Recommendations and News from The Frugal Fraulein

Simply Canning is one of my favorite canning websites and an excellent resource. Sharon has developed her site to be able to help beginning to seasoned canners avoid some of the common canning mistakes .  The site is well laid out with a table of contents and easy to navigate.  Finding someone so dedicated to helping others is a rare thing these days and Sharon should be applauded for taking her time to fill this role.

Simply Canning also offers a great newsletter posting submitted questions, recipes and suggestions.  I subscribe to it and look forward to learning new things each time I read it.

Best of all, I love the free downloads she has prepared on the basics of canning.  What a wealth of information to have at hand!  I strongly suggest all you canners out there go and look at Simply Canning, bookmark the page, sign up for the newsletter and check out her downloads.

When I grow up, I would like my blog to be just like hers!  Bookmark and keep an eye on her site because I might just be a listed as a contributing visitor author soon!  

More news from The Frugal Fraulein

I am now publishing articles on a site called Associated Content.  I would love it if you would go to my page http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/715053/abigail_haddock.html  (sorry the link would not copy as a hyperlink).  Be sure to click on each of my entries and leave me a comment.  I am compensated by the number of hits the articles receive.  I will be posting articles regularly so save the page and visit once in a while.  Please share this page with your friends.  If you have any ideas for articles, let me know and I will get right on it!

All you fledgling authors out there might want to try your hand at publishing articles!  It is easy and an opportunity to be paid for your thoughts!  Just go to their home page and sign up.  All material must be original and not previously published.  Good luck and if you do publish be sure to let me know and I will click on your articles!

January Marmalade Canning Class

My blogging friend at Thrifty Coupon Deals has just posted mention of my canning classes.  What a lovely surprise! Thank you so much for the advertisement and a big frugal welcome to new readers!  I love reading the Thrift Coupon Deals and finding new ways to save money and be frugal. There is a wealth of information provided in the archieves and well worth the time to fish around a bit!  I recommend you all sign up for the free newsletter.  If you have not met me, free is my favorite word.


This year, in 2010, I am focusing on shopping locally and buying goods that are in season .  To go along with this theme I face the challenge of living in the Pacific Northwest and being somewhat limited by our growing season. 

During months when crops are limited I will refer to the United States's seasonable produce list .  For example, in January the citrus crop is being harvested.  Oranges, grapefruit and lemons are available and affordable.  Since there is a shift in weather and the Florida orchards are being affected there could be in higher citrus costs for the rest of the year.  Also California is being challenged by insuffiicient water resources and therefore some farmers are cutting down orchards.  We will feel it not only in citrus but in the price of nuts.  A wise person would learn to can.  When produce is available and affordable put some up and prepare for leaner times.

I will now be offering monthly canning classes based on seasonable produce.  I will share a wealth of canning, food preservation and frugal tips with humor and love.  Don't miss this opportunity!

Announcing  January Marmalade Canning Class

 The class will cover the basics of hot water bath canning making marmalade.  Each participant will go home with a jar of marmalade!  The cost of the class includes all equipment and materials.  The class will be approximately three hours and will include hands on participation.

Canning experience not required.  All ages and genders welcome!


Saturday January 23rd at 10 am  6-8 participants
Wednesday January 27th at 6 pm   6-8 participants
Cost $30.  Paid pre-registration only. No refunds.
Olympia, Washington

Special Offer:  If you register 5 pre-paid participants your registration will be free.  Now that is a frugal deal. 

If you would like to plan a canning party call me.  Birthdays, anniversaries, girls night out, Mother's Day, Father's Day can all be more special and memorable with a canning party.  Learn something new and take the goodies home.  Will provide classes in my home or yours.  Large classes or specialty classes available too.

Call 360-705-9818 to register or ask questions.  Come do the Can Can with The Frugal Fraulein.

"If it isn't moving, I will can it!"

Canning Dry Goods

I have never had the opportunity to can dry goods in cans.  Certainly, I have bought many things canned like dehydrated food, potato flakes, wheat, pasta, crackers, powdered milk and so forth.  Canned items are great for long term storage as long as you store them in a dry cool area off the floor.

Last week a friend of mine invited me to come and watch a group of people canning dry goods.  We went to a lovely new finished attached garage on a farm on the outskirts of town.  Couples arrived with bags of dry goods that they had purchased from a local restaurant supply store.  There were bags of oatmeal, rice and powdered milk.

