Subj : Towing the Line
To   : Dave Drum
From : Ruth Haffly
Date : Mon Jul 29 2024 12:49:11

Hi Dave,

 RH> So putting up was a big production in the summer. Steve had a bowl full
 RH> (about 2 1/2 quarts) in the fridge so yesterday he pulled out the
 RH> dehydrator. Dried them down to maybe about 2 cups. We'll probably do
 RH> another batch or 2 in the dehydrator before the tree ends production,
 RH> in probably early September.

 DD> My grandmother had bonanza amounts of fruits preserves, jams, jellies
 DD> and both peach and apple "butters". But the big production was
 DD> pickling the cucumbers. She made Virginia Chunk, Bread & Butter, Dill,
 DD> and with
 DD> the little guyus - Senf Gherkins. When she closed the house to move to
 DD> assisted living I had an antique dealer drop by and make a bid on her
 DD> stoneware crocks (up to 10 gallons) glass jars, etc. As well as the
 DD> old laundry stove in the basement. He added almost 10K to her bank
 DD> account
 DD> and amazed her. She had no idea "that old junk" was worth anythng.

One man's junk is another man's treasure. Just to be on the safe side,
I'd probabbly not buy/use old canning jars for putting up, might buy one
or two crocks tho. My mom used to store her Christmas baking in a
stoneware crock so some years ago I asked my brother about the
possibility of getting one. He said that they (she had 2 or 3) were all
cracked or broken so he'd thrown then out. Sigh!

 DD>      8<----- HACK ----->8

 DD> Probably because the fig trees do not do well in the Northern climate
 DD> zones. I did some readig on what it takes to have a successful fig
 DD> crop in my area. YIKES!!! I'll buy figs that have been shipped in,
 DD> Thenkew veddy much.  Bv)=

 RH> That's OK. If we ever get out that way, I can drop off either some
 RH> dried figs or preserves in the off season, fresh figs in July/August.

 DD> That's a wonderful offer.

Just have to figure out when we'll be out that way. Do need to visit the
Chicago Public Library and make a donation of some of my great
grandfather's papers to add to their collection of his.


 DD> I nearly bought a smoker - but, the "reality" side of my brain said,
 DD> "You'll buy. Set it up. Use it once or twice than spend the rest of
 DD> you life dusting it and working around it." So, I passed. I do have a
 DD> charcoal grill w/offset fire box that I can use to smoke stuff if I
 DD> care to. I find, though, that the older I get the less time I spend in
 DD> my tiny kitchen.

Understandable; our kitchen is bigger but I usually don't spend hours in
it. Got to have Steve finish moving some stuff to his new shed and
finish the indoor work on the new (2021) windows so I can rehang the
curtains.


 DD>       Title: Senf Gherkins
 DD>  Categories: Squash, Preserving, Pickles
 DD>       Yield: 7 Pints

 DD>       5 qt Cucumbers or Gherkins; 1 1/2
 DD>            - to 3 inches length
 DD>     1/2 c  Salt
 DD>       8 c  Sugar
 DD>       6 c  Vinegar
 DD>     3/4 ts Turmeric
 DD>       2 ts Celery seed
 DD>       2 ts Whole mixed pickling spices
 DD>       8    (1") sticks cinnamon
 DD>     1/2 ts Fennel; opt
 DD>       2 ts Vanilla; opt

Where's the mustard? Senf is German for mustard.


---
Catch you later,
Ruth
rchaffly{at}earthlink{dot}net  FIDO 1:396/45.28


.... You learn something useless every day.

--- PPoint 3.01
 * Origin: Sew! That's My Point (1:396/45.28)

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