At the end of every summer, my mother and I can tomatoes. Come winter it's comforting to see row after row of jewel-like jars of bright red tomatoes in my pantry, knowing that I can open one up and transport myself back in time.
I also really enjoy spending the quality time with my mother. We talk as we work, painstakingly peeling each tomato and removing all the seeds. We catch up on one another's lives and talk about the future when we hope to teach my children how to can. We form an efficient assembly line to sterilize the jars and fill them up, then we listen expectantly for the distinct popping sound that lets us know a jar has sealed and squeal with delight when they all do.
And at the end of the day we marvel at the bright red beauties sitting on the counter, happy in the knowledge that we've captured and bottled the last essence of summer.
i really wish that i had let my mother-in-law teach me how to "put things up". now she is gone and it's an artform that i will never know. sad really.
ReplyDeleteyour jars look so yumalicious! i dont even like tomatoes but they really look pretty!
teri
I'm not going to say a thing.
ReplyDelete:0
Teri - it's not a hard thing to learn. All you really need to know can be found in the Ball Jar canning books. Check out www.homecanning.com. But I know what you mean: sometimes it's better to learn from someone who loved doing it.
ReplyDeleteD - yes, we all know how you feel about tomatoes. :P
lol @ d! you are too much chickie!
ReplyDeletethanks home... i just might have to try it sometime.
teri
I'd love to learn how to can, except I fear botulism. Oh, my crazy fears.
ReplyDelete