Sunday 30 September 2018

A Time of Harvest



This is a busy time in lots of homes whilst we rush to put away the bulk of our produce from the gardens. The last of those fruits and vegetables we have laboured over all summer are now ripening and we need  to be dealing with them before it's too late.  Apples need to be picked, blueberries, blackberries, etc.

Then there is the last of the corn, the courgettes . . . tomatoes, beetroot, turnips, carrots and the like.   When I was a much younger woman and had a growing family this was the time of year I was busy making pickles and jams.  There was something really satisfying when it was all done and I could look upon row after bejeweled row of glistening jars of jams, pickles and jellies. 


There would be the usual strawberry jam, which I would have made earlier in the year, followed by raspberry.  I always made the seedless kind as I am not overly fond of raspberry seeds.   If I got a good deal at the farmers market there might be peach or apricot jam as well. Then there would be blackberry jelly and apple jelly.  Two kinds of apple jelly, regular and crabapple.   I have never seen a crabapple over here, but I am thinking I may make some regular apple jelly this year as Todd has never had it.  It's just not something you see over here.  Most years I also made apple butter as well.  We loved it's rich spiciness spread over a pork roast before baking and it was quite nice on toast, or spread between cake layers.


 There would be dill pickles, bread and butter pickles, green tomato chow,  hot dog relish, fruited chili sauce (which was made with ripe tomatoes, onions, peppers, pears, plums and chilies.  That chili sauce was a real favourite and I used it all winter as an addition to stews and in my swiss steak recipe.  It snapped things up a bit, it did.  I'd also make pickled beets and pickled beans, pickled baby corns . . .

Most years I would try something different as well.  One year it was carrot cake jam, another it was pickled pumpkin.  Both were quite nice.  The pickled pumpkin was sweet and spicy.  We quite liked both of those.   It was nice to shake things up a bit with something different once in a while. 


The preserving weeks were the weeks when you could walk into the house and the smell of pickling spices and vinegar would hit you right away, or . . .  if I was making jam, then it would be the smell of cooked berries and sugar.  I got a great deal of satisfaction making them.  It was a labor of love that I really enjoyed.  


  

  
Of course vegetables from the garden got frozen as well.  Mostly just corn (cut off the cob) and beans.   I never had much luck freezing anything else.  We were not fond of carrots which had been frozen.  I did chop peppers and freeze them, for use in chilies and stews and soups.  But our onions and potatoes got stored in dark bins down in the celler.  Likewise any winter squash and pumpkins.  I did used to grate the courgettes/zucchini and pack it into two cup sized bags so that I could make zucchini loaf all winter long and of course I froze berries whenever they came into season while I could.  I also made and froze apple sauce and stewed rhubarb. 

Looking back I was a right proper little Suzy Homemaker.  I didn't work outside the home during most of those years, but I did work hard enough in the home to make up for it I reckon!  I used to get a great deal of pleasure out of these labors, but  haven't done much in the way of pickling or preserving in quite some time now.  With only two of us, it just isn't practical any longer.  I miss those home made preserves and pickles though . . . sigh . . . I did make a small batch of Pear Chutney this year and the house smelled fabulous!  Do you do much preserving?  I'd love to hear about it!  

And with that I will leave you with a thought for the day . . .

☾ °☆  . * ¸.   ★ 
Laughter is timeless,
Imagination has no age,
And dreams are forever
☾ °☆  . * ¸.   ★ 
~Tinkerbell 
☾ °☆  . * ¸.   ★ 



Applesauce Nut Bread 

Baking in The English Kitchen today  . . .  Applesauce Nut Bread.  Lovely served sliced thin and spread with softened butter. 

Have a lovely Sunday.  Don't forget! 


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And I do too!


16 comments:

  1. Marie I have one shelf in the outside fridge filled with jam and tomato relish. I have never beeline to preserve things. Red capsicums often are cut up and frozen as they are often more than $8 a kg. I have often wondered if it would be worth dehydrating things. I like fruit leathers. When we were young our peas and carrots wee often birds eye dehydrated ones. Back then fridges were smaller and freezers miniscule. Hoping for a whole week didn't happen until I started school and mum went back to work full time. I stayed home a lot with my children and I tried my best but the housewifely arts and especially tidiness were and still are beyond me. I try though.

