer freezing delicate leafy greens.
Tomatoes: choose meaty tomatoes like Roma. Tomatoes that are too juicy will take forever and stick like crazy to the rack. I slice them and lay in single layer on rack. As they dry and get leathery in texture, I’ll turn them over by hand and put them back on the rack to finish. Make sure you rotate your racks from time to time to help with even dehydrating. To use: add to soups or sauces as is, or powder them in a blender to use in the same way one would use tomato paste. 5
Zucchini: choose zucchini before it gets huge – the perfect eating size. I never peel the the small ones (just as if you were serving them for dinner), slice in nice thick pieces, then quarter them. Sometimes if I have a bigger zucchini, I’ll grate it and dry that way to refresh later and use for zucchini cake. These ones I DO peel because the peel is tough.
Other vegetables like: beets, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, cucumbers – personally I don’t recommend dehydrating them, mostly because its a texture issue. Having said that, there are always exceptions: I have dehydrated beet slices for the purpose of powdering them (like tomato powder) for adding to smoothies. Beets are a nutrient-dense, low-calorie vegetable packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are particularly rich in folate, manganese and potassium, also rich in fiber and iron and dietary nitrates which are beneficial for heart health. This makes them worth going the extra mile to find a way to benefit from them. Just because a fruit or vegetable is not suitable to use in the ‘traditional’ way, doesn’t mean its not useable in a non traditional way.
It is always worth experimenting with how you can benefit from the good that your garden is gifting you. The very nature of experimenting means it might not work – but it might! Be creative, and open minded to try things you haven’t tried before. Be THAT person. Discover new things simply because you gave them a try.
* I recently saw a post for dehydrated dill pickles. The individual who posted, had too many on hand and their family didn’t care for the brand, so they got ‘creative’ and discovered something wonderful. THAT is what we’re talking about. Not only did they have a good experience, but by sharing they helped others have a good experience too.
a few rules to live by:
Being self reliant is about not wasting goodness.
“Store what you EAT. And then eat what you store.” It doesn’t do any good to dehydrate foods that you are never going to eat. But on the other hand, it IS good to experiment in small quantities at first, and then give it every chance. Not all fruits and vegetables are suited for all forms of preserving, 6 so its good to be flexible.
I hope you’ll give some of these foods a try in the dehydrator, and I’d love to hear your experiences. You likely have some great ideas that I’ve not implemented yet. Or some ways of using the dehydrated foods you’ve dried. I’d love to hear those too.
When I was a little girl my mother bought apples by the case this time of year. Usually Macintosh if I remember correctly. They were FRESH, crisp and wonderful, and we stored them in our cold room in the basement.
We loved eating them and could have one whenever we wanted during those weeks. I equate fresh crispy apples with fall school days.
My mom would put some in a bowl on the table and I took it upon myself to shine them so they looked nice enough for a table centrepiece. I took great pride in this task, and it was a continual job as the apples got used up quickly. They needed shining because they came to us looking like the apples in this picture. Once I shined them up with a clean damp cloth, they looked like the apples in the picture below – which incidentally, I just shone to go on the table before writing this.
Can you see the three lady bugs that came inside with them? They thought they found a safe hiding place for winter, but ….. sorry ladies, out you go, find another one. Did you know lady bugs can live three years? I love lady bugs.
By the time I was married, apples came from the store already shiny and I puzzled over my childhood memory of shining them. I missed the ritual, and wondered why my mom would have had me shine apples when apparently they were already shiny. (?)
Years later I learned that the apples we buy in the grocery store are ‘waxed’1 to have that shine. I didn’t know with what, but there was no option. They’re all like that after the initial harvest.
I began washing my purchased apples to ‘remove’ the shine . Ironic eh?
But today. Today we brought in our very own beautiful honey crisp apples. They’re in the fridge now, but some inner voice compelled me to shine up a few for the table.
That’s when it happened. My flash back. THIS! Déjà vu. This I have done before. …. Just exactly like this! With a clean cloth. And just like those in my childhood memory, these apples shone up quickly. Almost like magic. And beautifully.
THIS IS WHAT APPLES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE!
Beautiful. Organic. Right outta your own backyard, or outta your community garden, or your nice neighbour’s yard. With a natural matt finish that shines up with the touch of a slightly damp cloth, till you can see the light reflecting in them. Apples in the fall are one of life’s great pleasures.
I hope you get some FRESH apples this fall, and I hope you have to shine them up. I’d love to hear your apple stories.
Warmly,
Cindy Suelzle
Footnotes:
In an effort to make ‘fresh’ apples available to consumers all year round, it is necessary to treat them. “Waxing these foods seals them, protects them from pests and diseases, and prevents them from drying out, thus maintaining freshness.” (*my note: Interesting use of the word “freshness”) https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-safety/information-product/fact-sheet-use-morpholine-apple-coatings.html I rest my case with regards to my opinion of eating IN the Season. Is it really necessary for us to eat ‘fresh’ apples 12 months of the year? ↩︎
“Preserving and storing garden produce extends the harvest season, reducing food waste, cutting grocery costs, and ensuring access to nutritious, homegrown food – bridging the gap between growing seasons (what our pioneer ancestors call ‘the hungry months’. It builds your level of self-reliance, providing food security against shortages, and enhancing emergency preparedness.
APPROPRIATE preserving methods retain more nutrients than many store-bought options, while allowing you to control ingredients, minimizing additives, preservatives and extra sugar. APPROPRIATE storage methods will allow your family to enjoy seasonal fruits and vegetables throughout the winter.
Below, we’ll discuss discuss 6 different ways of preserving food and best storage methods suited to each food you grow in your backyard. We’ll also take a few cautionary side trips to ensure food safety.” – Cindy Suelzle
What is the Hungry Gap?
The hungry months (‘hungry gap’ or ‘hungry season’) refer to the time, usually between March and May, when stored supplies from the previous year’s harvest have run out, and before the new season’s crops are ready to be harvested. Historically, this was a time of food scarcity, with families being forced to rely on limited rations, forage for wild food, and eat nutrient-poor diets. Proper food preservation and storage aim to reduce or eliminate the hungry gap.
Right off the bat, let’s dispel a few common misconceptions that I observe over and over.
Myth 1: Harvest is at the end of summer. Sometimes new gardeners have the idea that gardening is like a sandwich. They expect to plant in the spring and harvest in the fall. Truth: If you’ve gardened for awhile, you know the truth is very different. Aside from the near daily attention of watering and weeding, you can begin eating out of your garden within the first few weeks after planting (in garden talk that’s almost immediately), and throughout the growing season. Harvest is an ongoing processall-season-long. That means you’re picking and eating of course, but also picking and freezing, picking and canning, picking and pickling or fermenting, and picking and dehydrating all that is not consumed right away.
Yes, there will be things you’ll be harvesting at summer’s end – like winter squash, root vegetables, apples, plums and grapes, but that doesn’t take into consideration all the other fruits and vegetables (especially garden greens) that you’ll miss if you wait.
Myth 2: Fresh food from the grocery store is the BEST option nutritionally. Truth: The word “fresh” has been stretched and misused to define all sorts of things. The produce in the grocery stores should best be defined as ‘perishable’ instead of ‘fresh’. To be clear, I am not dissing perishable fruits and vegetables in the produce department of our favourite grocery stores. In Alberta, this is the only way we’re ever gonna enjoy pineapple or bananas, or mangoes or citrus fruits, or let’s face it – many other things. All I’m saying is – be reasonable about your nutritional expectations. Don’t expect a mango we buy at the grocery store to be everything it was in the hour it is harvested.
In many cases, it often takes a week or more after harvest before produce arrives on our grocery store shelves, and this, after being picked before it’s ripe. Since all produce begins deteriorating within the hour it’s harvested, having it be two weeks from harvest before we even see it is a problem. Sometimes, preserved food might actually be more nutritious than the older perishable food in the produce department. Open your mind to some new considerations.
It doesn’t matter how good it was on the day it was harvested, if it doesn’t get taken care of immediately. All produce begins to deteriorate within the first hour of harvest, so remember – THE CLOCK IS TICKING!
