ISO moms and grandmas (and dads and grandpas) who can

[Braisin_Greens]

Hello! I'm an aspiring canner and by way of jumping in, have decided to write a piece about canning and food preservation for a writing class. I live in DC and will write partly about 20-somethings like me who've been bitten by the canning bug.

To balance these stories, I'd like to have the perspective of someone of the WWII or baby boom generation who grew up preserving food as a way of life. Do you fit that description? If so, please contact me! My piece is due next week so I need to get writing!

Thanks, and I look forward talking to you!

[mcnerd]

I'm a 60's something and have become somewhat experienced with canning and food preserving, but I did not grow up with it. Got interested over a year ago because of the world food situation. My mother didn't cook. My grandmother canned but her methods are now considered obsolete and dangerous.

[Katie H]

I'm in the same age group as mcnerd. My mother never canned anything, but my grandmother was an avid canner. Canned everything possible. I can still taste the raspberries and raspberry jam she made.

However, I've had an interest in canning for over 40 years and can what I can get my hands on, especially tomatoes, which I grow.

Canning is a rewarding kitchen task even though it is a hot hard, time-consuming job. Nothing can compare to the taste of home-canned oven-roasted tomato sauce. Just can't get that in ANY store. I've developed my own recipe, which brings me to a point you might be interested in.

Many/most home canners create their own recipes for the things they can and pass them on to future generations of canners.

For example, one of my favorite breakfast tastes is my homemade orange marmalade on one of my fresh homemade English muffins. Now...that's heaven.

Also, there are many foods I wouldn't touch from the grocery store shelves that I relish after having tasted home-canned versions.

Finally, there is nothing more rewarding than to look on one's pantry shelves and see the beautiful rows of reds, yellows, greens, etc. of the jars of canned treats.

[expatgirl]

just mainly jams and jellies.....only way my husband and I could afford to give out Christmas gifts our first year..........we picked the dewberries and muscadine grapes ourselves....stickers, heat, and mosquitos included with the sweat and toil.......just made some jalapeno jelly with my daughter for her boyfriend's family....great over cheese and crackers and bagels with cream cheese......

[Braisin_Greens]

Thanks for your responses! Your stories will definitely help with the piece. Katie E, I may be in contact for an email interview with you. I'm noticing a difference between those who canned for financial or logistical reasons (e.g. less fresh produce was available in grocery stores over the winter) and those who do it as environmentalists or gourmands.

Is there anyone else out there who HAD to preserve foods in the past?

[CharlieD]

I'm from Soviet Union and we had to preserve everything or have nothing in the winter month. 100-ds of galons of canned fruits, vegitables, mushrooms. Jams, jellys, you named it.