Happy Belated Can-Day!

I spent a weekend not too long ago buying a bunch of mason jars, boiling a vinegar brine and sticking my hands deep into some cored tomatoes: Oh yea, Canning Day has arrived.

This canning day was something special. Not only did I have Kristen's stellar equipment, and four hands in the kitchen, but we made not one, not two, but THREE different types of salsa! JUST SALSA. In addition to our roasted pepper, tomatillo and chipotle salsas, we managed to can 12 jars of stewed tomatoes, pickled carrots and dilly beans, and a few cans of rosemary caramelized onions. 

Not to get cheesy y'all, but canning is a great way to make new friends! There is some serious bonding in the act of canning! Think about it:

You have to handle scalding hot liquids, so there's an element of danger involved (girl scouts, hellooo). 

You're working in the age-old traditions of our supermarket-less ancestors, forging ahead into the long-cold winter with aplomb, and occasionally style, so there's definitely an element of fashion.

Finally, you get to eat and share awesome shit! And then make everyone else feel downright negligent for not having a pantry full of tomatoes. Therefore, you can share in the camaraderie of being better than everyone else. High fives, my canning elite!

Thanks to Amanda, Kristen and Jasper! For my next post, I will disclose the secrets of the following tasty meatball dish.

 If you're in the market to do some canning, do NOT miss this amazing site!!! This woman is absolutely obsessed with canning, and man is she ever good at it. Make sure to follow instructions about pickled veggies (I always make them refrigerator style because I am always going to be scared of botulism). 

And here is a perplexing photo of me with a massive can floating next to my head!!!