Myth 3: Storing food will make it last indefinitely. Truth: Nothing STOPS food spoilage, it’s food! It’s not indestructible, but certain methods of preserving slow spoilage down. That is the best we can hope for. No matter what you hear, no stored food lasts indefinitely. Be reasonable. Nutrition is optimum the fresher it is, of course, and it is best used within a certain time frame. All storage methods have limits that are shorter than we might assume.
Generally this is what you can expect with preserving:
Canned food – commercially canned or home-bottled food has a recommended shelf life of 18 months to 2 years. Two years is the time frame I try to work within. Nutritional value is approximately 40% of whatever that food was when it went into the bottle. That nutritional value decreases as it ages, so yes, we may all know someone who has bottled peaches from 2018 on their shelf, but just because it’s there, doesn’t mean it should be eaten. The nutritional value is so poor . . . . Just EAT the doggone thing or give it to the chickens! Get it over with! What are you waiting for?
Frozen fruits and vegetables if prepared properly have a recommended shelf life of 4 months to a year. For me, I use a year as my benchmark. Nutritional value is approximately 60% of whatever the food was the hour it went into the freezer. The key is to have it in the freezer as close to harvest time as possible. Don’t forget about it in there.
Dehydrated foods have a Potential Shelf Life of – 1 year for fruits, 6 months for vegetables, 1-2 months for meat (6 months if vacuum sealed. I say potential because there are so many factors to consider when dehydrating at home. How long between picking time and the dehydrator? Did you remove all the moisture? Are you certain? How are you storing it? Best practise is to store in coolish room temperatures (no less than 40 F / 5 C and no higher than 70 F / 20 C), out of direct light. Nutritional value is approximately 80%; again the key is prompt processing.
Freeze dried foods has the potential for a 25 year shelf life IF done properly, IF packaged properly, and IF stored properly. Freeze drying is a gentler process preserving and protecting food value. Nutritional value could be over 90%, with a lotta variables in the shelf life. How you package your freeze dried food will influence its long term stability. A sealed oxygen-free can or jar has the longest storage potential. A high quality mylar bag – provides a top 5-8 year shelf life.
It is impossible to achieve the coveted 25 year shelf life in a typical home kitchen – no matter how expensive your freeze-drier is. So stop having unreasonable expectations, and agree to live with the way things are. Freeze drying is a good way to preserve, but if you have to buy the food you’re going to freeze-dry, you’re already behind the 8 ball. And if you don’t store it properly , it will not last as long as you think it will.
The key to success for all preserved food – is ROTATION. Rotation means you USE it! 1st in – 1st out. Commit to using the food you preserve.
Community
One of your greatest resources when learning how to preserve the food you grow (or acquire) is other people. Everyone has an idea you’ve never tried (or even heard about) before. Don’t be stuck in the way you’ve always done things, just because that’s how you always have. But just because your girlfriend’s mom did things a certain way, doesn’t mean that’s best either. Be open-minded and willing to LEARN, willing to try new things. Be wise and pay attention to details. And then share your successes and failures with others so everyone can get better.
get a good book you can trust
I am not saying this is the book you must have (in fact, it’s out of print), but there are other excellent resources available with important details that will be invaluable to you in your food-preserving journey. Look around, do some research and FIND a GOOD BOOK that will not only give you great suggestions and recipes, but more importantly – tell you how to can, and the times to boil your jars, what times and pressure to use when you’re pressure canning, suggested steaming or blanching times when you’re canning etc. These are very important details.
These things have been (and continue to be) studied in test kitchens for decades. What temperatures and times are needed to safely preserve food? What temperatures kill the toxins that cause botulism? Don’t depend on your memory, don’t depend on what Aunt Martha has always done, and if you use google, be very cautious about where you take your information.
before we go on, we must take an important cautionary side trip . . . . . don’t skip this part below, it could save your life
Botulism! is nothing to trifle with.
What is it? Botulism is a rare but serious condition caused by a toxin that attacks the body’s nervous system. It can cause life-threatening symptoms. All forms of botulism can be fatal and are considered medical emergencies, but for our purposes here, we’re only talking about Foodborne Botulism.
Harmful bacteria can thrive and produce toxins in low-oxygen, and low-acid environments. The bacterium responsible for botulism grows best in these conditions which is why improperly processed home-canned or bottled foods pose a higher risk. Freezing does not destroy the bacteria or it’s spores. While boiling can destroy the toxin itself, it does not kill the spores, which can survive and later produce more toxin under the right conditions.
Strict adherence to cleanliness, and ensuring that proper canning methods are used when home preserving is more important than we might suspect. Fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly before using. Glass jars should be cleaned with hot soapy water, rinsed with hot water and kept clean till used. It is not necessary to sterilize jars if they will be processed in a hot water bath for at least 10 minutes.
Only high acid foods like some fruits and in some cases pickled vegetables, should be canned in a hot water bath canner. Why? A boiling water bath (212°F) is only safe for high-acid foods (fruits, pickles, jams) because the acid prevents the botulism spores from germinating, even though the heat does not kill them.
Low acid foods: vegetables, legumes, soups, sauces, meat and fish should be processed in a pressure canner under recommended pressure. Don’t guess about the what pressure to use, or the timing, always use a reputable guide. Why pressure? Because botulism spores are highly resistant to heat and can survive boiling water, but they are destroyed at temperatures of 240°F and above.1 which are only achievable in a pressure canner.
Key Facts About Pressure Canning and Botulism Safety:
Temperature Requirement: To destroy botulism spores, food must be processed at 240°F (116°C) or higher, using 10-15 pounds per square inch (PSI) of pressure.
EATING “IN THE SEASON”
Years ago (for nutritional reasons), I decided to focus our eating IN THE SEASON, preserving the EXCESS of what we could use immediately. Consequently, we eat primarily out of our garden from the beginning of May through the end of September. Other than the watermelon we buy constantly throughout the summer, 90% of our fresh produce comes from the garden. Like everyone else, I still like summer fruits we cannot grow in our climate: peaches, nectarines, citrus, and blackberries – when all those fruits are at their best. Lucky for me, I live in a place where I have the best of both worlds.
Every growing season will be different; not every vegetable will do great every year. Some years are going to be great tomato years, some will be better green crop years. It is important to diversify what we grow to give us the best variety and chances for success. For instance, our growing season – summer of 2024 – was the perfect lesson for why diversification is a good idea.
It threw some unexpected curve balls at us: April was cold, May was cold and excessively windy, even June was cold and very windy. 2 I was still planting my garden in the middle of June – a full month later than than I ever have before. But then the weather was perfect for weeks at a time. By mid July most things had caught up. Who knew? April, May and June of 2024 was perfect spinach weather, but unfortunately for me, and uncharacteristically, I hadn’t planted any spinach. Booooo me.
MAY
What is typically ready in my yard (and probably your yard too) in May? * Early greens like spinach if you got it planted early enough (April, or even the previous August is a good time). * Volunteer Greens: Lambs Quarters – a common garden edible weed that is very much like spinach in many ways. Dandelion leaves – open your mind – when they’re very young, (young dandelion greens are nice added to a salad). Giant hyssop is an edible native plant that comes up early. Chickweed (yes, another common garden edible weed) that springs to life as soon as the ground warms up. * Sorrel, one of the earliest garden greens. * Rhubarb is at its best at the beginning of the season. * Chives, Garlic Chives and Welsh Onions are up and big enough to start picking for meals.
JUNE
What is ready in my yard (and probably your yard too) in June? * All your herbs. * More early greens, including lettuces. * Early strawberries. * Haskaps are the first fruits of the season – usually ready before the middle of the month. * Rhubarb is full on and at its best in June.
JULY
By the first of July, you should be eating something from your garden every day. Peas, beans, more greens including Asian greens, kale, the first cucumbers, every kind of herb, and the first tomatoes, zucchini and onions, black currants and more strawberries.
AUGUST
Very soon the excitement of first ripening turns into mass ripeness – all ready to harvest at the same time. Zucchini that gets so big you can use it for a piece of furniture, or it sits on the counter for several days before you use it; kale that grows bigger by the hour; more salad than anyone can enjoy, and more basil-wrapped-tomatoes than you can put on any table. Who has time to do take-out in the summer? And why would you? There is so much to eat every day right in your garden.
