Eating From the Pantry

by Liz

Here in northern New England, it's imperative to be prepared if you are at all committed to eating seasonally.  "Being prepared" means stocking the pantry with excess produce while it's in season -- either by freezing, canning, dehydrating or root cellaring.  Whether the produce is from your own garden or from a local farmer, it makes both economical and common sense  While I am just now starting to crave fresh green vegetables, I'm still doing most of my eating out of the pantry, and am thankful for it.

I have a vegetable garden because it's a great way to spend time outdoors, stay fit and clear my head.  Mostly, though, I garden because I love to eat high quality food, and I can easily grow $1000 worth of organic produce in a growing season.  Keeping a large garden also means that I must practice and hone my skills when it comes to putting this bounty up.

While my grandmother was a pro at growing and preserving food, I had no interest in acquiring those skills from her when I was young.  So unfortunate.  Everything I have learned in the past few years has either been from books (The Ball Blue Book and Preserving Summer's Bounty are two that I use) or tidbits picked up from friends.  Canning can be intimidating to beginners, freezing is pretty straightforward (blanch first!) and underbed storage for things like onions and winter squash is a snap.

In the few short years since we've moved to Maine from New Jersey, we have come to rely on the food that I put up during the growing season to sustain us through the long, cold winter and into spring.  The first full year we lived here, I was shocked at how long it took to find fresh local produce -- peas and strawberries are typical 4th of July fare.  It was difficult at first to change my way of thinking (spring peas are a summer food?), but now that I know what to expect, I make sure to freeze plenty of peas (over 8 lbs last year) to get us through to the fresh harvest.  Eating from the pantry has many merits, and even if the only fresh vegetation besides leafy greens is still some time off, it allows us to enjoy the preserved tastes of last summer well beyond our short growing season.

Two days into this year's Eat Local Challenge, on a cool, rainy day, my pantry rewarded me for my efforts:  lamb raised by a friend cooked in the Daube style with homegrown carrots, onions and tomatoes.  Mashed potatoes with fresh chives.  I make no excuses for the red wine -- it was from California.  But at least it was organic.

This is why I preserve the harvest.  In those moments during the summer when I'm working in a hot kitchen and just can't stand the idea of peeling yet another tomato, I hope to remember this chilly day in May when, seven months after I last picked a fresh vegetable from my garden, we sat down to a meal almost entirely homegrown.

Liz makes her home on Pocket Farm in Maine, a modern homestead where self-sufficiency, resourcefulness and simple living reign.

Comments

[VI]

So much inspiration!

I have a post percolating in me on what I call the "tyranny of the fresh." While there are obvious bad memories of poorly canned peas and green beans running through people's minds, I think consumers have been too trained to think these days that fresh is best.

Last night, as I was braying about this peeve, exhibit A fell right into my dish. I was at Vie, a restaurant near Chicago that makes a HUGE effort to be local, and backs that up with a larder full of goods. On offer for dessert was "strawberries and cream." But the stawberries were not some potato-berry found in the stores round here these days. Rather, it was a farmer's market thing of beauty, captured and canned properly. The taste was amazing.

Follow Liz's lead to eat from the pantry because fresh is not always best.

[Steph]

So true! Inspiring entry. I wanted to also tack on another book worth mentioning-Stocking Up by Carol Hupping this is an excellent resource especially for anyone who wishes to put up goods without the use of sugar or artificial sweeteners. A friend sent this to me and I am anxious to use this book.

[Jamie Swedberg]

Right on, Liz!

I use a book called So Easy to Preserve, which deals with everything from canning to freezing to drying. One big rush of cucumbers in midsummer translates into kosher dills for a whole year! And I think I *may* have just used up the last of my frozen yellow crookneck squash from last July.

Not only is food preservation economical and local, but it's fascinating. Yes, there are those moments when you can't bear another minute of standing over a hot stove. But it is so, so worth it later.

[Birdsong]

We have an abundance of heritage apples every year, and sometimes I exhaust myself trying to find new recipes... the crockpot has turned out to be an excellent way to make fruit butters in small batches without scorching. Very quick blanching and freezing will handle all kinds of abundance, too. I learned from a berry grower to freeze the berries laid out on cookie sheets, then dump into the permanent storage containers; that way, they won't stick to each other and you can portion out what you want easier.

[Farm Girl]

Hi, just wanted to put my .02 cents in - when I was growing up, my mother gardened and canned extensively (I wish I had paid attention!) and she relied on the classic book: Putting Food By, by Janet Greene. I still have her old copy from the seventies, but I bought a new one recently and am very impressed with it. It has long been considered the "bible" of home canning, gives several methods to preserve food, and tells which method is best for each.
Also, I recently discovered two other books: Keeping Food Fresh: Old World Techniques & Recipes, by Claude Aubert, and also Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture foods. Lots to learn, for me at least!

[jakcee]

Eating From the Pantry good summary about it i also want to went there and taste there foods and of course red wine because i love red wine

[tony]

yes growing vegetable in your own garden is good. its mean you save your money and spend your free time at home either you go outdoor spend your time with friends drinking wine. spend your time in these useless things.

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