My good friend, Heather, offered to teach me the grand art of canning this weekend. She showed up with a carload of pears and all sorts of wacky gadgets that are needed to make pear butter. Prior to her visit I was a canning virgin, much to Steve’s dismay. Apparently a woman is not truly such until she has canned.
The time had come.
We sterilized the jars and then placed them in the oven to keep them hot. Then we sliced up the pounds of pears, tossed them in a pot with some water and cooked them until they were soft. Next came the mashing. We poured the mushy pears into this weird, coney strainer and smooshed them real good with a wooden mallet so the pulp oozed out of the tiny pores of the colander.
After all the good stuff has been pressed through the strainer we put it on the stove with some sugar to let it simmer and thicken. Heather played with Avelyn while we waited for the pears to cook.
Then we smelled something funny. We had been distracted by my ridiculously cute baby for too long and the pear puree had scorched. The nasty aroma of burnt sugar permeated the entire upstairs of the house. Maybe some of the sauce could be salvaged?
I sampled a spoonful and it tasted like cigarettes.
We dumped it down the toilet and started all over again.
The second batch was delicious.
Will I be canning again any time soon?
No.
If Steve wants canned goods he can make them himself.
14 Comments
It wasn’t that bad was it? How’s your seal? :) All mine did the deed! Kinda runny but at least the second batch tastes good.
You look fantastic!
You are so cute. And I love your use of all the technical canning jargon: “We poured the mushy pears into this weird, coney strainer and smooshed them real good.” Cracking me up!
Cute story, Amanda. I’ve learned that making food is entirely too much work, so I’m impressed by your efforts.
I just bought all of the fixin’s to can antipasto – maybe you could try something other than pears?
:)
Good for you,sweetie!I,too,am a relative newcomer to the womanly(?}art of canning and preserving,but I have really enjoyed it.I feel like I’m some kind of earthy pioneer woman who is putting food by for her family.My Mom did all that stuff bot I was never too interested then.I,too,have had some disasters,namely stuff that refuses to jell.I almost lost my motivation after making all that S’toon jam for your wedding favours,but it has come back.I want to make some apricot butter soon,sounds delish.And my granbaby looks fantastic,as usual;so do you and Heather.Love ya!
Very Entertaining story- along with the photographs!!!!Practice makes perfect…
Fun!
Nice outfit Avelyn! :)
Your jam looks good… enough for me to poop on!!!
That was a great story, but I must confess the toilet picture made me naseous! I think you should keep trying kitchen adventures, they make great stories!
I swear everyone is burning htere canning this year! And Casey saw the picture of the sause in the toilet. I wonder when he’s gonna try it and what with?
My mom taught me to can peaches today. MUCH less complicated. And delicious! We shall can peahes Manda. Next year.
If I ever have a home that is.
Ha ha ha ha ha! Matt can make his own too!
I SUCK at canning. tried a couple times, always end up failing miserably. Glad your experience was better than mine:O)
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