....The year's cycle of projects (well, ok, if you don't count the jar of
mandarino/mandarinetto I start on January 2).

Yesterday I put up 15 pints of pickled asparagus (dill bean recipe). I
suppose I could have done that in October, when schtuff from Chile was
arriving, but doesn't seem natural to have fresh, pencil-thin asparagus
in October.

Have to rotate the jars daily for a week, I guess. Some of the tips are
above the brine in the jars so I'll turn 'em one side and then the other.

B/

"Brian Mailman" > wrote in message
...
> ...The year's cycle of projects (well, ok, if you don't count the jar of
> mandarino/mandarinetto I start on January 2).
>
> Yesterday I put up 15 pints of pickled asparagus (dill bean recipe). I
> suppose I could have done that in October, when schtuff from Chile was
> arriving, but doesn't seem natural to have fresh, pencil-thin asparagus in
> October.
>
> Have to rotate the jars daily for a week, I guess. Some of the tips are
> above the brine in the jars so I'll turn 'em one side and then the other.
>
> B/

One time I made a batch of this and by and by a yellow grainy substance
formed on the tips and in the liquid. Thru various research, I am sure it is
lutein, which is good for your eyes. It is one of the natural chemicals in
asparagus accounting for the yellow part of the green color. I ate them and
my family ate them and nobody got sick, ITH.
These pickles are great with tarragon and better even with basil instead
of dill. Do ya think they would make nice stirrers in a bloody mary? I can't
drink anymore, but I might try this in the a.m. with just V8.
Edrena

The Joneses wrote:

> "Brian Mailman" > wrote in message
> ...
>> ...The year's cycle of projects (well, ok, if you don't count the jar of
>> mandarino/mandarinetto I start on January 2).
>>
>> Yesterday I put up 15 pints of pickled asparagus (dill bean recipe). I
>> suppose I could have done that in October, when schtuff from Chile was
>> arriving, but doesn't seem natural to have fresh, pencil-thin asparagus in
>> October.
>>
>> Have to rotate the jars daily for a week, I guess. Some of the tips are
>> above the brine in the jars so I'll turn 'em one side and then the other.
>>
>> B/
>
> One time I made a batch of this and by and by a yellow grainy substance
> formed on the tips and in the liquid.

Yeah, that's happening.

> Thru various research, I am sure it is
> lutein, which is good for your eyes. It is one of the natural chemicals in
> asparagus accounting for the yellow part of the green color. I ate them and
> my family ate them and nobody got sick, ITH.
> These pickles are great with tarragon and better even with basil instead
> of dill.

Ya know, this morning while I was staring at the spice shelves while
waiting for the coffee kettle to boil, I vaguely focused on the tarragon
and though that would be better.

> Do ya think they would make nice stirrers in a bloody mary? I can't
> drink anymore, but I might try this in the a.m. with just V8.

Yup, and nothing wrong with a virgin mary. A few drops of
worcestershire and tabasco in your V8 and there you are.

B/

"Brian Mailman" > wrote in message
...
> The Joneses wrote:
>
>> "Brian Mailman" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> ...The year's cycle of projects (well, ok, if you don't count the jar of
>>> mandarino/mandarinetto I start on January 2).
>>>
>>> Yesterday I put up 15 pints of pickled asparagus (dill bean recipe). I
>>> suppose I could have done that in October, when schtuff from Chile was
>>> arriving, but doesn't seem natural to have fresh, pencil-thin asparagus
>>> in October.
>>>
>>> Have to rotate the jars daily for a week, I guess. Some of the tips are
>>> above the brine in the jars so I'll turn 'em one side and then the
>>> other.
>>>
>>> B/
>>
>> One time I made a batch of this and by and by a yellow grainy substance
>> formed on the tips and in the liquid.
>
> Yeah, that's happening.
>
>> Thru various research, I am sure it is lutein, which is good for your
>> eyes. It is one of the natural chemicals in asparagus accounting for the
>> yellow part of the green color. I ate them and my family ate them and
>> nobody got sick, ITH.
>> These pickles are great with tarragon and better even with basil
>> instead of dill.
>
> Ya know, this morning while I was staring at the spice shelves while
> waiting for the coffee kettle to boil, I vaguely focused on the tarragon
> and though that would be better.
>
> > Do ya think they would make nice stirrers in a bloody mary? I can't
>> drink anymore, but I might try this in the a.m. with just V8.
>
> Yup, and nothing wrong with a virgin mary. A few drops of worcestershire
> and tabasco in your V8 and there you are.
>
> B/

