Today has been a day of tomatoes. We had enough for me to juice about six quarts. I always get annoyed toward the end of canning season when the bushels of fruits and veggies seem endless and my hand cramps to the paring knife, but here at the beginning of the season I find that a bit of kitchen work makes for a nice change.
I've always enjoyed the tomatoes. They look so gross in the big kettle, all red and pulpy. Just as they're about to boil the surface of the stew seems almost to breathe before erupting into hissing, blorping bubbles. It makes me feel wonderfully witchy. When I was thirteen or fourteen I'd mumble `double, double, toil and trouble,' in my best creaky voice. Now I usually just think Macbethian thoughts.
That does sound like fun. I'm glad you're enjoying canning tomatoes. {Smile}
ReplyDeleteAnne Elizabeth Baldwin
Yeah, I'm not sure what it says about me that the gross factor is a major reason why. :) I like canning except when it becomes completely overwhelming -like when you're canning peaches after two days of steady peach canning. Eventually you reach the point where your hand cramps around the paring knife. Suddenly canning is just not fun anymore.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about the gross factor, except you'd better have at least a high tolerance for gross if you're going to can food. We used to make a couple of kinds of jam and jelly when I was a kid. They tasted great when we ate them. They smelled great even while we were cooking them. But parts of the cooking process were pretty unsightly. {wink, Smile}
DeleteAnne Elizabeth Baldwin
Just lurked on in because I spit water laughing at your comment on Janice Hardy's blog.
ReplyDelete"Ooh, I love Sherlock! (Whistles innocently and pretends to have nothing to do with fangirl squee.)"
That's how I feel about Harry Potter (still), so I can relate! :)
I wanted to say I'm so sorry about your dad. I know he will be remembered in your matching infectious smile. Have a great day!
I'm so glad you did come on over. :) For me so much of the fun with Sherlock is the book shout-outs. They make me all warm and fuzzy.
ReplyDeleteSo... I'll pretend not to notice you whistling innocently, if you pretend not to notice me. :)
I am going to miss Dad. He was sick so long that it almost feels like everything happened months ago instead of just weeks. My brother was saying he didn't know what he'll do when football season comes around. Dad was a Redskins fan and used to watch all their games with his own dad, and with my brothers.