Preserved in 2009

[magid]

I wish I'd kept track of when things happened at the beginning of the year (though it does avoid the question I'm still waffling on, when to say I've made liqueur: when I put fruit in booze, or when the process is done, usually two weeks later? If the former, I should use the size of the container I'm making it in, usually quart jars. If the latter, I can use the number of 5-oz bottles I put the booze into, which is likely a more useful metric. And approximate the amount of boozy fruit I have left, which I completely ignored in this list.

• a quart of cranberry liqueur: local, nonorganic cranberries, nonlocal vodka
  
• two pints of preserved nonlocal lemons
  
• four half-pints of candied mixed peel: nonlocal oranges and grapefruit
  
• a pint of candied mixed nonlocal orange and grapefruit peel for Passover 2010
  
• a pint of commercially dried plums in Sabra liqueur for Passover 2010
  
• a pint of commercially dried peaches in Sabra liqueur for Passover 2010
  
• three pints and a half-pint of strawberry applesauce: local IPM apples, nonlocal organic strawberries and lemon
  
• two pints and five half-pints of pink grapefruit marmalade, rough cut: nonlocal, organic grapefruit
  
• five half-pints of orange marmalade
  
• almost a quart of strawberry liqueur
  
• 6/28/09 a pint and a half (ish) of cherry liqueur (local sweet cherries)
  
• 6/28/09 a pint and two half-pints of pickled garlic scapes (one half-pint with dill)
  
• 6/28/09 five half-pints and a mini of cherry chutney (pitted cherries and their juice, new onions with their scallions, cider vinegar, salt, chinese five-spice powder, nutmeg, fresh grated ginger, raisins)
  
• 7/1/09 a pint and five minis of sour cherry chutney (same as above, with a little black pepper)
  
• three bags of mixed greens sauteed and frozen
  
• two bags of dandelion greens sauteed and frozen
  
• 7/1/09 a pint and a half (ish) of sour cherry liqueur (local sour cherries)
  
• 7/7/09 four minis of honeyed sour cherries and rhubarb (all local) with black pepper
  
• 7/13/09 two half-pints and three minis of golden raspberries in syrup
  
• 8/21/09 a quart of dilly beans with garlic and some black peppercorns
  
• 8/27/09 a pint and four half-pints of pickled carrots, with garlic, ground ginger, black peppercorns, and a bit of sugar
  
• 8/28/09 three half-pints of tomatillo chutney (with local onions, garlic, and hot peppers too)
  
• 9/13/2009 11 pints of peach pickles (with cinnamon and cloves)(local peaches)
  
• 9/13/2009 3 quarts of peach liqueur, two with vodka, one with gin (local peaches)
  
• 9/14/2009 6 pints of cran-peach chutney with apples (2 pints with walnuts)(peaches, cranberries, apples local)
  
• 9/16/2009 1 pint, 5 half-pints, and 2 minis of peach-ginger jam (local, nonorganic peaches)
  
• 9/23/2009 4 pints apple pickles, failed due to too long in boiling water bath, but possibly usable in some strange way
  
• 9/24/2009 3 pints extra smooth organic applesauce (apples I picked, even)
  
• 11/11/2009 1 quart Bosc pear liqueur with ginger (local pears)
  
• 11/11/2009 1 quart MacIntosh apple liqueur (local apples)
  
• 11/11/2009 1 quart Honeycrisp apple liqueur (local apples)
  
• 12/23/2009 1 quart orange liqueur (organic Florida oranges)
  
• 12/23/2009 1 quart orange-vanilla liqueur (organic Florida oranges)
  
• 12/24/2009 a batch of sauerkraut using red and green cabbage, carrots, and daikon
  
• 12/24/2009 a large batch of apple-vanilla-cinnamon liqueur (in the 5-lb honey jar)
  
• 12/27/2009 3 half-pints and 3 minis of peppery carrot pickles

A fair bit of this was given away as gifts. I like always having something on hand that I've made to give to people.

Next year, I'd like to make more pickles.

Comments

Sauerkraut question

[megmuck.livejournal.com]

Since you're talking about preserves... You didn't list it, but I know you've made it, so let me ask you -- is there a secret to getting the sauerkraut flavor, as opposed to a not-quite-kimchi flavor? I'm wondering if I didn't get enough liquid covering my last batch of kraut, or if the gods just don't like me.

Re: Sauerkraut question

[magid.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure the distinction, since I have to admit I've never had kimchi.

I thinly slice and salt the cabbage (and whatever other veggies), letting them sit in a large bowl for a while until they look sweaty, or liquid forms at the bottom of the bowl. Then I cram it all into a glass bottle, pressing each handful in as much as possible. When it's full, there's usually enough brine to submerge the veggies, and I put a weight on top (in this case, a water-filled quart jar) to keep them submerged and most air out, so only a bit gets in for the lactic acid fermentation to work. I assume that's the part that went wonky for you. The first batch I tried didn't work because I didn't keep enough air out, so I switched containers.

Wish I had more certain info for you.

neat list

[trainingmom.livejournal.com]

Very cool list, we might have to try keeping track of stuff.
Impressive as many of us think of "canning" being done only in a large kitchen.
:-)

Re: neat list

[magid.livejournal.com]

I bet your list will be fascinating, actually.

And small batches of canning are what keep it sane for me.