The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
He who has overcome his fears will truly be free.
It's better to die laughing than to live each moment in fear.
In time we hate that which we often fear.
There are two kinds of fears: rational and irrational- or in simpler terms, fears that make sense and fears that don't.
I'm afraid of a few things. Some rational, some not. Some we've covered in the past. . .
Some we've not touched on. . . popsicle sticks give me the willies. Cornstarch is ok as long as I don't accidentally squeeze it. Certain types of paper napkins make me want to run for cover, you know, the kind that almost squeak when you touch them. And don't get me started on greasy fingers. . .
But some fears, those of the new, those of the unknown, need to be conquered. In this case, I was forced to face my fears head on. A few days ago we picked crate after crate of beautiful firm earthy beets and I could delay no longer.
Yep, its the pressure canner. I put it on my Christmas list, received it as a gift from my parents last year, and haven't touched it since. For some reason I found it intimidating. Maybe because after opening it my mom warned "be careful". And my mother-in-law added "can't those blow up?". And my friend said "promise to text me after you use it to let me know you're ok". Really. 3 warnings from 3 different people. Maybe because I don't generally use recipes, I tend to sway from the recommended directions for use and I'm really not all that patient. But botulism isn't something I want to experience, nor do I want my lovely beets to be wasted...I really love beets. Reminding myself that I rearrange people-parts for a living and I was being ridiculous, it was time to buck up, gather my manuals and take the plunge.
Batch #1. Carrots. I started small, I only picked a small batch to 'feel things out'. They turned out great, however our well water left quite a film on the jars so I learned to add vinegar to the following batches. 10 fingers, 10 toes, eyebrows and vital organs intact... a success!
Batch #2. #3. #4. Beets. And more beets. Enough beets for an army, even after playing 'one for me, one for you' as I peeled them. When you live in a house where the fridge is always full of goat cheese, beets are a staple. My confidence grows. I realize my new canner is nothing like the canners of days gone by; it has plenty of safety mechanisms in place and the worst thing that can happen is a bad seal.
Beautiful zucchini relish, full of peppers and sweet onions. I immediately put a rump roast in the oven for sandwiches and this did not disappoint. I used 'Magaret Hawes' zucchini relish recipe from 'Putting Food By', the canning bible that was recommended to me. Thanks Margaret!
Canning is messy. And time-consuming. My kitchen threw up. But the chickens got lots of treats that day, beet tops, pepper bottoms, peels galore. Being the stubborn multi-tasker that I am, I decided it would be a good idea to make zucchini bread, while I was shredding, so I made 6, sweetened only with honey. And a vanilla cream cheese spread. And a batch of ricotta. And a berry tart. And mixed a few batches of herbed chevre. And started picking apples. Then I realized we are still just a household of two and started giving it all away.
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