For the most part, edibles found in my garden have consisted of tomatoes from my neighbor’s vine, herbs from my herb garden, and an occasional crate of Mandarin oranges from Trader Joe’s.
This summer I wanted to put more on my table & in my assorted mason jars.
A sudden desire to preserve or “put up food” as they say in the south, found me exploring a myriad of sources on growing & preserving good food to eat.
The best sources I found for down-in-the-dirt or out-in-the-orchard-goodness into a hot-steamy-kitchen and onto the worn-wooden-shelves-in-a-dark-cool-pantry were ~ my local agriculture cooperative, my 2013 Farmer’s Almanac, real farmers, and a friend who’s mother is a master at preserving everything!
Along the way, I also found Taste, Memory ~ Forgotten Foods, Lost Flavors, And Why They Matter
The cover caught my eye and thumbing through eventually had me curled up in a deep leather chair appreciating the nuances of heirloom crops and understanding the importance of preserving food.
Taste Memory also reminded me that I’m actually more attracted to the nostalgia of preserving food traditions ~ not hot steamy kitchens!
It’s already late in the season so I think I’ll just hold on to my fondest taste memories of gathering exceptionally beautiful peaches for my Grandmother in Texas. She was not only putting up food for her family’s sustenance, but also for their pleasure ~
I guess I can say that “putting up food” actually has been a part of my life!
I’ll end with another wonderful taste memory called Going for Peaches, Fredericksburg, Texas from Working Dirt ~ An Anthology Of Southern Poets.
This one’s been on my shelf forever ~
Enjoy!
