With local produce already in abundance and the upcoming strawberry season soon on its way, now is always the best time of year to make preserves. Whether it is jams, chutneys or pickles, preserving (or canning) our local produce is a great way to ensure that you’ll still get to enjoy these tasty treats even when their season is long gone.
When you hear the term “preserves” you likely think of jams and jellies as that’s mostly what preserves is synonymous with. But, there is a whole world of preserving that could fill your cold cellar for the year and offers both sweet and savoury varieties.
Jams and Marmalades: In its most basic form, jam is simply fruit boiled with sugar and properly canned in sterilized jars. The sugar is what allows the jam to be kept for so long without going bad. Marmalades are slightly different in that it’s always made with citrus fruit and often contains flecks and larger chunks of the actual fruit than jam.
Conserves: Slightly more different yet than jams and marmalades, conserves are typically made with pieces of fruit that are suspended in a thick syrup, then layered with equal quantities of sugar and left for 24 hours, then boiled for a shorter time than jam to better preserve the fruit in its original state – in form and flavour.
Jellies: This takes longer to prepare than jam because the end product is clearer and smoother.
Pickles and Chutneys: With pickles, vinegar is the preserving agent instead of sugar and involves preserving larger pieces of fruit and vegetables. Chutneys use finely chopped ingredients and are more akin to salsa. Both pickles and chutneys can be sweet or savoury.
Vinegars and Oils: You can preserve your own vinegars and oils and add more flavour by infusing them with herbs and spices, vegetables or fruit. Then they can be used as salad dressings and in other recipes.
All of these preserving options do take time and patience, especially the actual canning part because it involves a complex process to ensure that the jars are sterile and sealed properly, so as to prevent bacteria from forming. This is why we’ve done the work for you and have the shelves of our Food Shoppe (at 90 Earl Martin Dr., Unit 4 in Elmira) stocked with local preserves, ready for you to pick up. Stop by today before they’re all gone!
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