First Day of Fall

It has finally arrived, the first day of Fall.  While I love this season, it also marks the coming of darkness soon it will be dark both when I go to work and when I depart (most depressing).  As I say "farewell" to summer, here are some updates on some of the projects I worked on this summer. ~ksp

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Ishbel Shawl - Frogged
As I mentioned earlier here, I either dropped a stitch or created an other yo while plowing through this small scarf in June.  Soon thereafter, summer settled in and it was almost the most hot/humid one on record. I couldn't stand to be near wool, in any form...it was that unbearable.  So, I put Ishbel down.  Now as fall is settling in (officially arriving later this week) and I picked it back up, I have no idea what in the hell I was doing.  So to the frog pond she goes. Alas, I will cast on again on especially since I need to start stockpiling Christmas gifts.

Heirloom Tomato Salsa - Repurposed
I used a water-bath approved recipe for this salsa that called for vinegar found here.  The proportions of tomato to vinegar was over powering as a salsa.  I opened all the cans and threw them into the crackpot for a day and a haf.  I pulsed them down with the immersion blender to a chunky consistency and added sugar and salt.  Not sure of the acid level (I've lost my food grade ph slips) I pressure canned the Heirloom catsup in small jars.  I'll give updates once it's cooled and refrigerated.

Sunshine Pickles - Failure
I searched high and low for sunshine pickle recipes.  I not-so-secretly love pickles of all kinds.  Once I found the hermetic jars here it was game-on.

After researching recipes I settled on what what I thought would do the trick.  I marked off the requisite days on the calendar and waited.  When I finally opened the jar the pickles had a great aroma and color but a horrid consistency.  They had become a mushy shell of their former selves.  It broke my heart to throw these away, Especially since my homegrown cucumber were not abundant enough to create another bushel.  Next year.

Wordless Sunday.

While We're Waiting...

It's thick in the fall canning season and so there's a lot of hurry up and wait, especially as it relates to fall crop (apple, grape, peach, etc) jelly-making.

Jelly making requires draining the juice from a pulpy mixture...depending on batch size, this process can take a looooong time.



So while this jelly bag (a retro-fitted pillowcase) drains yummy concord grape pulp, lets have a contest!


In the comments, list your favorite type of jelly and on September 24, 2010, the random number generator will choose a winner. ~ksp

Tomato Pickles

I've recently developed a new blog crush here. I love her juxtaposition of urban living and homesteading. Feels both traditional and hip.

My local farmer's market often has unripe green zebra tomatoes.  It's not a variety I have any interest in growing, but they do make an awesome pickle.  I made minor variations to Tigresses recipe here mostly because I had no fenugreek in the spice cabinet and I used sugar in the raw) and I was not going back to the market.

All sliced up and ready for salting.

After letting it drain overnight, I commenced to cooking bright and early the next morning.
After some quick mixing and a hot water bath...pints of yummy pickles to accompany meals throughout the winter. ~ksp

Headshot

My job required new head shots for all executive staff for our website. Here's mine! ~ksp

I detest pictures of myself, but since this is going on a website, I am acclimating myself to it.  ~ksp