PICKLED ASPARAGUS

15 Saturday Jun 2013

Posted by backyardnotes in Canning & Preserving

Tags

art studio, Asparagus, canning, Ellensburg, food, Pickled asparagus, pickling, Spring, thorp

Washington asparagus

I ABSOLUTELY ADORE ASPARAGUS. IN NEARLY ANY FORM. PICKLED IS ESPECIALLY GOOD. I could probably eat it every day. The first weekend in June I made a trip to Ellensburg for an art studio tour with a friend, one of my daughters and granddaughter. In particular I really wanted to visit Dick & Jane’s Spot. On the back west to Seattle we stopped at Thorp to buy local, Washington asparagus.

One problem with pickling asparagus are the leftover ends. I solved that problem last year in the following way:

The leftover ends

Once the lovely spears have been cut to fit the jars, cut the remaining ends into just-larger-than-bite-size pieces (do not use the tough ends) and stuff into jars and process along with the spears. Just as tasty and little to no wasted asparagus.

All the pieces!

15 pounds of asparagus yielded about seven pints of spears and pieces.

JAM SEASON 2012 NOW UNDERWAY!

07 Monday May 2012

Posted by backyardnotes in Canning & Preserving, Jams, Jellies & Preserves

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Tags

canning pot, jam, lavendar, mangoes, Pickled asparagus, pike place market, rhubarb, rhubarb jam

THE LAST WEEK OF APRIL I BOUGHT FIVE POUNDS OF RHUBARB in the Skagit Valley after an afternoon of tulip viewing with my mother and sister. I have never been a big fan of rhubarb and since the groundskeeper does like it, I gave it another try. I did a little searching around and found this recipe for Lavender Rhubarb Jam at Hungry Tigress. This jam is delicious! On Friday I made mango jam (inspired by Mrs. Wheelbarrow) with lime juice, a couple of large mandarins and a minced Fresno chile. Mangoes are cheap and plentiful this last week–88¢-$1.00 apiece!

On Saturday I went to a restaurant supply armed with a quart jar and bought a new, 16qt. stock (Crestware) pot to replace my old enameled canner.

It will comfortably accommodate six quart jars (pints sterilizing in the photo) and tall enough to cover the jars with two inches of water. I also bought a rack that fits perfectly on the bottom.

And then, I proceeded to pickle asparagus purchased at the Pike Place Market earlier in the day. It will take just a bit of getting used to since it is heavier and takes longer to come to a boil with a load full of jars. Happy with the new canner.