Blueberry deliciousness...

I'm totally hot for blueberries--oh wait, that might be because it is still 84 degrees in my living room at 11:30 at night. But still, if you could only taste the blueberry jam I made today, you would understand!

I made up a recipe for corn-free freezer jam. It's probably unwise to tell the county extension office, and please don't say you heard it from me...but I think it is safe from deadly germs because it will be in the freezer. Heat up 8 cups of local organic blueberries and 3 cups of (seriously un-local) organic evaporated cane sugar until they seem like they will be thick enough to spread on a sandwich after the jam hangs out for a few minutes. I can't describe this technique called sheeting, yet, (i.e. when it's thick enough to put it into the jars), but there seems to be a lot more leeway here than with strawberries. A longer window, maybe. (I'll work on a description for next week.) The batch should make 5 half-pint jars.

Just an aside, don't waste your time dehydrating blueberries. Not so great. Instead, buy a melon and try drying that! Although I have never tried it, my friend JD, a reliable source, says it is delicious. Some of you even live in places where the heat rages for months and you can actually buy local melons or even grow your own. Big smiles...

Remember dehydration! (Not the newest diet plan, but a food preservation tip)

Don't forget about dehydration! It's energy-efficient and saves space.

A good dehydrator is a worthwhile expense. You can use it for years, and it is versatile. Dehydrating saves space if you live in an apartment or small place. It is also a low-energy way to preserve; the dehydrator uses very little electricity. A dehydrator skirts the need for a big freezer. It also takes less TIME than canning. The dehydrator can be left alone to do its work while you are doing other chores or working. So buy, borrow, and share your dehydrator. Start with fruit! Later, we can explore other crazy possibilities...

RECIPE FOR DEHYDRATING STRAWBERRIES:
Clean, cut off the tops, slice into half-inch pieces and place on the dehydrator sheets. Dehydrate at 130 degrees for about 8 hours. Check them after 4 hours and 6 hours if you can. When they are dry, but still pliable, put them in a glass jar with a lid to store.

Tip: Put the end pieces of the strawberry cut-side up to make dried strawberry removal from the tray easier.

Food Preservation Posts Coming Soon

We're up to our eyeballs in fresh fruits and veggies. (Ok, this is not quite yet true in New Hampshire, but almost.) Let's start preserving...and drying...and freezing. One sure way to find local in the winter is to look in your own pantry (or basement). If you've prepared in July, you'll have much luck in January.