Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Preserved



Whew! This is one of my 'busy-times' of the year when I hardly have time to catch my breath it seems! Today I have been busy working with peaches. I have 2 gallons sitting in a pot with sugar and vinegar right now. Just sitting there waiting. On me? No. On time to pass. That's the recipe. I cut them up, pour on the sugar and vinegar, stir and then wait. Later tonight I will cook them over a low flame for several hours until they are thick and have turned dark brown. Then I will can them in pint jars. The recipe calls them "Evaporated Peaches" and they're used just as you would use cooked dried peaches to make a Deep South favorite....fried pies! Yum Yum! While these beauties are sitting in their pot getting ready, I have been peeling and slicing the ripest peaches to put in the freezer to have later by themselves or over cake or ice cream.

And did I mention that I am making Pepper Sauce.....another Southern condiment to pour over Turnip Greens......from the abundance of the jalapeno peppers in our garden? Oh, yeah! This is especially for hubby who loves anything with pepper in it!

Tomorrow or the next day I will start on the pears. Right now they are hanging very heavy on the trees outside. The branch in the picture is dragging the ground! I will start out making canned pear halves with the sweetest pears that are ripe right now. Then later I will make pear relish or pear preserves from the firmer type of pears on the tree in the front yard.

I don't really have any spiritual application to go with today's post I don't guess. But I did write a short article a few years ago during canning season which has been newly published in the current August issue of "Journezine" online magazine. I hope you will go and check it out by clicking HERE. I have titled it "Preserved". And of course, it talks about how we are preserved for all time through salvation.

I better get back to work now. Just taking a break. Oh the life of a country girl in the time of harvest! :)

Marilyn

14 comments:

Linda said...

Bless you for all your hard work. You will reap wonderful rewards this winter!

Kay Martin said...

Shame on you, Marilyn.

Now I'm craving your preserves and a cup of hot coffee and a buttered biscuit. Oh, you must be a fabulous cook.

I can smell and taste it all. Shame on you.

Kay of SC

Deborah said...

I read your 'Preserved' article before...it was great!
Have fun with all the canning!

Leah Adams said...

Girl,

I am such a slacker compared to you. I just go to the grocery and buy all that kind of stuff. I wish you lived closer and could teach me all of the how-tos for everything you are canning and freezing.

Leah

Terri Tiffany said...

Your pictures are awesome! I see you write for Jan too! Wish I had a garden with veggies like yours. My MIL shares when I go north but that's about it:))

Zoe said...

Hey Marilyn,
Thanks for your sweet post on my blog.

My mouth is just watering for those beautiful and delicious preserves. I'm with Kay, a butered biscuit is all I need.
Yumm!!!!!!!!
Zie

Shirley Mary said...

Oh, my what memories came flooding back after looking and reading this post!

Years ago we had pear trees in our yard and I put up pears just about every way you could think of. We picked different kinds of berries and I would make jam and jelly. We also went to a peach orchard each year and would pick about a bushel of peaches to freeze.
Curtis' mother made the BEST fried pies I have ever eaten!

All of this seems like a lifetime ago. I don't do any of this anymore but a book has many chapters and that was a wonderful chapter in life's book!

mary

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

Do you hire out?! Wow...I can't even imagine the energy this all requires. Makes me tired, yet hungry just thinking about it.

Be blessed!

peace~elaine

Travelin Pilgrim said...

Hi Marylin-

Thank you for visiting my blog at www.travelinpilgrim.blogspot.com I enjoyed your comment very much! I was wondering if you would be willing to pass on your pepper sauce that you spoke of. My husban also loves anything spicy and we've got some peppers growing in the garden right now. I would love something new to try. Thanks again!

LeeBird3 said...

Hey there!

Pear Preserves....I have not had pear preserves since my Mississippi granny died in 1994. I miss her so much....not just her pear preserves and plum jelly, but her "knock out your breath" hugs and her unconditional love. I can hear her right now calling out to all her "tom cats" from the porch. Her kitties would come running at the sound of her voice.

Hey...I'm going to fly into Jackson on September 26...and flying back out on October 1. Going to see my auntie and head on to LA to see my sister and my daddy.

Shirley Mary said...

I had forgotten about your article in the Journezine magazine but I read it today. What a blessing!

You are really a good writer, Marilyn.

mary

Alene said...

And this just makes me hungry for preserves. I remember my grandmother making preserves and sharing them with everyone. Hmmm, Hmmm good!!!

Anonymous said...

To Kay Martin - Yes, she is a WONDERFUL cook. If I lived closer my brother & I both would weigh 300lbs! :) lol

Joyful said...

You are amazing! The only thing I have ever made, even half remotely related to all your preserving, is applesauce. (I'm ashamed to even admit that, because there truly is nothing to making applesauce!)

The title of this post makes me think of a song we sing in church. Maybe you know it? "Ancient Words, long preserved, for our walk in this world...."

Rejoicing in His Word preserved for us, that we may taste and see that the Lord is good.

Love & prayers,
Joy