Part of the beauty of summer is the healthful benefits of eating in-the-season. Shop for dinner every day from your garden. There’s nothing like fresh sour cherries or plums from the tree, or those first crisp apples! But don’t miss the more subtle offerings: parsley that is ready fresh all summer long – with plenty to be dehydrated for use all winter, kale that we can literally pick every day and it never stops producing, with lots left to freeze or dehydrate. Gardeners, we have carefully tended our food plants since the weather warmed up, so be open to all the ways they want to give back to us. In some cases, the more we pick, the more will keep coming. When we let vegetables like peas, beans, cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes stay on the plant longer than needful, they start to over-ripen in an effort to produce viable seed, signalling the plant that producing time is over. They’ll stop producing more fruit, and focus on going to seed.
We sabotage our garden’s quality and quantity by not constantly harvesting throughout the entire growing season.
Picking cucumbers every few days as they ripen will keep the plant producing. You’ll have some to enjoy today, some to give away, and some to put up for winter for several weeks. Same with tomatoes: freshly sliced on toasted sourdough bread, in your garden salad of course, fresh bruschetta on fresh sourdough, fresh salsa, roasted pasta sauce, – enough to eat fresh, enough to share and enough to put up for winter.
STORE WHAT YOU EAT AND EAT WHAT YOU STORE
Preserving means NO WASTE, and extending the season – but never at the expense of eating IN the season. We really can have plenty of both, ironically by picking more. And there are several different ways to preserve, some more suitable than others, each with it’s own advantages, disadvantages and optimum shelf life. Not all methods are suitable for all produce. Be open-minded and employ a variety of methods to take advantage of the best options. When you eat what you store, you will have greater success in keeping your food properly rotated. This is what is meant by Food ROTATION.
front and centre you can see two tomatoes that suffered from irregular watering
When harvesting, be GENTLE. All fruits and vegetables are easily bruised and damaged; that damage will affect how long they’ll last. Use injured produce immediately, and the less severely injured ones as soon as possible. Go through your stored vegetables frequently, discarding all that are showing signs of spoilage.
COLD STORAGE Choose the coolest area in your house or garage that is clean with no risk of freezing. Do everything you can to keep it cool: lowest level if you’ve got a basement, no windows, outside walls if possible, no carpet, no heating vents, and dark. Vegetables like potatoes and onions will last for months, beets for a couple weeks at best. If you have a very cold room, you may even be able to keep carrots packed in CLEAN sand for an additional month or two, and possibly even cabbage short-term if it’s cool enough. COLD STORAGE is a temporary short-term storage method, extending the season another month or two or three – the key being to EAT it, don’t leave it there for months. Rotation is important. Most modern homes are not built for cold storage.
2. REFRIGERATION Room is always an issue in any fridge and over packing your fridge reduces its effectiveness to keep everything at a consistently cold enough but not too cold temperature. Additional fridges have additional costs involved in running them. It is an excellent, though temporary, short term storage method. Count your time in weeks at best. Eat your food storage to keep it rotated.
Refrigeration and Freezing are 100% dependent on electricity. For this reason, I don’t consider anything in either one part of my food storage. They are for convenience only, and let’s face it – freezers are mighty convenient. But if you lose power, you’ve lost a LOTTA food. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – in the fridge or freezer basket.
3. FREEZING Again room is an issue, and leaving foods too long in the freezer is a common problem. Rotate your frozen food, 1st-in 1st-out. Short to medium short-term storage when properly prepared, packed and labelled. Freezing retains approximately 60% nutrition IF prepared properly and frozen quickly after harvesting. Recommended shelf life of frozen food is 4 months to 1 year, depending on what it is. And yes, I know your mom has food in her freezer from 3 years ago. Again, the recommended shelf life is 4 months to 1 year.
4. CANNING Two methods of canning: using a hot water bath with boiling water reaching 212 degrees F, and a pressure canner, which uses steam and pressure to reach up to 250 degrees F. Hot Water Bath canning is for high acid fruits. I always add lemon juice or vinegar – depending on the flavour it’s going to give the fruit. For instance, to a quart jar its recommended to add 2 Tablespoons lemon juice or double that for vinegar.
5. JAMS, JELLIES AND SYRUPS I always process these lovelies in a hot water canner. It is possible to freeze jams but I choose not to. Freezing always seems to require more sugar, and freezer space is a premium in my house. 3 for directions on how to make your own jam click HERE
5. DEHYDRATING is one of the oldest ways to preserve foods, keeping them safe to eat and maintaining reasonable nutrition. Estimates are that up to 80% of original food value is preserved. Times to dehydrate range from 1-2 hours to 24+ hours, depending on what you’re drying. Pay particular attention to ensure there is no remaining moisture in individual pieces.
Do NOT dehydrate high fat foods such as avocados, olives or nut butters, or dairy as the risk of food poisoning is too high. I personally do not dehydrate any kind of protein either.
For optimum storage keep in a cool, dry, dark place at temperatures below 60 degrees F or 15 degrees C. Dried foods should be good for up to 12 months depending on storage conditions. Vacuum sealing dehydrated fruits, vegetables and herbs will extend the shelf life for up to 10 years. The vacuum seal prevents oxygen from entering.
6. PICKLING OR FERMENTING While I have pickled various vegetables over the year: cucumbers, beets and carrots, it seems our family are not big pickle fans so I haven’t kept it up.
We are however, big SAUERKRAUT fans. I like to make a batch of sauerkraut in the late fall – November for the winter.
7. FREEZE DRYING Freeze drying is a relatively new option in home preserving. Commercially, its been on the market for 40+ years, but quality was a little hard to find. Since the year 2000 it became increasingly more available for purchase, but as with most things, the quality varied greatly.
The process is two step: Step 1 is to FREEZE, and step 2 is to remove all remaining moisture WITHOUT thawing. The key to the highest nutritional quality is – how fast can one get it from field to freezer? and how fast can one freeze it? When freeze drying at home, you must have sufficient freezer space to freeze your food in a flat surface layer so that once frozen, the food can be transferred to the freeze dryer. Everything will take different times, but to give you an idea of what to expect, blueberries will take approximately 30-40 hours to completely dry. Because blueberries (and other berries like them) have a protective skin on them, each berry must be punctured. If you don’t do that, the outer skin will dry, sealing in the moisture – exactly what you don’t want! Once they’re completely finished it is imperative that you get them sealed in an oxygen free storage container as soon as possible because they will begin absorbing moisture from the air.
Commercially, the process is the same: Freeze, and remove all remaining moisture without thawing, through a vacuum like process called sublimation. There are many companies that freeze dry, and I have noticed that not all are the same in their commitment to quality. Again, like for home freeze drying, the key to quality is – how fast can one get it from field to freezer? Over the years, I have tried many different brands of commercially freeze dried food, and finally settled on THRIVE LIFE as my brand of choice. There were several reasons for this – all of them relating to their unwavering commitment to quality. Sadly, in 2025 Thrive Life ceased selling to individual households. So the search for quality began again.
Last fall, I found WISE HARVEST Freeze dried food. Based in Utah, they process their own food, so they’re in charge of their own selection, quality and process. They are currently packaging in high quality mylar bags which allow for a shelf life of 5-8 years, and have about 20 items in their inventory. I have tried everything they sell and I am impressed with the quality. It is definitely a company I will be keeping track of as they grow and develop. Incidentally, they ship everything FREE once the order tops $100 – even into Canada. And their prices are both in American or Canadian dollars.
Do I freeze dry my own produce? Not at this time, but I am always considering it.
Why not? I have reflected on doing so many times over the years, and have several friends who have taken the step into freeze-drying their own food. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been tempted to buy a freeze dryer, and looked a few times very seriously. After all, it is completely cohesive with the way I do things. But the thing that holds me back from this very expensive system, is the fact that I do not believe I can DO better or provide a better end product than what I can buy already freeze dried. In all other methods of preserving, I believe I provide a cleaner and more nutritious end product: canning, freezing and dehydrating. But not when it comes to freeze drying? Not yet. Not as long as there is a good, affordable source providing the quality and variety I cannot match.