The canner was electric and canned three #10 cans in one minute which was pretty impressive. First the canner had been clamped to a sheet of heavy grade plywood on saw horses.  Once secure to the make shift table, #10 cans were brought out.  Everyone helped fill the cans with the dry goods. 

The filled cans were lined up and a single oxygen absorber was placed on top of the dry goods. Oxygen Absorbers are used to remove oxygen from within a sealed environment, creating a nitrogen environment for long-term food storage. They protect dry foods from insect damage and help preserve product quality. They are used when dry foods are packaged in sealed containers. When used with proper packaging and sealing, the oxygen in the packaging is greatly reduced. Absorbers bring the oxygen level down reliably to .01% or less.  They are not edible and are good for one use only.

Next the cans were placed on the machine one by one to have the lid pressed on.  It was so simple.  The press handle was turned in one direction and then in the other direction.  The can lid was secured and that was that.  To finish the process a plastic lid was placed on top so that when the can is opened a plastic lid is easily available.  The folks had printed out labels with nutritional information on paper with adhesive backing.  What a slick process.  I am so impressed by how simple it was.  I have stored and packaged lots of food in buckets over the years and have seen all sort of methods to keep it bug free and long lasting.  I am now sold on canning and can't wait to locate a machine that I can rent, barter to use or purchase at an exceptional price.  If you know where I can access a self sealing canner please let me know!

My thanks go to my friend Peggy for continuing to share these new things with me!

Cabbage

Eight large cabbage heads grew in my garden this summer.  Tim, being the Irishman that he is, loves corned beef dinner.  The cabbages were grown especially for him.  In the past week and a half, he has prepared 2 complete boiled dinners including corned beef, a whole head of fresh cabbage, yukon gold potatoes, carrots and onions.  The house is  filled with the familar aroma of cabbage.  The first dinner smells so good but after reheating the leftovers it gets a bit strong for me and looses it's appeal.  I guess my wee bit of Irish blood is not as strong as his third generation genetics.

Today Tim picked the five remaining cabbage heads before the slugs chewed too deeply into them.  Since we eat only one bottle of sauerkraut in a year it is simplier to purchase a bottle and leave the fermenting process to someone else.  We do not have a root celler for fresh storagge so the choices are freezing, dehydrating or pressure canning.  The freezer is full so this year I will can and dehydrate some for soups.  If I act quickly I won't have to endure a third boiled dinner so soon!

To can cabbage, remove the outter layers and wash with water to remove any insects or slugs.  Cut into pieces that will fit into the jars and try to leave a piece of the core to keep it formed together.  Blanch for 3 minutes then fill the jars and cover with boiling water.  Leave 1 inch of headroom.  Options:  add some peppercorns, and sea salt to season.  Adjust lids, process in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure .  Pints - 45 minutes and quarts - 55 minutes.






To dehydrate cabbage remove outer leaves and wash to remove bugs.  Cut away any brown or spoiled areas.  Slice into strips and blanch for 2 minutes.  Drain and put into ice water.  Use a salad spinner or blot with paper towels to remove excess water.  Lay in a single layer on dehydrator racks and follow dryer instructions.  Instructions on drying time will vary depending on model used.  Once dry the cabbage will be brittle to the touch.  Store in glass jars or use a food saver.  Store in a dark cool place.

Cabbage is a great additive to winter soups and stews.

Blancing fixes color, flavor and stops enzyme action which otherwise would continue to mature the produce.

My posts have been less frequent this month because I have been called to care for a sweet woman who is in the final chapter of her very full life.  It is an honor to assits heer but the 12 hour days leave me little time for blogging.  Nap time gives me a moment to daydream new postings.  They will appear as soon as I have a few alone moments.  Thanks for bearing with me.

My Canning Quest and Revolution

As background, I taught myself to can while living in Concord, Massachusetts in 1984. Yes, that is the town with the famous bridge where the American Revolution began. So I like to say my canning revolution began there!