    Today we were blessed with a small amount of drizzly rain. I loved it. Hopefully now the grass will be a bit damper and the next rain won't slide off into the gutters. This afternoon I filled a bin with weeds.

    God bless you today and always. Where has September gone?

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    1. I had a huge dehydrator Suzan, but I ended up never using it. It was large and took up too much space, plus it took ages to dehydrate anything and I worried about the cost of electricity taken. Enjoy your rain! God bless! Love and hugs, xoxo

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    2. That is interesting that you worried about the electricity and it was huge. It rained most of the morning and then the sun came out. We had about 17mm and that was most welcome.

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    3. That sounds a lot of rain Suzan!

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  2. Marie Like you I made and canned most of the same. But just myself now and kids and grandkids scattered here and there. I do make a cinnamon apple jelly which the entire family loves and I eat a bit as well.

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    1. I bet your cinnamon apple jelly is really nice Linda., xoxo

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  3. Like you, I used to can and freeze vegetables and fruits, but that has become a thing of the past. That was before I went back to work and had more time. Now I have plenty of time, but I'm the only one here and it doesn't seem worth it and I really have no room to store a lot either. We change with the times. I still enjoy the fresh fruits and vegetables though we won't have them much longer. The growing season here has about come to an end.

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    1. Like you, Pam, I really enjoy fresh fruit and veg Pam! I don’t think stuff that has been trucked or flown in from halfway around the world has much flavour! Xoxo

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  4. My girl, you did not let the grass grow under your feet!! I did a bit in my younger years...but nothing like you have!! One thing when we get old is we don't really have a lot of room to store anything either...so no use to can up things. We had the world's best peaches back when we lived in N.Carolina, and we always got enough to freeze at least enough to have them once a month throughout the year till next harvest. Nothing out here on the West Coast is worth the space nor work, in my opinion.
    Elizabeth XOXO

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    1. Last year I made pear jam and Todd has only just started a jar of it. We just don’t eat a lot of preserves now I guess! I had some fruit the other night had literally no flavour at all! Very disappointing! Xoxo

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    2. Probably more of your jam would be eaten if you were less of a good cook, Marie!! I think in the old days, meals were lots simpler and bread and jam might sounds really good at times...ha!
      Elizabeth

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    3. Oh how I wish I could eat jam still Elizabeth! We usually have our big meal at noon these days and in the evening will have toast or bread. Todd loves his bread with jam or marmite! For me it is toast, two slices of whole wheat, one with cheese spread and one with peanut butter! Oddly enough was talking to my dad the other day and he has the same as I do for supper, for his breakfast! xo

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  5. Oh Marie you made me laugh.

    I was right proper SH and wannabe Martha..

    I worked but my job was heaven.

    100 yrs ago..I could be home for my Littles and husband..

    people wanted to see you evenings and weekends..

    Now it seems so many people don't work during the day judging by Costco etc:)
    Or can easily work from home..Good for everyone:)

    I still love preserving..making jams etc.. pesto..J's mom's ketchup..but I have cut back.

    I don't regret all we did..even though no one probably remembers or cares about what we did back then..

    That's another thing I have dearly missed about not having a mom.
    Maybe she would have said nice things about what I was trying to accomplish♥

    So ..Marie..I am here to say..How lovely and kind and thoughtful and loving all you did and do.


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    1. Oh, I was a wannabe Martha also Monique! I used to watch her show religiously! A Wannabe Martha on a pauper's budget, lol. Oh, but it was a sweet, sweet time for me. I loved bringing up my family. Looking forward to seeing more snaps of your holiday! xoxo

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  6. I do love those Susie Homemaker days. You were a bit better at it than I. I did have a few years of bottling peahes, pears and making varous jams. I did do the pickling but I do remember helping my mother do a lot more items. I used to freeze different things but now like you doing it for two doesn’t seem like a fun idea.
    I do love homemade bread with fresh homemade jams or jellies.
    There is a deep satisfaction when you have completed the hard work and see all the bottles lined up on the counter.
    Yup! A moment back in time; thanks for this one.
    Blessings and hugs!

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    1. You are welcome LeAnn! I had a lot more energy back then I have to admit! Love and hugs, xoxo

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