Last week I got nervous when I saw San Marzano tomatoes in the seconds stall at the farm stand, an area where they stock imperfect produce for half price. I asked the owner if the weather had pushed up the tomato harvest since I’m normally used to canning my sauce between late August and mid-September. She reassured me it was just the start of the season, and pending any weather-related acts of God, I was okay to wait. I breathed a sigh of relief because I wasn’t prepared to start the canning process, which usually occupies two full weekends, plus some late nights every summer.
This is the first year in decades that I didn’t can any homemade jam. I didn’t even harvest violets, though I still have syrup frozen from last year. Between my mother’s last couple of months before she passed away, and the usual grief that creeps up as the anniversary of Michael’s passing draws near, I needed to be in the moment to preserve memories, not produce, for the future.
I told myself there’ll be next year to make jam, although the window hasn’t closed on peaches yet. I’ve also got a few pounds of blueberries picked from my own garden down in the chest freezer, so homemade jars of jam may still grace my winter table.
The farm stands up here in the Hudson Valley are bursting with local corn, all varieties of tomatoes, amazing tender lettuces that won’t leave you fearful of eating salad, melons, blueberries, peaches, and so much more, which inspired me to put together a collection of favorite summer recipes & preserving techniques from the last 16 years.
My new Summer Favorites Ebook is linked below. As with all my other ebooks (click here to see them), it is available to paid subscribers, so today is a great day to consider upgrading your subscription. No matter how you subscribe, I thank you for being here. I hope the weekend has graced us all with some moments of peace. Be well, and remember to be kind. —xo, j.
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