Do I have a stopping point? An end goal?
I can't remember any more.
Six quart jars of Amarito Pears line the back of my kitchen counter and six more are ready to go.
I am out of shelf space. The extra shelves Adam hung in our kitchen are filled to capacity.
I am stuck between projects.
The things on my list are forever long.
I have moments of panic when I remember some thing that I need to do and have not yet done.
With only a box and a half of pears sitting in the back room, I feel that I can finally take a moment to sit down - reflect - and recall the sequence of the season that is now filling the kitchen shelves.
June
6 - 1/2 pints of Rhubarb Orange Jam
I opened the first jar two days ago - It is fantastic!
3 pints of Pickled Baby Garlic
July
5 - 1/2 pints Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
6 - 1/2 pints Cherry Jam with Apple as Pectin
6 - 1/2 pints Cherry Jam (with Palimosa Pectin)
11 quart bags of cherries (frozen)
3 - 1/2 pints of
Cherries with Thyme (frozen to be served with Brie Cheese)
2 quart bags of Cherry Pie Filling (frozen)
August
3 - 1/2 quarts Strawberry Syrup
4 - 1/2 quarts Strawberry Butter
5 pints Gingered Apricots
7 pints Cucumbers (dill slices)
4 pints Apple Butter
7 pints Dilly Beans
September
5 pints Honeyed Bread and Butter Cucumbers
6 pints Cucumber Chips
10 quarts Peaches
4 - 1/2 pints Peach Jam
7 pints Peach Salsa
12 - 1/4 pint, 2 - 1/2 pints and, 1 - 12 ounce jar pizza sauce
20 pints Spiced Tomato Sauce
8 pints Zesty Salsa
6 - 1 1/2 pints Tomatoes
5 - 1/2 pints Tomato Basil Jam
8 - 1/2 pints Chinese Plum Sauce
5 - 1/2 pints Cardamon Plum Jam
3 pints Pickled Chanterelle Mushrooms
3 - 12 ounce jars, 1 - 1/2 pint of Cardamon Plum Jam
7 quarts Unsweetened Applesauce
October
3 apple pies (frozen)
2 gallon bags (half full) apple pie filling (frozen)
10 - 12 ounce jars apple chutney
8 - 1/2 pints Chinese Plum Sauce
11 - 12 ounce jars Pear Hhutney
3 - 1/2 pints, 2 - 12 ounce jars
Pear Cranberry Conserve
4 quarts Slightly Sweetened Cinamon Apple Sauce
12 quarts Amarito Pears
Now I remember.
I do have a stopping point: when there are no more fruits and vegetable to store away for later. There is an end goal: to taste the seasons one ripe fruit at a time - and it has been a yummy year. It is going to be a yummy winter. The insanity of the end of the growing season will pass. It will pass much to fast.
Most recipes are from:
Canning for a New Generation
and the
Ball Blue Book Guide to Preservation