Canning Hot Italian Peppers

A Word on Canning

A lot of people are reluctant to undertake preserving the bounty of their gardens, whether of all the perceived work it entails or the possibilities of creating some new form of bacterial life hell-bent on penning them up in the bathroom for days on end. It seems they would rather give away bagfuls of cucumbers and zucchini to neighbors they ignore the rest of the year than to go through the trouble of learning this simple, ages-old technique. These are the same people who toil all summer long, weeding, feeding, watering and nurturing their gardens, only to have to go out and spend three bucks on a jar of pickles or relish, or stock up on canned tomatoes when they go on sale at the grocery store because the idea of canning either never crossed their minds, or was too daunting to undertake. Sadly, for the price of a little extra work, and some research and planning, they could have filled their pantries with fresh garden tomatoes, had their own, homemade relish to impress their guests with, and saved a few bucks on groceries while they were at it.

Those of us in the know realize that canning is neither difficult nor dangerous, as long as you plan ahead, use the proper equipment, and follow a few simple common sense sanitation rules. There are quite a few sites online that do a great job explaining the process, so I won't go into detail here. I suggest you check out four or five sites, mainly so you get a good feel for what different people are doing, and just in case you happen across a site giving bad information the first time you set out. By reading multiple sites, you'll more easily be able to pick up on it when someone suggests something risky or idiotic. Until you're comfortable with the process, I would suggest you avoid any recipes that require "fermentation," like sauerkraut or kimchee.

I will no doubt get more into canning later in the season. It's a bit early right now, but with record temperatures and a very mild spring here in the northeast, gardens are thriving, and my hot peppers are already nearing full size. And I'm not the only one. The idea for this blog came from Carlo, who asked me for this recipe at his granddaughter's (my Niece) softball game last week. Now if someone would just show him how to use a computer...

Canned Italian Hot Peppers

• 2 c. white vinegar
• 4 c. water
• 1 c. sugar
• Long Italian Hot Peppers (or Cherry Peppers, or Jalapeno Peppers)
• Garlic cloves
• Salt
• Dry or Fresh Oregano
• Olive oil

Wash peppers and remove tops. Cut long hot peppers into 1-inch rings. Combine vinegar, water, and sugar; bring to a boil and keep boiling. Pack peppers into clean, hot quart jars. To each quart add 1 clove of garlic, Oregano to taste, 1 teaspoon olive oil. Pour boiling syrup over peppers, leave ¼-inch head space. Seal the jars and process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Until next time, I leave you with the immortal words of Alfred E. Newman, who once pointed out, "We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons."

Truly good fodder for further contemplation.