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January 15, 2008

Can't stop preserving!

I don't know where my strong desire to preserve came from. But I can recall my first "saving" experience. When I was about 5 or so, a small plastic box came into my possession and I put dandelion heads in it and buried it. I couldn't understand why they looked so bad when I dug them up later on! So this need to preserve things must be ingrained in my soul.

That must be why I enjoy making pickled beets. We eat a lot of them in my house -- right out of the jar, with dinner and in toasted sandwiches with cheese and mustard, something my husband introduced me to when we were dating.

Beets, ready to peel.

It starts in October, when I call to get a bushel of beets from a nearby farm stand. They tumble them (wash them) for me, so they're dry and clean when I get them, a big time-saver, as you'd know if you've ever grown beets. So I boil them up in batches and let them cool. They need to be peeled, which is really very easy. If you just squeeze the beet in your hand, the skin slips off and what's left is a truly beautiful slippery purple and very, very sweet gem of a treat. Once you've eaten your fill, you can begin. By now, your hands are dark purple and it will be a long time before the color leaves your fingernails, but just think of the rewards.

Once peeled, the beets have to be sliced or cut into chunks. I use an old slicer I got at a yard sale (cooks can find great treasures at yard sales) to give them wavy edges. Once they're all cut up, I put them aside for canning.

Cut into chunks with the curvy cutter!

The liquid that will fill the jars.

At this point, I've got everything else ready as I don't want to waste time with such a time-consuming project. The big water bath is boiling, the jars are washed and kept warm, the countertop totally clean and free of clutter, the utensils at hand, the lids in hot water. And even more importantly, the boiled liquid that will fill the jars around the beets.It contains water, vinegar, whole allspice and cinnamon sticks.

My daughter Claudia helps me fill the jars in 2005.

And it's all set up in an efficient order. A couple of years ago, my daughter Claudia was at my side to help out. By the way, I can attest to the fact that bonding between mothers and daughters does still go on in the kitchen, despite recent reports that shopping is the new method.

Jars of beets in the canner.

So, from bowl to jar takes a couple of minutes, then 7 jars in the pot boil for 15 minutes and I'm doing about 40 jars, so you do the math. You can't start this project late in the day or you'll be up all night and the family will think you're mad. But at the end, no matter the hour, you have a heap of glistening, colorful jars of beets, lids snapping as they seal themselves once they begin to cool, a familiar sound in my house late summer and fall. To a fan of preserving, that sound is everything.

A countertop covered with the glistening jars of beets. I hate to pack them away!

Of course, we don't eat ALL of these beets. We hand them out to family and friends who wait for these beets to be ready each year, seriously. People ask me about them. They go into bags for Christmas.

And don't forget -- your mother was right -- they're good for you!

Posted by Beth Heaney  at 8:27 AM to How to... | Permalink

Comments

karen anne | January 16, 2008 7:19 PM link

karen anne | January 16, 2008 11:35 PM link

Layanee | January 19, 2008 10:10 AM link

Beth Heaney | January 21, 2008 11:15 AM link

karen anne | January 23, 2008 6:21 AM link

Beth Heaney | January 23, 2008 8:21 AM link

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