Some hard facts to consider: * Living in central Alberta, most produce available for purchase has travelled long distances and is several days from harvest by the time it reaches our grocery store shelves. This means tremendous loss of nutrition. * Living in urban central Alberta, the variety and quantity of food I grow is restricted by my weather. Some of the food my family would like to eat freeze dried are things I cannot grow: bananas, mangoes, pineapple, etc. I feel that if I must buy the food I am going to freeze dry, I might as well buy it already freeze dried – in the end, I am looking for the highest quality.
Currently, of the variety and quantity of food I grow in central Alberta, that are suitable to be freeze-dried, I just don’t think I can justify the cost. One also needs to consider the additional cost of dedicated freezer space (the 1st step of the process). It’s a personal choice, and I totally understand those who go that route. It’s just not my route quite yet.
– Preserving your ABC’s –
Apples
A late summer favourite in our house, we look forward to the apples. Usually coinciding with the beginning of back-to-school time, our apples are ready, and we begin juicing. September smells like apple juice in our house. If the apples are nice then we make a few apple pies to eat and freeze, apple muffins, apple cookies, apples in our salads, apple sauce, apple fruit leather . . . there is no end to the versatility of apples. If your apples are more tart, its not necessary to add lemon juice, but if they’re more sweet, you might want to add 1 T to a pint (500 ml), 2 T to a quart (1 L).
Cold Storage: YES! the colder the better. Refrigeration: YES. can be stored in the fridge for a month or two Freezing: Yes! Also cut up as if for pie filling, apple sauce and juice Canning: Yes! As apple wedges as if for pie filling, apple sauce and apple juice. Dehydrating: Yes! Sliced reasonably thinly in wedges or rings. Pickling or Fermenting: no Juicing: Yes! Freeze Drying: Yes
Cold Storage: no Refrigeration: short term Freezing: Yes. Canning: not really suitable Pickling: yes Dehydrating: No. Texture is not good. Freeze Drying: yes
Beans – green or yellow or purple
Cold Storage: no Refrigeration: yes, short term Freezing: Yes. Freeze in whatever meal amount suits your family best. I blanch for two or three minutes then seal into small freezer bags, label and freeze. I find this better suited for our family so that those few of us who like them can enjoy without cooking up to much at a time. Canning: Yes – under pressure. This is my sister’s family’s favourite winter vegetable; consequently she cans dozens of jars every summer. Cooked beans are not a favourite in our house, so I have never canned them. Pickling: Yes. Several different types of pickled beans – open your mind and seek out recipes that appeal to you. Dehydrating: No, not the best. Takes a while to rehydrate and the texture is not very nice.
Beets can be picked pretty much all July and August as you thin out your rows.
Thinning will allow more room for the beets to grow bigger, and they can be left in the garden till cold weather forces your hand.
Beets are best stored unwashed but with excess soil brushed away, in a ‘cold’ dark place – a cold room or the fridge. Unlike onions and potatoes they can be stored in large food grade plastic bags, but are not suitable to long term shelf life in a cold room. Best place is the fridge. For longer storage, either can, freeze or pickle.
Every year, I look forward to BORSCH, the traditional Eastern European later summer soup, and a national dish in Ukraine.5 click HERE to read my post on Borsch including recipe
Cold Storage: short term Refrigeration: yes, in fact they should be stored in the fridge (short term again) Freezing: yes Beets can be frozen with good results. Cook them first. I prefer roasting covered in a hot oven (400 degrees). Keep 1/2 inch or more of their bottom stem to minimize colour bleed, ensuring they stay to their beautiful deep colour. I use a roasting pan, or a casserole dish or even just tin foil – depending on how many you’re doing. Keep them covered. They’ll cook in their own moisture. Or you can boil: cover with water allowing plenty of room in your pot so it doesn’t boil over (big mess). Roasting or boiling, when tender to the fork remove from heat, cool and remove the peel – it will slip off easily in your hands. Slice, cube or grate and package them into freezer bags or containers. Label and freeze. Plan to use before next season for best results. Canning: Can in pint or quart jars – because they are a low acid food they must be processed in a pressure canner. Don’t have a pressure canner? Consider pickling them. This you can process with a hot water bath canner. For maximum nutrition, plan to use within 18 months – 2 years. Dehydrating: Don’t. You won’t like them. Not a good texture. Pickling: yes Freeze Drying: yes
Berries
Cold Storage: NO Refrigeration: Yes Freezing: Yes Canning: No. The texture of berries is too delicate to withstand the heat and time of canning. Dehydrating: No – with reservations. Depends on the berries. It’s helpful to puncture berries with a skin like blueberries, saskatoons, currants, haskaps. Personally, I don’t like any of these delicate berries dried. Strawberries are good dehydrated if they’re not sliced too thin. I don’t like raspberries dried. Too sour, and I don’t like the texture. Jams: Yes Vinegars: Yes
Cabbage
Cold Storage: no Refrigeration: yes short term Freezing: We often freeze cabbage in the original head, to break down the texture so as to be better/more pliable to make cabbage rolls. Canning: I never have and have no comment Dehydrating: doesn’t sound good to me Fermenting Cabbage : Sauerkraut. A definite YES! 6 Once your sauerkraut is sufficiently fermented, store in the fridge. Freeze Drying: ? maybe?
to read more about sauerkraut, including how to make it, click HERE
Carrots can be stored in a high humidity COLD storage room.
Gently wash and trim the tops to within a 1/2 inch, and thoroughly dry before storing. Store only whole, unblemished carrots; refrigeration is highly recommended. Place in large plastic, food grade bags with several breathing holes punched through. Line the bag with a layer of paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Check carrots every few weeks to ensure they’re not drying out, but are also not too wet (I know – sigh). If the paper towels get very wet, replace them. Cold Storage: yes, packed in clean sand. Use withing a few months. Refrigeration: yes, you can store them in the fridge for a few months Freezing: no, don’t. Very rubbery. That’s all I have to say about that. Canning: Carrots can be bottles and processed in a pressure canner. As with beets, if you don’t have one, consider pickling. Dehydrating: Yes. Chop small. Best to use in a nice brothy soup to refresh. Don’t use too many, they’re pretty strong and will overpower a dish. Don’t do too many the first year – a little goes a long way. After the first year, you can judge for yourself. Pickling : Yes Freeze Drying: no
Cherries or Sour Cherries
Cold Storage: no Refrigeration: yes for the short term Freezing: yes. Pit first or you’ll wish you did. Canning: Yes. I suggest adding 1 T lemon juice to a pint (500 ml) or 2 T to a quart (1 L). Dehydrating: Yes. Pit and cut in half. Freeze Dried: Yes. pit and cut in half, or pit and puncture with pin. Jams: Yes Juicing: Yes, and can combined with apple juice or on its own. Vinegars: Yes
Corn
Corn is best eaten the day it is picked. If needed to pick in advantage, keep as cool as possible and make every effort to use as soon as possible. Suggestion: submerge cobs in ice water right after harvesting, drain and refrigerate with husks on. If the husks have been removed, store in plastic bags, for a few days in the fridge.
Cold Storage: no Refrigeration: short-term Freezing: My preferred way to store corn. Once the corn is cooked, (we prefer to grill it on the BBQ), we cut the kernels off with a sharp knife. I gather the kernels in a plastic tub. and gently tossed the corn with me hands. Then I pack in serving sized freezer bags. . Canning: I have canned excess corn before, under pressure in the Pressure Canner. Dehydrating: no, I don’t recommend it Pickling: I’ve seen corn used in salsas which are canned, as well as relishes. Personally, I would pressure can these.
Cucumbers
Cold Storage: no Refrigeration: short-term Freezing: nope Canning: nope, not unless you’re canning your pickles Dehydrating: doesn’t sound good Freeze Drying: in small pieces the results are excellent. When home freeze drying I find they don’t stay crisp. It’s tempting to freeze dry in slices, but it seems to work a lot better in dices.
Pickling or Fermenting: A definite YES for pickling.
Garlic – as with onions, you can use garlic immediately from the garden,
but for long term storing, as with onions again, it should be cured. Remove all excess dirt and tie in bundles of about 10-12 heads, hang upside down out of the way and out of the sun. Must be cured – as with onions – it is ready to prep and store when it is dry, brown and crispy. Any remaining moisture will promote spoilage down the road.
