Whats the weather like where you are?

This is exactly what I was thinking today when I was walking to the mailbox. It was 96 at the time and I was thinking, "It's not so bad out here." It's been 100s for so long that mid 90s feels nice But, back to 100s next week!

tis partly sunny & cool in mid n.y. my attitude is in full sun!

Today we finally got out of the highs in the 100s.
Fall is just 12 days away!

CarriePie said:

Today we finally got out of the highs in the 100s.
Fall is just 12 days away!

View attachment 295531

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Same. Tired of the heat.

oh no it's rainy and I am supposed to do my Friday morning walking group today. I was going to take my skipping rope but it might be too slippery

Here when the skies turn silver , it's going to storm. Big-time. Farmers love that.

I have been waiting for the temps to drop.....I had yesterday as the first day below 90⁰.

But today right back up.

But I canned 8 quarts of pears.
It's a lot more work than I thought it would be.

7 were canned using water bath.

Next batch is not going to be plain....it's going to be specially flavored....

First taste is always free....
After that....well.....
we offer easy credit terms.

It held off
But I was too busy chatting and walking to skip.
Maybe next week.

Now got to go pick some spring flowers.

JohnDB said:

I have been waiting for the temps to drop.....I had yesterday as the first day below 90⁰.

But today right back up.

But I canned 8 quarts of pears.
It's a lot more work than I thought it would be.

7 were canned using water bath.

Next batch is not going to be plain....it's going to be specially flavored....

First taste is always free....
After that....well.....
we offer easy credit terms.

Click to expand...

that's so glimmering! canned pears! that's a great memory for you! the old life style of canning, bottling & preservation really is exciting. you must enjoy it. i used to make apple cider. a press was made by some old time men out of this & that. it worked very well. we would make a 3 day weekend out of it. the girls would soak & prep the apples in water. then kids & others would place them in tubs. then they were brought to me to squash & press. the leftover pomace was eaten by local farm animals. we used a wide variety of apples: braeburn, macintosh, empire, red delicious, cortland, northern spies, gala, etc.

Karlon said:

that's so glimmering! canned pears! that's a great memory for you! the old life style of canning, bottling & preservation really is exciting. you must enjoy it. i used to make apple cider. a press was made by some old time men out of this & that. it worked very well. we would make a 3 day weekend out of it. the girls would soak & prep the apples in water. then kids & others would place them in tubs. then they were brought to me to squash & press. the leftover pomace was eaten by local farm animals. we used a wide variety of apples: braeburn, macintosh, empire, red delicious, cortland, northern spies, gala, etc.

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Reminds me....I still have to stew those granny smiths.

I have tangelos at the moment, I like pressing them to make fresh juice. I could do the whole lot at once, and freeze it, but freshly pressed is nice.

Tomato sauce is also fun to make. Who doesn't like squashing tomatoes, or throwing the rotten ones at bad performers?

Karlon said:

that's so glimmering! canned pears! that's a great memory for you! the old life style of canning, bottling & preservation really is exciting. you must enjoy it. i used to make apple cider. a press was made by some old time men out of this & that. it worked very well. we would make a 3 day weekend out of it. the girls would soak & prep the apples in water. then kids & others would place them in tubs. then they were brought to me to squash & press. the leftover pomace was eaten by local farm animals. we used a wide variety of apples: braeburn, macintosh, empire, red delicious, cortland, northern spies, gala, etc.

Click to expand...

When I was a yoot.....(youth)
The Senator for Idaho was Simms.....he never made the national news very often....but he did have a orchard outside of Boise. A "fruit ranch" because he grew apples mostly but also grapes and pears. (Couple mules and sheep and goats)
The apples that weren't good enough to box up....they went into the apple press to make cider.
Nothing like holding a ladle under the spigot as the apples press and out squirts the juice....
Turns brown in a few days even when it comes out clear like the store bought kinds.. Then theres sediment that settles on the bottom.

