We went to the Kingston peninsula farmers’ market on Saturday morning and brought home some pickling cukes and fresh-grown garlic and two choice heads of broccoli. Then we spent all day together in the kitchen.
Treat #1.
Blancher (kills taste-distorting, freezer-surviving enzymes)
Broccoli, blanched
Broccoli in litre-sized milk bags
Treat #2.
Cutting off blossom ends helps keep cukes crisp.
Garlic dill pickles in 500 ml jars
Cai says, "Hi, Pickles! Hi, Cody!"
Treat #3.
Jalapeno peppers. Daring!
Peach salsa for movies-at-home nights
Free blogging tip:
Never tell your partner your proposed entry title in advance.
Voice of the Turtle 
That peach salsa sounds delicious!
I’m always so impressed by your culinary efforts. Too cool.
Cellofield, that’s like astroturf, isn’t it?
It’s pretty good, Christina, just enough heat to satisfy us two wimpy gringos. 🙂
Thanks, Barefootheart! It’s actually the first time we’ve made dills; I hope that cooking tip works, and they stay crisp.
Love the pickling, I really must try to get some done this coming summer.
It’s really satisfying, Jayne. I gloat every time I go down cellar and see all the jars.
Loads of work but all that food will be so good this winter! Yum!
Love the title and last frame. Hilarious. Calendar Girls is a fantastic film!
hi cai!!!
those broc bites look delicious!
i’ll never can things. soooo much work and too much counter space needed.
We still have lots of tomato relish, pickled cukes & pasta sauce in the pantry from last years veggie garden crop. Definitely worth the effort & they taste so much better than shop bought stuff too
Calendar Girls is an excellent film, S. Le; should be on our Christmas list as I’m sure it would get numerous plays. Mind you, when humming while cooking, I find Neil Sedaka’s “Calendar Girl” boppier than the hymn “Jerusalem”. 😛
Ah. Counter space. When we made all those jams the other week, I emptied the kitchen of all extraneous matter. Still, I’d love to know what cactus pear marmalade would be like if you ever do try your hand.
Pasta sauce! I knew there was something else we should make! We’ve got a few things left from last year, too. Do you do the canning, or does Michelle, or do you work together?
Mmmmm peach salsa – I miss Summer!
So will we, Alyson; better bottle a bit of it now!
I love I love I love my collander girl …
It’s just so catchy, isn’t it, James?