With scissors cut off the stock, leaving about a 1 inch piece and also remove the root close to the surface. Small paper bags left open at top are perfectly suited for storing garlic in dry dark cold room. Dehydrating: I have never done it myself but I have several friends who do. Slice and dehydrate in a dehydrator. If you don’t have a dehydrator you can dry on a cookie sheet in your oven at the lowest temperature. If you cannot get your oven below 150 degrees, use a wooden spoon to prop your oven oven slightly. Check often to prevent scorching. Once it is thoroughly dry / crispy, powder in a food processer or coffee grinder. A blender will work but you’ll get a lot of powder. Let it settle before opening the lid.
Garlic Salt: My cousin brought me some garlic salt she made herself and now I am a total convert. So doing this myself when I run out. It’s a super simple process. You control the texture of your garlic salt, leave it chunky, coarse or fine – depends on your desired end use.
1 cup coarse kosher salt (non iodized – don’t use regular table salt) 12-15 cloves fresh garlic peeled. Process in food processer until garlic is finely chopped. Spread over parchment line baking sheet and bake 200 degrees till mixture completely dries out. Expect it to take 45-60 minutes.
Baking it makes it a little clumpy, so after its cooled, either crush it in a mortar and pestle or run through your food processer again, or throw it in your high powered blender if you want a finer texture.
Valiant grapes ready to harvest. End of September.
We’ve grown Valiant Grapes in our backyard for almost 20 years. They look and taste very similar to Concord Grapes that are grown in the Niagara region. They are delicious, nutritious, super easy to grow, and winter hardy – everything that is important to me. They have seeds in them and for that reason, some in my family prefer not to eat them ‘fresh’. That doesn’t bother me one little tiny bit. Grape seeds are so rich in nutrition, that I am highly motivated to ‘like’ them.
Cold Storage: no Refrigeration: yes, short-term. Freezing: Yes. We freeze them for smoothies all winter long. Canning: no Dehydrating: no because they contain pits that are too hard to remove. You won’t like them. Juicing: yes, and then can the juice Jamming: YES!!!
We make GRAPE PIE – as a traditional favourite dessert for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
They make a wonderful sauce to add to yogurt, serve over top ice cream or angel food cake, and they make the best jam in the history of the world!
Herbs
Most of the herbs I grow get dehydrated for winter use. The exceptions are dill weed and chives. Dill weed is too delicate to dry – it loses all that makes it wonderful. So I chop it and freeze it, scraping out of its container with a fork while it’s still frozen to use, then returning to the freezer immediately. Chives are also too delicate to dry – becoming ‘woody’ in my opinion, so I chop and freeze them too.
Small amounts of thin leafed herbs (basil, mint, oregano, parsley, tarragon, thyme) – dry on a clean towel on the table or counter. Larger amounts or thick leaves I put in the dehydrator.
Basil – Pesto Pesto is one of my favourite summer traditions. I used to think it was synonymous with basil and at one time it was, but this is a brave new world we’re living in, and pesto can also come from parsley, radish greens, carrot greens, nasturtiums or any combination thereof, or any other flavour you want to preserve. 7
to learn more about pesto, including recipes click HERE. In the link are several different posts about different ways to make pesto using a variety of herbs. Be creative and have fun experimenting.
Dandelion roots – I wash, chop and dry roast them in the oven at 400F. Store in glass jar away from direct light. 8
Dill– I am generally interested in the green weed. I pick when they’re green and lush throughout mid summer, swish in cool water then put in a salad spinner to take excess water off. Chop with a sharp knife on board and scrape into a freezer container. Label and seal. Freeze. To use, I simple scrape the chopped weed out of its container with a fork while its still frozen and return to the freezer immediately. 9
Horseradish – you can make horseradish sauce or freeze it in clumps. It will lose some of its pungency, so plan to use in 6 months. to read more about horse radish including recipes click HERE
Mint – for tea is foundational, probably the first herb most people dry and then use all winter long. Easy to dry. Easy to use.
Kale
Cold Storage – nope Refrigeration – short term Freezing – Yes. Wash and remove stems. Chop coarsely and blanch in boiling water for 1 minute. Immediately plunge into ice water to stop the cooking and to lock in colour. Once the mass is cooled, strain and let the leaves drain for a few minutes. Pat dry with a cloth, and put them in labelled clean freezer bags, removing as much air as possible. Blanching kale increases the shelf life to 6-9 monts, while raw kale frozen is best eaten within 1–2 months. Canning: nope Dehydrating: This is my personal preference. Easy to do and easy to use later. Two to three hours in the dehydrator depending on how full your racks are, and then pack away in a glass jar. Label, and keep out of direct sunlight.
These jars pictured are 2 quart size. You’d be amazed by how much dehydrated kale is in each of these jars. I use it throughout the winter in many dishes, just scooping out of the jar and adding it to soups, stews, chillies, and sauces of all kinds. Pickling or Fermenting: nope Freeze drying: One of my favourite freeze-dried vegetables.
Onions can be used from the garden as needed all summer long
especially when the bulb starts to round out, but by late summer you’ll notice the tops begin to flop over, giving the signal that the plant has stopped growing. They’re ready to harvest.
Cold Storage: Yes. They need a cool, dry, dark, and well-ventilated spot (a pantry will do) to stay firm for months.
To dig, carefully loosen the soil around your onions with a garden fork, then gently pull them up by their tops. Best to keep the full stem intact until fully dry. If the weather is dry with no danger of frost overnight, lay the plants out in the garden for a day or two to dry out. If the weather is not in your favour, move them to a protected area – perhaps the floor of the garage or a covered porch.
Curing onions is the term used to prepare them for long term storage, and is absolutely necessary. The outer layers dry out, tightening around the bulbs to effectively protect them, keeping the onion firm longer. Its a simple process: make sure they have plenty of air space for circulation – ideally outside but protected from the sun. Either hang or lay out. That’s it. You do you, but take care not to bump or bruise them. And don’t rush this process, drying takes TIME, and properly curing onions means you can enjoy the harvest all winter long. Taking shortcuts will prevent proper curing, and the onion bulbs will turn soft and mushy. Curing onions allows them to be stored at room temperature, so even a kitchen pantry would be sufficient if it was nice and dark.
Onions are sufficiently cured when the necks are completely tight and dry, and the stems contain no moisture. Use scissors to trim the roots to about 1/2 inch, and the leaves to about 1 inch. Like potatoes, onions should be kept cool and dark – with good air circulation. The same kind of containers are suitable. If the onions are exposed to light for any long stretches, they may sprout new green leaves. Use any onions that have been bruised or damaged first, as they will not last as long.
It’s tempting to store onions with potatoes because their needs are similar, but potatoes release moisture as they age, which can encourage onions to develop soft spots, so keep a reasonable distance between them.
Either hang or lay out, you do you, but don’t rush the process. Drying takes TIME
Refrigeration: No. The fridge is too damp, causing them to turn soft and moldy. *note: if you only have a few onions and you think you’ll use them up in a few weeks, don’t worry about curing. Go ahead and put them in your fridge.
Not all onions are intended for long storage. Generally, the milder or (or sweeter) onions are intended for short term use. Stronger (or more pungent) flavoured onions may retain quality for up to a year if cured properly. These are things to consider when selecting the type of onion you want to grow in the spring.
Freezing: Yes, though they will lose their crunch. They are best suited for cooked dishes like soups, stews, sauces, and casseroles. Properly stored, frozen onions last about 3-6 months.
Peel and chop, dice, or slice onions to the desired size. Spread out on a baking sheet and place flat in the freezer for about 2 hours. This prevents them from freezing into a solid clump. Pack into airtight bags or containers, removing as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. Use directly from frozen in recipes; no need to thaw.
I’ve seen my dad put on goggles and chop tons of onions by hand for hours so that he could freeze them for ready use. That was enough for me to never want to do the same thing. Generally, I choose not to freeze.
You can also freeze onions precooked to save cooking time later.