These days I travel to North Georgia to the apple farms there to purchase apples during their festival. Getting cider and hard cider and apples for cinnamon rolls for Halloween and pies for Thanksgiving.
Lots of fun.....but NOT the same as when I was a teenager.

Today however....
Gonna finish up putting up pears. But today's will have "flavors" added to them. I make my own Gran Marnier. (Orange flavored brandy) Much cheaper than the $55ea that is charged in my neighborhood. And better tasting....brandied pears are awesome over vanilla ice cream....a true luxury item most never get because brandied pears are outrageous in price and usually not very available everywhere.
Look at this product I found on google.com https://share.google/OCBsw6MDF2mwYD8A7

The brandy with the pear in the bottle? Uggghhhhh $50 minimum. For cheap pear brandy too....the good stuff starts at $400.
Even the cheapest brandy makes a better flavored brandy if you know how to make the flavors infuse.
(Champagne tastes on a beer budget)

Even licorice flavored liquors or other spices can be used....

Like I said.....first taste is free.....after that we have easy credit terms for the financing you will need.

JohnDB said:

But I canned 8 quarts of pears.
It's a lot more work than I thought it would be.
7 were canned using water bath.
Next batch is not going to be plain....it's going to be specially flavored....

First taste is always free....
After that....well.....
we offer easy credit terms.

Click to expand...

Lol!

What I call "my temporary dyslexia" was acting up (a cheap excuse for when I read things wrong,) and I read this as, "7 (quarts of pears) were canned using bath water."

I was like, "Um, yeah, I bet those are going to have a special flavor, alright!!

I'm sure they're divine!

Takes me back to many an hour in my Mom's tiny canning kitchen years ago peeling/prepping the latest things in season...

How do people can?

I mean bottling using glass bottles and jars, but cans are made of tin right? How do people seal those at home? I though it can only be done in a canning factory.

Unless people mean jarring. But nobody makes a can or tin of jam.

Lanolin said:

How do people can?

I mean bottling using glass bottles and jars, but cans are made of tin right? How do people seal those at home? I though it can only be done in a canning factory.

Unless people mean jarring. But nobody makes a can or tin of jam.

Click to expand...

Yes, they go into tempered glass jars. These are mostly quart jars but there us one pint on the far left at the bottom.
Dirty lil secret is that the lids are two parts....and you can pull the screw lid off just leaving the sealing lid in place AFTER EVVERYTHING HAS COOLED TO ROOM TEMPERATURE.....usually the next day after canning them.

The process is named "canning" but you dont have to use tin cans....in fact most do not. However....there are tins you can purchase to literally seal and preserve food items into. But usually the only Amish use these for sorghum molasses. They resemble paint cans....and the main reason why nobody uses them anymore. Especially when glass is transparent and inexpensive.

As far as canning food goes....the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has written out guidelines for every food preservation technique that the average person can perform without much in the way of equipment.
I do have a pressure canner that I can use on meats and tomato products.
I also own a vacuum sealer.

I do NOT have a freeze drier or a food dehydrator......YET.

But in the meantime....I have grape vines, pecan trees, herb garden, and many neighbors who do not necessarily want to process all the fruits off their trees as well as commercial orchards that the pickers come through once and then its resident's turn at the fruit.

Food is getting outrageous in price....and with high, sustained diesel prices food is going to remain expensive and local. Meaning we once had 10 days from field to table; anywhere to anywhere. With diesel being this expensive that is no longer true. Animal feed corn cant move....sugar cant move....lots of foods no longer move except for the most expensive foods like oranges, cheeses, nuts, or meats.

Finished Chocolate can move....but at 3x the price it was 2 years ago.

Shipping barges require diesel.

Lanolin said:

Reminds me....I still have to stew those granny smiths.

I have tangelos at the moment, I like pressing them to make fresh juice. I could do the whole lot at once, and freeze it, but freshly pressed is nice.

