Category Archives: preserving

7.15.13 Agretti, Invaders, and Other People’s Harvests

Posted on July 15, 2013 by diary of a tomato

This is the second time around with the radishes and agretti. The early spring plantings of both failed to thrive, and were replanted with enough success to be included in this week’s harvest. To get beyond the low germination rate, … Continue reading →

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Pea Pod Broth

Posted on July 11, 2013 by diary of a tomato

So much of cooking, especially preserving, is born of necessity. It’s always disturbed me that we didn’t use the pods left from shelling peas. Their skins dense with pea flavor, it seemed a wasted opportunity to just chuck them in … Continue reading →

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7.8.13 Shell Peas and Greens

Posted on July 8, 2013 by diary of a tomato

The peas we bring home from the farmers’ market are mostly for preserving, while the homegrown ones are solely reserved for eating right away. The first planting of them are finally ready, while the second batch has come to halt … Continue reading →

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7.1.13 Days of Vegetables and Roses

Posted on July 1, 2013 by diary of a tomato

A thick hedge of rosa rugosas borders two sides of our vegetable garden. They were already here when we moved in, and, though they’re not thought of as companions, are excellent at attracting natural pollinators to the garden. Rhubarb leftover … Continue reading →

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Barley Scones with Rhubarb-Ginger Jam

Posted on June 28, 2013 by diary of a tomato

I’m a terrible shopper when traveling. Fortunately, the Gardener is not. Other husbands may bring home gifts of meat. Much like the Will Ferrell character in the movie Stranger than Fiction, mine brings me flours. There was buckwheat flour from a … Continue reading →

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Mastering Food Preservation: Ball’s BPA-Free Canning Lids

Posted on May 22, 2013 by diary of a tomato

We’ve long been concerned about BPA in canning lids, and just received a tip from an alert reader that Ball is now offering BPA-free lids: They began production/release of their BPA-free lids in January 2013. To identify a BPA-free box … Continue reading →

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4.29.13 Preserving the New Season

Posted on April 29, 2013 by diary of a tomato

While inspecting our stores and planning this year’s garden, we’re making a mental list of things to preserve in the coming season: – Freezing peas — One of the earliest tasks; as with tomatoes, we can’t imagine not having some stored away … Continue reading →

Posted in cooking, garden, preserving | Tagged , , , , | 25 Comments