I was moved to learn self sufficiency skills. I purchased a couple of books and thought it looked pretty easy. All those colored jars were so pretty! I had no idea what I was getting myself into.
None of my friends were interested so I set out alone on my quest to can.
First message I received was a caution about cleanliness and a warning about life threatening bacteria. I cleaned my tiny apartment kitchen with Clorox and water including the floor. I bleached my kitchen towels, tied my hair up in a bandana put on my apron, banned the dog from the kitchen and began washing jars. I did not have a dishwasher. I washed and washed then boiled a canning pot full of water and sterilized not only the jars but all my equipment, lids and rings. I had contracted canning OCD!

I now have a dishwasher in my life which has eased the cleaning process quite a bit. I still clean with bleach before canning to ensure as much bacteria as possible is gone. So my canning OCD is livable now.

The first thing I ever canned was dilly green beans. They looked so pretty when done. The clinking sound thrilled me and has become my mantra. If I could figure out how to do it I would record the sound and use it on my telephone message recorder instead of the incessant beep. My jars were so beautiful that I would not let anyone open them up to taste the pickled beans. My friends knew I had lost it now but I knew I could can anything.

My next adventure was strawberry jam. Instructions were simple, berries were in season and I was confident I could succeed. To my dismay the jam was runny and did not set. I was crushed and did not know what to do until a roommate suggested we try it on ice cream. Now I think ice cream is food of the Gods. Never saying no to ice cream we got some fresh homemade ice cream from the local creamery (in New England homemade ice cream is easily available and the store bought stuff in the cardboard box is taboo). We poured some of my runny strawberry jam onto the ice cream and hesitantly tasted it. I was immediately transformed to nirvana. Hence, whenever jam or preserves come out runny, I call it sauce so I never experience canning failure! Yes, I have tried to reprocess jam once or twice and have had varying levels of success. Usually I chalk it up to experience and have another batch of sauce or syrup for pancakes, waffles, pound cake, spritzer beverages or ice cream.

I still had not under taken pressure canning. I did not dare to try that method till I had moved to Washington and had me a Master Canner. A Master Canner is someone who takes a class with the County Extension Service and has been trained in the safety of canning and has chalked up hours of canning under supervision. In exchange for the course, Master Canners teach others canning skills. Annie told me to come over and we would can up some stew she had made.

When I got to her home I was stunned. She lives in a bermed home on the banks of the Nisqually River that flows from the top of Mt. Rainier. The house was built into the side of a slope and the front of the house was all glass overlooking the river and mountain vista. Just spectacular. Eagles were swooping over the river and catching salmon. Her roof was green and planted with strawberry plants. Her garden had every vegetable imaginable planted in perfect rows without an inch of spare room or a weed to be seen. Even the garden fence was holding up grapes and berry vines. The orchard had several kinds of trees laden with fruit.

I entered the house through a side door into a mud room where we removed out shoes. A couple of steps up and I was in a great room open to the kitchen which was raised one step so that while in the kitchen area you could see out the glass wall and watch the river. The stove was a combination gas and wood fired stove. The wood stove in the living room also had a flat top that could be used for cooking. Her pantry was stocked with everything you could think of including box after box of canned goods from her garden.

Annie had made a beef stew the night before with veggies from her garden. She got out her old pressure canner and I stepped back in awe. Many years ago I had been at another friend’s home to try her beef stew cooked in a pressure canner. While we were waiting for dinner sitting in the living room there was a huge explosion. We ran to the kitchen and the top of the pressure canner had blown off and her entire kitchen was redecorated with a lovely shade of beef stew. The ceiling, walls, cabinets and floor was covered. She cried. We spent the evening cleaning and ordered a pizza.

So here I was to face my fear and conquer the pressure canner beast. Annie had an older American model with a gauge and release valve on the top. She assured me she knew what she was doing. 16 jars later I breathed a sigh of relief and was over my fear. Over the next few months I learned many canning tricks from Annie. A consummate bargain hunter, she taught me to be very resourceful, how to buy in large quantity and store food safely. She showed me how to can meat, fish and poultry and was always available to answer my hysterical calls when I feared I had screwed something up. She taught me the value of going to Saturday yard sales and to never pass up a bargain.

Annie has moved on to the great canning kitchen now but I am sure she smiles when she sees I have taken her spot teaching canning and being called the Frugal Fraulein. Annie I miss you.

Canning Books

Berore you say it or post a comment, I have not actually canned books. I do say I will can anything not moving but come on!