Tomato sauce is also fun to make. Who doesn't like squashing tomatoes, or throwing the rotten ones at bad performers?

Click to expand...

i haven't ever heard of anyone freezing fruit juice! what does tangelo juice taste like? yes, tomato sauce, lot's of fun. there's 1,000's of recipes! i start off by sautéing garlic in olive oil for a few minutes, then in goes the tomatoes. the tomatoes are on the soft side, but no rotten, that's because you have the least amount of acidity. i cook the tomatoes on high temp for a short while then simmer for about a day. last is the spices: salt, thyme, garlic, parsley, oregano & rosemary. sometimes, red wines of chianti or sangiovese will go in.

Lanolin said:

oh no it's rainy and I am supposed to do my Friday morning walking group today. I was going to take my skipping rope but it might be too slippery

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Take an umbrella and make sure that your footing is sure.

Lanolin said:

How do people can?

I mean bottling using glass bottles and jars, but cans are made of tin right? How do people seal those at home? I though it can only be done in a canning factory.

Unless people mean jarring. But nobody makes a can or tin of jam.

Click to expand...

I have jam on my shopping list for my next morning excursion to my local Walmart. It does indeed come in a jar of glass. Smucker's.

Lanolin said:

Now got to go pick some spring flowers.

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That sounds like a relaxing wholesome activity.

Ok....4 quarts and 2 pints....
1 vanilla bean and crystallized ginger
1 stick cinnamon and whole cloves
The rest are Gran Marnier....aka brandies pears....

Brandied pears over rich vanilla ice cream? Fughetaboutit.....
The only thing that could make it even better is if you melted some bittersweet chocolate and poured it over the two.

Cold rich creamy ice cream, Warmth, sweet, bitter offset of chocolate, heat from brandy, hint of orange....totally comforting like a sin sometimes could be....but the only sin is when it's all over.

First tastes are free....

JohnDB said:

When I was a yoot.....(youth)
The Senator for Idaho was Simms.....he never made the national news very often....but he did have a orchard outside of Boise. A "fruit ranch" because he grew apples mostly but also grapes and pears. (Couple mules and sheep and goats)
The apples that weren't good enough to box up....they went into the apple press to make cider.
Nothing like holding a ladle under the spigot as the apples press and out squirts the juice....
Turns brown in a few days even when it comes out clear like the store bought kinds.. Then theres sediment that settles on the bottom.

These days I travel to North Georgia to the apple farms there to purchase apples during their festival. Getting cider and hard cider and apples for cinnamon rolls for Halloween and pies for Thanksgiving.
Lots of fun.....but NOT the same as when I was a teenager.

Today however....
Gonna finish up putting up pears. But today's will have "flavors" added to them. I make my own Gran Marnier. (Orange flavored brandy) Much cheaper than the $55ea that is charged in my neighborhood. And better tasting....brandied pears are awesome over vanilla ice cream....a true luxury item most never get because brandied pears are outrageous in price and usually not very available everywhere.
Look at this product I found on google.com https://share.google/OCBsw6MDF2mwYD8A7

The brandy with the pear in the bottle? Uggghhhhh $50 minimum. For cheap pear brandy too....the good stuff starts at $400.
Even the cheapest brandy makes a better flavored brandy if you know how to make the flavors infuse.
(Champagne tastes on a beer budget)

Even licorice flavored liquors or other spices can be used....

Like I said.....first taste is free.....after that we have easy credit terms for the financing you will need.

Click to expand...

clear? that's unusual. i haven't seen clear apple cider. georgia: sounds like great fun. down there, the spayman apple is best for applesauce. holy heavens, gran marnier!! i used to drink that stuff! now i'm thinking of moving down there for your desserts! i do not know how to make brandy or any other alcohol. the sky is the limit when alcohol is the subject. you remind me how we used to drink at Fraunces Tavern in Manhattan on Pearl & Broad. remy martin king louis the 13th cognac.