Yeehaa! Which is Texan fer "tabasco this yr, Edrena's Aji Surprise El Jorge
next..."
The saga continues...
Edrena

The Joneses wrote:
> Yeehaa! Which is Texan fer "tabasco this yr, Edrena's Aji Surprise El Jorge
> next..."
> The saga continues...

V8 has Splenda in it. I suggest that you should consider alternatives
if you want to avoid "diet sweetners". All of those juices are loaded
with salt.

I make my tomato juice from 28bx tomato paste and filtered water.
If you let it sit overnight, it tastes like the canned juice.

This way you can control the amount of salt. You may also want
to add lemon juice when you make it.

My favorite mixture is tomato juice, worchestshire sauce, horseradish
and tabasco.


Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 Fax ONLY: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" > wrote in message
...
> The Joneses wrote:
>> Yeehaa! Which is Texan fer "tabasco this yr, Edrena's Aji Surprise El
>> Jorge
>> next..."
>> The saga continues...
>
> V8 has Splenda in it. I suggest that you should consider alternatives
> if you want to avoid "diet sweetners". All of those juices are loaded
> with salt.
>

shouldn't Splenda be listed in the ingredients? My V8 Original Blend
Vegetable Juice doesn't list it...If I knew it was there, I wouldn't be
drinking it...Wikipedia and www.v8juice.com lists it in Diet V8 Splash
only...

and yes the Original Blend is high in sodium, but you can buy the Low Sodium
Blend...

Kathi
who prefers it without horseradish, but extra Tobasco ;-)




> I make my tomato juice from 28bx tomato paste and filtered water.
> If you let it sit overnight, it tastes like the canned juice.
>
> This way you can control the amount of salt. You may also want
> to add lemon juice when you make it.
>
> My favorite mixture is tomato juice, worchestshire sauce, horseradish
> and tabasco.
>
>
> Geoff.
>
> --
> Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
> IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 Fax ONLY: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice:
> 1-215-821-1838
> Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

"Kathi Jones" > wrote in message
news
>
> "Geoffrey S. Mendelson" > wrote in message
> ...
>> The Joneses wrote:
>>> Yeehaa! Which is Texan fer "tabasco this yr, Edrena's Aji Surprise El
>>> Jorge
>>> next..."
>>> The saga continues...
>>
>> V8 has Splenda in it. I suggest that you should consider alternatives
>> if you want to avoid "diet sweetners". All of those juices are loaded
>> with salt.
>>
>
> shouldn't Splenda be listed in the ingredients? My V8 Original Blend
> Vegetable Juice doesn't list it...If I knew it was there, I wouldn't be
> drinking it...Wikipedia and www.v8juice.com lists it in Diet V8 Splash
> only...
> and yes the Original Blend is high in sodium, but you can buy the Low
> Sodium Blend...
> Kathi
> who prefers it without horseradish, but extra Tobasco ;-)
>
The salt is certainly a consideration I should watch. I live in the desert
however, and a leetle extra salt is certainly called for. The air is usually
so dry we do not notice how much moisture we lose by perspiration.
(Grandmother said girls don't sweat!). And tabasco type sauces are
loaded with salt, too.
I love Splenda myself. Put it on lots of things, buy it by the pound.
I'm hoping to make my own tomato sauce this year. Almost all the
canned stuff has that evil HFCS in it. Blecchh.
Edrena

"The Joneses" > wrote in message
t...
>>
> The salt is certainly a consideration I should watch. I live in the
> desert
> however, and a leetle extra salt is certainly called for. The air is
> usually
> so dry we do not notice how much moisture we lose by perspiration.
> (Grandmother said girls don't sweat!). And tabasco type sauces are
> loaded with salt, too.
> I love Splenda myself. Put it on lots of things, buy it by the pound.
> I'm hoping to make my own tomato sauce this year. Almost all the
> canned stuff has that evil HFCS in it. Blecchh.