Here are some of my favorite canning books sitting on top of my wood stove. Have you treated yourself to a new one lately? If no, check out my list of favorites, then click on a link and go to Amazon and buy yourself a present. Remember you can get used books from Amazon and save lots of money. Use the link to order anything from Amazon!

Black Gold - Blackberries

I love blackberries! In the Pacific Northwest they are abundant, free, full of vitamins, free, easy to pick and did I say free? When I go to the Farmer's Market and see people buying a flat or worse a pint of blackberries for up to $25 a flat and $6 a pint box I cringe. I want to take them by the shoulders and shake them and ask them what their problem is. When blackberries are on every corner screaming to be picked why would someone be so lazy that they could not stop the car, get out and pick free, juicy blackberries in just a couple of minutes? I actually have asked people why they buy them and they usually answer they don't like to mess with the thorns and get scraped or have their fingers turn purple. Whatever! Being the Frugal Fraulein, I dream about blackberry season!

As I have already told you, this season I have picked berries and canned berry quick bread. I am now watching the vines in my back yard and in some of my favorite places along the road for them to ripen.

In picking season I always have large stainless steel bowls, a small pair of sharp garden clippers, hand wipes, zip loc bags, a towel and a hat in my car. I have also begun to carry an old apron so if I happen upon a really good patch I can cover my clothing.

The stainless steel bowls are industrial sized and were found at a yard sale. That memorable day, there were two of the bowls and a colander that I picked up for $1 a piece. It was one of those days that you have to keep your legs from running back to the car before the people realize the treasures they just parted with. Those things are worth their weight in gold to me. I use them when I pick produce in my garden, when I chop for canning and especially when I soak produce in absorbic acid to keep fruit from discoloring. When I pick berries they sit on the ground to leave my hands free for picking.

The garden clips are an old pair of Felco pruners that Mom gave me one year for Christmas. When I am not using them in the garden I keep them in the car. I can't tell you how many times I have used them to pick flowers along the roadside. In berry season, I use them to clip my way into the middle of the berry wall and to trim away those stragglers that are wanting to grab your arms and legs. Since berry vines grow produce fruit off new vines, it is actually doing the plants a favor to be trimmed. There is one place I have frequented for about 10 years near a sand lot and I witness year after year the area I pruned the previous season. That is my favorite place to pick and I have never seen anyone else there! No, I won't tell you where it is!

I keep a container of disinfectant hand wipes in the car to clean up after picking. My hands will be purple and full of the dried stuff that falls off the ripe berries. I get them at the dollar store and if the container seems to be getting dry I just add a wee bit of water to rehydrate the wipes. I keep a towel in the car for the final wipe of my hands if the towelettes are too wet. Nothing worse than sticky hands on the steering wheel.

Ziploc bags are always handy. After filling the bowls I transfer the berries into the plastic bags. If you don't do that you could have an awful mess if the bowl should happen to spill in the car. In the bags the berries are safe and if I don't get to process them that day they are safe in the refrigerator when I get home.

I happen to love aprons and think it is a fashion that needs to be resurrected. I use them all the time to protect my clothing. In fact when I teach canning classes I always recommend that the students bring an apron and I loan them to those that don't have one. Yes, I have a habit of wiping my hands on the front of me when I cook and can. Aprons have saved me many dollars over the years. If anyone ever wants to know what to buy me for a gift it would be an apron.
I have garden aprons with lots of pockets, a painting apron, a shop apron, a good apron I try to keep for company and many others to wear daily. Many holidays I wear one all day long and have pictures to prove it. Oh my blog picture is a Thanksgiving picture of me picking brussel sprouts fresh from the garden in November!

That old baseball hat keeps the sun out of my eyes, my hair away from my face and away from getting caught by the berry vines. There is always a hat in my car.

I have also tried the cup with handle method. Holding a coffee cup or paper cup with handle you reach into the vines to pick berries with your thumb and first finger. Supposedly the cup will push back the prickly vines and keep you from being scratched. I have had success with the method but think the few scratches I get are worth the trouble and I seems to me I can pick more berries with my hand unencumbered. To each his own... Try this method you might like it.

Ok, enough about supplies. You get the point. Put some items in the trunk of your car and next time you see some luscious berries, turn on your directional signals, slow down and park the car safely on the side of the road. Get out and pick some berries!