Canning: No Dehydrating: Yes, but you might want to take the dehydrator outside to do it. The smell lingering in the house for days is not appealing. Pickling: Yes Freeze drying: Yes! I don’t freeze-dry onions myself – I prefer the quality of what I have purchased. They are super easy to use, and do not need to be refreshed. One can use them in fresh salsas, chicken or egg salads, or in any other way.
Parsnips – same as carrots.
Peas
Cold Storage: nope Refrigeration: short-term Freezing: Yes. To freeze fresh peas, shell and wash them, then blanch in boiling water for 1.5 to 2 minutes. Immediately plunge into ice water for 2 minutes to stop cooking, drain well, and dry completely. Freeze in a single layer on a tray (flash freeze) before storing in airtight freezer bags for up to 6–12 months Canning: Yes, under pressure Dehydrating: Yes, but . . . . I don’t like them. Pickling: no Freeze Drying: YES! They’re great to snack on, and when they’re refreshed, they taste just like fresh from the garden.
Peppers
Cold Storage: nope Refrigeration: Yes short term. Freezing: Yes. They can be frozen raw and chopped (sliced or diced, seeds removed), no blanching necessary. Freeze on a cookie shett to prevent clumping, then transfer to a labelled freezer bag. Will keep a good 9 -12 months. Canning: Yes, under pressure Freezing: Yes.
Dehydrating: Yes Freeze Drying: Yes
Potatoes
Cold Storage or Refrigeration: Potatoes should never be stored in the fridge, as it converts starch into sugars, changing the texture to a sweet, gritty, unpleasant texture. Cool is good, COLD is not. A nice dark area is necessary as light turns potatoes green. Keep them in a breathable storage container like a cotton or burlap bag, paper bag, basket, or a cardboard or wooden box. Use injured potatoes first – those that may have been damaged with a shovel when harvesting, those with blemishes, those with splits or anything else not perfect. Those injury spots will begin to spoil, so use them first. Continue to go through them from time to time, removing any that look like they are starting to rot. Canning: Yes, under pressure Dehydrating: Yes with reservations. I personally don’t dry them. Freeze Drying: Yes . . . .though I’ve never done so myself. I do however, use commercially freeze-dried potatoes.
Potatoes are easy to store: choose the coolest area you have (NOT the fridge) and keep them in the dark with as much air circulation as possible. No plastic bags or tubs.
Pumpkins and other winter squash
Cold Storage or Refrigeration: Cool, NOT cold. Handle gently, as dents and scrapes will introduce decay. Clean the surface by wiping with cool water in which a capful of bleach has been added. This kills bacteria that will quickly gain a foothold in any injury spots, including cuts when you carve a jack-o-lantern. After it’s been disinfected, dry it thoroughly with a soft cloth before storing it. Keep your pumpkins cool, dry and dark and they’ll reward you by lasting several months. Slight freezing or even too cold will break down the tissue and make the pumpkin soft, but too warm is a problem too. Keep them out of direct sunlight. Best place is in your cold room or garage, as long as it doesn’t freeze. Keep them OFF the cement floor with cardboard, a blanket, wood slats or on a shelf. And try to keep them from touching each other to allow them to breathe.
Freezing: Yes, but the texture gets watery. I don’t care for the final result Canning: Yes, in chunks not puree – and always under pressure Dehydrating: No. Freeze Drying: Yes
Rhubarb – the best friend you never gave the time of day to
Cold Storage: No. Refrigeration: Yes, short-term. Freezing: Yes! Wash, chop, bag and freeze. I use the frozen rhubarb in smoothies for an especially refreshing drink. Canning: Yes! I cold pack macerated rhubarb into pints, using the juice of the rhubarb and sugar as liquid. 10 minutes in a hot water bath. I don’t feel the need to add any lemon juice or vinegar, as it is acidic enough already. We use this to flavour yogurt or to top oatmeal on winter mornings, or for baking.
Jam: Rhubarb is foundational in most of my red summer jams. Dehydrating: Yes, but only as fruit leather. By itself or as a base with strawberries, raspberries, plums, and many other flavour companions. Be creative. Yes you can dry rhubarb in small pieces, but it is not a nice texture or flavour and is hard to find uses for. Freeze Drying: Yessss, although I don’t care for the texture. I guess it depends on what your goals are to use it.
To read more about Rhubarb including recipes, click HERE10
Sorrel and other Greens such as Spinach, Swiss Chard and Amaranth
Cold Storage: No. Refrigeration: Yes, short-term. Freezing: Yes. Lightly blanch and pack into small freezer bags, label and freeze. Canning; nope Dehydrating: nope Freeze Drying: YES
Tomatoes are why I garden
Cold Storage: No. I leave whole tomatoes in my kitchen at room temperature while they’re ripening. I want them close at hand so I can keep an eye on them. We use them daily fresh, but sometimes they ripen a lot at once, so I need to be watching. Refrigeration: No. Cold temperatures stop the ripening process, breaking down cell structure and creating a mealy texture, as well as reducing flavour. But sometimes, if your tomatoes are over ripe, you can refrigerate to buy your some extra time. Best to only use in cooking after they’ve been refrigerated. Freezing: YES! Sometimes if I have too many ripening all at once, I’ll wash and dry them, then place in the freezer to buy me some time. I freeze loose, them pack them frozen in a freezer bag. This is a short term gig, and we’ll use the tomatoes as quickly as we can afterward. Only good for cooking. Canning; YES! I always 2 T vinegar to a pint (500 ml) or up to 4 T to a quart (1 L). Whole, ripe tomatoes are best stored on the counter, but can be refrigerated for 1-2 weeks to prevent spoiling. Cold temperatures (under 55°F/13°C) stop the ripening process, breaking down cell structure to create a mealy texture and reducing flavor compounds. Always bring refrigerated tomatoes to room temperature before eating. Dehydrating: YES! Freeze Drying: YES! but I find the texture very delicate, and that it absorbs moisture from the air very quickly. Not ideal.
to learn more about tomatoes including recipes click HERE
Zucchini is the master of disguise
Cold Storage: Yes, short-term for big ripe zucchini, but not too cold. Refrigeration: Yes, short term for smaller, less mature ones. Canning: Yes, under pressure. Personally, I don’t like the texture. Freezing: Yes, . . . but texture will be watery. For me its a no, unless I shred the zucchini and package in the right amount for zucchini cake. Dehydrating: Yes – my preferred method for long term storage Freeze Drying: YES! but I find the texture gets a little spongy after a while Pickling: No.
Fruit Leather
Fruit leather! Apple leather – rhubarb leather – any kind of fruit leather. Mix it up. Apple Pear. Rhubarb Raspberry. Plum Cherry. Plum Apple, Plum Grape Apple. . . . . Whatever you’ve got on hand that needs to be used up, turn it into a delicious, nutritious snack to grab all winter long.11
to read more about fruit leather including recipes click HERE
Vinegars
Take your favourite flavours from the growing season and use them to flavour vinegars.12
to read more about vinegars including recipes, click HERE
Tips for storing your preserved foods
Don’t just stash your food and forget about it. You’ve done all the work up till now: you’ve grown it, nurtured it, harvested it, preserved it, – now you need to finish the job by keeping it safe, making it accessible and incorporating it into your daily life. EAT IT!
I cannot overstate the importance of STORING WHAT YOU EAT and EATING WHAT YOUR STORE.
In many cases the shelf life of your food will depend on where and how its stored.
Pay attention to the risks : Humidity – Light – Oxygen – Temperature Variations – Pests (insects and mice)
Moisture/Humidity: If dried food picks up moisture molds and bacteria will grow. Moisture can also damage packaging material, and rust jar rings. In areas of high humidity, using moisture absorbers and investing in a dehumidifier is a good idea. Keep everything OFF the floor, especially if the floor is cement.
Light: Direct light, especially sunlight can speed deterioration
Temperature: Optimal temperatures are cool, ranging from a low of 40F (above freezing risk) to maximum of 70F. All food will react badly to heat. Canned food should not be allowed to freeze for the food’s sake but also, freezing will compromise seals. Dehydrated foods can freeze but continual freeze-thaw is detrimental. Even freeze dried food will have its exceptionally long shelf life significantly reduced by heat, and in continuous freeze-thaw conditions.