I've made my own tomato sauce the last couple of years. I highly recommend
a tomato press -- it really speeds up the process.

What I wish is that I could find a good local source for fresh tomatoes in
quantity at a good price. We grow tomatoes, but they all get either eaten
fresh or turned into salsa. The farmers market has got good tomatoes, but
they're fairly pricey. I don't think I'd up my tomato sauce production, but
I could use at least 4x the amount of canned tomatoes I made last year. And
the salsa supply is almost gone, too.

I know in your location you'll probably get home-grown tomatoes a lot sooner
than we will in Chicago, but in the meantime you might want to check out
Hunt's tomato sauce -- Peapod lists it as having no HFCS.

Anny

"Anny Middon" > wrote in message
et...
> "The Joneses" > wrote in message
> t...
>>>
>> The salt is certainly a consideration I should watch. I live in the
>> desert (clipped).
>
> I've made my own tomato sauce the last couple of years. I highly
> recommend a tomato press -- it really speeds up the process.
>
> What I wish is that I could find a good local source for fresh tomatoes in
> quantity at a good price. We grow tomatoes, but they all get either eaten
> fresh or turned into salsa. The farmers market has got good tomatoes, but
> they're fairly pricey. I don't think I'd up my tomato sauce production,
> but I could use at least 4x the amount of canned tomatoes I made last
> year. And the salsa supply is almost gone, too.
>
> I know in your location you'll probably get home-grown tomatoes a lot
> sooner than we will in Chicago, but in the meantime you might want to
> check out Hunt's tomato sauce -- Peapod lists it as having no HFCS.
> Anny
>
My DH is from up there. We're both glad we live in the warm tho.
One year one of our Farmers Market growers had a glut and froze
them up, and sold them frozen next spring for just this purpose.
Labor to pick is so expensive even down here that the farmers
wind up with rotting produce in the field. I've become friends
with a couple growers who know I won't wreck their plants -
they allow me to pick what I want. Most pick it yourself places
lose a lot to rough handling. Might be an avenue to pursue.
Edrena

The Joneses wrote:

> The salt is certainly a consideration I should watch. I live in the desert
> however, and a leetle extra salt is certainly called for. The air is usually
> so dry we do not notice how much moisture we lose by perspiration.
> (Grandmother said girls don't sweat!).

"Miss Hayworth does not perspire. She glows."
--Orson Welles

B/

Anny Middon wrote:

> What I wish is that I could find a good local source for fresh tomatoes in
> quantity at a good price.... The farmers market has got good tomatoes, but
> they're fairly pricey.

Show up near closing time. Make a bid for the crates of overripe or
bruised schtuff (tomato sauce doesn't depend on the appearance of the
tomatoes). More than likely they'll accept it (or make a counteroffer
only slightly higher for pride purposes) because it saves them the
energy of carting it back just to throw it out and they make some gas
money to boot.

B/

In article > ,
"The Joneses" > wrote:

> These pickles are great with tarragon and better even with basil instead
> of dill. Do ya think they would make nice stirrers in a bloody mary?

I soitanly do think so.
Tarragon, eh? How much? Per jar or do you put it into the brine?

