Peach Syrup

Home canners by nature tend to be a rather frugal segment of the population.  While the primary goal is to put safe, healthy, additive food on the table as well as provide a cushion in the form of a well stocked pantry, the economics of home canning cannot be overlooked.  Home canning can save a considerable amount of money and more so if you know how to use the waste or excess from home canning that might otherwise be discarded. 

I canned peach slices using a light syrup (2¼ c sugar in 5¼ c water).  There was about a cup of the syrup leftover so I let it cool then refrigerated.  The following day, I made another solution of the light syrup and added to the first to cook peaches for a batch of candied peach slices.  Essentially the wonderful flavour of peaches was infused into the remaining syrup.  Many would be tempted to discard the syrup but why? 

This delicious syrup is perfect for topping ice cream, pancakes or waffles and it can be used in baking and cooking.  I brought the syrup to a boil and ladled into hot jars then processed for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath canner.   The yield was 7 - 250 ml jars of peach syrup.  That's not bad considering I took a waste product of canning and turned it into a usable, delicious product for the pantry. 

Low Sugar Peach Jam

One of the final products I made while canning peaches was a low sugar peach jam using Pomona's pectin.  Pomona's pectin is a low methoxy pectin that uses calcium water for it's gel rather than sugar.  This means I can greatly reduce the amount of sugar used in a recipe or I can substitute some or all the sugar with honey or maple syrup.  Artificial sweeteners can be used with Pomona's pectin but we don't use these types of sweeteners so I can't tell you how well the work.  The best thing about Pomona's pectin is I can create my own recipes for jams and jellies as well as make gummy candies unlike using other types of traditional pectin (eg. Certo). 

I make a fair number of jams and jellies yet very few are ever used as a spread.  Instead they are used as glazes or as an ingredient for baking and appetizers.  Most jams and jellies pair nicely with cream cheese and brie so the possibilities are endless. They are also great stirred into homemade plain yogurt.

Low sugar peach jam has all the gourmet flavour of peach jam made with Redpath QUICKSET, just less sugar.  The colour is a bit lighter but that could be due to the lemon juice that was added.  It is a delicious jam sure to please whether used as a spread or ingredient, a lovely addition to your pantry.

Low Sugar Peach Jam
recipe by:  Garden Gnome

4 c prepared peaches
¼ c lemon juice
2 c sugar
3 tsp Pomona's pectin
4 tsp calcium water
dab butter (optional)

Wash, skin and pit peaches.  Put in food processor then pulse until desired consistency leaving just a few larger pieces of peach.  Measure out 4 c.  Pour into large stainless steel saucepan.  Add calcium water and lemon juice.  In a separate bowl measure sugar and pectin.  Mix well.  Bring the fruit mixture to a boil.  Stir in the sugar mixture.  Stir to dissolve.  Return to boil.  Remove from heat. Stir in butter.  Ladle into hot jars.  Adjust two piece metal snap lids (or Tattler reusable lids or glass inserts).  Screw bands on jars (adjust accordingly if not using metal snap lids).  Process for 250 ml for 10 minutes in BWB canner at altitudes up to 1,000 feet above sea level.  At higher altitudes refer to altitude adjustment chart on Canning FYI page.  Remove from canner.  Adjust bands if using Tattler or glass inserts.  Allow to cool 24 hours.  Remove bands and test for seal.  Wash and dry bands and jars.  Label and store.

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Food Anti-Hoarding Law in Canada

I can long remember my childhood days filled with wonderful food memories.  Part of that was a very well stocked pantry.  I have always carried that tradition with me and it has served us well.  It is so much easier to deal with the uncertainties of life, the curve balls life throws at you and simple day to day living with a full tummy.  During the y2K scare, we increased our preparedness but in all honesty, keeping a well stocked pantry remained a norm.  At that same time, I became involved in a few newsgroups relating to the y2K scare.  Like many on the newsgroups, we keep an 18 month to 2 year food supply in our home.  All of a sudden, folks were warning about anti-hoarding laws where your food stores could be confiscated.  They warned of not letting anyone know about your food stores.  The thing is, in Canada even today a well stocked pantry is a matter of survival in many remote areas and a must unless you live close to a larger urban centre.  A year's supply of food is quite reasonable to get a family from one growing season to the next with a bit extra just in case.  With the growing interest in home canning as a way of self sufficiency and putting a healthier, additive free food on the table, the idea of an anti-hoarding law in Canada was a bit discerning.  So I did a bit of research.

Canada was experiencing a severe shortage of sugar in 1918, specifically can sugar, not corn syrup, honey or maple products.  Only cane sugar that was imported and processed was restricted.  It was illegal to hold more than a 15 day supply of sugar in the city or 45 days if more than two miles from a supplier.  Charges and convictions were against merchants and suppliers that hoarded foods like eggs, butter and cheese then allowed it to spoil when folks were going hungry.  I could find no convictions against householders meaning their stores did not fall under the temporary anti-hoarding laws to begin with.  Food control was in place in Canada during World War I  to reduce the home consumption of certain foods required for feeding the troops but at the same time Canadians were encouraged to have household gardens to help supply some of the food they required.  Any food anti-hoarding laws in Canada were very short lived, ending with World War I.  There has been no food anti-hoarding laws in effect in Canada since 1918.  That means, in Canada we are free to stock whatever foods we deem necessary for our family and lifestyle. 

Summer Salsa

This has been a rather interesting summer with respect to produce.  Adverse spring and growing conditions has affected my home garden as well as local produce.  The asparagus and berry seasons were shorter.    Unlike other years, there hasn't been a break between the various produce.   Cucumbers ran into peaches that ran into tomatoes with pears starting as well.  I was starting peaches the same day I was finishing up peaches.  Tomatoes were about two weeks early so I was still doing peaches when the first of the tomatoes arrived.

I made a half batch of summer salsa to use up a few of the remaining peaches that also incorporated tomatoes and pears.  This was a good way to ease into the next produce while using up produce from the garden.  It was also a nice way to do a test batch of a new pantry product.

Summer salsa has a sweet, mellow flavour unlike the light, lively and spicy flavour of the popular tomato based salsa.  It would be good as a dip, condiment or as a topping for cream cheese based appetizers.  It is delicious!

Summer Salsa
modified from:  Bernardin Complete Guide to Home Preserving, 2006. Pp. 60

2 c peeled, seeded, chopped tomatoes
1 c peeled, chopped peaches
1 c peeled, chopped pears
½ c finely chopped red pepper
½ c chopped red onion
2 finely chopped jalapeño peppers
¼ c finely chopped fresh parsley
zest and juice of ½ lemon
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
½ tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
¼ c liquid honey

Wash and prepare vegetables and fruit.  Combine prepared fruits and vegetables in large stainless steel saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Stir in parsley, lemon zest and juice, balsamic vinegar, mint and honey.  Boil gently 5 minutes.  Ladle into hot jars.  Wipe rims.  Adjust two piece metal snap lids (or Tattler reusable lids or glass inserts).  Screw bands on jars (adjust accordingly if not using metal snap lids).  Process for 250 ml for 15 minutes  in BWB canner at altitudes up to 1,000 feet above sea level.  At higher altitudes refer to altitude adjustment chart on Canning FYI page.  Remove from canner.  Adjust bands if using Tattler or glass inserts.  Allow to cool 24 hours.  Remove bands and test for seal.  Wash and dry bands and jars.  Label and store.

Yield: 5 - 250 ml jars