Pests: Protect your food storage from pests. Moths, ants and mice belong outside but they don’t always stay there, and once they’ve found their way into your food storage – it will be unsafe for you. Glass, food grade plastics and metal are excellent protection but not always practical in every situation. Do the best you can with what you’ve got. Keep food off the ground and off the floor! Aside from being more susceptible to insects, it is also more vulnerable to water damage should that sad event occur.
Preserve Responsibly
KEEP IT CLEAN Pay attention to cleanliness and details like full boiling and timing when canning, full moisture removal when dehydrating, blanching and packaging when freezing. Cleanliness extends to your storage area.
LABEL You think you’ll remember, but you WON’T, and even if you did – you may not be the one who uses it.
USE IT Shop for Dinner from your Food Storage room. Routinely go through your food storage to ensure that seals are still intact, food is still properly packaged, no signs of pests or mould, and to ROTATE it. USE it!
STORE WHAT YOU EAT and EAT WHAT YOU STORE. I know, I know, you’ve seen it before. It is the single most important rule. If you don’t eat what you store, you’ve wasted your time, energy, food and money! Not using what you “put up” is no better than doing nothing with it, because it ends up being the same.
the final word (words)
Eating a nutritious and balanced diet with variety is the best way to protect our health. It gives our bodies the best chance to take care of themselves. That extends into the non growing seasons, those of us who live in northern climates must think about winter, so we store food.
* Storing food properly is the key to protecting ourselves and our families WITH continued good health and FROM foodborne illnesses.
* You cannot always tell when food is unsafe by its appearance, smell or taste. Botulism for instance cannot be seen, smelled or tasted. When in doubt, throw it out!
* Preserving your garden produce is the next-to-final step in the blessings and benefits of growing a garden. It is soul satisfying. The last step of course is to continue to enjoy the produce throughout the winter.
* Everybody has Failures. Failures are the best teachers. Learn from them.
I’d love to hear your tips and suggestions, as well as some of your success stories as well as things you’ve learned from failures.
Warmly,
Cindy Suelzle
Footnotes:
Botulism spores (Clostridium botulinum) are highly resistant to heat and can survive boiling water (212°F / 100°C), but they are destroyed at temperatures of 240°F to 250°F (116°C to 121°C), which are only achievable in a pressure canner. (USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service) ↩︎
Just for fun, I checked some weather history in Edmonton, and in May 2024 we had 8 sunny days!↩︎
I don’t know when I started loving fall and Thanksgiving. The colours, the smells, the foods, the geese flying south, the warmth of the sun on still autumn days, the crunch of leaves while walking in the river valley, sitting around the fire on crisp evenings, . . . . . Not sure if I always have loved it, or if it started with autumn memories that included Dan. We started dating in Edmonton during the late summer, and I moved away within weeks to Cold Lake. I was a teenager just starting high school. He came up to see me a time or two and we wrote for a while, but long distance romances when you’re that young are difficult at best.
Two years later I was passing through Edmonton again in the late summer and we reconnected for a short while. A couple of dates and I was back in Cold Lake in September to begin my final year of high school. I had grown up a little, he had grown up a little more. The following weekend, he drove to Cold Lake to visit me and I prepared us a picnic lunch. There are plenty of beautiful places to go for picnics around Cold Lake, and we had a lovely time. This became the beginning of many weekend pilgrimages from Edmonton to Cold Lake, throughout the fall and winter. It wasn’t long before we became engaged. He got an insider look at my family in all our glory: good, bad, and yes, even the occasional ugly. He came to church with me on Sundays and met many of my friends. Conversations lasting many hours helped us get to know each other, and eventually winter turned to spring. He wanted to get married in the spring, but for me, it had to be fall. I needed a little bit of time between high school and the commitment of marriage. And fall had become a significant time in our story anyway. We were married the following October. Thanksgiving weekend. My apologies to everyone who had to give up their Thanksgiving weekend that year to travel to our wedding. That meant you didn’t get your usual traditional Thanksgiving Dinner – which I never considered at the time. Sorry ’bout that.
Thanksgiving includes DINNER to me – one that involves planning and preparation. In the beginning, we were always at one of our parents’ homes on the Thanksgiving weekend. There were some constants between our homes of course: roast turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes with gravy, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. And there were some variables: brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, broccoli salad, perogies, cabbage rolls, variations on pies and pumpkin, and my Gramma Harrison’s marshmallow fruit salad – depending on where we were. But it was always with family. That was the critical component.
Thanksgiving however, is more than dinner. It’s memories. It’s harvesting the garden. It’s late summer tomatoes. It’s apples, and apple juice, purple grapes and high bush cranberries. It’s the humidity of the canner, the hum of the dehydrator. It’s crisp outside, warm inside. It’s family. It’s the time of year (not just the day, but all the weeks leading up to it) that the bounty of the season causes one to pause and reflect on those things we’re most grateful for. And more than that, its a good time to vocally express our appreciation to others and to Heavenly Father.
Over Dan and my years together, Thanksgiving evolved from us going to our parents homes, to us hosting our parents and others. That was when the metal of tradition was put to the test. Which of our family’s established traditions would we incorporate into our lives? and which new traditions would we create with and for our children? For those traditionalists like me, we like certain things done the same way, every time. We like revisiting celebrations the same way. For me, Thanksgiving must include turkey with all that means to me. Christmas Eve much include bread and cheese. Easter must include coloured eggs. All the above must include PEOPLE. But in these difficult Covid times that are messing with our usual way of doing things we can still find ways to celebrate and enjoy important ‘traditions’. In fact there has probably never been a time when we were in more need of the cohesiveness of traditions.
apples, apple juice, apple sauce, apple leather, apple crisp, and of course . . . apple pie
I am a gardener, so harvest has particular meaning to me, and a definite connection to our Thanksgiving menu. In addition to the must-have turkey with fixings, dinner must include things I’ve harvested. Things like Cranberry juice from our own high bush cranberry. Made into a sparkling drink. Homemade Cranberry sauce – made from fresh or frozen cranberries, or even better – freeze dried cranberries. Dressing made with homemade bread, onions, garlic and other herbs from the garden. Vegetables of course, from this year’s harvest. Apples: apple pie, apple juice, apple sauce, apples in salad. Pumpkin: maybe pie, maybe tarts, maybe cheese cake, maybe cookies, maybe dip for gingersnap cookies. Grape: pie from our own grapes. Bread – homemade rolls. And of course, FAMILY – the greatest harvest of all. This year, by stupid covid necessity our numbers will be fewer. One son’s family will be with their other grandparents. One son’s family will be with another son’s family. My mother will be with my niece. Our daughter’s and another son’s families will be with us. Friends – another great harvest, will be not be around our table this year. But we will gather as we can, and enjoy the food and companionship of each other.
Don’t ever discount the importance of food in celebrations, traditions and memories. Most of us have very strong food-memories, for good or bad. That is why food is so important in how we celebrate special days, and in how we associate with certain people. A strong (and good) food memory for me is “chicken noodles”; many years of family gatherings and happy times are associated with this family favourite. And it is the natural suffix of Thanksgiving turkey. Ukrainian Cabbage Rolls are another strong food-memory for me. No one could make cabbage rolls like Dan’s step-mom Margaret, and no family dinner that she put on would be complete without them. Its been a loss for many years. University of Massachusetts Professor of Psychology Susan Krauss Whitbourne teaches us that “Food memories involve very basic, nonverbal areas of the brain and can bypass your conscious awareness. This is why you can have strong emotional reactions when you eat a food that arouses deep unconscious memories. . . . The memory goes beyond the food itself to the associations you have to that long ago memory.” For many of us, those food memories are already well established, but our children’s food-memories are still forming, and we have a tremendous influence on their creation and evolution. Wouldn’t it be nice if most of those associations were good ones?
We had three apple trees here when my kids were home, and although the apples weren’t great for eating, they made terrific apple sauce, apple juice, apple leather, and apple butter. What we found most useful for our family in those days, was apple juice. The rich, homey smell of apples juicing on the stove was a familiar fragrance that said “Welcome home” on those early days of school in September.
