Well...I'm sick, midget pigmy #1 has a cough, midget pigmy #2 sounds like Barry White, and Mrs. JellyMan is run down and sniffling. Today of all days. Wifey's friend is getting married, and I was volunteered to help, all I had to do was deliver a mess of fried chicken, and watch over food levels. Well delivery was made, dressing up to look nice was done, and then it happened. The description Stomach Flu is quite right, because stuff literally flew everywhere. So now I am home alone doing laundry and mopping floors. Yuck, so enough on that let’s talk about food! Okay?
Growing up home canned goods weren’t normal, but not abnormal either. Both of my Grandmothers canned, my Aunt canned, back then I was just indifferent to it. Christmas came along, and gift baskets were received with canned goods, Jelly’s. Jams, Preserves, Syrups. I talk about canning at work and people look at me like I am crazy, and not crazy in a good way. The outlook of most people I come across is that only Okie white trash people that eat road kill put away foods. Well I know many fine people from Oklahoma and they are alright people, white trash is a label that I do not agree with but unfortunately in today’s society if you don’t have a label then you’re just plain out of luck...and I don’t eat road kill.
When Mrs. JellyMan was pregnant with Midget Pigmy #2 I built her a rocking chair. I went to my friend Pop's, we found plans, and went to work. (He actually built most of it and made me stand and look over his shoulder, hold his tools, and fetch him more beer when he was getting low). Even the little bit that I did made me proud to do something with my hands. Making Jams and Jellies for people as presents, or just making it to store in the cabinet, and reflect on it 6 months later when you get to enjoy your hand made product is probably the best feeling out there. You have actually taken control over what your family has put into their body, and are feeding them love. YES! Jams and Jellies, and for that matter anything that you can or dehydrate is literally Dried love (Dehydrated love is great, add water and enjoy) or Love in a Jar. There is that song you can’t hurry love, well...you can’t hurry Jelly making, or dehydrating. If you do you, you end up with something that you just might well have purchased as a mass produced product. No love there.
When you look at canning Jams and Jellies, or any food for that matter you might think that you will be spending a lot of money. You really won’t. Water Bath Canners' are anywhere from 21.00 to 50.00. Check out Amazon.com, chances if you put a canner in your shopping cart, it will probably give you a pop up with a canner, a canning kit, and a canning cookbook for under 75.00. Not too shabby, well then go to a flea market or yard sell. You would be surprised that people will sell perfectly good Water Bath Canners, Pressure Canners, and other items like that for dirt cheap. The people selling them have been holding on to them for so long, they just want them gone.
So, now you have your canner, your kit, and cookbook. Your next step is the internet. Research, research, research. Look in your recipe book for an easy, fool proof recipe. I pickled Garlic, and made Red Wine Pickled Onions. I really didn’t spend that much on ingredients, so if it failed I wouldn’t be out of luck. They worked, and they were yummy.
Sorry for the lame post, when the stomach stops flying I promise you guys something good.
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