This weekend or next may be the last call for tomatoes for the season, so break out the canner, freezer bags, dehydrator or whatever you preserving method of choice is. Tomatoes do best with nighttime temperatures above 55 degrees, but overnight temps in Portland are more consistently in the low 50’s at this time of year. Frequent fall rains overwhelm the fruits with moisture, which
It’s That Time of Year
Fall… the crisp colorful leaves, the brisk mornings, that smell after a fresh rain… And of course, the canner. It’s a permanent fixture on our stove at this time of year while the dehydrator keeps a steady hum on the homestead. I have been busy, which is an understatement. Our ten heirloom tomato plants keep the harvest basket overflowing every few days with about 30 pounds of
Preserving Tomatoes
Tomato season is just about to come to a close and I’m just a few pints and quarts away from being okay with that. Here is how I have been busily preserving the tomato harvest this year. First, dry them! You can leave the skins on or off depending on your preference. Sauce tomatoes work best since they are not too watery. If you use
Preserving Asian Pears
Asian pears are still in season here in the Pacific Northwest and we just can’t get enough of these little gems! I often see two types grown locally – one with a thick, brown skin and one with a thin, yellow-green skin. I prefer the latter as I find the flesh to be softer and sweeter. You can do lots of things with asian pears
Apricot-Rosemary Preserves
Our Puget Gold apricot tree has been prolific this year! This variety of apricot was developed in Washington and is particularly well-suited for the Pacific Northwest, with our late cool springs. They are self-fertile, meaning you only need one to get fruit. Apricots are a finicky fruit tree that doesn’t grow well in much of the country, so you may have live vicariously through this
Making Plum Chutney
Plum chutney is a sweet-and-tangy spread that is perfect for roasted meats, on sandwiches or as a dipping sauce. I made it last year with a box of Italian plums I picked with my friend Brigitte from a local farm. It has to be hands down one of the best chutney combinations I’ve ever had. Any old plum will work for this recipe, but I
Tomatoes! Tomatoes! Tomatoes!
Our harvest baskets are bigger than ever this month and we are buried in tomatoes! I am happy to report our later-ripening Brandywines are in full swing. That means we have mounds of Sunburst cherries, San Marzano sauce and fat Brandywines all coming on at once. I have been chained to the canning pot, putting up batches and batches of stewed tomatoes. But don’t think
Tomatoes for Canning
Every week more and more jars of preserved goodies are added to our cupboard. Canning tomatoes is especially satisfying because I know we will blow through them this winter, as we always do. This year I am putting my efforts toward simply canned tomatoes (click link for recipe!). They are versatile to have in the pantry alongside a few jars of marinara sauce (again, click
Making Fig Preserves
Figs are the jewels of summer, only lasting a couple days once picked, and their subtle flavor is something to be savored. But when our Desert King was bent over with fruit, I had to find ways to preserve the harvest before the figs were too far gone. This year I decided to cook up a big batch of Great Aunt Dot’s fig preserves. The
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