> I can't drink anymore, but I might try this in the a.m. with just V8
> Edrena

Good plan, sez I

--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://jamlady.eboard.com - Comfort Food for Bob Pastorio, updated
3-16-2007
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller - Hollandaise sauce 3-15-2007
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/amytaylor

In article >,
Brian Mailman > wrote:

> The Joneses wrote:
>
> > The salt is certainly a consideration I should watch. I live in the desert
> > however, and a leetle extra salt is certainly called for. The air is usually
> > so dry we do not notice how much moisture we lose by perspiration.
> > (Grandmother said girls don't sweat!).
>
> "Miss Hayworth does not perspire. She glows."
> --Orson Welles
>
> B/

Men perspire, ladies glow, and horses sweat. Somebody said that.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://jamlady.eboard.com - Comfort Food for Bob Pastorio, updated
3-16-2007
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller - Hollandaise sauce 3-15-2007
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/amytaylor

"Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
...
> In article > ,
> "The Joneses" > wrote:
>
>> These pickles are great with tarragon and better even with basil
>> instead
>> of dill. Do ya think they would make nice stirrers in a bloody mary?
>
> I soitanly do think so.
> Tarragon, eh? How much? Per jar or do you put it into the brine?

I use a generous fresh sprig per pint, maybe a teaspoonful dried. I'm
having great luck growing the tarragon in pots. Our soil is not only hot,
it's poor and alkaline. The pots allow me to move it to shade when it's
scorching out. It comes back every year too, as long as I water it some over
the winter. I use a little less of fresh basil but I truly cannot decide
which I like best. The fresh sprig is a real nice visual touch too.
The recipe from Small Batch Preserving has us using 3.5 to 1 vinegar to
water ratio. I'd like to cut that back to 2 to 1 or 1 to 1, but I need to
test that first. The current recipe does seem to taste better now that it's
a year old - a little less bite, more pronounced asparagus flavor. And I use
all white wine vinegar. Bwhaahhhaaa. Got that booze in there!
My mustard plants are now about 4 feet tall and blooming to beat the band.
I'm astonished.
Edrena

Melba's Jammin' wrote:

> In article >,
> Brian Mailman > wrote:
>
>> The Joneses wrote:
>>
>> > The salt is certainly a consideration I should watch. I live in the desert
>> > however, and a leetle extra salt is certainly called for. The air is usually
>> > so dry we do not notice how much moisture we lose by perspiration.
>> > (Grandmother said girls don't sweat!).
>>
>> "Miss Hayworth does not perspire. She glows."
>> --Orson Welles
>>
>> B/
>
> Men perspire, ladies glow, and horses sweat. Somebody said that.

I can't find it. I *think* it was Bennett Cerf. Or someone from that era.

B/

The Joneses wrote:

> The recipe from Small Batch Preserving has us using 3.5 to 1 vinegar to
> water ratio. I'd like to cut that back to 2 to 1 or 1 to 1, but I need to
> test that first.

Uh-oh. The recipe I used (posted in this group) was 1:1 (5 cups water,
5 cups vinegar, 1/2 cup salt) and I used cider vinegar.

B/

"Brian Mailman" > wrote in message
...
> The Joneses wrote:
>
>> The recipe from Small Batch Preserving has us using 3.5 to 1 vinegar
>> to water ratio. I'd like to cut that back to 2 to 1 or 1 to 1, but I need
>> to test that first.
>
> Uh-oh. The recipe I used (posted in this group) was 1:1 (5 cups water, 5
> cups vinegar, 1/2 cup salt) and I used cider vinegar.
>
> B/

I think that is a generally accepted ratio. Not to worry. I'm just over
influenced by scientific gimcrackery. I believe that the apple cider vinegar
might be a little too strong, although I like it very much in okra pickles.
May half cider & half white wine vinegars?
Edrena

The Joneses wrote:

> "Brian Mailman" > wrote in message
> ...
>> The Joneses wrote:
>>
>>> The recipe from Small Batch Preserving has us using 3.5 to 1 vinegar
>>> to water ratio. I'd like to cut that back to 2 to 1 or 1 to 1, but I need
>>> to test that first.
>>
>> Uh-oh. The recipe I used (posted in this group) was 1:1 (5 cups water, 5
>> cups vinegar, 1/2 cup salt) and I used cider vinegar.
>>
>> B/
>
> I think that is a generally accepted ratio. Not to worry. I'm just over
> influenced by scientific gimcrackery. I believe that the apple cider vinegar
> might be a little too strong, although I like it very much in okra pickles.
> May half cider & half white wine vinegars?
> Edrena

Notes made: white wine vinegar, tarragon.

B/