Luke was in elementary school and I worked full time in our family Bookstore. Our apples were generally ready the last week of August. Once we picked them it became a race against time to get them all put up before they spoiled. In the final weeks of summer of ‘that’ year, I was particularly busy at the store. And with everyone busy getting back to school and routine, and homework, the start of seminary, music lessons, and everything else that goes on in a growing family, . . . . . . well, the timing just wasn’t great to take care of a couple hundred pounds of apples. But you gotta do what you gotta do during harvest season right? So we picked the apples as a family on the only day we had all hands on deck, and loaded them into 5 gallon buckets to wait their turn at the juicer. The kitchen and back porch were lined with apple buckets, while we got the steam juicer, canner and jars ready to begin the next phase of our life – a project that once started, we knew we’d be fully committed to till it was finished.
The job fell to Luke and I most of the time. Don’t ask me why. Probably because it mattered to me the most and Luke was still young enough to enjoy hanging out with me. But that might be another story for another time.
We had a system. When we got up in the morning, we’d empty the steamer basket into the backyard compost bin. Then we’d pour off the juice, turn the stove on and refill the basket with stemmed apples cut in half, ensure the water reservoir had enough in it to not boil dry, make sure the flame wasn’t too high, and then go eat breakfast and get Luke off to school. The apples continued to steam over boiling water while I got ready for work. We had already washed and sterilized plenty of 1-quart and 2-quart jars ready to fill, and the canner stood by ready to can the juice. We were pros at this. All should have gone slick as a wick – like it normally did. But this time, during those critical days, I never seemed to find the time in the evening to actually process the quarts of juice in the canner! It didn’t take long before they filled the fridge and then the counter tops, waiting for me to have time to finish the job. Ideally, if I had had even a few days in a row to devote to the project, I could have poured the hot juice directly from the juicer into sterile jars, affix hot sterile lids, and put them into the hot canner immediately. Before new jars of juice were ready to put into the canner, the processed ones would be out and sitting on a clean tea towel to cool. It should have been that easy. And it should have been relatively quick. Two or three days at most. But that week I was just so busy at the store, I simply couldn’t find an extra hour to finish the job. Fruit once harvested however, doesn’t wait. It has no sympathy and no ability to slow down time. And fruit flies? … … Well, lets just agree that fruit flies are a hateful part of summer harvesting.
So we kept it up, Luke and I. Because it seemed like the only thing to do. I would strain off whatever juice we extracted from the morning, then turn the stove off on my way out the door for work. When Luke got home from school, his job was to take the basket of spent apples out to the compost, dump it and start filling it up again by cutting the apples in half, and removing the stems. Then he’d turn the stove on and begin the water boiling, draining off whatever juice might have accumulated during the day. After I got home we just continued the process right into the night amidst dinner and homework and our usual routines, finishing off as many steamer baskets of apples as we could, pouring off as much juice as we produced, and taking the pulp out to the compost heap in the backyard to the delight of late summer wasps and hornets. We could get a few more batches done until about midnight, when I’d pour off the last of the juice, turn the stove off and go to bed. In the morning we’d start the whole process over again. The cycle of our days during apple harvest was pretty predictable. Except for the not-getting-them-processed in the canner part. That part was new.
You can imagine that we had begun accumulating a fair number of jars of juice. The fact that they needed to be processed in the canner began to weigh heavily on my mind, but I simply. could. not. find. the time! “Tomorrow I would.” Always tomorrow. Well the natural circle of life is a real thing, and it cannot be stopped or even slowed down in a summer kitchen. One day I noticed a few jars on the back counter had begun to foam. Urgency was added to the heavy weight, but then – the clock and I have never been friends.
It seemed that with every hour that went by, the juice in some jars was not only foaming at the top, but carbonating. I though didn’t know what to expect from the taste, when I tested them, they were great! Even better than usual. A little ‘fizzy’, but I kinda like ‘fizzy’. I finally had to admit that the word I was looking for, was “fermenting“. Now in a house like mine, this was not a word I wanted to say out loud but it was pretty evident to everyone what was happening under my watchful eye. I had zero experience with this type of fermentation. I had made pickles and sauerkraut, yogurt, sourdough bread and even kimchi, but fermented juice was in a class of its own. I didn’t know if it could be processed in a hot water canner under the circumstances. I had no idea what to expect from a jar of juice during the fermenting process. What to do? What to do? I determined that I couldn’t risk canning it, but after two weeks of juicing, and a whole season’s worth of apples, there was no way in this green earth I was gonna waste it. Waste not – Want not. Right? Only one option that I could see, and that was that we needed to drink it.
Lots and lots of apple juice. We started with the older ones, the ones at greatest risk of being lost. Apple juice for breakfast, apple juice for lunch and apple juice at the supper table. Carbonated apple juice. We had a LOT of fizzy apple juice. And even though we had half a dozen people living in our house, it seemed to be like Elijah’s cruse of oil. No bottom to it. It went on forever. Getting more carbonated every day. It was delicious! Luke and I loved it. We couldn’t get enough. The others? Well they didn’t feel the same way. They simply weren’t as ‘invested’ as we were. They hadn’t spent two weeks juicing apples so they didn’t ‘feel the feels’ when we considered the possibility of having to pour the fermenting juice down the drain. Luke and I soldiered on.
Finally, mutiny started to rear its ugly head, and I started to see cracks in the seams of our otherwise unified wholesome (non alcohol drinking) household. Other family members began making rude comments regarding the fermentation of the ‘juice’. They used words like ‘stillery‘, and ‘moonshine‘. Luke and I were all “Yeah whatever! This is GREAT!” Them? Not so eager. As the days passed even I no longer felt that the word “juice” was appropriate, but I sure as heck wasn’t gonna use the “W” word. I had no idea exactly what apple cider was, but I decided it was a safe place between juice and wine so I started calling it apple cider. Luke was totally supportive. “I love apple cider!” he reaffirmed daily.
Dan and my other kids continued teasing but I brushed it off. “Sour grapes!”
One day as Luke got the chilled jug of apple cider out of the fridge to set the table for dinner, seventeen year old Zack complained “This again to drink? I’m getting tired of drinking this for ever single meal. And I’m thinking we shouldn’t be drinking it anyway.” “Oh lighten up Zack.” I told him “This is as close to wine as you’re ever gonna get.” “Frankly Mom,” he said as he got himself a drink of water, ” I have NEVER felt the need to get this close.”
One by one the family dropped off till only Luke and I remained. True appreciators of this wonderful accidental apple cider we created with the help of a little natural yeast and time.
One afternoon my sister was in town and stopped in on her way home. I prepared us a nice lunch, with apple cider of course. She loved it and helped herself to more. And then a little more. Three days later she phoned me wanting the recipe … “That was THE best apple punch I have ever had! I cannot stop thinking about it. I need your recipe.”
“Super simple.” I told her. “Nothing to it. You just make apple juice. Leave it on the counter for a week or two till starts foaming. Then sweeten with a little bit of sugar and leave for a few more days. Easy Peasy. (lol)” She didn’t think it was as funny as I did. Surprisingly, that apple ‘juice’ took longer to consume it all, than it did to create it. But eventually all good things must come to an end. Even apple ‘cider’. And soon enough the last jar of apple cider was served. I do believe it was only Luke and me who stayed with it right to the end. It was a solemn moment when we shared that final glass. We had taken lots of ribbing and name calling along the way, but it was worth it. Truly that apple cider had gotten better every day, but by Christmas it was only a memory and a funny story. … … The following summer we had another great crop of apples and while I dreaded the work, Luke looked forward to the smell of apple juice in the house again, and our shared tradition. “Can we make some more of that apple cider Mom?” he asked. “Uh, no I don’t think so Luke. We can only ever do something like that by mistake once. After that, …… its not a mistake anymore. I think we had our day in the sun.”
Today my steam juicer’s second home is Luke’s house, where it continues to live a purposeful and fruitful life. Luke says that late summer days should smell like hot, sweet apple juice and he’s determined to make sure his boys grow up with the happy memories that that slightly spicy, comfortable fragrance conjures up. The one that smells like “Welcome Home“.
What are some of those comfy smells that bring back memories for you? You know. The ones that put a smile on your face when you think of them.
. Ironic eh? 
