We mentioned that we`ll be experimenting by making homemade liqueur (cordial) soon. We also mentioned we`d share an exciting discovery (at least it was a discovery for us!). The following applies to fermenting cordial – but also applies to other fermenting including sauerkraut, fermented pickles and kimchi. Fermentation requires the removal of air from your [...]
Archive for the ‘Preserving Specific Tools and Supplies’ Category
Air Locks for Mason Jars – My Fermenting will Reach New Heights
Posted in Preserving Specific Tools and Supplies on June 17, 2011 | 14 Comments »
More Considerations on Buying a Dehydrator – and how to buy Affordably
Posted in Preserving Specific Tools and Supplies on May 5, 2011 | 4 Comments »
Our recent run of posts on dehydrating has led to a lot of questions (here and on the Facebook Group) surrounding buying dehydrators. We ran a very comprehensive article on things to consider when buying a dehydrator – consider it the pre-reading for this article (we won’t be repeating points). Since writing that article, I’ve [...]
My Latest Crock Pot Came with a side of Humble Pie…
Posted in Preserving Specific Tools and Supplies on April 3, 2011 | 4 Comments »
Dana sent me an email that contained a link and a cryptic one-line description: Large ceramic pot with lid – the kind used to preserve meat for winter. $20. Sounded like a fermenting (crock) pot to me. And it was less than a kilometer from home. I confirmed there were no chips, and the pot [...]
Harsch Gartopf Crock Pot – Let the Fermenting Begin!
Posted in Preserving Specific Tools and Supplies, tagged fermentaions, fermenting, natural fermentation, Pickling, wild fermentation on March 26, 2011 | 18 Comments »
I am so thrilled to share what arrived when I was away: our brand new 15 Liter Crock Pot for fermenting and pickling. I do feel like a bit of a geek on just how excited I am about this but I`m comfortable enough in my obsession (I mean self-confidence ) that I am just [...]
Why Should I buy a Pressure Canner?
Posted in Preserving Specific Tools and Supplies, tagged canning, Food, preserving, pressure canning, Slow Food on March 24, 2011 | 9 Comments »
Maybe you shouldn’t. Then again, maybe you should. Yes, I am a Gemini – a very tired, punchy one at that. I’ll try to keep this post intelligible and somewhat comprehensible. We’ve been having a lot more conversations on Twitter and through our Facebook group lately. Part of that is due to a 2-week business [...]
Some Starting Points for a New Dehydrator
Posted in Preserving Specific Tools and Supplies on February 26, 2011 | 6 Comments »
We were trading messages with friends on twitter last night when we got a simple request from Dallas (check her site out) who asked us for some ideas on where to start with a new dehydrator. I love questions like this – makes coming up with topics easier. You can get very complex with a [...]
The Best Jar Size for Jam and Other Berries
Posted in Preserving Specific Tools and Supplies on June 1, 2010 | 10 Comments »
Choosing the right jar size for berries is a pivotal decision – don`t leave this to chance or accident. I used to use 500 ml (1 pint) jars for everything other than tomato sauce and pickles. I made some great jam in these jars and ran into some problems quickly: When I wanted several flavours [...]
Thinking of buying a pressure canner?
Posted in Preserving Specific Tools and Supplies on May 24, 2010 | 26 Comments »
We’ve had a series of questions about pressure canning lately and thought we’d share a few experiences on choosing a pressure canner. These are based on our experience and using ours for preserving for about 2 years. DO not buy an old one for a “deal.” The safety has improved drastically – even in the [...]
Heads or tails? The proper way to use a jar lifter
Posted in Preserving Specific Tools and Supplies on August 15, 2009 | 8 Comments »
Let’s start with a simple question – which way should you hold a set of jar lifters? Today is another common sense tip that took me too long to learn – it seems so obvious in retrospect. Photo 2 is the correct way (the black cars are handles). Many people hold them the “wrong” way. [...]
Life’s the pits…
Posted in Preserving Specific Tools and Supplies, Tools on August 2, 2009 | 1 Comment »
We`ve done gallons of cherries this year. The amount of work is almost enough to lose your mind – and part of the reason why they taste so great come fall. Our friend Margaret freezes cherries and makes wonderful pies with them. She uses a paring knife to pit them – I give her mad [...]



