Putting the Eco back in Economics

Which means preserving fresh food to have at a later date and can consist of any of the following; freezing, canning, drying and root cellaring.

Dried Berries

The CSA and Orchard Share programs I joined this year have given me plenty of opportunities to do just that.

I have kept it mostly simple as that is what works for me. For instance, instead of spending an entire day preparing, cooking and canning tomato sauces I washed and froze whole Roma tomatoes in small batches after bagging them in my FoodSaver. I was given a tip a couple months back that if you intend on cooking with the tomatoes, freezing them whole allows the skipped step of dipping in boiling water to skin them. After they thaw, the skins slip right off. Then I’m ready to make marinara, chili sauce and salsa when needed.

Romas to freeze and dry

I did the same with fresh sweet corn on the cob. I shucked them gave them a quick wash and FoodSaved them in batches of three or four and now will be able to enjoy fresh corn chowder over the winter.

Same with some sugar plums and peaches. They will become reduced fruit purees to enjoy over whole grain pancakes and waffles. Throw in a dollop of greek yogurt , a sprinkle of Vietnamese cinnamon, a homemade chicken apple sausage patty, coffee and you have a Sunday Winter Brunch to be proud of.

The last couple weeks have brought big bunches of greens from the CSA. Beet, kale and turnip greens. I blanch them and put them in quart jars and then add some fresh chopped/seeded Romas that have been cooked down some and top off with some homemade chicken stock. These will be used for quick and easy side dishes, soups or stew starters. Can be as simple as defrosting, throwing in a pot with some cooked beans and onions, season to taste with fresh herbs, sea salt and fresh ground pepper, serve in bowls with fresh grated Romano cheese and crusty bread.

I have used my dehydrator to fill quart jars with dried cherries, blueberries, strawberries and hot peppers. The fruits can be ground into powder and mixed into my homemade greek yogurt for fruity flavor and cooked into steel cut oatmeal.

The peppers will be ground up for adding heat to all sorts. I love me some heat in eggs, soups and sauces.

I’ve made batches of apple sauce, apple/pear and apple/peach sauces and they are in small jars in my back fridge freezer.

I was introduced to the technique of fermo-lactation this year by the Erin and Sam who run the CSA I belong to and have jars of  kim-chee, cauliflower, pickles and green beans in jars in the back up fridge.

Fermo Lactation Results

If any of this inspires you to spend some time in the kitchen cooking for your loved ones and then gathered round the table enjoying the fruits of your labor with the aforementioned loved ones—-then my work here is done.

And if that leads to long lingering conversations and laughter. Bonus WIN!

Dried Romas packed in oil and into the deep freeze

2009 Dawn Marie Kelly all rights reserved