How To Preserve Flowers

The science of preserving food gets tricky when canning at high altitudes. If you live between 1,001 and 3,000 feet above sea level, the time increases to 25 minutes, then 30 minutes for elevations between 3,001 and 6,000 feet.

Apply glue to the bottom of the frame, lay the plywood on top of it, and fasten through the plywood and into the frame with 6d finish nails. Leave 24 to 28 inches between each pair (ours are 24 inches).

Fermented-food Recipes Fermenting food is easy, especially when you're equipped with a good recipe. Yogurt Sauerkraut Kimchi Black Garlic Acaraje This article was excerpted from Lori Rice's “Dinner Bell” column in the May/June 2013 issue of Hobby...

Unlike a fresh green salad, kale salad improves in texture and flavor as it sits in the fridge a day or so. As summer rolls along, the to-do list grows along with that pile of peas on the counter that need shelling.

Once it hits 219 degrees F, it has become syrup and your boiling is done. We've used anything from clean, sturdy, 30-gallon plastic trash cans to 5-gallon plastic totes to cover and store sap in our basement and garage as it stacks up in the early days...

Acids in some foods, such as fruits, help inhibit that bacteria and can be canned with a water bath canner if desired, though I use my pressure canner for these as well because it's faster.

Make sure you have ventilation for humidity and temperature control. “In [the South], cellars and basements are rare because they tend to become ponds,” says Claudette Reichel, professor and extension housing specialist with Louisiana State University's...

Different varieties of peppers, alone or in combination with one another, can yield different flavors and heat levels. Another option is to pour the puree into an ice-cube tray, filling each compartment only halfway, and freeze it.

“Home fermentation of vegetables preserves without the use of any pressure or heat, unlike supermarket versions of the same foods,” says Sarah Pope, blogger at “ The Healthy Home Economist ” and board member of the Weston A.

“But if you have a bit of common sense, it's really easy and a great way to store ‘ready-to-serve' meats.” 3. There's no sense in making a big batch of canned beef tips if you don't cook with them.

Use these tips for preserving the herb harvest that you can enjoy year-round. Oxymels An oxymel is a sweet-and-sour syrup made with herbs, vinegar and honey, most often used as a home remedy for respiratory conditions.

I haven't actually figured out 101 ways to use them yet, but glass home canning jars, also called Mason jars, are just so versatile and useful that I couldn't resist the title. In 1882, another type of canning jar emerged—one with a clamped glass lid...

Use in lasagna or other layered casseroles. Add to tuna, chicken and egg salad. Mix pesto into pasta or macaroni and cheese. Garnish hors d'oeuvres. Puree and dry to make fruit leather.

Choose fresh peaches that are unblemished and not overripe. Carrots As with other pickle candidates, carrots should be crisp, unblemished and fresh. Ensure the best pickles you can pack by starting with the best-quality fresh produce.

Clostridium botulinum are anaerobic bacteria, meaning they can continue to grow without oxygen present in a low-acid environment. Unfortunately, many common practices our grandmothers used are no longer considered safe.

Butter adds a unique flavor to baked goods, but it can go rancid rather quickly, so store it tightly wrapped and freeze if necessary. When choosing extracts, aim for pure extracts—not imitation.

They have thorny limbs and pretty, white flowers that bloom when they leaf out each spring. When the plum sauce is finished, can the sauce or freeze it the way Mom does. Yum! « More Mondays with Martok » Tags Martok , slow cooker , Sue Weaver

The culprit: “Jellies ‘gel' because of a perfect ratio between the acid, pectin and sugar of the mixture. If there is too little headspace, some of the juice will bubble out during the processing.

Never force-cool any pressure canner. If in doubt, pressure canning (according to modern USDA recommendations) is always your safest ploy. Canning is an exacting science. When considering a box of used canning jars, glaze your forefinger around their...

Continuous jiggling will cause the water in the canner to evaporate too quickly. Again, either style is safe and functional. Dial gauges enable you to read the exact pressure within your canner, and this precision can be reassuring.

Wherever there are edible flowers or green seeds to be found, there are possible opportunities for making delicious little pickled garnishes. Marjoram Majoram ( Origanum majorana ) is a kind of oregano that has lemon and pine undertones.

The pressure canner is a valuable tool in home food preservation as long as you take measures to ensure your equipment is in working order and you follow acceptable canning practices.

It's still edible, but not many people will enjoy it at this stage. A lot of people find themselves asking, “What did I do wrong?” The good news is you're most likely not creating a deadly concoction in your kitchen.

Start Fermenting Begin the vinegar-making process in a clean environment to encourage fermentation and discourage mold growth. Some vinegar finishes stronger than others due to the strength of the alcohol used.

The Cure Things can happen to jars over the course of a year, so always visually inspect each jar rim for obvious defects. The Cure Resist the temptation to save money by using odd jars.

Respect the Brine Most vegetables can be chopped or grated, lightly sprinkled with salt, massaged until wet, then stuffed into a jar to ferment under their own juices. (Sea salt or kosher salt is preferred, though about any salt will work.) If you have...

Raise Perennials Produce like asparagus and berries should be dubbed the independence powerhouse as you plant them once and they keep growing and giving every year. Our fellow Wisconsin farmer friend and devout currant grower Erin Schneider of Hilltop...